For those who are looking for a change in their careers or anybody who is looking for something rewarding and fulfilling to do, they should become a massage therapist. This is a very noble profession wherein one deals closely with their clients and wherein one gets to use his or her hands to make another person feel better. In the rapidly growing industry of wellness and health care, the demand for massage therapists has subsequently grown. Therefore, anyone who is interested can easily land a job in this field. There are quite a lot of things to know about this career and they will all be discussed in the following paragraphs.
How To Land Jobs As Massage Therapists
Before the year 1989, massage therapy schools were few and far between. Those who wanted to enter the profession had to train under different independent instructors. However, when there was a worldwide increase in the business of spas, massage parlors and the like, more and more people became interested in the profession. There are now well-structured and effectively designed training programs that interested persons can join in order to prepare for everything that the job of a massage therapist entails. There is a nationwide examination that one has to pass in order to become a full-fledged therapist and that is the National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Throughout the training, one has to be able to learn everything that they need to know in order to pass the exam with flying colors and become an efficient and effective massage therapist.
It will take between a few months to more than two years to develop a thriving career in therapy. The first step is to find a school or a training program that you could enroll in. Once you have completed the program, your school can help you find a spa or massage parlor in your preferred area that is in need of therapists. Another way is to attend conferences like the Spa & Resort Expo Conference that is held yearly. Here you can submit your resume to many would-be employers in one place. Different states have different regulations for becoming a massage therapist so it is important for you to familiarize yourself with these requirements. Eligibility requirements can vary between 300 to 1000 hours of in-class training, which will prepare you for your career. Some states will require students to complete their training in an accredited school or training program. These programs mostly require students to at least have graduated from high school.
Aside from the technical training involved, one has to have the right attitude to become a therapist. Many schools and training programs require a personal interview first to check if the person is qualified enough to be in a job that needs a lot of close interaction between him or her and the client. One must possess very good communication skills and must have a high capacity for care and empathy. There are various options for therapists in terms of job opportunities. They can land in resorts, private spas, gyms, hotels and airports. Aside from that they can also go into their own private practice or set up their own spa business.
Are you looking for information about how to become a private massage therapist? Read more below.
Become a Private Massage Therapist
Interested in a career in Massage Therapy? If you think that it seems like a caring, compassionate career in the health care field, you are right. Having been a Massage Therapist for over 30 years, I can attest to the joy of bringing relief to people that are suffering. There are other benefits too. You can work for yourself, and set your own hours. You can make an average of $40.00 to $80.00 per hour. You can work in a resort environment while enjoying the lifestyle on your days off. And, you will meet a lot of health conscious people.
I can also attest to the pain and exhaustion of being a Massage Therapist in a resort environment. In a town like Aspen, Colorado, the Massage business cranks up in the winter time with bookings from dawn until dusk, then slows to nearly no business when the off-season hits in May. You need to carefully budget for the few very slow months.
Most states govern Massage Therapy licensing. Generally, a license requires from 500-1,000 hours of training including Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology (or Functional Anatomy,) Pathology, Professional Ethics, Practical Training, and some internship or clinical practice, or a similar variation of these classes. The cost of training can be anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 or more depending on the school that you choose. There are some famously outstanding schools like the Boulder College of Massage in Boulder, Colorado, or Mueller in San Diego, California. These schools hold esteem to some employers, so their tuition might be a little higher. Most massage schools have a payment plan or a scholarship program.
Once certified by your particular program, you will need to decide of you want to become Nationally Certified. Some states honor the National Certification exam and will issue your state license with proof of National Certification. Some states will require you to take their state licensing exam regardless. You will need to check with the Massage Licensing Board in your own state.
Practitioner’s Liability Insurance is around $125-$150 per year. That’s it! You’re then ready to make decisions as to how you wish to practice. Most newly certified therapists choose to begin their career in a public environment like a health club or beauty salon. They can gain confidence and experience in a safe and supervised setting. The facility does the scheduling and provides the table, sheets, and oil, but still require you to provide your own Liability Insurance.
If you choose to practice privately, you will need to begin with a business budget to study exactly how many hours that you will need to work in order to pay your expenses. Massage is heavy work. Studies show that the average life span of a massage career is only three years. I know from experience that you can go for many more than that, but make no mistake about it, this is heavy work and requires a practitioner to remain strong and fit in order to prevent overuse injuries. An injured therapist cannot fully deliver effective therapy.
You will need to budget for a massage table, preferably portable, so that you can have it in your office, or at your home. It’s always nice to be able to give a massage to a friend or neighbor in your own home-office environment, rather than a business location. You will need several sets of sheets, somewhere to launder them, oil and lotion, business supplies (client notes, files, phone, computer,) wardrobe, robes, towels, continuing education classes, insurance, and office rent. Also, being self-employed, you will need to keep your own tax records, so you will need to budget for an accountant, or an accounting software program for your computer.
There are other options in private practice that do not require for you to work for a health club or resort. There are also co-op situations where therapists office-share. You can join a co-op like this that pays a receptionist/scheduler, and you come in to work on your clients, and pay a monthly fee to the co-op for the space rent and the services. This is a good way to pickup extra referrals, as well.
Some large hotel chains lease their massage rooms in the spa area to private therapists. This is a good way to go as they have built-in spa customers in their hotel guests. There are a variety of arrangement options in who does the bookings, and who provides linens.
Another option is a Doctor or Chiropractor’s office. These professionals already have the clients and the space. They generally do the insurance billing, and pay the therapist when they are paid. If you are licensed by your state, you will have a license number that will allow for you to do your own insurance billing, as well.
More information about being a private massage therapist are available online. Check the article below for good understanding on massage.
Inside Look At A Massage Therapist Career
What does the massage therapist career typically involve? The type of work that is involved in massage therapy is to use the method of touch to manipulate the soft-tissue muscles of the body. This is done for a number of different reasons such as, to relieve painful conditions of the body due to illnesses, relaxing the fatigued and overworked muscles, reducing stress, treating injuries suffered through sports, etc., and promoting overall health. Most often, massage therapy is made use of for medical benefits and relaxation purposes.
There are several types of massage techniques you can specialize in, which are called modalities. There are around 80 of them to choose from. Some of them are, the Swedish massage, the deep tissue massage, reflexology, acupressure, the sports massage, and the neuro-muscular massage. You can benefit from specializing in more than one type of modality, thus having an expertise in several different massage techniques. A massage session can range from a short, five to ten minutes, to as long as two hours, depending on what is being treated and the technique being used.
A massage therapist always works by an appointment system. Before actually performing the massage, the therapist conducts an interview in which all the details of the client are noted down, such as the medical history, and the expected results from the therapy session. Based on the interview results, the therapist will choose the technique that is best suited for the client, so as to avoid any harmful effects and to maximize the relief.
Developing a rapport with the client is very important in the massage therapy career, as this helps in making your clients feel comfortable, and also helps in developing a loyal clientele list.
Where do the massage therapists work? There are many private and public settings where a massage therapist can work, which include, for example, private offices, hospitals, nursing homes, fitness centers, sports medicine facilities, airports, shopping malls, and studios. Massage therapists may also visit clients’ locations for service. They can opt to work full or part-time, depending on their conveniences.
Providing massages involves standing for long hours as well as physical exertion. Many times injuries are possible if proper care and technique are not used. Therefore, good technique, spacing massage schedules, proper exercise, and getting a regular massage, yourself, as a therapist, is very important.
The massage therapist career requires that therapists complete a formal education program and pass an examination. Most of the States also require a license to practice massage therapy. It is important to check the information on licensing requirements in the State where you plan to practice. A fee and periodic licensure renewal may also be required.
The therapist programs requires a high school diploma to apply. It involves, typically, 500 hours or more of study to complete. Subjects such as, anatomy, physiology, study of body mechanics and motion, ethics, business management, and practical massage training, are covered in the program.
Apart from the school qualifications, a massage therapist’s role also requires strong communication skills, a friendly, and empathetic personality, to put clients at ease and be successful in the profession.
Where employment is concerned, a growing number of requirements are predicted for massage therapists in the coming years. In fact, a growth of about 19 percent of job opportunities, by 2018, is expected for this role, as more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of massage therapy, across all age groups. More part time jobs are expected to be available for this job than full time.
The earnings can vary depending upon the time one can invest in, in this job. The earnings can be very attractive, ranging anywhere between $35,000 per year to, sometimes, $150,000 per year, or above, for more established therapists, depending upon the clientele list one has been able to build over the years. If you are an enterprising person, massage therapy can be very lucrative, especially if you consider private practice as an option.
What are the advantages of choosing massage therapy as a career option? One of the advantages of this career will be that there will be plenty of job flexibility. You can choose the time and the number of clients you want to see in a day or in a week. It can be a very rewarding career with a lot of job satisfaction. On top of all this, it comes with a very good pay packet.
Copyright 2011. Private Massage Therapist.
This is a very noble profession wherein one deals closely with their clients and wherein one gets to use his or her hands to make another person feel better. Nice article.