Alex inspires future massage therapists

However, her long-term vision extended beyond the massage treatment table.

“When I graduated from my remedial massage course, I knew that eventually I would love to get into teaching remedial massage,” Alex said.

“I knew there would be a time when my hands couldn’t keep up with the daily demands of a busy clinic and didn’t want my knowledge or skills to go to waste.”

With that future in mind, Alex steadily prepared for the transition.

She undertook further study in Myrotherapy, focused on refining her practical skills and began the process of becoming qualified to teach.

“Myotherapy is essentially an extension of remedial massage,” Alex explained.

“It’s still very hands‑on, but it allows you to develop a deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology, and how the body moves as a whole.

I often explain it by comparing remedial massage to enrolled nursing, and Myotherapy to registered nursing — you build on that strong foundation and gain a much deeper clinical understanding.”

Through Myotherapy, Alex refined her assessment skills, learning how to identify underlying movement and muscular dysfunctions, rather than just treating areas of pain.

Alex’s advanced skill set has also seen her gain experience working with elite professional sporting teams, alongside running her own busy clinic.

Over the past six years, she has worked with organisations including the Brisbane Broncos, Dolphins, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters, Queensland State of Origin, Cricket Australia, Brisbane Bullets, Queensland Reds, Collingwood Netball and the Sydney Swans.

Over the same period, Alex found herself increasingly drawn to sharing her knowledge and experience with others.

“Fate would have it that an opportunity to teach came much earlier than I had expected,” she said.

“I saw it as a sign that it was something I was meant to embrace now rather than wait a few more years — and now, here I am.”

At the heart of Alex’s work, both as a therapist and a teacher, is a deep respect for the people she works with. For her, remedial massage is about far more than physical techniques.

“What I love most about remedial massage is seeing the physical and mental benefits a treatment can provide a client,” she said.

“As a massage therapist, you need to see the person and not the dollar sign.

They’re coming to you for your knowledge and skills to help them while they are in pain.”

Alex believes trust is central to effective treatment, particularly when clients are at their most vulnerable.

“Clients can feel most vulnerable being on your treatment table. It’s such a satisfying moment when you can feel they can trust you and can relax and enjoy the benefits of massage therapy,” Alex explained.

That same philosophy now shapes her teaching approach, with kindness and compassion at the core.

“It takes a certain kind of person to show genuine care for people. For me, kindness and compassion come naturally,” she said.

“When clients, and now students,  walk through the door, they know they have my undivided attention and that I genuinely want to help.”

Alex’s decision to teach at TAFE Queensland was deeply personal. As a former student, she credits her own educator with helping ignite her passion for the industry.

“I studied at TAFE Queensland and was lucky enough to have an amazing teacher who helped nurture my passion,” she said.

“Because of that experience, I wanted to return and train the next generation of therapists, and hopefully inspire them the way my teacher inspired me.”

That full-circle moment is not lost on Alex, who now plays a key role in shaping future practitioners through evidence-based learning and hands‑on training.

At the Springfield campus, Alex teaches the Certificate IV in Massage Therapy (HLT42021) and the Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT52021), supporting students at different stages of their learning journey.

The diploma‑level qualification is designed for students wishing to specialise in streams such as sports massage, equipping them with advanced practical skills, industry‑ready knowledge and inspiring them to continue their learning journey.

“As a remedial massage therapist, my job is to assess and treat a variety of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, and as a teacher, it’s about showing students how to find the cause of pain, not just treat the symptom,” she said.

“I’ll always be a lifelong learner so I can provide my clients and students with current, evidence‑based treatment.”

Alex also helps students understand the strong link between massage therapy, stress and mental health.

“It’s such a satisfying feeling to know you’ve helped make someone’s burden lighter,” she said.

“And now, being able to pass that mindset on to students — that’s incredibly rewarding.”

Alex teaches at TAFE Queensland’s Springfield campus, which continues to play a key role in delivering training for future health and wellbeing professionals in the region.

The Springfield campus delivers training across a range of areas including business, early childhood education and care, first aid and remedial massage. Students benefit from modern learning spaces, including a dedicated student hub, video conferencing rooms and purpose‑built training facilities designed to support hands‑on, industry‑focused learning.