Monthly Archive for February, 2009

New State Law To Improve California’s Massage Therapy Industry

Published
by
Gary
on February 22, 2009
in massage certification and massage licensing
. 0 Comments

By Gary Eaton

One of the biggest struggles for the massage industry is legitimization.  Many people still see massage therapists in the same light as massage parlors and their illicit activities.  National massage organizations such as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professions, Inc. to name a couple, have spent years bringing respect to the massage profession.

Most states require some form of certification or licensing in order to practice.  This has been brought about by the AMTA and other organizations in order to separate professional bodyworkers from prostitution rings that present themselves as massage clinics.

Currently there are 42 states that have state-wide regulations.  California wasn’t one of them.  Until a new law went into effect on January 1, individual cities regulated California massage therapists.  This meant that in some cities there were no requirements at all.

If you are a prospective massage therapist looking to go to massage school in California or are interested in practicing massage in the state, this is good news.  It is important for professional massage therapists to separate themselves from the more dubious “massage parlor” image.

As more and more states choose to regulate massage therapists, the massage industry will become a more legitimate industry and be accepted as not just a way to relax the body, but as an alternative treatment for injuries, pathologies and disease.

As a massage therapist that practices in the medical industry, it is important to me that people understand the difference between massage of the past (i.e. massage parlors) and the skills and abilities of todays massage therapists.  When states regulate massage they require a certain amount of training (usually a certain number of class-hours from a certified massage school), and they usually require therapists to at least pass a national exam.

These regulations bring conformity to the industry, help to insure safety for the general public, and help bring massage into the 21st century as a legitimate medical treatment option.

California has been hit-and-miss as regulations varied greatly from city to city.  This new state law will bring a positive change to the California massage therapy industry and make it easier for therapists to know what will be required to practice in the state.

Although California’s law is a great first step, it has minimal requirements.  Hopefully in the future they will put more teeth into the law to ensure better trained and more professional requirements for therapists.  These requirements will help move massage into a better light and provide more safety to residents looking to massage as an option for treatment.

A more critical reason for legitimizing massage is acceptance by the medical community.  Massage is slowly creeping into acceptance by many medical professionals.  But in order for massage to reach acceptance nation-wide, it will be important for more standardized training and requirements.  This is coming, but it has been a slow road and probably won’t come about for a few years.

If you are attending massage school and preparing to become a massage therapist, make sure you check out the state (or states) you are interested in practicing in order to understand their requirements.  Some states have much higher standards then others and it is important to find a massage school that will meet those requirements.

If you are looking to become a massage therapist in California, it just got easier to practice statewide thanks to this new law.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

New Licensing Examination Becoming Standard For Massage Industry

Published
by
Gary
on February 20, 2009
in massage career, massage certification and massage school
. 0 Comments

By Gary Eaton, LMT

It is an exciting time in the massage therapy industry. Massage is slowly gaining more and more acceptance as a legitimate profession that provides a valuable service.

One of the most important ways to bring legitimacy to the massage profession is standardization. Having standardized rules and regulations in the massage industry helps insure that licensed and certified massage practitioners will have the basic training needed to safely and professionally provide massage services for the general public.

One of the more important requirements for certification in most states is the national examination. This is a test massage school students are required to pass before receiving a license to practice.

In the past, the standard test created has been the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). This is the test I had to pass to meet Oregon’s licensing requirements. This test covers the basic knowledge necessary to safely practice massage therapy. It includes subjects such as anatomy, physiology, ethics, kinesiology and others. In Oregon there is also a hands-on practical exam that you must pass, but in many state the NCBTMB exam is the only testing requirement.

That is slowly changing, as many states are now requiring massage school students to pass the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) that was developed by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB).

The MBLEx has slowly built steam and is starting to become the standard for the industry. More and more states are changing their laws to require this newer test that many believe is the best option for testing the knowledge of prospective massage practitioners.

Why should it matter which test you take? Well, one of the goals of massage therapy organizations, such as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), is to provide a nationwide standard for massage licensing. In the past, the AMTA supported the use of the NCBTMB test. Recently, however, the AMTA recognized that the MBLEx test has gained more acceptance by states and has announced that it is now in support of the MBLEx test to become the standard for all licensing requirements.

The acceptance of this test will probably eventually lead to nationwide acceptance of the MBLEx. This will create better portability for licensed massage therapists to practice in different states. As of now, many states have different requirements. This means you may not have the necessary education or testing required to practice in all states. So, if you decide to move to a new state you may have to take more classes or pass new tests in order to practice.

By standardizing state licensing requirements and testing it will make it easier for massage therapists to move their practices to new areas. Right now that isn’t always possible.

States are far from having standard requirements, but the ultimate goal of organizations like the AMTA is to eventually reach that goal. This will make it easier for the therapists and also bring more legitimacy to the massage profession. The acceptance of the MBLEx as the only national exam is a step in the right direction.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

The Importance of Massage School Accreditation

Published
by
Gary
on February 18, 2009
in massage career, massage school and massage school accreditation
. 0 Comments

By Gary Eaton, LMT

For many, choosing the right massage school is a challenging proposition.  Deciding which one is going to work best for you can be difficult as you weight all of the pros and cons of each of the massage schools and the massage programs they offer.

In your quest to determine which school will work best for you, you will need to compare the schools based on many aspects, including costs, schedules, programs offered, how long the program takes to complete, and many others.  One thing you need to take a close look at is whether the massage school is accredited.

What Is Accreditation?

Accreditation is when a massage school has distinguished itself by meeting or exceeding the standards of educational quality set forth by licensing organizations.  This is important because is means the school has opened itself up to an outside accrediting agency and allowed them to assess the school based on various criteria.

Some of the criteria the accrediting agencies look at when assessing massage schools include; the educational quality of the institution, the consistency of the institutional operations, institutional improvements and provisions for public accountability.

Attending a massage school that is accredited is important for many reasons.  One of the biggest is that some states won’t award a massage therapist a license unless they have completed a certain amount of training from an accredited institution.  This means that you could attend an excellent massage school and take the required amount of classroom hours and complete the necessary courses required, but since the state doesn’t recognize the institution as accredited it won’t count.  The result is the state won’t issue you a license to practice.

By attending an accredited massage school you insure that you are receiving training from an institution that has a massage program that meets the recognized academic standards set by that state.  It also means that the massage school’s staff are professionals, the facilities are sufficiently equipped, and maybe most importantly, it means the institution is stable and will be a permanent fixture in the massage community.

There could be nothing worse than getting part-way through your massage school training only to have the school shut down.

One other thing to consider is financial aid.  In order for a massage student to get federal financial aid, they must be attending an accredited massage school.

When looking at prospective massage schools, make sure to check that they are accredited and approved by the state or states that you plan to practice in.  This will not only save you from major frustration down the road, but it will help provide confidence that you will be getting a quality education from a massage school that cares about the you and wants to be around for years to come.

Accreditation may seem like a small matter in the bigger picture of choosing a massage school, but making the mistake of going to a school that isn’t accredited may turn out to be a very costly choice.  Don’t make that mistake.  Be sure you attend a school that is accredited and recognized by the state in which you are planning on practicing massage.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

Why We Need More Massage Therapists

Published
by
Gary
on February 17, 2009
in massage career and massage school
. 2 Comments

By Gary Eaton, LMT

In the past, most people looked at massage as a luxury. It was for pampering themselves. Today, that is no longer the case.

Sure, many people still see it that way. Some still think of massage in the realm of “massage parlors” and “spa treatments.” Thankfully, more and more people are becoming educated on the health and medical benefits from a professional massage.

The days of disrespect are disappearing and massage is increasingly being looked at as an alternative health treatment option for many. So the question is, why do most people seek treatment from a massage therapist?

Stress is usually at the top of the list when asking people why they get a massage. And with the economy in the tank, the stress levels of most Americans is only getting higher. Massage is one of the most cost effective treatments for stress, and has proven itself again and again to be a solution for stress reduction.

But stress is just on reason people seek out professional therapists. Massage therapy has been proven to relieve many symptoms related to a variety of other conditions and can help in healing a wide range of serious health issues.

Back pain is another major reason people seek help from a massage therapist. There are an estimated 100 million Americans suffering from low back pain, and almost $25 billion is spent yearly in seeking relief. In 2003 a study showed that massage therapy helped reduce painkiller use by 36%. This was better results then using any other therapy studied.

Massage therapy has also been shown to have positive effects on migraine sufferers. With 45 million Americans suffering from chronic headaches, there are millions of dollars spent seeking treatment for this debilitating condition. Massage has been shown to help migraine sufferers by reducing headache frequency and improving sleep quality.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome continues to be a chronic problem for many Americans. Studies show that massage therapy has positive effects for carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers, helping to significantly reduce wrist pain, decrease symptoms such as numbness and tingling in the fingers, and resulted in grip strength improvement compared to patients who didn’t receive massage.

Anxiety continues to be a concern for many, and the depression rates are on the rise. Over a dozen studies have shown that massage helps reduce anxiety and depression. The reason is massage therapy’s effect on the biochemistry of the body. Studies have shown that massage reduces cortisol, a stress hormone, in recipients by as much as 53%, while at the same time increasing positive hormones serotonin and dopamine, as well as depression-reducing neurotransmitters.

Massage has also shown positive results for patients suffering from hypertension. With high blood pressure on the rise, massage has shown to have the ability to reduce blood pressure in patients compared to those just relaxing.

As you can see, there are many common ailments that massage therapy has shown to have positive effects. More and more people are suffering from these and other conditions that massage can help alleviate. That is a lot of potential massage clients!

When considering massage as a career or while in massage school, remember these issues and realize that you will have the ability to help many, many people reduce their pain and suffering and to have a higher quality of life. That is one of the great joys in being a massage therapist.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

How Much Money Do Massage Therapists Make?

Published
by
Gary
on February 15, 2009
in compensation, massage career and massage school
. 5 Comments

By Gary Eaton, LMT

When talking to massage school students and prospective students of massage therapy, there is one question asked more then all others combined; How much money can I make as a massage therapist?

Recently I was talking with a group of massage students preparing to graduate. I was asked to speak to them about the rigorous state board exam they were about to take and attempt to help calm their fears. In reality we spent much more time on the topic of how much money they could expect to make working as a licensed massage therapist.

My honest answer to them? It depends. Yes, that is correct. It depends. Sounds like a cop-out answer, but it is the best there is.

You see, there is no “correct” answer. You can go check out massage organizations and they can give you the government statistical breakdowns on how much therapist make, but that is just an average. You must understand that a majority of therapist don’t work at massage full-time (even the definition of full-time for massage therapists is up for debate – I consider anyone performing 15-20 hours a week of massage full-time). Many have a separate full-time job and only perform massage on the side. These part-timers skew the averages.

For those few working as a massage therapist full-time, it depends on how much they work, where they work, as well as their market, their marketing skills and even their abilities to run a business. Success actually has less to do with massage skills. That being said, you still need to have the skills to satisfy your customers in order to succeed.

The first factor to consider is how many hours you are going to work. Again, there are no 40-hour work weeks in massage. I personally average about 18 hours of hands-on massage a week. This is on the high side, as much more than that and burnout becomes a problem. So the number of actually hours of massage you can perform is one factor.

The industry you work in also makes a difference. Working for yourself is always going to pay better, assuming you have enough of a clientele to support you and don’t give your massages away. Renting a space can be relatively inexpensive, and if you control your overhead and keep the clients coming in the door you can make an exceptional income. I know a therapist averaging 15 hours of massage a week who makes over $100,000 a year. But she is the exception and performs very specific massage techniques, has been a therapist for over 20 years and charges a premium.

Starting your own business can be too much for most people, at least in the beginning, so many new therapists go to work for someone else. Where you go to work has a much bigger impact on your income. Some industries pay better than others, but there really is no standard.

I personally work at a clinic that has a couple of chiropractors. I have a separate practice that shares expenses, but I have a built-in network of referrals and I have been busy since day one. It seems to be the best of both worlds to me.

If you go to work for a spa, the pay depends on the quality of the spa. Some pay great, others not so much. Chiropractors historically have not paid well, but that has changed over the last couple of years as they see the benefit of combining massage and chiropractic adjustments. Another option is a massage clinic. These can be great places to sharpen your massage teeth, but the pay will vary depending on the clientele and how busy the clinic is.

One note here, and maybe I will do an actual post on this later, but the newer massage franchises are not the best places to work when it comes to pay. You can expect to make $15 or less an hour. The franchises can be a good place to gain experience, particularly if you don’t have any business acumen, but don’t expect to make a lot of money and you will want to watch your hours and not work too much. Franchises are notorious for burning out therapists by making them work long hours at lower-than-average pay. I personally wouldn’t recommend it, but that is just my opinion.

There are also resorts, cruise ships, hospitals and a variety of other areas to work as a massage therapist, and they all have their pros and cons. The pay rate can vary dramatically based on location and clientele.

One other consideration when figuring out how much you can make as a massage therapist is your market. If you live in New York City your per-hour rate for a massage will be much higher than if you live in, say, a suburb of Lincoln, Nebraska. Location makes a big difference.

I live in an area where the average price for a one-hour relaxation massage is about $65. But I could easily find someone to give me a massage for $30, or I could go to a high-end spa and pay $130. As a therapeutic massage therapist, my rates are, on average, $90 per hour.

So, how much can you make? Like I said, it depends on where you live, work, and how much you can realistically charge. That being said, it is very realistic for you to make at least $20-$25 per hour starting out. If you start your own business you can make much more. The biggest question is, how many hours per week can you actually work, hands-on, doing massage.

As you can see, there is no simple, straight-forward answer to how much money a massage therapist can make. The reality is you can make a little or a lot. It all depends on you.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

Is Now A Good Time To Go To Massage School?

Published
by
Gary
on February 10, 2009
in massage career, massage school, massage specialties and sports massage
. 0 Comments

By Gary Eaton, LMT

In these unstable economic times, many of you are probably wondering if now is a good time to spend your time and money becoming a massage therapist. The cost alone might cause concern for many.

But what might be the biggest fear is that when you do get done with your massage school training there might not be any massage therapy jobs. I mean, massage is a luxury right? When finances are tough, people cut back on luxury expenses and won’t spend money on non-essentials.

Well, if you think that way, you are not alone. In fact, most people believe that to be true. But the fact of the matter is there is no better time to go to massage school.

Yes, there will be some areas of the massage industry that will struggle. High-end spas, for instance. Those that charge $200 for a two-hour treatment that includes some kind of mud bath, a wrap and a massage will probably see a decrease in business. And possibly a large decrease.

However, most areas of massage will continue to prosper, and those therapists that know how to market as well as provide excellent services will not just survive but thrive. Think about it – people still get injured in a down economy, people still have auto accidents, work accidents. And maybe most importantly for massage therapists, these economic times create more stress.

Where do many people go when they are stressed and need relief? That’s right, to a massage therapist. So if you look at things from a different perspective, the troubled economy is actually good for massage. Not that I like seeing all the people losing their jobs, but it is a fact. The more people are stressed, the more they need us therapists to help them.

Let me give you a comparison. Most of my patients are motor vehicle accident patients. I don’t like to see anyone injured in car accidents, but the fact is people get in accidents all the time and they need help to recover.

As such, winter time and the snow and ice creates a lot of auto accidents. So I know come winter I am going to get busier. A few weeks ago we had a big winter storm and I new in a few weeks I would have several new patients. Last week I picked up four new patients. Bad for them, good for my business. I don’t rejoice about their pain, but I am happy to see people coming in for massage because my livelihood depends upon it.

Well, this economy is the same. With the increase in joblessness, millions of homes getting foreclosed and uncertainly about the future, many people have a huge increase in the stress in their lives. As massage therapist we are uniquely qualified to help relieve that stress and help them to better cope with the struggles in their lives.

As far as I’m concerned, this might just be the best time to get into a massage school and get licensed. Those who seem to be in the know are saying that we are in this mess for a while and it won’t end anytime soon.

One more positive for the massage industry is the increase in massage being utilized in the medical profession. I have come to realize that I made a wise choice in focusing my practice in the area of therapeutic deep tissue massage. I work with a couple of doctors in a clinic and I have come to understand that the healthcare field doesn’t suffer during an economic downturn.

You might consider that when you get into school and start to decide what direction you want to take with your massage school. There is never a bad time to become a massage therapist if it is the right career choice, but there may never be a better time then the present to start massage school and get your license.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.

Massage Therapy and the Long Distance Runner

Published
by
Terry
on February 3, 2009
in health issues, massage career, massage school and sports massage
. 1 Comment

Anyone considering attending a massage school will likely be evaluating the types of massage in which they will specialize. As Gary indicated in his previous blog, there are certain characteristics that a massage therapist should have. There are also specific interests that a massage therapist will have that will guide their career path as a therapist.

Sports massage is a specific focus for a massage therapist and an area that is gaining traction as a specific career path to be considered by massage school students. You might think that the practice of sports massage would be most applicable in a team environment, such as a school or a pro sports franchise, but there are plenty of serious minded amateur athletes out there who want to maintaining the highest levels of fitness so they can attain peak performance within their sport of choice.

In this article from Austin360.com, a runner writes about the benefits of massage therapy to address a very specific injury and, perhaps, rescue her dream to run a marathon.

Sports massage is just one more option for the serious massage student.

Is A Massage Therapy Career Right For You?

Published
by
Gary
on February 2, 2009
in massage career and massage school
. 3 Comments

Many of you looking at massage therapy as a possible career option and considering the option of attending a massage school are probably asking yourself something along the lines of, “Is massage therapy the right career choice for me?”  A very important question for sure.  But another, more important question is, “Am I a good fit for massage?”

Although those are very similar sounding questions, they are actually two completely different viewpoints.  For instance, the career and lifestyle of an NBA player might be the right fit for me (the money, fame, you get paid for playing a game), but the fact that I am 5’-8” and can’t jump means that I’m not a good fit for the NBA.

The same goes for massage therapy, although in a less extreme way.  There are many aspects of massage that attract peoples’ interest in joining the profession.  A big reason is that massage can be a lucrative career, particularly when you factor in the amount of hours worked on a weekly basis.  The idea of making an above-average income while working around 20 hours a week is very appealing.

Consider the Whole Picture

Getting out of the corporate rat race and leaving behind the 60-plus hour work weeks was a critical factor in my decision to become a therapist.  The fact that I could make reasonably close to my corporate salary by working less then half as much was very appealing.  Unfortunately, that isn’t the entire story.

Being a massage therapist isn’t as simple as clocking in and clocking out.  Being successful as a therapist requires more then just getting a certificate from a massage school, passing your state and national exams and putting out a shingle.  For all that massage gives to me, it also requires a lot from me in return.

There are probably many aspects of massage therapy that brings you to this place of deciding to join the profession.  However, it is important to understand other aspects of the profession in order to determine if you are right for massage therapy.  Your success depends on this understanding.

In my opinion, there are three critical things you need in order to succeed in a career as a massage therapist.  Now, if you only plan on performing massage on the side while keeping another full-time job, then this won’t directly apply.  But if you honestly want to embrace massage as a career and a lifestyle, then these three factors are key.

Do You Like People?

I know, it is silly to think anyone would get into massage if they don’t like people.  But you know what?  A surprising number of people do.    They wouldn’t admit it, but I know many therapists that just don’t enjoy most people, and it shows.  They don’t have the compassion needed to heal others.  They don’t care about humanity in general and they are incapable of showing empathy to those in pain.

So as simple as it sounds, it is paramount for you to actually like people, different people, people of all walks of life, age, race, religion, everything.  When people come to me for help all I see is the body and the soul, nothing else.  I am there to heal and nurture them.  Nothing else matters.

The other day I had five clients, and when I looked back I realized they couldn’t have been any more different.  My first patient was a Jesuit priest that I work on weekly.  After him came an HIV-positive gay man, followed by a 20-something female artist who runs three or four marathons a year, followed by a wealthy business man that is always in a hurry and impatient, and finally a 350-pound house cleaner that can’t really afford me but still finds a way to come up with the money.

The point is, you will see all kinds of clients, and you need to genuinely like them and be able tconnect with them.  If not, it will show in your work and they will know.  Maybe not consciously, but they will “feel” the dispassion in you.  So step one, make sure you like people.

Are You Nurturing?

This is what we do as therapists.  We nurture.  Massage therapy doesn’t cure any diseases, and technically we can’t “fix” any pathologies.  But our nurturing touch can help ease pain, decrease stress and improve function among other things.  As a result we can have a huge impact on the outlook of someone’s life.

But if you aren’t a nurturing soul it won’t happen.  Just going through the motions won’t heal.  It might help a little, but it won’t really reach the level where you are making a true impact on their  life.  If you don’t have a nurturing soul you will struggle to keep clients coming back and success will be difficult.

You Can’t Be Afraid Of Touch

I know, another “duh” requirement.  But again, you would be surprised at how many therapist struggle with this.  To be a truly effective massage therapist you must be willing to go where you need to go on every client that walks into your room.

I go back to my five clients the other day.  I know several therapist who refuse to work on HIV-positive patients.  I personally have several and have no problem with it.  Would you?  And what about working on a 350-pound person?  It is challenging at times, but it is what we must do.  I love my clients and they come to me for touch, healing, pain relief and many other things.  I am committed to doing what it takes to help them feel better.  They know that and as a result I have a loyal clientele that refers often.

So in considering a career in massage think about these three key factors. There are certainly many other things you need to consider, but in my experience the massage therapists that struggle all have one thing in common; they don’t have these three key intangible qualities.  Do you?  If you think you do then you can have a bright future in massage.  All the other requirements can be learned.