Hi! I'm Tiffany Wilson, Licensed Massage Therapist and owner of Well Rested Massage in Millbury, MA. I live in Shrewsbury, MA with my husband, daughter, and pets. When I'm not working I enjoy spending time with my family, taking walks with the dogs, and writing.
I studied Massage Therapy at Lincoln Technical Institute in Brockton, MA March 2009-January 2010. I started massage school on a whim. I wish I could tell you that it has always been my passion, but the truth is, I'd never had a massage before I attended school! I happened to be touring the school with someone who was interested in another program and I felt myself become overwhelmed by jealousy! "If you're going to school, I want to go to school!" Not exactly the best reason to commit to a full-time program but I am incredibly happy I did!
I had no idea what I could do with massage and thought that it was an indulgence for people who wanted to "treat themselves". The only representation I had seen of massage was the super exaggerated and silly "massages" they did in sitcoms where a massive woman named Helga announced she was here to do a Swedish massage and aggressively chopped at the character while they squirmed in pain or very fancy massages at high-end resorts where a therapist gently rubbed oily circles on the characters back. I thought I would probably end up working at one of those resorts because, while I don't exactly see myself as a fancy person, I definitely didn't want to hurt people all day!
Imagine my relief when on my first day of school I learned that the examples I had seen were just exaggerated stereotypes. I knew from the minute I sat in my first class that I had found the thing I had been looking for and I was all in! Throughout school, I maintained perfect attendance and a 4.0 GPA. I gave it my all and soaked up all of the knowledge my teachers were willing to share. I loved learning how massage affects more than the muscles and the tremendous impact it can have on a client's entire being.
I thought that my specialty would be Swedish massage with a focus on relaxation. I loved that massage helped people with their mental, as well as physical health. I also didn't think I had the strength or ability to provide a deep tissue massage. I liked what our teacher talked about and how he was able to unlock areas of chronic tension but I didn't think I was capable of doing that until the day came when my teacher ended up on my table. I got to work, nervous as could be! He let me work for a few minutes until he picked his head up out of the face cradle and said, "Holy cow! You give a DEEP massage!" With his guidance, I shifted my focus and the entire trajectory of my career changed. I still wanted my clients to feel mentally lighter, more relaxed, and happier but I also wanted them to move easier and help them let go of issues in their tissues that they had been harboring for weeks, months, even years.
My signature massage has become a deep pressure, deep tissue massage, using really slow and intentional strokes to relax the body and mind. I gently encourage your body and mind to let go. I don't believe in overworking the muscle or giving your body an experience it can't enjoy. I think that relaxing the mind is as important as relaxing the body and while I've heard "no pain, no gain" more times than I can count over the course of my career it is not my personal philosophy.
I've worked in many different settings over the course of my career. I've worked in the fancy spas I thought I would end up in, I've worked for franchises, private practices, chiropractors, and gyms. I have worked in varying positions within these spaces as well. I have experience as a receptionist, Lead Massage Therapist (managing the therapists and needs for the therapist), and Manager, and even worked as General Manager overseeing 5 locations. I have learned something valuable from every setting and every position and observed a common thread: People are tired.
In this day and age, things happen almost instantly and while sometimes that's really nice and convenient, it's also really important to slow down once in a while. Well Rested Massage was founded because I had experienced burnout after a really intense couple of years where a lot changed very quickly. It was a very challenging time in my life and when the dust settled I wanted to make what I went through matter so I decided to take a leap of faith and open my own practice where I hoped I could help clients who, like me, were tired and needed a place to rest, relax, and recover.
I opened my doors on March 1, 2023, and I have been lucky enough to work with some incredible clients. I love my space and I'm so excited about the future of Well Rested Massage. I can't wait to see what happens next!
Be well,
Tiffany
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