Martha didn’t come into Face Up dreaming about a beauty career.
Martha - "From Young Mum to In-Demand Professional — Without Burning Out"
Starting Point:
Martha's personal result
She almost didn’t book. A friend had to encourage her. She didn’t even tell her husband or dad straight away, because she knew they might try to talk her out of it. Looking back now, both of them are amazed at how well she’s doing and how much knowledge she’s gained.
“Even if it didn’t happen straight away, the skills would still be valuable in other areas of my life. That was my protective mind creating a backup plan, while my intuition was already on board.”
When Martha signed up, her son was only eight months old. She was still breastfeeding, figuring out motherhood, and unsure how the training would work logistically. There was also the financial side, the classic question of whether she would make the money back. But her intuition was already leading the way.
“Face Up felt like a natural fit and something I see myself incorporating as a beautiful form of nervous system support for postpartum women.”
What truly called her was supporting postpartum women, especially in Queenstown, where many mums don’t have family nearby during the “fourth trimester.”
At that time, Martha had already stepped away from the corporate world. High-stress environments overwhelmed her nervous system, so she chose a slower, more wholesome lifestyle instead, working part-time as a nanny and in an organic food shop, focusing on her family while quietly building the foundation for something of her own.
“It was a real lightbulb moment. I remember thinking, ‘This is what I want to give others.’ The feeling after the session was incredible, and that really confirmed this was the path I wanted to pursue.”
She had thought about osteopathy, but several years at university didn’t feel realistic with a baby at home. Then she experienced a face sculpting massage for the first time, and everything clicked.
As she says herself, “Nothing can replace the power of hands and touch.”
What mattered most to her wasn’t status or hustle, it was nervous system support, real connection, and helping people come back into balance.
She came in as a young mum, living a simple, balanced life in Queenstown, raising her baby, working part-time, and quietly feeling that she wanted something more — something meaningful, something with purpose, something where she could use her hands to truly support people in a deeper way.
“Many mention feeling more relaxed, lighter,
or even longer. That’s really the nervous system responding and settling.”
Training:
With her background in biomechanics, Martha understood muscles and movement. What Face Up gave her was a deeper understanding of how intentional and precise the work really is, how much power comes from the body rather than just the hands, and how posture protects the therapist while allowing clients to feel the work more effectively.
“The three practical days were definitely overwhelming, but that felt normal rather than unclear.”
She loved being able to study at home, in her own time, especially as she doesn’t learn well in group study environments. The practical structure felt clear and supportive, watching first, practising together, and then working with a real model.
“Having that strong foundation before moving into the practical work really helps you understand the body systems and what we’re actually working with.”
This was Martha’s first ever massage training, so she didn’t come in with expectations. The theory surprised her at first, but later she realised how essential it was.
Martha's client result
And for her clients, the experience is much the same. They may come for the lifting, de-puffing, and sculpting effects, but what stays with them is how they feel in their body afterward.
“Offering even a brief glimpse of true relaxation in an overstimulated life is what matters to me.”
That moment of coming home to themselves is why she does this work.
“For me, the main value is being able to bring someone back into balance and homeostasis. I see it without clients needing to say anything. The small smile or laugh when I say ‘welcome back’ says it all.”
It’s about helping people return to balance, often without needing words.
For Martha, the real value of Face Up goes far beyond sculpting or lifting.
“I don’t feel any sense of competition, because I know everyone brings their own energy to their work and clients naturally gravitate toward who they’re meant to work with at the time. I honestly don’t feel like there’s anything missing in terms of support.”
The practitioner connections she’s already building feel like a real support system, without competition or pressure.
“I’m genuinely surprised by how much post-training support is offered. Everyone I speak to is shocked when I mention it, because most massage courses seem to end once the training is over unless you pay extra.”
What surprised her most was the level of post-training support and community.
“I always thought I’d want to be a full-time stay-at-home mum, so I surprised myself by feeling drawn to building a career so early postpartum. I’m incredibly grateful I was led to Face Up and to work that feels meaningful and supportive of this stage of my life.”
The training gave her something many new mums don’t expect so soon: a renewed sense of purpose beyond motherhood.
Today, Martha works three days a week and sees around two to three clients per day, a rhythm that feels sustainable and aligned with this season of her life as a mum to a 13-month-old.
Results:
