Do You Want to Become a Massage Therapist?

If you are thinking of becoming a massage therapist, the thing to do is to start researching the profession and find out if it will be a fit for you. First off - have you had many massages? Getting regular massage with a skilled massage therapist and trying various massage therapists can help you get an idea of what massage therapists do.

Some other things you will need to know is how much can you make as a massage therapist and what do you need as far as training to get your license to practice massage.

Most of the salary statistics are inaccurate and don't really portray what opportunities there really are in the massage profession as most massage therapists start their own massage businesses. Entry level jobs start at $12-$15 an hour and you only make that when you are actually doing a massage. If you don't have a client you are often paid minimum wage or even nothing and are asked to clean and do other tasks. Good paying massage jobs can pay $30-$50 an hour and also provide benefits such as health insurance, vacation and sick pay and retirement accounts. These higher paying jobs can be found in high end spas, chiropractors offices or other medical facilities where they charge more for massage sessions. Massage therapy jobs are a great way to learn the business and get experience so that you can go on and start your own massage spa or clinic.

Many states have state licensing boards that you will need to contact to find out how much education is required and what are the laws regarding practicing massage in your state. Each state varies. If you get your license in one state you can not practice in another state unless you get a license there (except for the few remaining states that don't require a license to practice massage)

Other things to consider is how many hours of training you will need to be a successful massage therapist. While the minimum amount of training in most states is 500 hours most schools offer more hours of training that may or may not be necessary. It really depends on your abilities to learn on your own or while you work and your commitment to your success.

And like any other profession, massage therapists have their shadow side - the part of the profession that no one wants to talk about or to admit that they are. Helping others who are in pain and under stress has a way of bringing up your own issues. Massage therapists are at high risk for burnout because of this. A career in massage is more about learning to take care of yourself and your own needs rather than just taking care of someone else.

The massage profession is a great career if you are looking for meaningful work but it also is demanding and has it's challenges. If you are committed to creating a better life for yourself, you can make $50,000 a year and even $100,000 a year if you are willing to learn about running a business or creating your own job where you can make what you want.