Monthly Archive for April, 2010

Massage School Test Anxiety

Published
by
Tiffany
on April 25, 2010
in massage certification
. 0 Comments

by Tiffany Cox, LMT

Frazzled nerves, knotted stomach, sweaty hands, frantic mind are all symptoms of:

a) stage fright
b) food poisoning
c) test anxiety
d) all of the above

If you chose c), test anxiety, then I can help you! (If you chose  b) you should probably see a doctor!)

We all know tests can cause levels of anxiety ranging from a restless sleep the night before an exam to a complete and utter breakdown of all rational thought and functioning. I’m here to let you know you don’t have to be part of the latter category if you learn one simple tactic.

Imagine strolling into the State or National Board Exam Room, prepared, calm, alert, and even smiling!

Are you thinking, “No Way!”?

Well, I say, “Yes Way!” And I can tell you how to do it.

If you’ve been following my blog, you might not be surprised when I tell you it’s all about (are you ready for it?)…..intuition.

“Huh?” you ask. “Then why the heck did I just go to school for a year and pay them $8,000 to teach me what I already know??”

Don’t worry, all those skills, facts, and study tools provided in massage school are exactly what you need to feel comfortable enough to trust your gut in the first place.

The State and National Boards for Massage Therapy Licensure are similar to the medical boards for physical and occupational therapists, nurses, and even doctors. Most of the exams are entirely multiple choice, but within those choices is the gauge by which your professional value will be determined.

“Multiple choice tests are so easy!” you scoff. “No sweat.”

I partially agree with that statement, with one exception ~ the multiple choice in these tests are all correct answers, and you have to choose the best one.

Doesn’t sound so easy anymore, does it?

I know you’re probably thinking I’m doing a lousy job of alleviating your distress, but just hang on because I’m getting there.

Knowing there is no wrong answer will be the key to your success, and your nerves, stomach & sweaty hands will fall in line when they realize things are under control.

The motivation for this testing technique is that it is the most effective measure of a person’s true capabilities, because it instigates the most accurate engineered real-life responses. You make these kinds of choices every single day without a thought.

For example, you brought some leftover vegetable lasagna, some mixed nuts, and a raspberry yogurt for lunch but you only have time to eat two items and you have to remain alert and fueled for another four hours. That’s easy ~ you eat the nuts and yogurt for the protein and sugar. Even packing the lunch, you had to make choices in your best interest.

If we sat down to think about how many times a day we employ this technique of “testing ourselves” our brains would ctrl+alt+delete. This method of deduction is our default mode; it’s survival of the fittest, even at our most elemental levels.

Learning to allow that predisposition to permeate all the way to what we perceive to be our most calculated functions, such as test-taking, will eliminate the anxiety performance pressures cause.

For those of you doing somersaults thinking you’re off the hook for studying, I hate to burst your happy-bubble, but you still have to do that part, too.

It all comes down to being able to integrate and balance that mastery with your inner awareness, allowing them to function symbiotically while becoming adept at utilizing that discerning potential.

Once you become a proficient interpreter in this system of deduction, it will integrate itself into your thoughts and actions as an expression of your second-nature. Your awareness of these mental selections will diminish with repetition, replacing it with a self-confidence to rival any of your other mental faculties.

It will transform into a peaceful reassurance within your core, and give you the security and confidence to trust that you will operate to the best of your abilities in whatever you do.

And enacting that revelation will be the true test of your success.

Accupressure Article Posted On Massage Schools Guide

Published
by
Terry
on April 22, 2010
in accupressure
. 0 Comments

We recently completed a comprehensive article explaining the philosophy and practice of acupressure and have posted it on our main website at http://www.massageschoolsguide.com/acupressure_massage.htm.

Acupressure combines the beliefs of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the philosophies of energy flow and pressure applications similar to those used in acupuncture. From a modern medical perspective, acupuncture and acupressure are not completely understood. The existence of qi is disputed by many in the mainstream medical system; however, the benefits of TCM have been experienced for thousands of years without a need for medical intervention at all.

Get the facts and judge for yourself. There is a demand for acupressure and for trained therapists. Read about the benefits of acupressure on our website today.

Massage Liability Insurance

Published
by
Tiffany
on April 18, 2010
in Insurance
. 0 Comments

by Tiffany Cox, LMT

We’ve all seen the various acronyms: ABMP, NAMASTA, AMTA, and a few lesser-knows. They are heralding the integration of a National Massage Organization, providing valuable information for marketing and support to therapists nationwide, and…what else do they do again?

Oh yeah, insurance. Hmmmm….

‘I don’t need insurance,’ you think, ‘I work at a very elite spa, and they told me I don’t need liability insurance because they’re covered. So, anything I do is their responsibility…right?!?’

Well, be ensured that you are mistaken.

Being a bodyworker with that notion is akin to an uninsured motorist who relies on others’ insurance in case of an accident. Being without coverage as a therapist isn’t illegal ~ yet ~ but it is irresponsible, and potentially devastating to both you and your clients.

Try to look at yourself from another’s point of view. Would you go to a Massage Therapist who you knew couldn’t financially protect you, or even herself, in the event of a mishap? Given time to consider the situation, probably not.

More and more massage therapy students are becoming aware of the importance of coverage, mostly due to the introduction of the concept being built into curriculum, and in some cases being a prerequisite to participate in clinic hours. This is an essential step forward in the advancement of our profession, preparing each generation of students as thoroughly and proficiently as possible.

When I went to massage school the first time, liability insurance was a tiny blip on the curriculum radar, and I had a vague notion that it might be a good idea if I were doing something “dangerous” like Sports Massage or Pre-Natal Therapy.

During my advanced schooling, representatives from several liability insurance providers actually visited our school, shared valued information and materials, offered limited-coverage discounts for students, and supplied us with the knowledge we needed to make informed decisions.

This change is in large part thanks to the impending nationalization of our chosen profession, as it is becoming a nationally-recognized-and-certified labor industry that will insure our success well into the 21st century and beyond.

Did you know that liability coverage comes with perks? And that it typically costs less than $20 a month? Being protected in case of an accident isn’t the only support they provide, either.

Your membership can include access to a vast array of resources from marketing tools and online education, to discounts on supplies and free massage-specific magazine subscriptions and newsletters, free web space and online tools, and they all offer the validation of being an accredited professional.

This endorsement will increase your marketability, provide confidence and security, authenticate your professional credibility, and furnish the resources for your prosperity. The security of being able to share in a collective of colleagues, seasoned professionals, and leaders in the massage industry should be motivation enough to incite you to pursue the insurance option.

If nothing else, consider the consequences of being an individual without the legal and financial support of one of these organizations if the need suddenly arose.

Trust me, you can’t afford not to.

Massage and Pain Management

Published
by
Terry
on April 13, 2010
in pain management
. 0 Comments

We all know what it feels like to have a twisted ankle, a sprained finger, or a nagging headache that just won’t go away…but what about our experience with real pain ~”pain” pain.

Healing from an injury seems to take forever sometimes, but what if your pain persisted for months, even years? Unfortunately, the number of folks who have experienced chronic pain has become a recent national concern, with well over 50 percent of Americans 65 and older reporting, in the 30th Annual CDC poll, pain lasting a year or longer.

Can you imagine having a splitting headache or a pinched nerve for a year or longer? I can’t, and there’s no reason our clients have to, either.

As we move forward into the age of medical technology, more and more ailments are being corrected with surgery, which is leaving a growing swath of pain victims in its wake.

Physical and occupational Therapists are becoming more and more recognized for their beneficial roles in pain management, as traditional allopathic treatments consistently disappoint. These pain clinics are fast becoming over-burdened with patients, many with needs that could be met with manual muscle therapies or, in layman’s terms, massage!

This strategically places massage therapists in a particularly favorable position. But, like any fortuitous opportunity, there must be sacrifices made, and we have to decide if we’re ready to plunge into the center of the volcano for the Greater Massage Therapy Good! It’s really not as foreboding as it sounds, honest. Well, almost…

I’ve been an LMT for seven years, and have worked in several clinical settings where massage was covered by insurance. This is my ideal setting in which to practice Medical Massage, due largely to the amount of support, but it’s certainly not the only one.

I’ve also worked both as an independent contractor and as an employee of a spa where clients were (eventually) reimbursed for my services through their insurance companies. There is a protocol that must be followed, and the paperwork required to enact this benefit is only slightly less terrifying than the lava-spewing maw of a volcano…but it is absolutely worth the effort. I’ve worked with a variety of chronically injured and even terminally ill clients over the years, and there are very few rewards I cherish more than knowing I’ve helped someone ease their pain.

One of the reasons massage therapists are so uniquely situated for this task is that we incorporate all the facets of therapy pain management requires. Remember back to when you were little, and Mommy’s kiss on your boo-boo helped more than the medicine and band-aid? The dynamic ability of nurturing care to transcend the physical pain-state is what gives massage therapists the advantage to provide what others cannot ~ good old-fashioned comfort.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that giving a nice massage is going to make all your clients’ pains go away. You still have to be a well-educated, informed, skilled and experienced clinical therapist in order to fill the job.

This career specialization is by no means going to appeal to all therapists, either. Medical massage therapy demands a more structured work schedule, increased accountability, creating and implementing rigorous and detailed treatment plans, and a less “alternative” approach overall ~ you can kiss those bare feet and incense at work good-bye!

One of the motivating benefits is the current ability to work independently, even as an employee. The education and experience of the therapist is often what will dictate function, and treatment plans, applied techniques, maintenance, and even long-term care is determined by the practitioner and their patients’ course of recovery.

In this framework, you will be utilizing some of the most effective and progressive techniques administered by therapists today, such as Myofascial Release, Biofeedback, PNF Stretching and Reiki,  just to name a few.

This is a sensational opportunity to accelerate integration, acceptance, and respect for our profession like we have never before known. All we have to do is what we do best ~ return our clients’ smiles to their rightful places on their happy, pain-free faces!

One Pennsylvania Massage School Deserves A Closer Look

Published
by
Terry
on April 6, 2010
in massage school
. 0 Comments

If you live in Pennsylvania and are thinking of going into massage school, one factor that might weigh heavily on your decision is the school’s number of campuses in the state and its capability to offer massage therapy in all campuses. This way, you can decide how far a commute you’d have to make from your home and then pick the most suitable location – particularly important if you have small children and a busy family life.  It’s not always easy to find schools in smaller states that offer massage therapy in all its campuses, but if you’re a Pennsylvania resident, the McCann School of Business and Technology would be a school to seriously consider.  Their web site shows that they offer massage therapy in all of its four branches:  Dickson City, Hazleton, Pottsville and Sunbury.  Massage school graduates from this school will be eligible to take the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

The massage therapy program offered by McCann School of Business and Technology in Pennsylvania says that there are at least 80 different types of massage; through the various courses in its curriculum, students will learn most of these approaches ranging from reflexology, deep tissue massage, sports massage, acupressure and neuromuscular massage.  These courses complement the mandatory classes in anatomy, body motion, kinesiology, physiology and business administration and ethics.
An attractive feature of this massage school in Pennsylvania is that it invites employers to fill in their hiring requirements which the school will process and find matches for.  When a prospective employer fills out the online form, a McCann representative gets in touch with the em
ployer within 24 hours to discuss the kind of candidate being sought.  Matching employers with graduates is nothing new; it has been a practice among schools and colleges for decades; still, it is reassuring to know that some of them do allot a specific section on their web sites for employers.

Just for fun, we did some research on salary trends for massage therapists in Pennsylvania, and one source revealed that it can go as high as $56,000 per year.  Note, however, that most massage therapists start at around $27,000 (depending on state and location) but the figure of $56,000 is not unusual.  Related positions and average salaries in the state of Pennsylvania are:  for physical therapists ($64,000); respiratory therapists ($51,000); physical therapist assistant ($57,000); private clinic director ($168,000.00).

A recent posting by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Medical Fitness & Wellness Center, announced eight new jobs in their facility, one of which is for a massage therapist.  The salary was not given.  Perhaps a virtual tour of the facility just might make you submit that application to massage school sooner than later. No doubt Pennsylvania has other similar facilities and will be sufficient motivation for you to enroll today!