February 2010
by Carol Brunelli
FutureLMT.com

You’ve decided to go to massage-therapy school, and in your research you find there are more than 300 accredited massage schools and programs in the U.S., and almost 2,000 total massage schools. With so many options, you need a game plan for choosing the right massage school for you.

Begin by learning about the massage-therapy profession and different massage techniques. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an in-depth overview of the occupation of massage therapist. Here you can find out about the nature of the work, training and other qualifications, employment, job outlook, projections data, Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) data, related occupations and sources of additional information. Other good sources for obtaining information about the massage-therapy industry include the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Next, you will want to learn more about the different methods of massage therapy. According to the NCCAM, there are more than 80 different recognized massage modalities. Some of the most common modalities include Swedish massage, sports massage, shiatsu, deep-tissue massage and reflexology.

Research the requirements to practice massage therapy in your state or where you plan to practice. Currently, 42 states, the District of Columbia and four Canadian provinces regulate the practice of massage therapy. According to the 2009 Massage Therapy Industry Fact Sheet, released by the AMTA, massage therapists have an average of 633 hours of initial training.

You will need to consider your career intentions and determine your goal. Do you see yourself managing a private practice? Do you want to work in a medical environment? Do you want to work with specialized populations, such as the elderly or pregnant women? Setting your goal will assist you in evaluating the cost and value each school provides. Some programs focus exclusively on relaxation massage, while others focus on orthopedic modalities, for example.

Remember, your education is an investment. You may find the perfect massage school for you isn’t right next door, so it may be best to expand your search to other cities and states.

Review the curriculum of each school that interests you. Make sure the school teaches the styles of massage you want to learn, as well as provides plenty of on-the-job training opportunities. Does the school offer internship opportunities? Is there a student clinic? Look for a comprehensive curriculum that balances an in-depth study in the sciences with a thorough education in bodywork, business and interpersonal skills. Take a look at the advanced massage practice degrees offered, such as an Associates of Occupational Studies (AOS) degree.

Also, be aware of time requirements for a particular program. How long is the program? Are you planning to attend full time or part time? Is the program six months or 12 months? Are classes offered during the day or in the evening? Make sure your work and family obligations allow enough time to study and practice outside of class.

Collect information about several programs, and attend an orientation or open house if the school is local. If possible, connect with former students and ask them about their massage school experience. Many schools offer a student clinic with discounted massages from students and faculty. Receive massage therapy sessions from the faculty, graduates and students.

You can also learn more about a school by utilizing the power of social media. Search for the massage-therapy school name on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. If the school has a presence on a social networking site, you may be able to directly e-mail members of the school faculty or join in or start a discussion. Another option is to search for the words “massage therapy” and join a social networking group to learn more about the profession.

Before making your selection, examine the credentials and experience of a school’s faculty. Read faculty bios on the massage school’s website and look for teachers with many years of experience in the modalities you want to learn. When reading the credentials, use this guide to learn what each acronym means:

LMT—Licensed massage therapist
CMT—Certified massage therapist
LCMT—Licensed certified massage therapist
LMP— Licensed massage practitioner
RMT – Registered massage therapist

You may also want to request information about student services to determine if the school has the resources you need to succeed. Find out if the school offers postgraduate job placement, tutoring, testing accommodations, continuing education, international student counseling, scholarship assistance and financial aid.

Not every massage school is accredited by at least one of the major accrediting commissions or councils. All of the accrediting institutions have missions that involve the establishment of standards and policies to ensure quality education and training practices. Such councils include:

• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
• Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
• National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences

The research involved in choosing a massage school isn’t easy, but it is well worth the effort. Good luck in your search, and I hope you find a school in which you thrive, graduate and land the career of your dreams.

Matthew C. Gibble
2002 Graduate of the AOS Program
Raining Faith Massage

Attending BCMT was an experience that had an amazing impact on my life. While attending the evening program I developed relationships with some influential people over the course of two years. As I moved on after graduation and began my own private practice I faced many different challenges with the clients that came to me. One day a man showed up who had had open heart surgery just two days prior.

“I can’t sleep and was wondering if I could come get a massage to help me out.” After consulting with his doctor and receiving confirmation that it was okay for him to receive a massage we worked together the next evening just three days after open heart surgery!

The next day he called me at 8:00 in the morning. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized his number on the caller ID. “Matthew, I just wanted to tell you that I slept so well last night. It was the rest that I needed, thank you.”

BCMT prepared me for this and many other situations that I have faced since opening my practice four years ago. There have been surprises but I always feel that I have been properly equipped to handle those surprises and challenges as they come my way. There are many choices in education available; make a choice that is a wise one and that will equip you to serve your clients well.

I started my massage practice in my home following graduation and after 18 months I decided to move into an office.  When I made the move I was asked often why I decided to change my office setting.  Seeing as I had a thriving business and a quiet, soothing space in my home that didn’t cost anything it seemed like an unnecessary move to some.  But for me, it made sense.

About a year into my home practice I started to think about what it would be like to have an office.  My first sign that change was near.  I loved working out of my home and truly, there was nothing negative about the situation but there was something inside that was curious, I decided to listen.   For a few months,  I took in the detail of other offices I visited, asked therapists how they liked working in their space and researched the pros and cons of renting.  At the time, I was content with working out of my home and for me, times of contentment are always a good time for change.  I’ve never been one to wait for burn out or frustration to set in, instead I listen to the voice within and trust my intuition even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment.

One day, a few months later I decided to look for space, just to see how much it would cost.  Later that afternoon, I signed a lease and have never looked back.  It took me a few years to find my home but alas I have settled into a beautiful wellness center that is ideal for my practice.

It wasn’t until I had started practicing in my new office that it became evident to me why I moved.  Having a dedicated space outside of my home has allowed me a concrete separation between work and personal life.  It has also helped me hold boundaries on hours of operation and days that I am practicing.   I really enjoy time between sessions for self care as opposed to throwing in a load of laundry, a quick vacuum or bill paying.  Being in an office outside my home allows me to focus on my work with little distraction.   Sure there’s a cost involved but it’s been a great tax write off and since my bookings and marketing is done from my home office I am able to deduct that space as well.

So if you are looking for an office to practice massage I recommend taking the following things into consideration.  Parking for your clients, accessibility/location, other businesses in the building, temperature of the space and ability to control that, security, size of the space and of course, cost.  Other than that, the most important tip I can give you is to always follow your intuition it will never lead you in the wrong direction.

The City of Roses blossomed another honor with the recent recognition of Jacki Gethner, a pioneer massage therapist in the treatment of HIV/AIDS infected clients by Kaiser Permanente who presented her with the Kaiser Permanente HIV/AIDS Diversity Award at their 32nd Annual Diversity Conference in San Francisco in November 2009.

Read the article here.

One hundred and thirty one Colorado State Capitol workers, including eleven legislators, enjoyed a 15-minute seated massage yesterday in the darkened halls outside the Supreme Court Chambers. Even though the Massage Therapy registration is in place, it is still important that we continue to be visible in the eyes of our law makers. The Colorado Coalition of Massage Therapists is still actively monitoring bills that come up that could have potentially negative effects on our practice.
Men and women in dark suits lined up anxiously awaiting therapists to guide them to an empty chair. Legislators, some Senators, aids, lawyers, and office workers came and went all day long. They were so happy to have us there and for the opportunity to de-stress. Every year they say the same things, “This is our favorite day”, “It’s great of you to do this.”, “I have started getting regular massage because I saw the benefit from these sessions.”

Although we do not encourage massage therapists to solicit business during this event, many participants do ask for a business card and it’s okay to give them one.
If you would like to be apart of this event next year, keep an eye out for announcements. It is a wonderful way for us to be of service to some of the most stressed out people in the state. –Elaine Calenda, BCMT Instructor & attendee

I strongly recommend that you refrain from exercising until the following day. If anything, use your massage as an excuse to take it easy for the day. After a massage, your muscles need recovery time, much like they do after a workout. Your body will be feeling less tense and your muscles will be loose. It is easy to overdo it as your muscles can lose their ability to sense what is too much for them. Meaning you could potentially strain a muscle or push it too hard and not realize it until its too late. Working-out after a massage can counteract the effects of the session.

All I can do is make the recommendation, it is up to you to listen to your body and your therapist. Personally, I never workout after a massage, I prefer to let the work sink in and give my body time to absorb its effects before working out. I urge you to get the most out of your session, refraining from exercise after receiving a massage will allow you to do just that.

Next weekend BCMT will be host to guest instructor Rachel Katz and her 2-day Sensory-Motor Manual Therapy training.  This course is open to BCMT grads, current Integrative students, graduate of an approved 500-hour massage school, PT or other healthcare professional.

This course will expand your ability to address challenging clients by focusing on receptor pathways to alleviate pain. You will learn to make specific contact with the receptors of the skin, muscles, and joints – communicating with the deep brain for sustained change. Sensory-Motor Manual Therapy is easy on the therapist’s hands yet potent for addressing complex body issues, old patterns, and trauma. This class will benefit practitioners interested in a unique and new way to interface and engage mind/body dynamics with clients.

Rachel is is a specialist in unique mind/body and pain relief methods.  She is the author of The Consumer Guide to Recovery from Car Accidents. In 2000 she completed Dr. Peter Levine’s 3 year training program in treating emotional and physical trauma. She is credentialed as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.

Here’s what Elaine Calenda, BCMT’s Academic Dean had to say:
This class is amazing and so is Rachel Katz. I was referred to Rachel by my doctor for physical therapy. I was expecting the typical treatment, you know, resistive exercises and thousands of crunches. It was nothing of the sort. Rachel simply used her hands to gentle guide me out of pain that had limited my life for 6 long years. The method was painless and surprisingly effective. In a few short weeks, I was free from back pain. I had tried every kind of therapy, most invasive, and it only made the problem worse. I realized that fighting pain with pain only perpetuates the cycle of trauma. SMMT actually re-programs the brain, replacing the pain cycle with positive feedback.

I invited Rachel to give a demonstration of the techniques to my Medical Massage class. The students loved it and wanted more. If you’d like to add this powerful tool to your practice, now is your chance.

For more information visit bcmt.org

As posted on the AMTA Colorado website:

Massage Therapy Legislative Awareness Day at the State Capitol is Tuesday, March 16, 2010, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Massage therapists can volunteer to work in two or three hour shifts (8 – 10, 10 – 12 11 – 1, 1 – 3, 3 – 5) offering chair massage to legislators and capitol staff in the Old Supreme Court Chambers on the second floor of the Capitol. We have done this event once or twice a session  since 2003 and have found it to be very effective in building good will and recognition. This year we are adding a “thank you” for our new registration law.

If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, email Nicole at Nicole@abmp.com or call 303-679-7638.

30 volunteers are needed for a successful event. We will have a few extra chairs available, but if you have your own, it is helpful. **Proof of insurance and registration are required.

According to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, demand for massage therapists is holding strong, thanks to hiring by hospitals, chiropractic offices, nursing homes and others.

“We’re now being accepted by the health care profession,” said Karen Armstrong, supervisor of clinical massage at Beaumont Hospitals, which operates massage clinics in Royal Oak and Troy. Read the entire article here.