How to go about massage therapy?

[thoughts]

Is it worthy of being a career? How many years of school is required? Any additional info would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Linda G]

Massage therapy requires lots of physical exertion, so you must be in great condition. Your arms, hands, and fingers will get very strong and will require constant work to keep them that way. It is necessary to be able to bend, lift, stand, and maneuver all around a massage table and over a client. You'll be lifting legs and heads and arms, which requires a level of fitness many people don't have.

Considering how physically demanding giving massages can be, most practitioners limit their hours to about half of what a normal workweek would be at a conventional job. So, take that into consideration when estimating how much you can make. If you work for someone else, you'll get an hourly rate plus tips -- a fraction of the price the customer's paying for the massage. If you own your own business, you get more of the money, but you also have a lot more costs -- rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, furniture, consumable supplies, repairs, accounting, and staff.

Consider also your level of squeamishness. If you get a client on the table who's really hairy, or has skin lesions, or is generally unattractive, would that gross you out? Would you be able to work with special requests even if you don't understand them? Are you a good listener? How would you handle a client telling you that you're doing something wrong? Are you comfortable dealing with clients? Some people prefer to sit behind a desk and not have that many interactions.

The years of school required depend on what level you want to be at and how many kinds of massage you want to learn how to do. Look into your local massage school's requirements and arrange to interview current and graduated students. If possible, visit working massage therapists at their practices and ask them about their work.

Keep in mind that any career that involves physical labor carries the risk that if you injure yourself, you need to have another source of income to back up the times you can't work. One massage therapist I had developed arthritis in her fingers as a young woman, rendering her unable to work as many hours as she needed to survive. Don't underestimate the stress your body can be under when doing massages full-time!

 

[Sabeena]

Everyone has a different opinion about it. Some people love it, others burn out quickly. The American Massage Therapy Association says 6 years is the average career length.

The national average is 6 months of school, but some states require more. Others have no regulations. Check with your state first to find out how much school is required.

I highly recommend that you get a lot of regular massage first and speak to a lot of practitioners in your area. Maybe even work at a clinic as a receptionist to get a good feel for the business. Massage is a very tough job. It first has to be a valuable treatment you get for yourself before you can successfully give it to others. You can really drain yourself physically, mentally and emotionally if you work in the field knowing it isn't right for you.

 

[massage therapist]

I totally agree with Sabeena. Massage therapy isn't for everyone. But a massage therapist can do a lot more than just basic massage. I got interested in massage therapy 23 years ago when a LMT helped my wife overcome a horrible back injury. After massage school I took every course I could find to learn more about back pain,and that is all I treat. The treatments I do are very easy on me and my patients. Doing regular massage all day, I would think could lead to burnout and injuries. I know so many people that just hate what they doing for a living,I'm glad I'm not one of them.

 

[Sandy K]

A Massage Therapist is a good career. You need one years training. Check with your local colleges or go to the library and see if you can find out where you would enroll for training. They make good money.