Choosing a Massage Therapy Training Program Education

Choosing a massage therapy school is relatively an individual decision . For a majority of prospective students, choosing a massage course involves making scale of preference decisions between various financial needs and future career plans. Plus, there are a lot of massage schools out there jostling for a chance to make you their student by using (amongst other things) confusing information

There are easy ways to narrow the search scope of your massage therapy education seeking quest. One fundamental way is for you to ask yourself what you aim to achieve during and after your training. Also play with the following questions below to help you narrow your search.

• Do I want paid employment or to my own practice?

• Do I want to practice massage for medicinal or recreational purposes?

• Who do I want to render services to? Sportsmen, infants, injured or pregnant mothers?

Attend an open day with massage therapy training schools in your area. Go directly to the school and meet the staff. Take a tour around their facilities and see for yourself how the school is run. What is the outlook? Would this place encourage you to learn massage for the next 7-12 months?

Questions you should ask

Questions you should ask administrators and staff at Massage Therapy Training Schools should include (but not restricted to):

• Does the school assist in work placement?

• Is the school accredited? (check to see If there is visible evidence like certificates or license)
  

• Does the school assist prepare you to get your massage therapist license and certification?

• Is there a specific massage technique that the school specializes in?

• Does the school document my course hours with the national certification board?

• Ask for a detailed curriculum and course program with dates

In the United States of America, a full massage therapy education program that prepares you for the certification exam can be as little as 300 hours, plus an internship, for a total of up to 1,000 hours. The national certification exam requires 500 hours of coursework before you can take the exam. State regulations for massage therapy licensing may require more than 500 course hours.

Whichever program you choose, you must complete the entire program before taking the exam. Completion of a full-time massage therapy training program can be done in 12 months or less.



Massage Therapy Education Courses, What to expect

A school that focuses on preparation for the national exam will offer courses that fulfill the exam requirements. Find below, a sample of courses you should expect to see in a massage program:

Anatomy and physiology
Theory of massage
Health values of massage
Self care
Hygiene
Pathology
Professional ethics
Business and license procedure
Contraindications and limitations
You will also be learning various massage techniques, such as:

Swedish Massage
Deep tissue massage
Infant massage
Indian Head Massage
Shiatsu
Sports massage
Acupressure massage

Schools may also offer courses in specific holistic practices, such as:

Aromatherapy
Reflexology
Hydrotherapy
Ayurveda

Massage therapy education programs should also be concerned with the amount of hours spent on each course in order to comply with exam requirements. They may keep a log of those hours for you and submit them to the National Certification Board of Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers prior to your taking the exam.



Accreditation

Accreditation is a standard set by an accrediting organization that regulates a school’s curriculum, training competency and financial standing. A school or program earns accreditation only if it meets the requirements of the accrediting body.

Schools can be accredited separately from programs. In other words, an accredited school can offer a massage program that is not accredited.

Accreditation becomes important if you wish to pursue further education, such as a physical therapy degree, and want to transfer credits from one institution to another.

There are many different organizations that give accreditation to schools and programs. One popular accrediting body for massage programs is the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). COMTA is affiliated with American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and is dedicated to maintaining standards of excellence by massage schools nationwide.

Accreditation is voluntary and is used to distinguish accredited schools or programs from those that choose not to meet the accrediting standards.

Conclusively, you need to ask the right questions, get answers from the right persons and, to be physically present at various institutions to make on the spot comparisons. I hope this will be of help in your quest to become a massage therapist