ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - Richard Ramcharan

alumni career chronic pain faculty fasttrack healthcare impact life long learning massage therapy perinatal self care student yoga Jun 29, 2023

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - Richard Ramcharan (Class of 2022)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME & PREFERRED PRONOUNS?

Richard Ramcharan (he/him)

WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE FROM CCMH?

2022

WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY PRACTICE?

STIL SPACE WELLNESS & PELVICO HEALTH CENTER

WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR PRACTICE? TYPES OF MODALITIES? CONDITIONS? PATIENT POPULATIONS?

Removing blockages throughout the body allowing for fluids and joints to move better.

I blend myofascial release, visceral manipulation, craniosacral therapy, and pelvic treatments to allow patients' bodies to heal themselves.

I work with athletes, pre and post natal populations as well as chronic pain patients.

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU CAME TO CCMH?

I was (and still am) a yoga teacher and personal trainer.

WHAT MADE YOU A) CHOOSE MASSAGE THERAPY? B) CHOOSE CCMH?

I wanted to be more hands on with clients to provide higher quality care. The fast track program at CCMH was suitable to my needs plus the Hydrotherapy component added value that other schools didn't offer.

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CCMH? DID IT CHANGE FROM THE FIRST DAY OF TERM 1 TO GRADUATION?

Long hours, not in charge of my schedule, very little free time. It was arduous but knowing what doors it would open for me I stuck it out. After graduating, I felt very prepared to take on a new career. I also realized that the program prepared me well to continue my education and gave me a strong foundation for other courses.

WHAT WERE THE BEST AND WORST PARTS OF BEING A STUDENT AT CCMH?

Not being in charge of my schedule was difficult for me having been self employed before. The upside was the vast amount of knowledge and perspectives of the teachers. No one had the exact same approach to treating patients yet I was able to take away important lessons from them all.

WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORST PARTS OF BEING A MASSAGE THERAPIST?

The best part of being an RMT is helping others manage pain so that their quality of life improves. Working with someone who has chronic pain for 10+ years so that they can enjoy a 2 week family vacation has a huge impact on their life.

Unfortunately it takes time to build up a full clientele and that can have an impact on income.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE CONSIDERING THE PROFESSION?

You don't need to like people but you must want to help people. You must be curious about the human body and condition. Treating each patient as a new learning opportunity makes this profession sustainable.

And always have snacks handy, ALWAYS.