The Student to Therapist Massage Therapy Podcast

David R. Sol & Timur Lokshin
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The Student to Therapist Massage Therapy Podcast is your guide to navigating the journey from the classroom to a successful career as a licensed massage therapist. Hosted by David Sol, Vice President and Dean of the Therapeutic Bodywork Program, and Timur Lokshin, Massage Program Director at Pacific College of Health and Science in New York City, this podcast offers practical insight, expert guidance, and real-world perspective on what it truly takes to succeed in massage therapy. Each episode explores essential topics such as hands-on skills, clinical training, mindset, career pathways, and the realities of working in the field. Whether you're a prospective student, currently enrolled, or preparing to enter the profession, you’ll gain valuable tools to support your growth and confidence every step of the way. From foundational techniques to professional development, this podcast is designed to help you move forward with clarity, purpose, and direction—from student to therapist.

Episodes

  1. Too Old to Start Over? Why Massage School Might Be Your Next Chapter

    2h ago

    Too Old to Start Over? Why Massage School Might Be Your Next Chapter

    If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I too old to go back to school and become a massage therapist?”, this episode is for you. David and Timur talk candidly about career changers in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and even 70s who find new purpose in massage therapy, and how life experience, a clear “why,” and practical planning turn fear into a sustainable second (or third) career.

    19 min
  2. From Hot Mess to Healing: Rayn’s Journey Into Body, Community, and Safe Space

    Jun 1

    From Hot Mess to Healing: Rayn’s Journey Into Body, Community, and Safe Space

    Massage student and wellness creator Rayn shares her journey from retail burnout to soul-aligned healing work, weaving together massage, somatic practices, and her Afro‑Guyanese holistic roots. She breaks down her Language of the Body workshops, nature and art retreats, and a new safe-space club that helps overwhelmed students and seekers use journaling, movement, and community to turn a “hot mess” world into embodied healing and connection.

    27 min
  3. Thinking Like a Therapist, Not Just a Technician

    May 25

    Thinking Like a Therapist, Not Just a Technician

    Are you following protocols—or truly transforming lives? In this essential conversation, hosts David Sol and Timur Lokshin explore what separates exceptional massage therapists from those who simply go through the motions. Discover why knowing your anatomy, pathology, and assessment skills isn't just academic—it's the difference between becoming a facilitator of real positive change and someone who applies the same techniques to every client, hoping for results. David and Timur break down the critical distinction between diagnosis (outside our scope) and assessment (our superpower), showing you how to identify specific structures, understand tissue-level changes, and create individualized treatment plans that work. What You'll Learn: The intake interview secrets that reveal what's really causing your client's pain—even when “Dr. Google” has already convinced them they have sciaticaHow to navigate talkative clients while gathering essential information using tools like LOPQRST without losing half your treatment timeWhy the words your clients choose, “sharp” vs. “sore,” “pinpoint” vs. “diffuse”—reveal which structures are involved and what techniques will helpThe humility paradox: Why saying “I don't know” builds trust and makes you a better practitionerReal-world examples from hospice care that prove sometimes presence matters more than pressureWhether you're a student overwhelmed by anatomy class or an experienced practitioner ready to elevate your work, this episode will shift how you think about every client arriving at your table. Learn to meet people where they are, communicate with medical professionals using proper terminology, and embrace the reality that you're not a healer, you're a facilitator helping the body's own intelligence do what it does best. Perfect for: Massage therapy students, new graduates, and seasoned practitioners seeking to deepen their therapeutic approach and clinical reasoning skills.

    34 min
  4. You Don’t Have To Do School Alone: Student Services, Self‑Care, and Smarter Study Habits with Dr. Ashley Kowal

    May 18

    You Don’t Have To Do School Alone: Student Services, Self‑Care, and Smarter Study Habits with Dr. Ashley Kowal

    Stepping into a rigorous, hands-on healthcare program can feel overwhelming, especially when you are juggling work, family, and your own healing journey. In this episode, David Sol and Timur Lokshin sit down with Dr. Ashley Kowal, Vice President of Student Services at Pacific College of Health Science, to reveal how student services, tutoring, and WellConnect can transform that stress into sustainable success. Dr. Kowal shares what the student service department is all about, how accommodations work under the Americans with Disabilities Act (including for neurodivergent students, chronic illness, pregnancy, and temporary injuries), and why there is no shame in asking for support. You will hear concrete examples of exam and classroom accommodations, how confidentiality is protected, and when faculty can (and cannot) challenge an accommodation request. We also dive into the real-life challenges non-traditional students face—time management, burnout, and returning to school after years away—and walk through practical strategies for studying smarter, not harder. You will learn how to build a realistic weekly schedule, use tutoring for both content and study skills, and turn everyday life into a classroom using posture analysis, SOAP notes, and client communication practice. Whether you are just starting at Pacific College of Health and Science or are halfway through your program, this episode will help you reconnect with your “why,” communicate earlier when life gets messy, and use every tool available—student advisors, WellConnect, tutors, and simple planning systems—to stay on track without sacrificing your health. Listen in if you are ready to stop white-knuckling your way through school and start treating it like the professional training and personal transformation it truly is.

    25 min
  5. What I Wish I Knew In My First Term of Massage School

    May 11

    What I Wish I Knew In My First Term of Massage School

    Starting massage school can feel exciting, overwhelming, and a little terrifying—so in this episode, David Sol and Timur Lokshin share what they wish they had known in their first term. They talk about the shock of the science load, why “more pressure” isn’t better, the power of slowing down and building rapport, and how struggling students can still become thriving, successful therapists if they remember their why and lean on their community.

    26 min
  6. Meet Your Hosts: David Sol and Timur Lokshin on the Path to Massage Therapy

    Apr 23

    Meet Your Hosts: David Sol and Timur Lokshin on the Path to Massage Therapy

    In this inaugural episode of The Student to Therapist Massage Therapy Podcast, hosts David Sol and Timur Lokshin introduce themselves, share their paths into massage therapy and bodywork, and talk openly about how they found their way into this profession as students and lifelong learners. They reflect on early doubts, influential mentors, and the pivotal experiences that shaped their careers in massage, acupuncture, and education. You’ll also hear why they care so deeply about supporting massage therapy students, what they wish they had known when they were starting out, and how this podcast will serve as a companion for you on your journey to becoming a licensed massage therapist. This episode is perfect for prospective, new, and returning students who want to get to know their educators, feel more connected to the program, and gain early insight into what a real career in massage therapy can look like.

    1h 11m
  • 6 Episodes

About

The Student to Therapist Massage Therapy Podcast is your guide to navigating the journey from the classroom to a successful career as a licensed massage therapist. Hosted by David Sol, Vice President and Dean of the Therapeutic Bodywork Program, and Timur Lokshin, Massage Program Director at Pacific College of Health and Science in New York City, this podcast offers practical insight, expert guidance, and real-world perspective on what it truly takes to succeed in massage therapy. Each episode explores essential topics such as hands-on skills, clinical training, mindset, career pathways, and the realities of working in the field. Whether you're a prospective student, currently enrolled, or preparing to enter the profession, you’ll gain valuable tools to support your growth and confidence every step of the way. From foundational techniques to professional development, this podcast is designed to help you move forward with clarity, purpose, and direction—from student to therapist.

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