Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Henning.
Hi Cynthia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist and Perinatal Doula for four and a half years. I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to be a massage therapist, surprisingly since elementary school. As a kid, I would love to give hand massages, and one day I was told, “You know Cynthia, you could use your hands to help heal people”, and since that day, I made it my goal to pursue a career in healthcare. I went on to receive my degree in Health Sciences with a concentration in Therapeutics Studies from Tennessee State University, in 2020. During my matriculation, my goal of how I wanted to show up in healthcare shifted to Chiropractic care, however the global pandemic put my plans on pause. I was, like many, abruptly displaced from campus two months before the end of the semester and graduation, facing adulthood without the ideal transition time, having to choose between going back home or staying here in Nashville. I stayed. Not really knowing what would be next but all roads led me back to massage therapy. Two years later, I graduated from Nashville School of Massage Therapy and began my career. Two months into my career, I underwent training to become a certified doula, a profession that I learned of while in massage school and something that I unknowingly had experience with! Again, in my youth, I spent some of my summers helping family members in postpartum. I learned how to care for a newborn and how to be sensitive to the needs of new mothers. I never knew that those moments were planting seeds for my future.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
To serve people, in this capacity, I face challenges mentally, physically, and emotionally. I have had to learn that while I have skills to help, I cannot save people or be a solution to every problem. To be where I am and to get where I am going, I am constantly reassessing my limits and boundaries and incorporating a rhythm of rest so that I can better serve who I am called to. I heavily rely on my faith in Jesus Christ and His will for my life knowing that come what may, all things will work together for my good. Where there is a promise, there will always be a process!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently serve the Middle Tennessee area as an LMT at Blue Sage Massage and Day Spa and 100% Chiropractic West Nashville. I also serve as a Massage Doula with the doula group: Birthwork Through Touch. I take satisfaction in providing my clients with detailed work, a personable experience, and genuine care. There is a lot going on in the world that can cause someone to forget that they matter, deserve kindness, and a space to rest. That is what I try to provide to each of my clients!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I have such a supportive community that it is hard to single out one person! I am blessed beyond measure. The people I have worked for have shared with me a wealth of knowledge from their own experiences that have shaped me into the therapist I am now and the endeavors I have planned. If I had to single out one person, it would be Kimberly Coleman of Services by Kim. She has taken me under her wing, provided me with so many opportunities, trained me, and pushed me to be a better therapist, doula, and business owner. She’s been a constant, sound voice for me since the beginning of my career and a true inspiration!
