Massage Therapy Career

A massage therapy career can lead to employment in spas, fitness centers, physicians’ office and other health related industries. Many massage therapists become self-employed setting their own hours and charging their own fees. Employment opportunities in massage therapy are expected to grow as the U.S. population becomes older and more people become aware of therapy as a health benefit.

To become certified in the State of Virginia, the candidate must provide a transcript of their massage therapy program directly from the school they attended and must provide verification of having successfully passing the national certification exam. If applying for provisional certification, they must provide a copy of the eligibility letter from the national certifying agency. Certification varies from state to state with a minority states not requiring certification so those seeking a massage therapy career in another state must contact their state’s health department for more information.

Massage therapy can be described as the practice of pressing, rubbing or manipulating the muscles and soft tissue to boost the flow of blood and oxygen for the purpose of relaxing and decreasing pain. To be successful in this career, massage therapist’s study anatomy and physiology, medical ethics, injuries, business, the muscular & skeletal system, various therapy application and massage techniques among other courses.

Self-employed massage therapist consist of the largest group in this career field. Therapists who own their own therapy business must know how to attract and keep customers, manage schedules, set fees and most notably, provide a good massage. They should also know different types of therapy and types of injuries to attract more clientele. As with many careers, education and experience are the keys to success.

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