Massage therapy is 2,500 year-old therapeutic practice that promotes healing, soothes hurt muscles, and prevents further injuries. Perfected by the Egyptians, Eastern Indians, Greek, Chinese and Japanese for hundreds of years before recorded history, massage therapy is one of the most popular alternative treatments performed today.
The reputation of massage therapy has grown with the respect given to the practice by the medical community. Patients who want to forgo drugs and surgery are increasingly turning to massage therapists for their healing techniques. With the rate of employment for massage therapists expected to grow 20% in the next 7 years, beginning your training now is both practical and perceptive. It’s possible to become a certified, practicing massage therapist in 12-months or less.
Choosing a School
The first step in becoming a massage therapist is education. There are presently hundreds of massage therapy programs to choose from, but deciding on the correct program for you depends on a number of different variables. You must settle on what capacity you would like to work as a massage therapist after graduation before making an informed decision.
Massage therapists enjoy a large amount of flexibility in their choice of employment. You may want to start your own business or work in a spa or gymnasium. Therapists can practice their trade medicinally or recreationally, depending on their education level. Different skills should be learned if you want to work with the elderly versus young athletes or the general public. Many massage therapists specialize in a certain type of massage or cater to a particular clientele, such as athletes. Massage therapy programs offer a wide array of courses in all different kinds of massage, called modalities, along with basic coursework.
Speaking with teachers and students at different massage therapy schools will give you a good picture of what kind of training you will receive and what career paths will be available to you after completing the program. Touring the campus will also give you a chance to check out what kind of facilities the school offers and the kind of environment you’ll be studying in.
Other important topics to cover when choosing is a program is whether or not the school assists graduates with job placement and what kind of certification the program culminates with. You should also investigate if the program will prepare you to receive your massage therapist license and certification after completing the coursework. Most States regulate practicing massage therapists in the same way they do other medical professionals; it is therefore very important that you attend a program that will train you to fulfill both state and national requirements if you want to begin work as a massage therapist immediately after graduation.
Coursework and Classes
Coursework for massage therapy students is a combination of in-class study of the human body, demonstration of massage techniques, and an externship – hands-on work as a masseuse under the supervision of an instructor or licensed massage therapist – provided by the school.
Massage therapists are certified based upon the amount of hours they have spent training. Programs that will prepare you for taking the national certification exam can be completed in as little 1,000 hours, with an externship included. To be eligible for the national certification exam, students must complete at least 500 hours of coursework, though individual States may require more or less. With a full-time schedule, it is possible to become a licensed massage therapist in 12 months or less.
All schools that prepare massage therapy students for national certification offer a wide variety of courses that fulfill the hourly minimum. Massage therapy students study anatomy and physiology to better understand the building blocks of the human body. They also learn the history and theory of massage, proper hygiene, pathology, self-care, and the health benefits of massage. Some programs offer courses in professional ethics, as massage therapists enjoy an unusual amount of intimacy with their clients and should be aware of legal boundaries.
Along with the basics, massage therapists learn about the many kinds of massage, called modalities, currently practiced. These include the chair massage, deep tissue massage, Shiatsu, Swedish massage, sports massage, and acupressure massage. Many holistic medicine schools that offer massage therapy programs also have courses in aromatherapy, reflexology, and hydrotherapy. These spa technologies are good resume enhancers that equip you with a unique skill set while adding hours to your training log.
Reputable massage therapy schools will be focused on the number of hours each course needs for completion, in line with the requirements of the national certification exam. Programs should keep a log of all student hours and submit them to the National Certification Board of Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers.
Accreditation
A school’s accreditation is an important thing to consider when making your final enrollment decision. Accreditation is voluntary and not all schools have been approved. Earning accreditation indicates that the school’s training programs meet the standards set by the accrediting organization. The most popular of these organizations for massage therapy schools is the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COTMA).
Accreditation is only significant if you plan to pursue further education after completing a massage therapy program or if you want to transfer course units to another institution. For national certification eligibility, you need only make sure the program provides you with enough course hours to sit for the exam.
Certification
Massage therapists need national certification to launch a successful career. There are two ways to become certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). You may sit for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) or the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM). Both tests cover the basics of massage therapy education and are multiple choice. Eligibility for both exams requires completion of 500 hours of coursework. Certification must be renewed every 4 years through continuing education and re-examiniation.
State law differs on which certification is preferable for practice in a particular locality. Always check with the State board in the area you wish to practice before sitting for either examination.