How Do I Become A Massage Therapist?

by Willette Francis

Alternative medicine professionals use nontraditional methods to heal patients of their ailments. If you have great communication skills and empathy and are interested in alternative ways to heal the body, then with the right education a career in alternative medicine may be just right for you. As a massage therapist, you can use alternative medicine to heal people through the art of massage.

How do I become a massage therapist?
Training requirements vary from state to state. Throughout the country, there are a number of college programs and vocational school programs in massage therapy. Massage therapy programs cover anatomy, physiology, the study of organs and tissues, kinesiology, body motion and mechanics, business, ethics, and hands-on practical massage techniques. Massage therapy programs may include the modalities of massage.

The accreditations of massage therapy programs may vary. Those approved by the state board can also have additional accreditation by an independent accrediting agency. States that regulate massage require you to graduate from an approved school or training program to practice massage therapy. Additional state regulations could require massage therapists to attend continuing education courses through their career.

After completing a massage therapy program, a massage therapist must take the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB). Most states require you to pass this exam to practice massage therapy. The NCTMB exam has several eligibility requirements. Some states require massage therapy program approval; these requirements may include graduating from a state-approved program or submitting a portfolio of training experience for review by the NCTMB. This step may not be necessary in some states.

Once a therapist passes the exam for licensure, they can use the national credential. The credential has to be renewed every four years, and the therapist must perform a minimum of 200 hours of therapeutic massage and complete continuing education courses.

What will I learn in massage therapy school?
Nationally, there are 1,500 massage therapy programs, so it's important to research massage therapy programs to find the right one for you. A comprehensive massage therapy program may consist of two years of study in clinical training, therapeutic understanding, and Eastern and Western techniques.

A full-time program would require courses in anatomy and physiology, myology and kinesiology, palpation, Swedish massage, introduction to Eastern bodywork and theory, professional development and ethics, neurology, tools of assessment and treatment, shiatsu, clinical internship, off-site internship, pathology of massage therapy, assessment of soft tissue conditions, advanced Western techniques and their clinical applications, clinical strategies, CPR and first aid, and complementary techniques.

Professional continuing education courses could include trigger point therapy, pre and perinatal massage, reflexology certification, mastery level medical massage, exploring infertility and reflexology, shiatsu session refresher, head and shoulders, massage for migraines, a guide to using the forearm, muscle mania, Swedish massage, full body refresher, Tai Chi massage, and many other professional continuing education courses.