Jennifer Dayrell, a former high school teacher in Livermore, graduated from the Acupressure Institute in January of 2003. She set a goal to obtain one hundred practice hours outside of class during her basic training. Once she completed her certified training and obtained a business license, she started practicing acupressure professionally. Within one year, Jennifer had three acupressure employment sources in a salon, hospital gym, and an elder care faculty. In addition to these part-time jobs, she teaches mini self-acupressure classes for the City Parks & Recreation Department.

     Jennifer made a major commitment to continue her bodywork education at the Acupressure Institute with 200-hour programs in Pain & Stress Relief and Elder Care. For Jennifer, continuing to learn empowers and focuses her on the healing work she loves. As part of her training, she volunteered at the Charlotte Maxwell Center for low-income women with cancer for a year. Jennifer’s job employment demonstrates some of the potential opportunities available from obtaining an acupressure certification.

Salon
     After getting a pedicure for her daughter’s wedding, Jennifer mentioned she was studying acupressure. Hearing this, the salon owner said, “When you get certified, let me know. We haven’t had a massage therapist here for years, however it’s advertised on our window and customers request it.” Jennifer has a fee sharing arrangement with the salon and can also book her own clients. She goes there two days a week and does a combination of Tui Na, Thai massage, and acupressure. Jennifer only practiced oil massage when she began at the salon. After several months establishing herself there, she educated the owners and her clients about acupressure and the other bodywork modalities. She said, “The Acu-Oil Massage class helped me get my foot in the door at the salon.”

     One of the salon hairdressers was unable to grip her tools and was experiencing shooting pains. The three different medications her doctor prescribed had not provided relief. Jennifer saw her, held some upper-body pain and inflammation points, and the client felt better immediately. After the second session, she had a rush down her arm, and was able to come back to work. Jennifer enjoys the immediate feedback she gets from people about how much better they feel. “You know immediately if you have been effective doing bodywork; they tell you right away. I give and get great feedback, all the time, everyday.”

Hospital Gym
     A local hospital created a hospital gym to offer exercise, acupressure, massage and acupuncture to their patients as part of a general wellness program. When Jennifer completed her basic training, the hospital advertised a part-time position. She applied online, had several obstacles in getting the job, and after many follow-up calls -- she was able to get the position. Previously, only massage was offered; Jennifer had to educate her potential new employers about Tui Na and Thai Massage methods. These techniques are now listed as the competencies she offers. Many of her clients are undergoing physical therapy for hip and knee replacements. Jennifer spends two days a week as a contractor at the hospital gym and also works directly on hospital staff, who are in a position to refer patients to her. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to build a therapeutic massage program within the hospital itself.

Self-Care & Financial Advice
     Jennifer envisions herself doing acupressure for many more years. She sees an acupuncturist once a month for a “tune-up” and trades regularly with two other practitioners. Since she does self-acupressure regularly, she does not let herself get overly extended or stressed.

     On the financial front, Jennifer recommends limiting the number of free sessions you give once you are certified and obtain a business license. She found that offering reduced prices for sessions did not result in return clients. In her second year of private practice, she plans to raise her prices a little above the going rate. She says, “if people really want something, they’ll find the money to pay for it.”

Elder Care
     Jennifer began offering sessions to patients at an Elder Care Center for Alzheimer’s & Dementia when her best friend’s mother lost mobility in her arms and legs. She works on her twice a week for half an hour, and gives fifteen-minute sessions bi-weekly to several other patients. Jennifer works gently on their neck, shoulders, arms and legs, sometimes with a little oil. She has learned to accept their body’s limitations. When she goes to see her elder patients, they stretch out their hands toward her to be touched. These clients taught her how well people can withstand hardship and continue to heal.