The teachers at The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School have skill, experience, and a true passion for Massage Therapy. Let’s take a moment to get to know one of the 500 hour program instructors.

Q&A with Bob Steine

Q: When did you start your career in Massage Therapy?

A: My career in Massage Therapy started after I graduated from TLC. I didn’t initially see myself taking up massage full time until shortly after I started practicing massage in school. Being surrounded by positive people, seeing my labors yield fruit, and the genuine gratification of those whom I laid hands on totally drew me in to the culture of touch and massage. I began practicing massage in March of 2000 and chose to make it my career in January of 2001.

Q: Why did you decide to become a Massage Therapist?

A: I was at a point in life, while having lifelong interests in music, art, writing, etc., that I wasn’t going to steer any of those likes into a useful (profitable) skill. I was repairing computers and personally enjoyed the work but found little gratification in a constantly changing industry, not to mention, no real job security. As well, I knew I wasn’t going to be starting a business (store, restaurant or the like), I had no desire to sell products from the trunk of my car, and as much as I enjoyed schooling I had no direction or idea what to study. I was at a point in my life where I wasn’t sure what I had to offer the world, much less myself. I looked at my hands and asked myself “What skill/ability/trade had I to offer that would enable me to feed myself (in my opinion, at the time, to survive)?

Like many people who come to massage, laying hands on friends and family yielded the usual refrain: “You should go to massage school”. So, in the midst of my introspective queries I looked into massage school and found it a doable option, if only to develop a marketable skill.

It didn’t take long after starting massage school to realize that I wanted to “go all-in” and be a practicing massage therapist. The command, control, ownership, independence, and gratification that I wanted in my life, and a business, I was seizing with massage therapy.

Q: What training and experience do you have in Massage Therapy?

A: My practice reflects the TLC core curriculum with some further outside study in structural bodywork. I have taken workshops on Zero Balancing, Rolfing, and some movement therapies (I’m fond of Feldenkrais and Aston patterning). I have a private outcall/housecall practice and provide chair massage weekly at a San Marcos coffee shop.

Q: What was your favorite aspect of Massage School?

A: My overall favorite aspect was receiving massage. What I came to learn about my body through touch was wondrous and astounding. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that being surrounded by caring, positive, like-minded people made every day in school a joy and a retreat from the daily grind. Learning a useful trade ranks up there pretty high, too. TLC delivered what I wanted and more.

Q: Do you have a favorite Modality? If so, what is it?

A: I don’t have a favorite modality, per se. I am fond of the overall practice of structural bodywork…assessing client disposition/posture/movement/anatomy in conjunction with client concerns and providing a massage that best meets their needs in that moment. Therefore, the modality that gets my client where they need to be is my favorite modality.

Q: What is your approach to massage therapy?

A: Theodore Roosevelt said: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care”. Observing and listening to the client is paramount. The client will tell me everything I need to know. The more I can learn about an individuals short/long term goals, history, experiences (massage and otherwise), the more I can draw from my skills and attempt to connect the client to their bodywork goals in a compassionate, supportive and intelligent way. I aspire to create a therapeutic “container” around the client and their needs, to be flexible and responsive to ongoing assimilation and change. “Be like water” ~ Bruce Lee

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Growing up I was fond of all colors except pink. Now that I have two daughters I am still fond of all colors and I’m o.k. with pink. But the clear winner is the color of the sun when it is low enough on the horizon that it can be looked at directly; utter captivation.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Coffee. Next question.

Q: What kind of movies do you like?

A: Is Breaking Bad a movie? Frankly, I’m more of a book person and my favorite book is “Don Quixote” by Cervantes.

Q: Why do you think massage therapy is important?

A: It literally connects us to humanity. The compassionate, heartfelt touch of one human being to another can change us (has changed me) in incalculable ways. There is no shortage of stress in the world today and we need more people willing to reach out to our fellow human beings. Massage therapy is a gesture that speaks volumes about the compassionate potential we have within ourselves and each other to affect a change.

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upcoming 500 hour Program schedules.