Hiring Insights: How to Attract and Retain Top Massage Therapy Talent
Jan 27, 2026You've decided to add massage therapy to your wellness center. It makes perfect sense—your mental health clients are asking for it, your acupuncture patients would benefit from it, and you've got the space. So you draft a job posting, hit publish, and wait for applications to roll in.
Except they don't. Or if they do, you're struggling to make the compensation work, or the candidates aren't quite what you envisioned, or you're realizing you have no idea what equipment they actually need. Suddenly this "simple" addition feels overwhelmingly complicated.
In this episode from Kendall's "What the Wellness Center?!" series, recorded four years ago but addressing challenges that remain painfully current today, Kendall brings in Crystal Meyer, a licensed massage therapist at Vancouver Wellness Studio, to provide the insider perspective most practice owners desperately need.
Crystal's career journey—from chiropractic offices to high-end spas to private practice to her current role—gives her unique insight into what actually matters to massage therapists when evaluating employment opportunities. And it's not what most employers think.
The conversation opens with a reality check about compensation. As Crystal shares from surveying her network of LMTs: "Massage therapists are definitely underpaid in our industry and the work that we do is invaluable." She reveals that some large chains start therapists at just $15 per massage—a rate that's not just unfair but actively creating the burnout and turnover crisis in the field.
So what should you pay? Crystal recommends starting at 35% of the session rate, with room to grow. For context, in their market where sessions run around $100-120, this creates a sustainable compensation model. But she also addresses the therapists who insist on 50%, explaining why this can be challenging when you factor in rent, linens, marketing, and other overhead costs.
Beyond compensation, the conversation tackles a critical issue many employers from other modalities miss: physical labor limitations. As Kendall notes, "Mental health counselors can usually see more clients in a day potentially than a massage therapist can and should be seeing." Understanding that massage therapy is physically demanding work—standing all day, collaborating with clients' energy, using significant physical strength—is essential to creating realistic schedules.
The episode dives into practical details that can trip up first-time employers: legal requirements (which vary by state), liability insurance, ADA accessibility, licensure maintenance, and even state-specific rules like requiring license numbers on marketing materials. Crystal emphasizes the importance of simply asking: "What else should I know about what you do and how you practice and what you need for your work?"
Room setup receives detailed attention, from choosing the right massage table (avoid those cheap, narrow, wobbly starter tables) to ensuring adequate storage for linens and supplies. Crystal explains how different modalities require different space considerations—Thai massage needs significant room for movement, while Reiki requires less. The key is having enough space to move comfortably around the table.
One of the most valuable sections addresses finding the right fit beyond just technical skills. Crystal shares how her trauma-informed, gentle modalities (craniosacral, gentle bodywork) align perfectly with Vancouver Wellness Studio's focus on complex trauma. This cultural and clinical alignment matters as much as credentials.
The episode concludes with encouragement for practice owners feeling overwhelmed by these details. As Crystal's own experience demonstrates, creating an environment where therapists feel "really cared for and really listened to" builds loyalty and attracts quality practitioners. It's not about having everything perfect from day one—it's about being willing to learn and adapt.
Whether you're hiring your first massage therapist or looking to improve retention with current team members, this episode provides the foundational knowledge that transforms hiring from guesswork into strategic planning.
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About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links