You are someone who has thought a lot about massage therapy. You may have even benefited from it. You know its advantages, and you like the idea of helping people feel better. What you now need to transition an interest into a career is a massage school.
TOP TEN REASONS TO CONSIDER ATTENDING MASSAGE SCHOOL
- To acquire the newest knowledge and cutting edge techniques – A quality massage school education will keep you abreast of the leading industry news, trends, and skills.
- To help people feel healthier – If you have a giving spirit and you have empathy for those in difficult health situations, a massage therapist can literally be the healing hands someone needs.
- To be your own boss
- To make your own hours – You can tailor your life around your work or your work around your life.
- Ever-expanding job opportunities in a growing field – The US Department of Labor estimates that massage therapy positions are growing at a rate of between 18-26% annually.
- A belief in natural health – Many people are engaging with non-pharmacological health alternatives.
- To help others live a more stress free life
- Rapid education-to-work turnaround
- To be taken seriously – If you want to be a legitimate hand (or two) in an industry some mistakenly see as seedy due to the unlicensed, non-therapeutic practitioners, a license and certification will do just that.
- Have a career – A licensed massage therapist from a respected massage school isn’t a job, it’s a career.
For more information about massage school or a list of ten more reasons to consider attending a massage school or massage therapy program contact us at: [email protected] or 206-932-5950.
Physical Benefits of Receiving Massage Therapy
Most people you ask will generally regard getting a massage as a positive experience. Granted, there are a couple of folks that can’t get over the hurdle of accepting a stranger touching them. Fortunately for those seeking a career in massage therapy, there are fewer people like that and more who are falling over themselves to get another minute on the table. Once you investigate a bit below the surface, at an anatomical level, there are many distinct benefits to receiving massage therapy treatments.
A major benefit of regular massage therapy is the positive impact it has on your blood pressure. According to the CDC, about one in three adults in the US struggles with blood pressure difficulties. The tricky and scary part about high blood pressure is that there are usually no physical symptoms. Regular blood pressure checks paired with massage therapy are the best ways to know what is happening with your body and prevent high blood pressure before it becomes a major threat.
If you’re one of the 45 million or more Americans who struggle with chronic headaches, you’ll want to circle back and take a closer look at massage therapy, if you’re not already. A massage focused on the neck, head, and shoulders is the type you’ll typically receive when you report headaches to your therapist. The reduction of tension and nervous system strain that is accomplished through a massage is the key to reducing the frequency of headaches and also the severity.
Back and neck pain doesn’t have to be such a mystery. If you want to know why your back and neck hurt in the first place, take a look at how you’re sitting right now. Are you sitting in a way that your grandmother would approve of? Massage therapy is an excellent way to help your body naturally realign towards a healthy spinal alignment. From there, it is definitely up to you to maintain and improve your own posture with regular attention and effort. In time, regular massage therapy can actually help you to require fewer massage therapy sessions.
It might be a dangerous misclassification to consider massage therapy as a leisure or luxury service. When you really spend a little time investigating the science associated with massage therapy, it becomes clear that massage is a great form of health maintenance. Rather than treating yourself to one massage per year, perhaps you can try to find a budget for at least a monthly massage. The reduced stress alone should pay for the massage, not to mention a reduction of future doctor co-pays and prescription expenses. It definitely feels better to get a massage than it does to take pills or get shots!
More information about the Benefits of Massage Therapy or attending Massage School
How to Succeed in Massage School – Step by Step
If you’re considering going to school to become a massage therapist, you may be as excited as you are worried. Whether massage therapy would be your first experience in a full-time job or a career change after already being in the workplace, going to school for a new skill and profession can be daunting.
But it doesn’t have to be! With a little information on your side, you can feel comfortable and even enthusiastic as you embark on this new adventure. Here are three tips on how to succeed in massage therapy school—and to be happy while doing so.
- Commit to the goal of graduation. Before you even sign up for your first class or attend your first lecture, you should decide that this is what you want to do. After that decision has been made, you will find the energy and focus that it takes to accomplish your goal. It’s just like your parents (or grandparents) always told you: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” If you want to achieve the goal of becoming a licensed massage therapist and actually believe that you can do it, then you will, whether it takes six months, a year, or more.
- Find a study partner or group. In massage therapy school, you’ll likely be learning about the human body in more detail than you ever have before. And when it comes to memorizing huge lists of terms in anatomy or studying a bunch of new vocabulary, having a study partner makes all the difference. Even if you think you study better alone, it’s still wise to find a fellow student or two and exchange contact information. You never know when a copy of someone else’s notes will come in handy or when you’ll need help with an assignment. Plus, when you’re in massage therapy school, it’s always nice to have a buddy to give your shoulders a nice rub when you’re feeling stressed!
- Take time for self-care. Just like an airline flight attendant will tell you to secure your own oxygen mask before helping anyone else, you’ve got to take care of your own body and mind before you’ll be able to help anyone else through a career in massage therapy. This applies to your time in massage therapy school as well; you won’t be able to fully apply yourself and focus on your coursework if you haven’t taken care of yourself first. This self-care might come in the form of meditation, scheduled time off from schoolwork, time to prepare a healthy meal, or alone time to just decompress and watch a favorite show. Whatever it is, set aside the time to do it and honor that commitment to yourself.
If you can mentally commit to massage therapy school, find a support group in your classes, and make time to take care of yourself while you do it, you’ll be prepared to succeed not only in school but in your career in massage therapy as well. And as you undertake this new journey into massage therapy school and beyond, you can feel confident that your career choice will help other people as much as it helps you.
Click here for more information about attending Seattle Massage School
Taking Your Massage Therapy Career on the Road
If you’re thinking about career options, you probably have a list of qualities you’d like in a future job, and chances are good that job flexibility is at the top of your list! What’s better than a career that allows you to work in places you’ve always wanted to visit, that lets you choose from among numerous industries? You may not think of massage therapy as a career that involves much travel, but a career in massage not only allows you to work almost anywhere as a licensed therapist, but also qualifies you to work at resorts, on cruise ships, and in other parts of the travel industry to help vacationers enjoy their stay in the world’s most beautiful locations.
At Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts, we’re concerned with giving you the practical skills you need to start your own career in massage therapy or to work for a well-accredited business. Through residencies and our special “externships,” you will be able to observe and participate in different practices while earning credit towards their certification. Professionalism, communication, and experience are just as important to us as the theory of massage therapy and bodywork. Upon completion of the program, massage therapy graduates will be licensed to practice their art anywhere in the state of Washington. Students of our program gain real-world experience before they receive their certification and are immediately eligible to put their knowledge and skills to work.
Massage therapy is a skill that you can take to a private practice or use to work for a number of industries such as health, alternative medicine, travel, fitness, corporate services, and hospitality. You’ll have the freedom to choose the type of workplace that you want, to find an environment that you truly enjoy. Qualified massage therapists have found fulfilling careers at luxurious resorts, at airport spas, on the decks of cruise ships in the Pacific, and in specialized athletic facilities.
If you’ve already been practicing massage therapy and wish to gain additional knowledge, skills, and flexibility, we offer advanced training, as well as certified massage instructor programs. Massage Therapists are free to take their career on the road without the need of a physical clinic. If you’re looking for an exciting job that allows you to relate to and help others on a personal basis, and you value flexibility and the ability to travel, to work in multiple locations and industries, and to determine your own practice, massage therapy could be a very rewarding career.
Ask us questions now about massage school or a career in massage therapy.
Which Massage to Choose: Massage Types and Techniques
Every person on this planet could benefit from receiving a massage. It’s true! Even for our nimble athletes, the rigors of training push their muscles to the limits. To heal up quicker, massage can do the trick. But more than our athletes, our pregnant mothers, our injured grandmother, those with constant stress, and those looking to maintain their aging bodies long into the golden years. Massage helps people to feel and live better and to do this work is an important calling.
When attending the Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts, students learn a variety of massage techniques. With courses led by instructors who care about you learning the proper techniques, you will be able to provide the following massage therapies for clients in your very own clinic:
Swedish Massage- This style focuses on relaxing the entire body by using long strokes along the muscles to get the blood flowing back to the heart. It helps the body by increasing oxygen in the bloodstream and releasing toxins.
Deep Tissue Massage- The primary focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons, and areas nearest to the bone. For people who suffer from chronic muscle tension, Deep Tissue massage therapy can do wonders for the comfort and long term health.
Myofascial Release- For those who suffer from pain and limited motion in the body, myofascial release can help reduce the discomfort. This treatment is performed by applying gentle sustained pressure into the connective tissue, known as fascia.
Injury Treatment Massage- By using combination of Swedish, deep tissue, and orthopedic technique, more oxygen and nutrients can be delivered into injured tissues, while releasing tissue restrictions thus aiding in the healing process. The improved circulation and relaxed muscles will get people back to feeling great again after enduring the challenge of an injury.
Pregnancy Massage– Those mommas out there are working hard and their body’s feel the stress of all of it. This causes pain, discomfort, numbness, not to mention the headaches and nerves of even having a baby! Gentle massage can help relieve all of those issues and provide some peace of mind to Mom as she prepares to bring her newborn into the world.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage- This massage technique encourages the drainage of the lymph, whose purpose is to carry the waste products in our body away from the tissues.
At the Northwest Academy, you will also learn the basics of anatomy and physiology, kinesiology to understand the mechanics of motion and joint anatomy, and more. You’ll also be taught the skills and given the first-hand experience of running and operating a clinic. The goal and mission of the Northwest Academy is to support you in your endeavor to passing the national exams and receiving your massage therapy license in Washington State. We aim to do that by providing you the lowest student to teacher ratio in the area, first-hand experience, mentoring and guidance as you learn the ropes of running a clinic, and even continuing education opportunities to keep you informed on the advancements in the field.
To be a licensed massage therapist is a real honor as you share in the lives of so many. The career can give you a balanced lifestyle and the ability to shape your own day. We want to help you get there.
Now enrolling for all massage school campuses – Apply Now!
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Anatomy of a Massage Session
Just as the human body has a very specific anatomy that only varies slightly from individual body to the next, so does a massage session. If you are going to become a massage therapist, you might be wondering what the various necessary components are to most standard massage sessions.
- Introduction / Meet & Greet: When your client first walks into your massage environment, you want to present a positive and happy attitude to assist in guiding their energy towards a relaxed and uplifted place.
- Paperwork / Check-In: In most cases, you’re going to want to have your customer fill out a basic worksheet detailing any known medical issues, seeking to learn about the specific pain or discomfort they are experiencing. In this phase, be sure to find out if your client has received professional massage treatment previously and if so, what the frequency of that treatment has been.
- Hand-off / Room Entry: If you are in a larger facility, someone else might be doing the registration process and will then hand off the client to you as the massage therapist. In the case where you are operating a freelance practice or where you are the only person in the studio at the time, you’ll be greeting and welcoming the client to their room.
- Environment Test: While indicating to the customer that it is your goal to make the environment perfect for them, use your own professional guidance to make educated assessments about the state of the studio. Is it drafty? Is it too hot or is the air stagnant? Many environmental issues can be fixed with only minor modifications.
- Manipulate Environment: Make any logical modifications to the massage environment to ensure it is as comfortable to the client as possible.
- Ask Questions: Some clients will appreciate some quiet music or some ambient sounds, while others will want near-complete silence. Ask the client questions about the environment and then depending on the answers, try to give the customer the environment that they request.
- Reiterate Details: Take a moment to repeat the details you’ve received from your client and make sure you didn’t misunderstand anything. By letting the client know they were heard correctly, you prepare them for even greater peace of mind. Make sure you’ve asked them about their trouble areas and what level of pressure they prefer.
- Check Readiness: The final step to ensuring you are entirely on the same page with your client, and once they are fully situated on the massage table ask them if they are prepared to begin. It might seem like a trivial step, but it shows respect and also helps to bring the energy to a relaxed and comfortable place.
- Massage Phase: depending on the type of massage service discussed and desired, begin to give that treatment. While massaging your client, try asking a few questions about the pressure and various other environmental elements to make sure you haven’t gone astray of the client’s wishes.
- Resolve: After the massage, you’ll want to offer your client a glass or bottle of water and some time to get back in order. Leave the massage area and allow them time to put clothing back on and come back to a fully alert state.
Payment collection was not specifically added to this walk-through, due to the fact that it can be inserted in the beginning or the end of the treatment, as preferred by the studio or establishment offering the service. Obviously, this guide is not going to be universally applicable to every single massage studio or institution, but it is a great start.
For additional information about what to expect during a massage session please contact our massage school clinic.
Massage Therapy Career Outlook
What is Massage Therapy?
With mentions in medical texts dating back more than 4,000 years ago, massage therapy is one of the oldest holistic methods of healing. Involving the manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments), massage therapy induces a state of healing and enhances a person’s overall well-being. There are many different areas of study within massage therapy and if you have a strong desire to help people, you will flourish in this career
Benefits for Clients Receiving Massage Therapy
While there are many concentrations within the study of massage therapy, your clients will receive many common benefits:
• Relax the muscle tissues and therefore may lead to decreased nerve compression and better range of motion
• Increased ability for their body to heal itself
• Faster recovery from injury or illness
• Improve circulation and enhance oxygen delivery to muscle cells
• Provide relaxation to the point of lowering heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and stress levels
Good News for Massage Therapists after Graduation
According to the U.S. Department of Labor , employment prospects for massage therapists are increasing 23% faster than the average for all occupations. Wages vary depending on where you find employment but the average wage was 43.00 per hour including tips. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) states that nearly 96% of massage therapists believe that massage therapy should be considered part of the health care field, so further opportunities may arise in time.
Very few areas of study allow so much flexibility since you can work for others or you can be your own boss. Either way, your chances of success are great. Your knowledge and abilities will allow you to seek employment practically anywhere you wish. You might have to meet differing licensing requirements if you choose to work outside of Washington, however your curriculum and practical knowledge gained during your studies at Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts will follow and sustain you.
Career Opportunities Massage Therapists May Entertain
Not only does a career in massage therapy allow you to help others, it is a field with stable employment and plenty of flexibility. Your toughest decision may be where to focus to begin your new career!
A small sampling of some of the people you might want to help include:
• Women in pregnancy
• Injured workers and athletes
• Patients will disabilities or debilitating illnesses
• Corporate employees
• Spa lovers
Just as there are countless types of people you may choose to work with, there many different types of workplaces to choose from:
• Spas or fitness facilities
• Hospices
• Medical and healthcare facilities
• Corporate offices
• From your own home or rented space
• In clients’ homes
Now is a Great Time to Start!
Massage therapy is a holistic means of achieving optimal health and people are recognizing its value. As more people move away from potentially harmful drugs and seek natural alternatives, the field of massage will continue to grow. Now is a great time to begin your studies at Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts to become a massage therapist so you can join one of the fastest-growing careers in America.
To learn more about a career in massage therapy click here!
8 Tips to Ensure a Successful Massage Career
A massage career is rewarding if you enjoy helping people. As a massage therapist you work closely with patients to relieve stress and pain in muscles, bones and joints. You will work with clients of all sizes, shapes and in different physical conditions. Your knowledge, technical skills and ultimately your touch can help them heal.
A massage therapist is also a healthcare provider working with patients who have different needs. Your patients may be referred by doctors or through other connections.
Here are a few suggestions for a successful massage career practice
- You are doing this physically intensive job because you want to make a difference in the lives of your clients. Adjust your expectations when you start out and concentrate on learning as much as you can even after receiving your certifications and license. Continue to study anatomy and physiology as it relates to your work.
- Get to know your clients personally and show that you care about them. Concentrate on what the client has to say. You should know everything about their current health and medical history to determine what type of massage will be most beneficial for them.
- Understand how your patients will respond to your touch. Ask questions as you work and explain to your clients what you are doing during the massage. You may make suggestions for special exercises for them to do at home to relieve pain and aches.
- Developing a good professional relationship with your clients will bring in repeat business. They will also recommend your services to friends.
- Consider specializing in a type of massage. You may want to work at a spa that offers stress relief therapy. You may prefer to work at a health club or exclusively with athletes. Experience different environments early in your massage career to determine what you like best.
- Expand your massage career if you can by offering different styles of bodywork therapy. This can include hot stones, Ayurvedic, holistic and other therapies.
- Remember to be patient. It takes time to build a personal practice with a massage career.
- Don’t let yourself burn out physically or mentally. This is a very physically demanding profession and you have to keep yourself in good shape while helping others.
The Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts offers several massage therapy programs for a massage career including continuing education.
Learn more about our massage schools here!
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Marketing DOs and DON’Ts for Your Massage Practice
When you’re ready to launch your own massage therapy practice, it won’t matter how skilled, confident, and professional you are if no one knows you exist, where you’re located, what services you provide, or when you’re open! To reap the benefits of your hard work in massage school and celebrate the opening of your practice, there are several marketing DOs and DON’Ts you’ll want to follow.
Emails
There are lots of ways to secure the email addresses of your potential, new, and established clients. From offering an informative downloadable e-book about “The Benefits of Massage Therapy for Stress Relief” in exchange for the visitor’s email address to having a place to add their email address on the “Welcome to ABC Massage Therapy” form you’ll have your new customers fill out during their first visit to your practice, obtaining that email address will enable you to maintain ongoing communication with and offer specials to individuals who have already expressed an interest in your business.
DO send your list of email recipients engaging, well-written newsletters, interesting articles, and exclusive specials via their email. DO pick the day you’ll send out your emails so your customers can count on them being in their emails. DON’T send emails every day to the same customer. You’ll overwhelm them and bombard their email box, and they won’t have time to read all the great information you have included in the emails. Further., they may become so frustrated with seeing your emails every day that they decide to “unsubscribe” from your email list. In addition, DO have different email content for your different recipients: potential clients, regular customers, and clients you have only seen once or twice. A client who comes in once a week should not be offered the same special as someone who has never been to see you yet!
24/7 Accessibility
Enabling potential, current, and established clients the convenience of scheduling, canceling, or changing appointments via an email, a text message, and voice message ~ at any time of the day or night ~ not only demonstrates that you truly love what you do, but also relieves the stress they might feel if they suddenly have to cancel tomorrow mornings appointment or know they will be running 15 minutes late. Making the decision to invest in your practice by creating these accounts for your customers to access will be a huge convenience for them.
DO check your business voice mails, texts, and emails on a regular basis; however, DON’T respond to them at midnight or at 3 a.m. (unless you are prepared and willing to engage in a conversation with a client at that time of the morning). Simply providing your customers with the ability to leave a message for you 24/7 is enough.
An Impressive Internet Presence
Whether you’ve had your practice up and running for a week or 18 months, potential and established clients are going to Google your name and/or your services and location at some point. You’ll want a sharp and engaging website and a purposeful social media platform filled with quality, error-free blogs, informative articles, and industry info. If your tweets, LinkedIn profile, website, and Facebook postings are filled with any errors, personal info, or outdated specials, it will hurt your business. DO have a Facebook account just for your business; your clients don’t need to see you with a cocktail in your hand on the back of a yacht in Hawaii. DON’T write the content yourself; DO hire the services of a professional writer so that you can focus your time and energies on being in the moment with your clients.
Click Here: For more information about a career in massage therapy.
8 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress
The biggest irony of the holiday season is that it invariably causes a lot of people a great deal of stress. The exact source of a given person’s yuletide tension can vary indefinitely, but three major circumstances are regular culprits: gift shopping, economic situation and family problems. Luckily, there exists a tried and tested list of easy ways to reduce holiday stress. These simple self-care practices work wonders for almost any source of holiday tension, also, mixing and matching them could prove to turn you into a walking source of calm and positivity.
Experience the Holidays with Calm and Ease
These self-care tips may sound like common sense but for the fact that they are all too commonly overlooked. This is due in part because it’s easy to get distracted from your physical and mental condition by so much external media and situational concerns. Add to the regular worries of life the production of a successful American holiday season and you have the potential for an epic nervous breakdown. So just avoid all of that ugliness and follow these holiday life hacks.
- Do Not Overeat during the holidays because doing so will slow you down, create an imbalance in the function of your internal organs, reinforce the neural connection between ingestion and happiness and make you look like a hog at parties. Impose meal size limitations for yourself and stick to them.
- Stretching is a surefire way of reducing tension and instantly feeling better. Stretching will help you withstand standing in line at the register and the constant travel of the holidays by keeping your muscles relaxed and mind focused.
- Take a Moment to Breathe Deeply every day as this is a crucial aspect of staying balanced and relaxed. Breathing deeply is of critical importance during stretching and exercise and will help you both physically and mentally. Your body runs on oxygen remember, it is indispensable to feeling good.
- Massage Therapy is perhaps the ideal way of reducing holiday stress. A good massage therapist can identify and target tension points throughout your body. Both the quietude of a massage parlor and the physical contact of the therapist work to create a calming environment and experience that works miracles through stressful times.
- Exercise will help you channel holiday tension, enhance your metabolic functions and help you keep a focused mind, the perfect recipe for surviving the holidays.
- Shop Light if your financial situation is not great. Worrying about giving enough while still making ends meet is one of the biggest causes of holiday stress. In the words of Mother Teresa, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
- Get Some “You” Time by walking through a park or scheduling a lunch date with yourself. Introspection is a key part of self-care, eliminating stress and organizing your priorities.
- Invest in Your Future instead of spending a lot of money on holiday frivolities. Taking the first step towards learning a trade or craft is a great way to add positivity to difficult times. Analyze your holiday expenditure, note where you can cut back and use it to start creating a better you.
Sure the holiday season has become synonymous with consumer madness, fiscal anxiety and family disputes, but that doesn’t mean any of it has to affect you negatively. Stay conscious of your physical health and focused on top priorities and all of stress should slide off of you effortlessly. Implement these tips year round and by the next winter you’ll be a seasoned vet in stress-free holidays.
Click Here: For more information about massage therapy or attending massage school.