Turtlegirl, you really have to committ yourself to sticking with it until you find two things - a massage therapist that you are comfortable with, and finding what type of body work suits your needs.
To accomplish both of those goals you can go through quite a few different therapists. In my quest to settle those two goals I bet I’ve had a dozen and a half different massage therapists and have only found two.
Way too many, IMO, “therapists” think that you need to be in pain for a massage to work. I tell them that if I hurt from the massage the next day they will never see me again. I hurt enough from training. Massage is, for me anyway, about recovery, not hurting.
Not all body workers will be trained in the types of work you need as an athlete. There are the “fluff and buff” massagers who just do the liberally coating with oil and running their hands on your body - worthless for sports relief, but great for touch starved people. Then there are those who specialize in athletes, but sometimes they’re the worst offenders of “no pain, no gain”. Every now and then you’ll find one who brings with them the knowledge and experience that helps you get what you need out of your time with them. Hang on to them when you find them.
I fear that many athletes cough up the money for their first massage and then wind up with someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, and never reschedule another one anywhere. Finding the right massage therapist is tough, but well worth the effort. Don’t give up till you find that, no matter how long it takes.
Here is a good starting point for finding someone who knows what they’re doing…