Jess Labunski graduated from Soma about two years ago, and she has not wasted any time in getting a successful massage career started. We recently got her to answer some questions about her career for us.

 What drew you to massage? 

I was always interested in a career in the health field, but it took me awhile to discover that massage therapy was my true calling. I knew I wanted a job that gave me the opportunity to improve quality of life and function, and additionally had an interest in working with athletes. As I researched massage therapy more in depth I started to realize how much the field was expanding and becoming an essential part of rehabilitation programs. I saw the growing prevalence of massage therapists as a part of sports medicine teams and was instantly interested! The final piece to the puzzle was finding a school like Soma that taught me everything I needed to know in order to get started on my new path.

What are you doing now? 

I am currently working for Athletico, a physical therapy company that originated in Chicago and has expanded throughout the Midwest. I am based out of the Elmhurst and Gold Coast locations, and practice a combination of clinical, therapeutic, and sports massage techniques. In addition to the work I do in the clinic there are a number of athletic groups I help keep in shape. This includes the dancers at Joffrey Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance for seasonal performances, and the rhythmic gymnasts for team USA in preparation for the Olympics this summer. Additionally this spring I became the core massage therapist for the Chicago White Sox, and work with the team before every home game. I love the diversity that all of these different work environments have brought to my career thus far!

Where do you hope to be in five years?

If you asked me this question 3 months ago, my response would have been that I would like to be working with a professional sports team. Given my recent opportunity with the White Sox, this goal has shockingly already been met and this year has become a breakthrough year for me. Now, as I look at the next 5 years, I would like to focus more on expanding my knowledge and skill set through continuing education. My goal is to learn as many therapy techniques as I possibly can to contribute to my own treatment style. In this profession you realize pretty quickly how unique the human body is, and with every bit of knowledge you acquire you also gain the ability to customize a treatment plan for an individuals' specific needs.