The field of bodywork has gone through a number of evolutions in the past few decades — changes that Freedom Massage has kept up with.
The Malvern-based business is owned by LGBT community member Diane Matkowski, who founded the company in 1999.
“Back when I started, there was no licensing at all in Pennsylvania so I actually studied under a mentor at first,” she said. “Then I went to a massage school in Delaware because that was the only nearby state actually giving licenses.”
Once it was available, Matkowski went on to become credentialed in Pennsylvania. She has continued her education as the field expanded, completing a Deep-Tissue Structural Release program in 2000, a Thai-Yoga Bodywork training in 2003 and programs at Ohashi Institute and the Integrative Institute of Nutrition in 2005.
When Matkowski started training more than 20 years ago, there were just 137,000 massage therapists in the country; now there are over 350,000.
“Back in that time period, there weren’t many of us,” she said. “Massage was more of an underground kind of society. It wasn’t nearly as mainstreamed as it is now. You didn’t have chains, massage wasn’t in a lot of spas yet and chiropractors were just starting to introduce it.”
After opening Freedom Massage’s doors, Matkowski said she worked hard to build a strong client base.
“It was finding a handful people who understood the value and reason why they should receive bodywork and then networking. With that, we grew from one client to now over 7,000 in our database,” she said. “I learned a ton about the human body and massage and watched the whole business shift and change. I learned how to build a business from nothing to something.”
Freedom Massage’s services range from the Swedish and deep-tissue to more specialized offerings like pregnancy and oncology massages. The business also offers childbirth coaching and a slate of therapy workshops.
The quality of the product itself, Matkowski said, has been important in growing her business.
“I’ve heard someone say that they’ve gone somewhere and gotten a massage and felt like they were just covered with lotion. To me, when you leave a massage, you should definitely want more. You should feel calm, yet invigorated. You should get off the table and feel a difference in your body. A lot of that has to do with how well the staff listened, if they hit on the notes we take during intake. I’m coming with more than 20 years of experience and I’m able to share with my staff the best ways to do that.”
Matkowski’s staff of 10 is all women — which she noted was not intentional — and who she said work seamlessly together.
“I haven’t interviewed many male therapists in the last couple years actually; we just go by fit and what works,” she said. “It’s a harmonious little family. Everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, you employ all women. What’s that like?’ I have never seen a group of women so supportive, respectful and loving toward one another on a daily basis.”
With enhanced national attention on the field of wellness, Matkowski said it’s an exciting time to work in massage therapy.
She noted, however, that public perception of the practice varies — an area in which she hopes to continue to affect change.
“I once had a woman in my practice who was very skeptical and came in with a frozen shoulder but let me know point blank she didn’t believe I would help her. She’s now been coming to me since 1998 and is probably one of my biggest advocates,” Matkowski said. “I think it depends on the experience people have had, how diligent they’ve been in finding an experience that suits them and their body. But there are many people who see the good in bodywork, who’ve said it’s saved their lives.”
For more information on Freedom Massage, visit www.freedommassage.com.