Think you can't afford it? There are tons of loans, grants and scholarships for aspiring spa and beauty professionals.
Learn how to finance a massage school in your geographic area.
In a time when the economy continues to be difficult to navigate and many people are considering their career options, you might be wondering if it’s the right time to start massage school. While there is always a benefit to increasing your education....
One of the best ways to pay for massage school is to earn a scholarship (or several scholarships) to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and supplies. Scholarships, which don’t have to be repaid and are usually offered based on financial status and personal....
Looking for direction after graduating from massage school? Learn more about a massage therapy career by reading these informative articles below.
Although the massage industry is growing in strength and popularity, it’s not the kind of job you can start just anywhere. The biggest centers of massage are large cities and spa/resort destinations. Large cities have bigger percentages of individuals willing to explore holistic health alternatives as well as a larger concentration of affluent resident able to afford what is often seen as a luxury item. Spa and resort destinations, on the other hand, are associated with rest and relaxation, which Read More…
Giving (or getting) a massage is about more than the physical manipulation of the body. While skill and technique are certainly part of any good massage therapist’s toolbox, it’s the overall experience that really makes an impact on the mind-body connection that massage is all about. Whether you’re setting up your own massage practice for the first time, or if you’re taking over the massage position at a spa or holistic treatment center, you’ll want to spend some time and Read More…
One of the reasons many students choose to become a massage therapist is because of the hands-on, personalized nature of the work. In today’s technology age, it’s easy to find a job where the entire day is spent staring at a computer, sitting in a cubicle, or otherwise remaining disconnected from face-to-face interaction. As a massage therapist, you can avoid all this and make a real and lasting connection to your clients. However, that doesn’t mean technology should be avoided Read More…
Interview with Massage Therapist Abigail Sullivan of Lancaster Pennsylvania 1. Why did you become a massage therapist? I always felt drawn to massage and the hands-on caring aspect especially appealed to me as time went on. 2. Did you attend school full-time during your training? Yes. Full time at my school was 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. 3. What was the most interesting part of your training? Learning about the connections between physiology, health and self-care. 4. Read More…
Are You Ready to Start Your Own Massage Business? By Elizabeth Fletcher Brown LMT, BA As a licensed massage therapist and business coach I am often approached by other therapists who are currently employed in a spa, a clinic, or possibly a chiropractor’s office, and would like to transition into going into business for themselves. I, of course, am passionate about having your own business as I’ve done it pretty much all of my working life. However, not every therapist Read More…
As is the case with any profession, there are considerations of safety to bear in mind when working as a massage therapist. In fact, some people contest that massage therapy is more dangerous than many other types of work – particularly if you run your own business in an isolated atmosphere. Due to the personal nature of hands-on body work, clients who step over the line can pose a big danger for those who don’t take the proper precautionary steps. Read More…
Massage therapy isn’t just for humans for any more. One growing trend in the holistic healthcare world is to turn our techniques and knowledge of massage’s benefits to our four-legged friends. Performed mostly on dogs and horses, animal massage is all about enhancing quality of life and performance in those creatures we consider such an important part of our lives. Why Massage Therapy Works on Animals The basic premise of massage therapy is that by manipulating the muscles and soft Read More…
After going to massage school and getting your certification in the field, most massage therapists have several career options. Traditional employers like spas, health resorts, cruise lines, and alternative healthcare organizations often have one or more massage professionals on staff, and there are equal numbers of opportunities for those who want to start their own businesses. Many massage professionals also branch out by selling massage and personal care products, or even by giving massage classes for couples. However, there are Read More…
By Lana J. Russell, RMT Just as massage clients may feel uncomfortable asking about appropriate attire during a massage, as a student it can be equally uncomfortable to ask. This is one of those questions in massage schools that no one wants to ask, but everyone sighs with relief once it’s answered. There are some basic rules to follow when it comes to boundaries on the massage table, which ensures everyone’s comfort. Let’s say your massage client arrives for their Read More…
Many massage schools encourage students to attend by promising $60,000 salaries, the flexibility that comes with setting your own hours, and the cushy nature of a job filled with aromatherapy and soft white pillows. While there are some great benefits to becoming a massage therapist – and with the right amount of education and hard work you can make a viable massage career out of it – massage school isn’t a fast or easy solution to get rich. The Truth Read More…
Although the job is all about bringing relaxation and relief to others, massage therapists are actually responsible for so much more than hands-on care. If you run your own massage therapy business, or if you’re interested in going to massage therapy school in order to become an entrepreneur, you’ll have to learn more than massage in order to be truly successful. In addition to getting things like city licenses, state licenses, and tax identification numbers, as well as meeting all Read More…
By Lana J. Russell, RMT When you begin your journey in Massage Therapy School it’s also a lesson in keeping an ancient art sacred. Several noted histories of Massage Therapy often cite the father of western medicine, Hippocrates (The Hippocratic Oath) mentioning the importance of massage. Way back in Ancient Greece Hippocrates wrote “The physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing, for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that Read More…
Many massage therapists offer nutrition counseling as part of a wellness package that focuses on the body – both inside and out. Because so much of what a massage therapist does has to do with improving quality of life through diminished pain, enhanced muscle strength, and better relaxation, looking more closely at diet makes sense. After all, no number of massages will help flush out high levels of lactic acid buildup in the muscles if a client doesn’t get the Read More…
by Lana J. Russell, RMT Aside from clichés about massage therapy being a hands-on career, its safe to say that caring for your hands will ensure a long run after massage school. Considering that massage therapy is not the only thing you’ll do with your hands, taking proper measures in hand care is essential for not only that first touch with clients, but throughout school. Hand care includes a variety of maintenance steps; well-trimmed and manicured nails, soft skin and Read More…
After graduating from an accredited massage therapy school, many professionals go on to work in spas, healthcare centers, nursing homes, sports training facilities, cruise lines, and hotels. There are many different types of massage jobs available in both large and small cities, and finding a good one could set you up for a great, life-long career. However, one reason many massage therapists get into the profession in the first place is to build a small business in which they get Read More…
At Massage Schools Guide, we want to bring you a broad range of perspectives from those active in the massage industry or in massage training and education. We are pleased to welcome Lana Russell, a licensed and practicing massage therapist to Massage Schools Guide. Lana will be frequently contributing her insights and sharing her expertise about preparing for and becoming active in a career as a massage therapist. By way of introduction, we have asked Lana to share a bit Read More…
by Tiffany Cox, LMT I used to think working in a spa was the most definitive statement of “selling out” a Professional Massage Therapist could make. I was, happily, very mistaken. When I started my career as a therapist, I was driven by a newly-found interest in science. I wanted to know all there was to know about anatomy, physiology, etiology, kineseology…if it there was an “ology” in the name, I wanted to know all about it! Okay, maybe it Read More…
For those non-Massage Therapists who are constantly flabbergasted by our accounts of doing five, eight, eleven massages a day, we may seem a little superhero-like to the rest of the humans. But think back to when you first started massage school, and it seemed impossible that the instructor was expecting you to go home on Monday night and do three, yes three!, massages before class on Wednesday? Is he crazy?!? Even our clinic intern hours seemed to be never-ending and Read More…
It’s Just a Tip…or is it? by Tiffany Cox, LMT Just hearing the word can make us cringe! How many times have you given what you feel is one of the best massages you’ve ever given, only to get a $5 tip on a $100+ service? Having worked in several different service industries myself over the years, I have always been a generous tipper, sometimes even to the point of protest from my wallet. Unfortunately, not all consumers are created Read More…
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, Read More…
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