Massage therapist training involves some level of formal education. The specific requirements to become a massage therapist vary by state. Most people who work in this profession are part-time employees or are self employed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for massage therapists will increase more than other professions due to an increasing interest in the healing effects of massage therapy.
This trend has led to an increase in the number of massage therapist training programs across the United States. Massage therapy is a treatment in which the practitioner will manually manipulate a client's muscles and tissue to increase circulation and eliminate waste from the muscles. Massage therapy has many purposes, but is primarily used to either treat an injury or to help the body relax.
Massage Therapist Education
According to the American Massage Therapy Association, high school students who are interested in this field should focus on subjects related to science, such as physiology and anatomy. They should also take humanities and business courses. Students entering into a massage therapist training program must have a high school diploma.
A massage therapist education consists of courses in body mechanics and motion, massage techniques, ethics, and the study of organs and tissues. Students should only consider going to massage therapist schools that are accredited. The governing body that handles this is known as the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). This organization is acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education. Students can contact COMTA for a list of accredited massage therapist schools.
Certification
Students who have graduated from accredited massage therapist schools can then go on to become certified. Several states require this before a massage therapist can start working. In order to become certified, a massage therapist must pass an exam given by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work (NCETMB), and meet other skills and standards set by the organization.
Certified massage therapists are permitted to use the credentials that indicate that they have met the national requirements of the NCETMB. According to the American Massage Therapy Association, practitioners who want to maintain their certification status must periodically update their massage therapist education and training. They are required to renew their certification every 4 years and complete 200 hours of continuing education.
Practitioners who have successfully completed their massage therapist training have the option of working in a variety of settings. Those who are self employed can open their own office or work from home. They can also find work at health clubs, physicians' offices, hospitals, nursing homes, resorts and spas, and natural healing venues.
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