Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Engstrom
Hi Amber, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Amber Engstrom, licensed massage therapist, and owner of West Jordan Athletic Massage. My mission is simple: Provide pain relief and aid in injury recovery for active individuals and athletes.
My journey into massage therapy began unintentionally in 2016 when I tore my hamstring. At the time, I was training for a power tumbling competition. Like any athlete, I had experienced injuries before. However, this one was different. At the time, rest, ice, and stretching were the standard recommendations for muscle tears in the athletic world. Despite following that advice, I simply wasn’t healing. After weeks of pain and frustration, I found myself on a massage table for the first time. It was life-changing!
I have always been driven to help and care for those around me. Understanding how things work, specifically the human body, fascinates me. As I underwent regular massage sessions for my injury, I came to a profound realization: massage therapy provided a unique avenue to combine my passion for healing with my love for sports and athletics. As a licensed massage therapist since 2020, I’ve continued to deepen my expertise in anatomy, sports massage, and injury prevention, and most recently, by attending continuing education courses, I learned techniques specifically targeted toward scar tissue.
When I started down this path as a massage therapist I never considered owning my own business. Almost every massage therapist I met was working for someone else, or struggling to make ends meet running their practice. But one thing led to another, and the idea of owning my own business grew on me until, one day, I decided to take the leap. I am extremely passionate about what I do and I love the process and work of running a business. I opened my business, West Jordan Athletic Massage in September of 2023.
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?
Over the last year, I have learned and grown so much. Shortly after opening, I realized I lacked the skills and knowledge to run a business, which led me to take a mindset coaching and business skills class specifically for massage therapists. With the help of the Custom Fit Grant program at Salt Lake Community College, I started to fill the knowledge gaps I had in business management and startups. One thing I remember learning, that felt completely obvious after the fact, was how important it is to name your business with intention. Previously, I had pulled a name out of thin air because I wanted to open as soon as possible. With the support of my coaches, I started from the ground up to ensure I had everything set up correctly in my business. I changed my business’s name and refined my target niche. I realized that my passion was never massage therapy alone, but rather assisting athletes and anyone struggling with an injury to heal as quickly as possible. I have worked hard over the last year to expand my knowledge and ability to serve my community and clients. I love what I do, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I have been given to provide value and support to other businesses and the people in Salt Lake County.
We’ve been impressed with West Jordan Athletic Massage, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a one-woman shop. I am located in West Jordan and I currently rent an office space inside a counseling clinic. I specialize in working with injury recovery, which can include sprains, strained muscles, assisting in post-surgery recovery, common issues like back pain, and piriformis syndrome, etc. When working with an injury, I approach it with multiple tools: deep tissue massage, scar tissue release (MSTR), and lymphatic drainage.
With any injury, scar tissue may accumulate around the site of the injury and in the surrounding muscles. MSTR (McLoughlin Scar Tissue Release) is a very gentle and non-invasive technique for scar tissue, unlike typical techniques like scraping. It can be utilized on scars of any age, including accidental injury scars, post-surgery, burns, tattoos, and issues like plantar fascitis. In a post-surgical situation, MSTR reduces the size and discoloration of the entry site scar and improves blood flow and the movement of surrounding muscles and fascia. When used with lymphatic drainage massage and soft tissue work, I can assist and accelerate the natural healing process. MSTR is a proprietary technique developed by Alaster McLoughlin and is not offered by many other massage therapists.
I love working with athletes, active individuals, and those invested in their health and well-being. I am a huge advocate of exercise as a method of injury prevention. I love working out at the gym myself, and with my knowledge of anatomy, I have expanded my knowledge of injury prevention through exercises and movement. I have also had the opportunity to network with other professionals in the area that I trust and can recommend to my clients. It’s my mission to help the people I serve to do the activities and sports they love and to do it pain-free!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
One of my greatest strengths is that I am a persistent person. When I have a goal in mind I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there, and often, that requires me to learn new things. Thankfully, I have always loved learning. I am sure my tendency to ask a million questions exasperated my mother, and I know it did some of my teachers! While I was working as an employee, I didn’t feel the same passion for learning and it felt as though I had hit a wall. Within the past year, it’s as if the whole world has opened up to me. I’ve had the opportunity to take over 30 hours of continuing education to better serve my clients, and I can’t wait to see what I will learn next. Personal growth, fueled by a love of learning and a lot of persistence, has been key to the success of my business, and it will continue to drive my business to the next level.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://westjordanathleticmassage.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westjordan_athleticmassage/profilecard/?igsh=azIydjNoYWIxdW43
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555873222893&mibextid=LQQJ4d
