Question about a career in Massage Therapy
health advisory
Hospital
Alternative Medicine
2007-11-16 3:13:29
As you know, you can't fake it when you are working on or with the human body. (I am sure your Paramedic training has taught you that). Besides, there is too much mediocrity out there all ready.
Besides Anatomy & Physiology, you will also have to master massage theory, techniques, history, contraindications, physical assessment, as well as Business Law, Record Keeping, Ethics and Traditional Oriental Medicine concepts.
Then be tested upon all of the above by the school you are attending and in some states a National massage board.
If you are ready, willing and able to complete all of the above, then have at it !!
Massage therapy is great, though really dedicating. its not as simple as it sounds. i just finished about 9 mos. ago. Its absolutley an amazing experience and skill to acqluire. and the East coast has some of the best schools. Go to naturalhealer.com.....thats where i found my school. Write to each one that you seem to connect to or are drawn to and get info of there curriculum, course hours, class size, and if they are nationally accredited. You can make very good money, (anywhere from 50-120 hr) but it is a very demanding, high impact job. You must take extremely good care of yourself and take cautions to avoid self-injury. If you don't necessarliy have the money to just "not know" if its for you or not, maybe look into a one or two day seminar. Good luck and have fun with it!
If you are going into massage for money work at a spa where they tend to overwork you and you really are just relaxing stressed people. Massage schools range from $6000-20000 depending on the program you pick. To become licensed you will have to take and pass the National test $255.00 and pay your stated for a license which is more money. It is not an inexpensive thing to get into and therapists who work in spas make anyhere from $15.00 to $30.00 or so depending on tips. When you see people charging $60-80 they are running their own businesses and not really "raking in the money". If you are going to go into it for money you are liable to burn out and injure yourself from overwork. Spas are great places for a lot of assembly line work not for true healing.