Back At It’s First Student Therapist

Back At It’s First Student Therapist: Lily Krajinovic

Back At It’s First Student Therapist Lily has been working on her second year practicum at both the Canmore and Banff clinics. Here’s more about Lily:

Tell us about you: A nature lover, world traveller and mountain enthusiast. A citizen of mother Earth.  As I was raised in multiple countries (Canada, Croatia, Germany) and influenced by  a variety of cultures, I never viewed myself as being from a certain place.  Although I was raised trilingual, my Croatian roots have set the foundation for who I am as a person today.

Why you decided to go to massage school :  One of my all time favorite quotes from Maya Angelou has always been: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  This deeply resonated with me and as I have always shown interest in different body work modalities and felt deeply  drawn to helping people. In 2021 I decided to take the leap and switch carriers after 15 years in retail and business management.

What school: The Alberta College of Massage Therapy in Calgary on a 2200 hr program.

What has your experience been like to work/learn at Back At It:  I feel extremely honoured to be taken on as Back At It’s first Student and have been met with an immense amount of mentorship from Vanessa and the team, who have consistently provided guidance, feedback and support. This opportunity provides the essential link to the theoretical learning and allows me to prepare for a smooth transition from school into a real life clinical setting.

What are your hobbies/passions: Cooking/Baking, Holistic Nutrition, Backcountry Hiking with my partner Timo, Crafting/Painting, Interior Design, Skiing/ Touring & Practicing Mindfulness with my dog Taika

What kind of massage therapist do you want to be: This is a question I ask myself every week and re-evaluate as I continue gaining more knowledge and experience. So far, I’ve found different joint conditions and dislocations very fascinating, but also see the need for expanding my knowledge on hand and forearm conditions which are common in the Bow Valley (hello climbers!) Furthermore, I plan on gaining more continuing education credits for Cupping, Myofascial Release, Graston Technique, TMJD and possibly Reflexology!

How was your experience working at the Banff Marathon? What did you learn?

What a great opportunity to lay your hands on as many people “post extreme exercise” as possible! The nature of this fast paced environment has really challenged me to put my knowledge to the test by making quick decisions and  applying different techniques to prevent/reduce cramping, which was huge for the many first-time marathoners I welcomed on my table!  That combined with some soothing Swedish work to help relax and ease pain,  left many feeling relieved and ready to enjoy the rest of their day in beautiful Banff.

Interested in doing your 2nd Year Practicum at Back At It? Here’s what you need to know:

Back At It is accepting applicants for second year practicum students. We require students to:

• 2nd year students only
• Be a resident of the Bow Valley
• Be interested in learning therapeutic techniques, sports massage, pre and post event, post orthopaedic treatments
• Be committed to learning and applying techniques learned
• Come to the clinic prepared and willing learn

If you meet these requirements and are interested in completing your 2nd year practicum hours OR are currently a therapist and want to lear more from our team please email info@backatitwellness.com