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How to become a massage therapist?
Tell us everything we need to do to become a massage therapist.
Note: Given the growing interest in the massage therapy field, we're inviting our experienced professionals to share their knowledge.
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3 answers
Monica Matuszak
1
Answer
Updated
Monica’s Answer
I am a massage therapist and I’d ignore the advice from the poster who isn’t a therapist. It would be a waste of time and money to get an associates degree.
You’ll need a high school diploma or GED to enroll in a massage therapy program.
You’ll want to see what schooling options are available in your area. This is a fast growing industry and some technical colleges have begun massage therapy programs that qualify for state aid. Private massage schools do not qualify for aid or assistance and there aren’t educational loans that are applicable to massage therapy school.
Once you found a school you’ll want to make sure their program has the required number of hours for your state.
Once you’ve completed the massage school you’ll need to take the state board exam called Mblex. This is an extremely difficult exam. I believe the pass rate is only about 60-70%. So about 30% of takers fail.
Massage is so much more than “rubbing”. The majority of what you’ll learn is the science of massage and human anatomy. You’ll need to learn all the muscles of the body; you’ll need to be able to identify them by name, know the bones and where on the bones they’re attached (each attachment has its own name), and the action of each muscle.
Once you’ve taken your mblex and passed you’ll apply with the state department called DSPS for a massage therapy license. You’ll need to have professional insurance to do so, which the school will have set up for you.
Then you’re officially a licensed massage therapist.
It’s an extremely rewarding career. In fact for employment reporting massage therapists report the highest job satisfaction!
You’ll need a high school diploma or GED to enroll in a massage therapy program.
You’ll want to see what schooling options are available in your area. This is a fast growing industry and some technical colleges have begun massage therapy programs that qualify for state aid. Private massage schools do not qualify for aid or assistance and there aren’t educational loans that are applicable to massage therapy school.
Once you found a school you’ll want to make sure their program has the required number of hours for your state.
Once you’ve completed the massage school you’ll need to take the state board exam called Mblex. This is an extremely difficult exam. I believe the pass rate is only about 60-70%. So about 30% of takers fail.
Massage is so much more than “rubbing”. The majority of what you’ll learn is the science of massage and human anatomy. You’ll need to learn all the muscles of the body; you’ll need to be able to identify them by name, know the bones and where on the bones they’re attached (each attachment has its own name), and the action of each muscle.
Once you’ve taken your mblex and passed you’ll apply with the state department called DSPS for a massage therapy license. You’ll need to have professional insurance to do so, which the school will have set up for you.
Then you’re officially a licensed massage therapist.
It’s an extremely rewarding career. In fact for employment reporting massage therapists report the highest job satisfaction!
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1913
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, CVOH !
Although I am not a massage therapist myself, I would like to share some advice and thoughts about a career in massage.
I would first advise going to college for at least an Associates Degree in Anatomy. Continue for a Bachelors if you like school and want a Bachelors Degree. After college, you will need to enroll in Massage School. There are more than 245 accredited massage schools to choose from. This study will take between 10 - 15 months depending on which school you go to. You will put in 500 hours of hands on (excuse the pun) training at the school and when you are finished, you will go for your license. At this time, you will want to consider whether or not to get massage insurance. It is not required, but some do take it just in case. It is such a flexible career.
Some places that you can work will be in a clients' home, a massage office, an office in your home, physicians offices and clinics, franchise spas, hospitals and wellness centers, nursing homes, hospice, chiropractic offices, on site at events and health fairs, health and fitness centers, sporting events, hotels, spas, resorts and cruise ships. So there is such a wide variety of what you can do, how you can coordinate this career and regulate how much work you'd want to do.
You would have a very important part in wellness as there are many benefits to receiving massage regularly. You would be helping people reduce or eliminate pain, improve their mobility, stimulate lymph drainage, and loosen up tense muscles. Everyone will love you !
Keep in mind that you should check about having to take a new licensure if you move to a different state. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards at https://www.fsmtb.org/mblex/ can familiarize you with all the details you'll need to know about your state. Once you get your license and are ready to work, register at Linked In and Indeed. Decide if you will open your own spa, freelance by going to serve clients through home visits or if you'd like to work for a company. This career has a lot of choice and freedom.
You may find yourself eventually venturing into other types of related but different interests. I know massage therapists that do a variety of wellness services. Things like yoga, tai chi and such. It's also a career that lends itself to having many skills. Most of the massage therapists that I know don't do massage only, they do other wellness services, too.
I hope that this was helpful and all good things to think about !
Although I am not a massage therapist myself, I would like to share some advice and thoughts about a career in massage.
I would first advise going to college for at least an Associates Degree in Anatomy. Continue for a Bachelors if you like school and want a Bachelors Degree. After college, you will need to enroll in Massage School. There are more than 245 accredited massage schools to choose from. This study will take between 10 - 15 months depending on which school you go to. You will put in 500 hours of hands on (excuse the pun) training at the school and when you are finished, you will go for your license. At this time, you will want to consider whether or not to get massage insurance. It is not required, but some do take it just in case. It is such a flexible career.
Some places that you can work will be in a clients' home, a massage office, an office in your home, physicians offices and clinics, franchise spas, hospitals and wellness centers, nursing homes, hospice, chiropractic offices, on site at events and health fairs, health and fitness centers, sporting events, hotels, spas, resorts and cruise ships. So there is such a wide variety of what you can do, how you can coordinate this career and regulate how much work you'd want to do.
You would have a very important part in wellness as there are many benefits to receiving massage regularly. You would be helping people reduce or eliminate pain, improve their mobility, stimulate lymph drainage, and loosen up tense muscles. Everyone will love you !
Keep in mind that you should check about having to take a new licensure if you move to a different state. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards at https://www.fsmtb.org/mblex/ can familiarize you with all the details you'll need to know about your state. Once you get your license and are ready to work, register at Linked In and Indeed. Decide if you will open your own spa, freelance by going to serve clients through home visits or if you'd like to work for a company. This career has a lot of choice and freedom.
You may find yourself eventually venturing into other types of related but different interests. I know massage therapists that do a variety of wellness services. Things like yoga, tai chi and such. It's also a career that lends itself to having many skills. Most of the massage therapists that I know don't do massage only, they do other wellness services, too.
I hope that this was helpful and all good things to think about !
Laura Siobhan Pippen
Massage therapy
1
Answer
Austin, Texas
Updated
Laura Siobhan’s Answer
Hey 😊 I've been a massage therapist since 2010 and I've held licenses in 4 states: CA, AZ, NM and TX. All you need to start school is a high school diploma or GED and a FAFSA if you need help with funding it. They'll cover anatomy, physiology and several massage techniques and may even cover how to start and run your own business. It's a great career or could be a good way to support yourself while getting more education. Good luck!