My name is Precious Perez, and I’m a massage therapist for 20 years at 101 with PCRK.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I actually wanted to be a psychiatrist.
Why did you choose to go into massage therapy?
Over 20 years ago, probably 21 years ago, my son got sick. He was in the hospital for 21 days, and he wasn’t allowed to eat because they were trying to figure out what formula to put him on. So he cried a lot because babies cry, and they don’t understand they can’t have a bottle because he was 2 months old. Bottles soothe and he wasn’t allowed to have one.
The nurse came in and she said, “I’m going to teach you infant massage”. She was a massage therapist during her nursing school and so she said, this will help. It did instantly. So everyday, to soothe him in the hospital, I gave him a massage. And then after, when I brought him home, became like our thing. And in fact, he used to rub my arm to go to bed.
So when I had my last child, I was trying to find a career that revolved around my family, but I could still help others because I liked working with people. And I thought back to her. On a Friday, I went and looked at a massage school, ASMT, Arizona School of Massage Therapy. And, I signed up for classes starting on Monday.
What is your favorite thing about massage therapy?
My clients, the relationships. I watched – the families. I worked on whole families. So my clients.
What do you like about working for PCRK Group / Massage Envy?
What I like about Massage Envy is the relationships I have built for 20 years with my clients.
Are there any misconceptions about massage therapy that you’d like to explain?
It’s not a luxury. They think it’s a luxury sometimes, especially if it’s their first or if they only get them once a year. It’s, I tell them all the time, you only get one body. You gotta take care of it. You don’t get to turn it in. You don’t get to trade it for new parts. You have to take care of yourself. Otherwise, how are you going to take care of others? I get massages regularly.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of massage?
Traveling. Traveling and my family.
I have 5 kids, 4 boys, 1 girl. And we go regularly to California to take the – now I have grandkids – to take my grandkids. I’ve been able to take my kids on some amazing trips to Chicago, San Francisco, and the life I have is provided by massage.
How are you celebrating your 20th anniversary?
We’re actually thinking just because I’ve been doing this for 20 years. We’re actually and this is the honest truth.
My daughter-in-law is going into massage and she just graduated, in January. I actually got her to come work for Envy. She is at the Belle location. And, we are going to celebrate because my 20-year coincides with the same month as my grandson’s birthday, my daughter in law’s birthday. We’re going to Disney World.
What advice do you have for a new massage therapist?
The advice I gave my daughter-in-law because she’s starting out – Listen. Listen to your clients. You know, give the massage you wish to receive. And this career can revolve around your family. That’s the best part about it. You get to help others, but you still get to have your family. And, when you’re in a service industry like this, this is a very personal relationship, so bring it with you.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Being able to help others to meet their wellness goals and to watch them, you know, sometimes you get people that have injuries and you get to watch them go through their rehabilitation and you helped. That’s like the greatest satisfaction, is helping others, like, you know, especially in rehabilitation. But also just daily. Like, they could’ve had a bad day. They came in with a bad day. They walk out and they’re like, “that was amazing, I feel so much better.” And you can see it in the way they walked in, and the way they walk out.
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