Massage Therapy Interview Series: John

When I think about the kind of leadership that makes a difference for non-traditional students in the Las Vegas, I think of John Teng, our Program Director at European Massage Therapy School here in Las Vegas. John truly supports students and is deeply committed to helping us succeed. I’ve faced my own challenges during this program, and John was there to guide me through them. I’ve also watched friends in the program overcome unexpected and unique difficulties. Time and again, John supported them so they would reach their graduation goal. His dedication is one of the reasons I’m so grateful to be part of one of only two massage therapy schools in the Las Vegas area. If you’re looking to earn your massage license, I recommend European Massage Therapy School. It’s a place where your goals are taken seriously, and your success matters.

Here's my interview with John Teng, Director for the European Massage Therapy School.

John Teng, Director, European Massage Therapy School

Looking ahead to 2030, MassageLuXe predicts deeper roots for the massage industry in the health and wellness business sector, what emerging trends or specializations do you anticipate will shape the future career paths for your students?

I feel the current trend of connective tissue therapy (MFR, Rolfing or structural integration, fascial manipulation, myofascial Thai massage, etc) will continue to evolve and get integrated into different facets of massage therapy that includes traditional and alternative health care, sports, workplace massage, the spa industry.  I believe that there will be a boom in sports massage especially at the collegiate level because now that college athletes are able to monetize their skills, more and more would want to hire LMTs to keep themselves in tip top condition and the connective tissue therapies that I mentioned can be the difference between ending their careers in the collegiate level or moving up to the professional level. 

Challenges such as burnout, limited upward mobility, and inadequate compensation for practitioners. How do you prepare your students to navigate these potential difficulties, and what advice do you offer for long-term career sustainability and maintaining satisfaction in the profession?

The best advice I can give is to find a niche in the massage and bodywork field where you are passionate about (not where the most money is at the moment); be it prenatal massage, MFR, sports massage, oncology massage, geriatric massage, etc.  If you do what you love and have a passion for it, then there is less chance you will burn out.  And if you are good at what you do and do it with passion, clients will stay with you and recommend their friends and family to come see you.  Your practice will grow exponentially when you do that.  I believe the best way to avoid burnout is to stop chasing money.  Just let money chase you instead by being the best at what you do.

There are lots of approaches to practicing massage therapy on clients: medical, therapeutic, spiritual, relaxation, health & wellness...what is your approach and how has it changed over your career?

My approach is always to customize my massage based on the client's current needs. My massage may include all or some or none of what you mentioned based on what the client's current needs are.  That is why I encourage students to keep learning new techniques.  The more tools you have in your toolbox, the more likely you will be able to help your client start the healing process.

The U.S. Pain Foundation survey reveals that cost is the biggest barrier for patients accessing treatments like massage therapy (52.8%), and many insurance policies specifically exclude massage therapists as covered providers. How do you advise students on building a sustainable business model or finding diverse income streams, especially when direct insurance billing might not be an option for many?

I don't foresee the insurance industry in the United States accepting massage therapists as covered providers anytime soon.  They are very behind their counterparts in other developed countries in the world on this matter.  So my advice to students just starting out and wanting to have a successful and fulfilling career in massage therapy is to work part time in a couple of different industries first.  For example, they can work part time at a day spa and a chiropractic office or a med spa or fitness studio or pain clinic or a casino doing chair massage or massage on-demand (what I call the Uber of massage therapy).  This way, they can find out where their interest and passion lies.  This will give them an idea of what they want to do full time.  By starting their careers this way, they will have stable income while figuring out what their passion is, and at the same time, they can start cultivating their own private clients on the side if they want to have their own business in the future.  Once they know what they want to do full time, they can concentrate on learning new techniques or modalities that will help them be more proficient in that industry.  No matter which industry they choose, If they can take someone's pain away, their clients will be more than happy to pay out of pocket for the treatments even without insurance coverage.  Case in point, John Barnes charges thousands of dollars for his treatment yet people in pain still seek him out.  

In your career, have you collaborated with other healthcare providers like physical therapists, occupational therapists, or chiropractors, who are able to bill insurance companies for massage techniques? What did these interdisciplinary relationships look like, and what advice do you have for students seeking such partnerships?

No, I have not collaborated with other healthcare providers.  My advice with any partnership is to make sure it benefits both sides and you can trust each other.  This way the partnership is rooted in solid ground and can endure superficial obstacles.

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) reports that 27% of consumers had a massage for pain relief/pain management in a recent 12-month period, and 35% considered massage therapy as an alternative to opioids or other prescription pain relievers. How do you approach teaching students to work with clients seeking massage specifically for pain management as an alternative or complementary approach?

Before you can provide pain management as an alternative or complementary approach using massage therapy, you need to know human anatomy very well.  You have to know muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, fascia as well as functional anatomy, kinesiology and pathology.  So if students want to specialize in pain management,  I would make sure the students have an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and make sure the students can combine what they learn in science classes and hands-on classes. This will give the students a solid foundation to build their practice on.  I would also encourage the students to learn from the experience of massaging clients with pain issues and keep learning techniques that can enhance their skill set.

What strategies or business acumen do you believe are essential for a massage therapist to achieve financial success in private practice or as an entrepreneur?

Besides massage therapy, another passion of mine is financial stability.  Growing up poor in a third world country has taught me the importance of saving for the future.  And my previous career as a banker has only solidified my belief.  So to achieve financial success as an entrepreneur, besides knowing how to make money, learning how to save for your retirement is also very important. And this is something that most entrepreneurs or massage therapists don't focus on. With this in mind, I am creating a CE class to teach students how to save for their retirement even if they are not making a lot of money.

Every massage therapist has a wide range of techniques to choose from. What is your specialty and what types of techniques do you tend to use the most? Mfr? BMT? PNF? Deep tissue? Trigger point? Shiatsu?

You know I love Thai massage.  But the technique that I use in every massage is cross fiber friction.  By using different levels of cross fiber friction, I can palpate, assess and treat soft tissues and it is my go to technique for therapeutic massage. 

How do you prepare students to address the mental and emotional aspects of their clients' health, understanding that massage can be "transformational" beyond just physical ailments?

I have a saying that has guided me through my career as a massage therapist and also through my life.  The saying is "what you think, you become."  So the mental and emotional aspects of a client's health has everything to do with the physical aspect of a client's health.  Knowing a client's mental and emotional state will help you to customize your massage based on your client's needs.  Sometimes a client just needs you to be there, to listen and offer gentle, caring touch.  By being caring, curious, compassionate and empathetic, you can listen with your ears and with your hands.  The body will usually tell you what type of massage/bodywork it needs at that moment.

Final Thoughts

I’ve really enjoyed my classes in the massage program. They teach massage in a way that is clear, practical, and prepares you for the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEX). John's curriculum makes sure we understand not just the “how” of massage therapy, but also the “why,” helping us see the bigger picture of what it means to be a healing professional.

If you want to support students like me, book a massage in our student clinic and help us gain valuable hands-on experience. Or, if you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a massage therapist yourself, contact European Massage Therapy School to start your path toward earning your license.