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Vicars Graduate Spotlight: Maureen de Sosa Kalas, RMT and clinic owner

Maureen de Sosa Kalas, RMT
Maureen de Sosa Kalas, RMT

Maureen de Sosa Kalas, RMT

Maureen de Sosa Kalas is a lot of things: a healer, entrepreneur, an athlete, and an adventurer. And an MH Vicars graduate, of course.
In the decade since she completed the two-year diploma program at MH Vicars School in Calgary, Maureen has built a successful massage therapy career that has allowed her to combine everything she loves to do.
She owns MassageWorks Cochrane & Chiropractic Care, a multi-therapist clinic in Cochrane, Alberta, where she specializes in sports massage and treating clients with injuries and chronic conditions. Maureen took the time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions about being an RMT and running her own business.

Tell us about your massage practice!

I was a teacher by trade and decided to pursue a career in health and wellness and in a more therapeutic, caring aspect of it. I love being physically active and enjoy getting tangible results.
My focus going into massage therapy education was in the sports side of treatment as I enjoy the outdoors, and was interested in sports injuries and rehab overall. With that in mind, the focus of my practice has been in the sports and therapeutic side. After graduating from MH Vicars, I took extra courses with the Canadian Sports Massage Therapists Association in Toronto, and various other sports massage courses.

What’s the best thing about being a massage therapist?
I love the instant, tangible result or improvement when I work on someone that comes in with an injury or chronic issues. Especially when they have been so desperate in getting help and no one has figured out how to treat them, and then I’m able to help them.

What are the biggest challenge of being a massage therapist? 
I find the biggest challenge with being a RMT is having a home-life balance. Sometimes, when you are sought-after, it’s hard to take time off. But it is necessary to decompress and recharge one’s sanity, mental clarity, and wellness. My way of decompressing is through running, hiking, climbing, and cooking. Living close to the mountains affords me that lifestyle and a great client base who followed me throughout these years.

What do you think it takes to be a good massage therapist?
Having a great skill set. Not just knowing your stuff, but being a good listener, compassionate, and down-to-earth.
And having great biomechanics is essential to having a long term career in this industry. I’ve been fortunate that I am very aware of my own body mechanics, and never had any injuries such as repetitive strain injuries. I always advise any RMT to master this skill as this is not a long-term career once injuries starts happening.

What advice can you offer for someone considering a career in massage?

Take the time to know the industry. I’ve hired and interviewed so many RMTs and I find that for the most part people get into the industry because they want to help someone, which is intrinsic for most of us. But knowing what it takes to grow and build your client base and all the practical skills that comes with it, takes skill and experience and the willingness to learn. Money is not all of it but at the same time, we have to compensate ourselves well for what we do. And getting compensated well is a result of having a good skill set, including the business skills. Because as RMTs, we are a walking business entity.

Why did you choose MH Vicars for your massage education?
It was a great school, and the program was suited to what I needed at that time. It had a great reputation as well—I knew that MH Vicars produced quality graduates.

What has been the biggest accomplishment of your massage career so far? What are you most proud of, professionally?
I am most proud of the many people that I have met along the way that are now friends. I have been to their high and lows in their life, from marriages, to births, divorces, and raising kids – and I’ve treated their families – and I am still very much connected to them. I love that over the years I’ve seen them and know their story and history.

What are your professional goals right now?
My professional goal is to grow and expand our practice. I want to venture into other businesses, mentor other RMTs, and continue doing massage.

Robin Collum
Author: Robin Collum