The use of hot stones as a massage therapy can provide various benefits. Among other things, hot stone massage can provide pain relief, loosen muscles and improve circulation. The technique can also be used to prepare muscles prior to a deep tissue massage.

A new article about hot stone massage has been published on our website at Massage Schools Guide. You can learn more about the background and practice of this form of massage therapy.

Rolfing techniques bear some similarity to deep tissue massage but the goals are different. Massage seeks to loosen muscles and induce relaxation and reduce stress. Rolfing seeks to integrate all body components and create balance within these systems. The goal is physical and well as emotional wellness.

We have just published an extensive article about rolfing on our website at Massage Schools Guide. I think you will find the article intersting and informative.

Pima Medical Institute operates 13 campuses in cities throughout the western United States. The release specifically promotes the program at its massage school in Mesa, AZ. Information about this campus and massage schools throughout the country are presented at Massage Schools Guide.

So, you’ve made the decision to go to massage therapy school, but you have no idea where to start.

It’s a good thing you’re just a click away from some of the most valuable tools for determining the path your future will take!

If you’re at the point of actually choosing your education provider, you should have already assessed that you’re:

1) Ready for schooling ~ financially, emotionally & mentally
2) Confident in your potential to work as a professional caregiver
3) Willing and determined to succeed at your new venture

If you’re anything like me, you like to be prepared when entering into a new situation, and find comfort in knowing you can avoid unnecessary mistakes by learning from those who graciously share their valuable experiences.

To preface, I am a true believer that no one method works for everyone. Your formula for success will be to do what your inclination advises, guided by the wisdom and personal accounts from seasoned professionals.

My first, and most frequent, suggestion is to listen to that intuition. Be attune to your heart, but ~ don’t take everything she has to say…to heart.

Remember that you’re going to school to learn, and the tools you will need to become a skilled and successful massage therapist can indeed be taught and learned!

You first have to ascertain, from past experience and self-assessment, what type of environment will most effectively meet your particular needs as a student. Finding the opening of the path to your future is an exhilarating occasion, but it is not one to be wholly consumed by emotion and inspirational whimsy. The manner in which you select a massage school will, in itself, prepare you for your educational endeavor.

Massage therapy school will require you to utilize your creative, nurturing heart, while demanding that your discerning and logical inner-scientist always be present. Your approach to these attributes within yourself can be a valuable gauge in choosing your institution.

No one knows you better than you know yourself, and all the accreditation in the world is not going to make you comfortable in a prestigious and clinical school setting if your tendencies are to be a free-spirited and improvisational healer.

So…you’re going to listen to that “little voice” inside your heart, fill up on brain juice, and plan your future, right?

Easier said than done!

Before you turn to the sage advice of your “elders,” take some time to appraise yourself.

“What?” you say, “I know myself pretty darn well, thank you very much.”

But do you really?

Do you know how you’d react to being required to learn an ancient Japanese energy therapy called Reiki?

Will you be able to comply with state licensing conditions by participating in up to 12 hours of continuing education per year?

Would you find it difficult to refrain from pursuing a private practice while working in establishments that enforce non-compete agreements?

You won’t need to answer these specific questions right now, but you will need to know yourself well enough to know if you will be able to answer them when the time comes.

If you haven’t already guessed, I am a huge fan of lists. Lists for grocery shopping, to-do lists, things I’ve already done, lists of things I’d like to accomplish tomorrow, this year, in the next decade…oh, the list goes on!

Those of you who fear lists should probably either try it out, or develop a record-keeping technique that works best for you. All of your actions, decisions, needs ~ and even most of your thoughts! ~ will require your strict attention, and your stress levels will thank you for it in the end.

So, here is a list of some self-reflective inquiries for you ponder…

• Have you ever had a professional massage before?
• If yes, what did you remember about it? – enjoy? or  dislike? – have questions about?
• If no, go get one! *and then answer the above questions
• What interests you most about becoming a massage therapist, and why?
• What intimidates or concerns you about becoming a massage therapist, and why?
• What method(s) of learning is easiest for you? – reading, lecturing, or hands-on ~ and in what order?
• What type of environment do you prefer to work in? – with a large team? -with a small group?  – as an individual?
• Why do you feel massage therapy is a beneficial service?
• What do you want to accomplish by becoming a professional massage therapist? – personally? – professionally?

It may seem to some that these questions have little to nothing to do with choosing a massage therapy school, but they are likely more relevant than any other you may be asked to consider.

The answers to introspective questions like the ones above can equip you with the information you need to make other critical choices as they arise, give you the confidence of knowing yourself, and provide you with the ability to instinctively make future decisions that will optimize your success and fulfillment.

Many who do not answer these questions before pursuing education options struggle to find those answers as they try to focus simultaneously on their schoolwork, or they find themselves in difficult and frustrating circumstances as a result of misguided judgment.

Being uncomfortable answering such intimate questions about yourself is in no way unusual or concerning. A profession in the healthcare field is destined to conjure up unpleasant feelings at some point along the way, and your inclination and aptitude for processing those experiences are what will determine the course of your career.

However, being unwilling to answer or approach them should give you pause to reconsider your occupational direction and evaluation.

Maybe you need more time to consider your choices?

Maybe you should consider resolving some of your own personal challenges before committing to resolving others’?

Maybe you’ve never had to consider how well you know yourself, and the concept is a bit overwhelming?

Remember that life is not a contest, but if you try to cheat some of the answers you will only hinder your development, both personally and professionally. Take the time to get to know yourself, becoming a proficient interpreter of your inner language, in order to confidently answer any question of self-reflection.

Whatever your results are, take those answers to heart…and the rest of you will follow.

By TiffanyCox, LMT

You’ve been a Professional Massage Therapist for 5 years now, so you should pretty much have it all down, right?

You do? You just might be the only one!

I have met therapists in their second and third decades of therapy and still not sure what type of massage they wanted to specialize in! One of the most amazing and thrilling aspects to this division of health and wellness is that you will (hopefully) never stop learning and growing.

I’ve personally had about a dozen “favorite” massage techniques, and I haven’t yet reached decade number one! I hope I never see the day I think I’ve “learned it all,” because ours is a profession built on specialized adaptation and transformation. My single most important goal in school, and even today and beyond, is to never give the same massage twice ~ not even to the same person, no matter how many times they’ve visited my table.

We’ve all been to that hair stylist that gives everyone the same cut, or the doctor who prescribes the same fix to all his patients…try not to force yourself into a pattern or routine, and your inherent talents and interests will surface as you allow yourself to improvise.

Long ago in another career life, I was required to be extremely analytical, logical and left-brained. When I became a Massage Therapist, those skills and tendencies lingered in my professional perspective.

My first massage venture was in a clinical setting, and, oh my!, was my inner-German happy! I thought I’d found my “True Calling” ~ cue the dramatic choir of singing angels and the blinding golden light of harps and halos! I thought working with injured and chronically-ailing patients was the end-all to my professional search for fulfillment, and I would never find anything more satisfying as long as I lived. I was thankfully very mistaken!

At first I was uncomfortable with the thought of changing my mind about something I’d thought to be such a fundamental part of my identity as a therapist, but as I developed, I began to understand that being malleable and receptive is exactly what perpetuates development.

I have since enjoyed countless flings with techniques as diverse as my client base, adopting 5,000-year-old energy-based therapies and marrying them with cutting-edge sports therapy techniques while simultaneously performing bio-feedback!

While working for a chiropractor, I never thought I’d work in a spa setting, but then I chose to leave the doctor’s office for one of the most exclusive spas in town. I learned steams, wraps, and scrubs of such epic pampering-proportions I’d go home swooning in bliss! Incidentally, learning to make someone feel like they’ve left the mother-ship for 90 minutes is truly an art-form of which to be stunningly proud.

When I was offered a position in a 5-star resort spa that enticed me with the prospect to incorporate my clinical skills with my newly-discovered luxury repertoire, the angels started screeching once again!

Regardless of how many times I fall in love with one therapy technique or another, the intensity and value of each affair is in no way diminished by the next fascination. My willingness to be courted and captivated by a diverse palate of modalities is what has made me a commodity in our profession.

One of my favorite philosophers, Robert Anton Wilson, authored and adhered to a lifestyle of what he detailed as “Maybe Logic.” Through a series of frustrating and challenging personal episodes, he learned that maybe he really didn’t know all there was to know about life, the universe and everything in it, even though his ego was persistently suggesting otherwise.

As the seed of my work has developed within me, it has become increasingly natural to view the unknown in this way and for exactly what it is ~ limitless potential.

Being inherently human I, of course, continue to rely on my past experiences to deliver favorable results, but I don’t walk around in a semi-conscious coma of ignorance, expecting all my encounters to swoop me off my feet, either.

I have learned to embrace what all of us are trying so fervently to obtain at every level of existence ~ homeostasis, the balance between what is inside in relation to what is outside. Push to a pull, wax for the wane, ebb from a flow, Yin within Yang…define it how you choose, they are all the same.

By embracing the fluidity and transience of my work, I have discovered my true gifts. Inspiring coexistence of my interests has consistently encouraged the emergence of the most effective and relevant approach by means of necessity.

I’ve posed demanding questions to myself, and expected substantial answers in return. I’ve opened myself to change, even at the most fundamental levels, never being so intimidated by the unknown that I miss out on its immeasurable opportunities. I’ve foremost not allowed myself to become “comfortable” in my knowledge, always seeking validation in truth and results.

Being true to yourself doesn’t mean having one opinion and never modifying your perspective. Being true to your true self means having the courage to be the best version of that self by discovery through a perpetual progression in your knowledge, experience, and fulfillment.

And when all these elements converge within you, the understanding of your purpose and direction will bring everything into precise and absolute focus.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!