When you return to campus, it is very easy to fall back into routine. You may have the same major, same goals as last year, and the same sort of struggles as you prepare for tests and late night bouts of essay writing. What you never expect is the new faces you’ll see on campus that leap into your life and don’t let go. Brian Michael Mitchel is one such transfer, a general studies major looking to be a chiropractor that I had the pleasure of conducting this interview over the course of two days (including one whole foot massage).
I met Brian sitting behind me in my “Writing for the Workplace” class and I immediately became interested in this good looking guy (his picture doesn’t give him justice). One of the first things we talked about was something we share, being transfers who are somewhat older than most Rowan students (I’m 25 and he’s 30) and about his experience Brian had this to say.
“I feel right at home. Going to the rec center I fit right in, play basketball, and meet a lot of people in and around campus. This is my second go around [at getting a degree]. I went to college in Lycoming and played football, I went to Holy Family and played soccer. In the end I took a bachelor’s of general studies because I had more freedom to take classes that I’m passionate about as to finish my bachelors within a year.”
A massage therapist by trade when he’s not at Rowan (He works at Virtua Health & Wellness Center in Moorestown), he is obviously very concerned about bodily health. One thing that is always on his mind is what he eats and over the past few days he has struggled to find healthy options stating…
“The campus should have more healthy food choices.”
But after being introduced to Green Zebra, all he had was a smile as he dined on greens with dressing. Rowan eating…health food approved.
When not exploring campus and taking it all in, Brian thinks of what he has to offer to the campus.
“I took massage therapy in Philadelphia and was an instructor there for two years. I have an oncology certification I got from Virtua for working on cancer patients. I’m a board certified massage therapist. I did my licensor at National Massage Therapy Institute (which recently closed after ten plus years). In general I like to be of service to people first and foremost.
What I’ve learned is that there’s a preventative manner of massage therapy. People are healthy, people are in pain, but in general a client wants to be fulfilled and I focus on the client’s desired outcome, whether they want to be relaxed or if they want to be nurtured or to experience fascial (muscular) relief. More along the sports and exercise side it all comes down to depth, which is unique to each person. When they say deep tissue it doesn’t mean no pain no gain, there’s a fine line between therapeutic touch and simply deep tissue. And I believe it is always most beneficial to be therapeutic.”
But enough about his background. To show how he wants to apply it he went to his car and carried with him one medium sized bag and one large tote. In the tote was a luxurious folding chair. And in the bag? A stool for Brian to sit on and a black power tool that looked to me like a hair dryer with a perceivable end. We went to the student center and just as the cheerleaders were selling their lemonade Brian plugged his tool into a socket next to them and applied his tool to my feet after I took off my shoes off (and left the socks on).
Instant bliss. It felt less than a physical application than a mental one, feelings of looseness and waves of peace of mind spreading all over my body from my feet. Brian made sure not only to do both feet, but to get them from all angles, giving more even when I thought my time was up. Once I stood up I felt like I had just came off of a roller coaster, coming from a period of intense movement to one of rest.
Brian explained, “That’s from the blood circulating throughout your body that massaging helps with. Many people who are sedentary don’t get much movement, so my massaging helps to get the blood flowing.”
Even as I finish typing up this report, I feel a sense of lightness, fully realizing what Brian said earlier about “fulfillment” that he seeks to help others with, resembling less of a physical burn or ecstasy and more of a simple peace of mind and overall feeling of goodness.
Brian seeks to not only bring his skills to use for charity events, but also to translate it into a career and business.
“I have a medical grade massager. It is very similar to some of the more advanced massage chairs in that its fast and easy to use, but what makes my service special is that my tool is of a higher power and of course I’m licensed to use it. Unlike a typical massage I don’t need to have experience with a person’s body for maximum effect and my massager can even go over clothes for maximum comfort. All that’s required is an electrical outlet.
I want to create a team of people that can help bring this service to the world in the many different avenues that have yet to be thought out. I’m looking for those on track for Marketing and Business as other areas that can help me bring comfort to as many people as possible. I also have a proper massage table so I can massage the whole body, not just feet.” [Brian can be reached at 215-510-2476]
Aside from wanting to help people from all walks of life, Brian also is a spiritualist.
“I believe that there’s three dimensions of an individual. Which is why I love holistic health, that there is a side of a self that physical, mental and spiritual. And for me spirituality is very simple, it’s a view of life and taking on the responsibility to be kind to everyone and everything all the time as in the words of Dr. David R. Hawkings. I keep it always in the background as a way of living.”
But of course, putting all that aside, Brian is an eligible Bachelor
“I was recently “sold” at at a bachelor auction I was at for a dog shelter. I met a veterinarian there who I kept in contact with, but I’m more than willing to meet people around campus and expand my horizons.”
If you see Brian on campus or most anywhere else, say hello and don’t forget to tell him Rob sent you. He’s eager to meet and touch as many hearts as possible and of course he’ll be around all year.