Introduction

Natalie Boddy founder of Harmonie Rock Therapy Beauty Massage Treatments & Training Center in Antibes, France, opened the Beauty & Massage Studio in November, 2015 where she shares her talents teaching students who want to learn the art of massage.

Natalie has developed a unique style of massage designed to find and eliminate residual tension in the body and deeply relax clients enhancing their health and well-being.

The Introductory Relaxing Massage Course is specially tailored for those on board superyachts,

Demand for beauty professionals on board superyachts increases

Advancements in yacht design has seen a growing trend in improving spa facilities on board superyachts and per industry professionals, a demand for Beauty & Massage therapists is dramatically growing. Crew Placement commented:

“There has been an increase in demand from owners wanting stewardesses with added skills such as massage, beauty therapy and sometimes hairdressing. It is becoming more sought after from superyachts that the steward (ess) has these skills.  Some clients love to have an on board therapist, particularly for massages, so that they know they are available at their convenience, whereas other charter clients will request one or two massages or facials during the charter.

“There has been a steady increase over the past seasons, and for sure this will continue. We would agree that due to more superyachts having these private spas and treatment rooms and as the size of yachts are getting larger, this may even become a mandatory request for some charter guests.”

“Certainly the focus on ‘well-being’ and lifestyle is more pronounced generally within the media, so massages as a basic treatment are often requested. The yachts that offer a spa on board are naturally in high demand.”

Massage courses in the yachting industry are extremely helpful as they are a great added skill that can help give an edge to your CV. Having a crew member on board that holds a massage certificate is an advantage for owners and charter guests. It’s luxurious for the owner to enjoy having a massage therapist on hand throughout their voyage and to also offer this service to charter guests.

Natalie’s Background

An introduction and background to Natalie Boddy – having 20 years of worldwide experience in the Beauty and Massage field ranging from teaching massage, to sales & training for Lithos Therapy Heated and Chilled Rocks Brisbane, Australia, along with managing the Hotel du Cap*****, Eden Roc Spa in Antibes, France. She earned her Diploma of Deep Tissue Massage, Swedish Massage and Heated and Chilled Rock Massage in Brisbane, Australia at the Strand College of Beauty Therapy. It was here where she also completed a teacher training program, and has since completed her Beauty Therapy Diploma in France.

Natalie’s point of view: “the most intriguing part of being a teacher is that you never know how you will eventually influence the lives of your students. For every student, you are affecting not only their lives, but the lives of their husbands, wives, children, grandchildren and every single person they interact with in the future.”

Harmonie Rock Therapy is dedicated to the process of assisting their students in achieving excellence in the therapeutic knowledge, plus the sensitivity and personal awareness necessary for the effective and successful practice of massage therapy. Natalie says, “I want to prepare students to be compassionate, critical-thinking therapists who are committed to life-long learning and the promotion of health and well-being.”

Natalie explains why its the right choice to become A Massage Therapist:

Many people think becoming a massage therapist is easy, but the daily job of a massage therapist is quite challenging. A massage therapist is like any other physical or occupational therapist and must perform many duties that require strength and stamina.

Massage therapists are trained and certified to treat clients using advanced massage techniques that allow them to manipulate the soft-tissue muscles in the body. This requires advanced training, commitment, and dedication. During the course of a day a massage therapist can see as few as three but as many as five patients or clients a day for 60 to 90 minutes. That’s a lot of massage therapy.

Massage therapists, much like physical therapists, can treat and work to improve many different illnesses and injuries in the body.

• Chronic pain
• Stress injuries
• Headaches
• Rehabilitation
• Improve relaxation/Reduce stress
• Promote total wellness

The Rewards of Teaching Unsurprisingly, I love the opportunity to work with students too! It’s rewarding to watch as students transition from knowing little about massage therapy and anatomy, to becoming capable and competent practitioners.  And while the curriculum doesn’t change notes, the students certainly do. “The material is the same, so what keeps the classes interesting?  It’s seeing the students on their different journeys.” Each new group of students brings different personalities, learning backgrounds and proficiencies. As a result, no two Harmonie Rock Therapy workshops are the same.

“For some students, their learning Relaxing Massage for the first time and it’s working.” Others who are familiar with more academic styles of learning must adjust to the hands-on nature of massage therapy.  Some students transfer from other institutions, switching from different programs of study and switching careers. The coming together of such a mix of people and personalities makes the Harmonie Rock Therapy classroom a richly diverse place. “There is a huge mix of learners, some of whom haven’t found success yet and are trying other fields.” “It’s great watching them come together as a group, and figuring out how to work together.”

Many clients begin massage therapy treatments with a wellness goal in mind – such as overcoming chronic pain, or improving sleep or mobility. For Natalie Boddy, being a part of a client’s journey toward achieving that goal is what makes the work of a Registered Massage Therapist so uniquely fulfilling. “We’re given a chance to be a conduit to somebody else’s recovery” she says “and that’s extremely rewarding.” “Myself and my students alike seem to agree that this is the most meaningful component of the job. “You’re creating real value when helping others.” “It’s good to be doing something so meaningful for a living.”