Is Massage Therapy in Your Future?

For many people pondering a career transition after being downsized, or feeling burned out in their high-stress job, massage therapy may be a good choice. This low-stress career provides the freedom to work whatever hours and days are most convenient, and decide what rates to charge. Also, it allows for specializing, such as working with children, those recovering from injuries, or the handicapped.

Massage therapy classes are available in most major cities, and there is a lot of information available on the internet. A beginning therapist may also receive referrals from chiropractors or other medical professionals. It's possible to share office space alongside them.

Most states require licensing of massage therapists, sometimes with different requirements from one state to another. City and county governments may also require compliance with their own rules, regardless of state requirements. Some local authorities will not allow house calls.

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork offers two types of certification tests. One is National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB), the other is National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM).

Each state issuing board will provide one or the other, and states that issue the same test will allow therapists to move their practice from one state to another. When a therapist wants to move from a state that issued one examination, to a state that issues the other, it will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Either exam will require at least 500 hours of supervised instruction in an accredited school.

Massage therapy classes in each state which belongs to the NCB, will issue the exam that is required by that state. States that don't belong to the NCB will have their own requirements.

All massage therapy schools must cover pathology, general knowledge of body systems, detailed knowledge of kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology, plus therapeutic massage assessment and application. Professional standards, ethics, business and legal practices are also covered.