Make More Money With Massage In Less Time

Would you like to make more money with massage? The following are some suggestions for you to incorporate into your massage practice to make the most you can in the least amount of time. Does that sound good? Let's look what you can do to maximize your earnings as a massage therapist quickly.

Try working for yourself. If this is not possible right away due to a job with benefits, try to offer massage on your time off until you've built up enough of a practice to work for yourself full-time. When you work for yourself, you're in complete control of your work schedule, your rates and advertising. You can work as much or as little as you want.

Ask your clients open-ended questions. When you ask open-ended questions, you will get expanded information from your clients. Avoid yes and no questions as they will end the dialogue. When you ask open-ended questions, it shows your clients that you are indeed interested in them and giving the best massage you can. Also, the more information you get from your clients, the better you are able to take care of their needs. Massage clients appreciate it when massage therapist pay attention to their needs.

Offer a longer treatment. Many people have never considered getting a longer treatment until you put the idea in their head. When I ask my massage clients how much time they want, I ask, "Do you want an hour or an hour and a half?". Sometimes they need to think about it but once I put my hands on them, they never want it to stop! If you have time between appointments, why not let them know "Hey, I'm able to do a 90 minute or a 2 hour massage today!" You'd be surprised how many people have never had more than a one hour massage. One hour always goes by too quickly for me my clients. When I'm doing treatment work on people, I always prefer to do a 90 minute or a two-hour massage. That gives me more time to administer effective treatment techniques. You'll be surprised at many people will take you up on your offer of a longer massage treatment.

When massage clients ask for specific treatment work, ask them how much time they would like for you to spend on that area. Sometimes they realize that they also want the same amount of time on other areas and that will help them with the idea of a longer massage. Again, asking your clients to be specific on treatment time in an area will make your job easier as you will know exactly what the want and then you can give it to them.

Tell your clients that you can also work on friends and family. If you are going on location and there's other people around, let them know you have time to work on them if you are available. You are already there so why not make as much money as you can? Just be sure you are stocked up on massage oil and sheets or you'll find yourself running out of supplies quickly!

Book your next appointment before they leave. Instead of asking if they would like to schedule their next appointment, ask them when. Remember, asking the open-ended questions prevent them from saying "Not right now.". Again, remind them that you also offer hour and a half and 2 hour massage treatments. If they love your work and only have time for an hour this time, they'll be thinking ahead of how great a two-hour treatment will be.

Offer referral incentives. If you have someone who would make a great word of mouth person, why not offer them a reward for passing your name to others. Some of your clients will refer you to other people anyway but why not help the process along. Be careful not to seem too pushy or desperate. Just casually mention the incentive and see what happens. What kind of incentives should you offer? That's really up to you and how much time and money you want to spend. Why not a gift card? Everyone has a favorite store or restaurant.

You have more control than you think in your ability to generate an income. When you work for yourself, you're writing your own paycheck. That paycheck can be as big or small as you want it to be. If you are less practiced in giving longer massage treatments, I suggest you get comfortable because you're there already, why not make as much money as you possible can?

Massage Therapist Need To Understand Golgi Tendons & Muscle Spindle Cells

As a massage therapist it is vital to know the various parts of the human body and understand their significance. Two terms that you should know and understand are Golgi tendons and muscle spindle cells. As a massage therapist it is important to know these two sensory neuron proprioceptors and know what they do. The muscle spindle, for instance, is a proprioceptor that relays information regarding changes in the length of muscles. The Golgi tendon is a different type of proprioceptor that relays information regarding muscle tension changes. These two proprioceptors are important for stretching muscles and conditioning muscles. Together they help to protect the muscles from overstretching and becoming injured. First, though, it is important to know what each is and its particular function.

What are Sensory Neurons

Neurons are cells that work to carry messages through the body. The neurons are responsible for telling you to bend your finger or flex your foot. They also make sure that you don't overstretch your muscle or apply too much tension to a tendon, thus avoiding injury. Every neuron is comprised of a cell body and nerve fibers. It is the nerve fibers that receive impulses from other neurons and then send that information to the cell body. The fibers then send the impulses away from the cell body to other neurons.

The Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindle cells are both sensory neurons called proprioceptors. These sensory neurons are located in nerves and tracts but their cell bodies are found just outside of the spinal cord. They move messages from sensory organs in the tendons and muscles to the spinal cord. Some of these neuron fibers are called proprioceptive fibers. These fibers monitor the way that a muscle contracts and stretches as well as measures the tension that is in a tendon and transmit's that information to the spinal cord so that the information can be processed. This feedback allows the body to know positions and postures of the limbs even when they cannot be seen.

What are Golgi Tendons

Golgi tendon organs are located in the collagen fibers of the tendon at the point where the tendon fibers merge with the muscle fibers. While they function in a manner that is similar to muscle spindle cells in that they measure muscle changes, they only become activated when there is contraction of the tendon. They also monitor changes in the tension of the muscle that comes from a change of the muscle length. When the tendon or muscle is overstrained, it sends a message to the muscle which causes it to relax. This is important for preventing injury.

What are Muscle Spindle Cells

Muscle spindle cells are located in the muscle fibers, parallel to them. Their function is to monitor and measure muscle length on a continual basis, both when the muscle is at rest and when it is stretched as well as the speed of changes in muscle length. The muscle spindle cell is located inside the muscle while the Golgi is located at the end of the muscle.

How the Golgi Tendon Organs and Muscle Spindle Cells Work Together

The muscle spindle cells [http://www.think-diagonal.com/category/massage-therapy-bodywork/] have a very effective working relationship with the Golgi tendon organs. The muscle spindle monitors the changes in length and the speed of those changes within the muscle. It sends the message to the spine to convey the information to trigger the stretch reflex. This stretch reflex, for which the Golgi tendon organs are a part, tries to stop the change of the length of the muscle. This is a protective feature of the human body that prevents injury. The more the muscle tries to stretch and the faster it tries to stretch, the more the Golgi tendon organs cause it to contract. Over time, the muscles can be trained so that the stretch reflex allows for more and more of a stretch before contracting.

As a massage therapist it is important that you understand how the Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindle cells work together to prevent injury to muscles. As you work and stretch the muscles of your client, you must pay attention to the response of their body. Learn to detect the muscle spindle cell's span and ability to stretch, but also learn how to detect when the Golgi tendon organs begin to work to prevent injury. Then learn how to work with that push-pull action to help lengthen the muscle and increase the muscle spindle cell's ability to stretch the muscle until the Golgi tendon organs attempt to stop the stretch. This will help you prevent injury to your client and help them work with sports injuries.

Massage Cupping - A Unique Therapy

Although it has its roots in ancient Chinese medicine, massage cupping is experiencing a resurgence of popularity in today's health-conscious society. Cupping uses suction and negative pressure to drain excess fluids and toxins, loosen adhesions, lift connective tissue, and bring blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles. This technique intensifies the therapeutic effects of massage and other body treatments.

Cupping is accomplished by depressurizing glass or bamboo cups of various sizes. The therapist lights an alcohol-soaked cotton ball and places the flame briefly inside the cup; the cup is then quickly placed on the client's body. The flame removes the air from the cup, creating a vacuum. This vacuum creates negative pressure on the skin and tissue, pulling it slightly into the cup. This action creates a sensation of light pressure on the skin and has a sedating effect on the nervous system, very similar to traditional massage. A stronger suction will mimic the rolling action of a deep tissue massage. The movement may be long and draining or circular and stimulating for stubborn knots and areas of rigid tissue. The skin will turn very red with stronger cupping, indicating that the circulation has been brought to the surface. This increased local blood supply will bring nourishment to the muscles and skin and allow for toxins to be carried away via the circulatory system. The application of analgesics and essential oil blends immediately following will facilitate the absorption of the product deep into the tissue.

The sensation of massage cupping is pleasant and unique. Most clients describe a deep warmth and a tingling sensation long after the treatment has ended. Massage cupping is recommended for all conditions for which a patient might seek massage therapy (muscle tension, headaches, neuralgia, high blood pressure, anxiety, and fatigue) and is especially effective for tightness of the iliotibial (IT) band and chronic pain, tightness, and spasm of the middle to lower back. I have found this technique particularly useful for clients who are unable to withstand the discomfort sometimes associated with deep tissue massage, thereby allowing them to reap the same benefits.

Massage cupping is yet another natural and simple technique that offers many benefits. It has been used by European, Middle Eastern, and Asian cultures for thousands of years as an effective form of treatment. Whether used alone or in combination with other therapies, massage cupping offers productive and noticeable results for my clients.

Where To Look For Massage Therapy Education

If you want to learn how to give a massage then you will be in need of massage therapy education. There are schools all over the country that can make you into a certified massage therapist. It is something that you need to actually attend, much like college or taking vocational classes in order to be certified and to be able to practice the art of giving a massage. There are many locations who only work in the teachings of how to properly use massage therapy where as some traditional colleges and universities also teach the skill and art of the massage. It is growing in popularity as a field of study and as a profession hence leading to more schools and more of a demand for massage therapists.

Many of these schools also offer teachings in other healing arts as well. Some of these range from acupuncture to herbal remedies. These schools take the time to teach and certify their students in the ability to become a professional massage therapist and with the high levels of stress that there are in the world today, more and more people are finding themselves in the need of a therapeutic massage. Massages can be wonderful things if they are performed correctly and by someone who is actually certified in the field. Not all of us have the ability or the know how to accomplish this feat, however with some training and about six months worth of school you could be a certified massage therapist. This is not a joke, this is a real recognized profession in which many people have the potential to make large amounts of money if they perform properly and fulfill their customer's needs.

There are many different styles and types of massage therapy education places that you can choose from. Many of these are actual accredited colleges and universities which offer programs in the field of massage therapy. There are many others that do not fall into this category. These would be schools that are specialized in the art of massage therapy or they are schools that practice the idea of healing practices. Some of these schools are well known and have produced some very capable massage therapists; others are schools that are only looking to find people who are willing to pay to learn massage therapy and are not concerned about student success. In most cases it is best to check with the Better Business Bureau in order to find out if any complaints have been filed against the school that you are looking into so that you will not end up coming out empty handed in the end.

All in all consider if this is a field that you would like to get into and whether or not it is something that you believe that you will be able to do. Once you have determined that this is the life that you would like to live then you need to pick a school and get your certification so that you will be able to go out and provide the massage therapy that so many people need today.

National Massage Certification - Three Things to Think About in Choosing Your Credentials

In the profession of massage therapy, there is no one regulatory body that certifies/licenses for the practice of massage across the 50 states. 

Since 1992 the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) has been certifying massage therapists as part of the credentialing process in many states. More recently (2007), the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) has also served as a credentialing organization in some states.   Many states accept the passing scores from either organization's exams.  

Currently recognized in 33 states plus Guam, the Virgin Islands, West Indies, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, as the credential for practicing massage in these states, the NCBTMB offers two exams, the NCETMB and the NCETM. The two certification exams are composed of 160 multiple-choice questions and are essentially the same except one of them, the NCETMB, has a component that tests on Eastern medicine (meridians, chakras, doshas, and the like). Roughly 42% of the questions on both of the NCBTMB exams test anatomy and physiology and kinesiology content. Twelve percent of the questions test knowledge of pathology of the body. Forty percent of the questions are devoted to therapeutic massage assessment and application. Professional standards, ethics, business and legal practices are the subject of the remaining 6% of the questions. Both of these exams costs $225. The test-taker is permitted two hours and 40 minutes for taking either exam and the test-taker "sits" for their exam at a PearsonVue testing center (www.PearsonVue.com). Results are given immediately upon completion of the exam. 

The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards is currently recognized in 18 states plus the District of Columbia. This 125 multiple-choice test costs $195 to take and is taken at a PearsonVue testing center. The test-taker is permitted 2, 1/2 hours to take the exam and the results are available immediately. The content emphasis is as follows: 25% anatomy and physiology, 13% pathology, 5% history of massage, 17% benefits and physiological effects of massage, 17% assessment and treatment of client with massage, 10% professional practices, and 13% on ethics, boundaries, and law.

To determine which exam is recognized in a state, the interested person should refer to the respective web sites of these organizations, www.ncbtmb.org for NCBTMB and www.fsmtb.org for the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam). In addition, it would be wise to check the state that you would like to practice massage in to confirm information found on these organizational web sites. 

I have taken the NCETMB and the MBLEx in the past year. Although the American Massage Therapy Association supports the MBLEx as the "exam of choice," I was not impressed with this exam for several reasons. 

First, as an Ohio massage therapist, I am uneasy about the lack of focus on anatomy and physiology, especially the latter. As a person laying hands on people, I should know the anatomy of the human body but better have a good sense of HOW things work too. Otherwise, physiological effects are pretty hard to determine let alone understand. For comparisons, fifty percent of the content tested on in Ohio is anatomy and physiology. Forty-two percent of the questions on the NCBTMB exams is AP related. 

Secondly, there were many common sense questions with obvious answers that would require no prior massage knowledge. In other words, the test is too easy. Why test at all if this is the case? A certificate or diploma from a massage therapy program of so many hours should suffice in this instance. 

A third concern...If there is to be a national certification exam in massage therapy that, if passed, will permit people to practice massage, then let's make the exam something that is rigorous enough that the passing rate isn't so high that passing the test doesn't merely serve as a right of passage to practice!

Before deciding the "route" you will take to get a national credential in massage therapy, do your homework and get full value for your commitment to the exam you choose!

Holistic Therapy Business Licenses Requirements In Washington

A fast paced world and tension in personal life, work etc. has caused people to face so much stress that they seek alternative methods to stay fit both mentally and physically. Holistic therapy is one of such remedy. It includes treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathy, reiki, cupping, yoga, massage therapy, color therapy, hypnotherapy etc. it is widely gaining popularity as it works towards improving overall health and prevent diseases. Holistic therapy operates on the basis that the mind has control over bodily actions and vice- versa. It will indeed be a profitable business if you operate a holistic therapy business in Washington.

Business Licenses Requirements for a Holistic Therapy Business:

The business licenses required would depend on the type of holistic therapy you choose to practice. If you are a holistic massage therapist, it will be essential for you to have proper training from a reputed holistic massage therapy institute. A licensed therapist can charge money to perform holistic massage therapy within a given county or within particular city limits. To become a registered holistic massage therapist, you have to pass specific government board examinations, which consist of a written and practical portion. In order to obtain a license a holistic massage therapist has to have a certain minimum of hours of training at an accredited school or training center. The minimum hours of training varies from 100 to 1000 hours.

Holistic therapy massage practitioners usually are licensed as health care providers in Washington. In order to get a license, applicants must complete a State approved massage licensing program of at least 500 hours and pass the Washington State Massage Exam or the National Certification Exam. The state Department of Health Board of Massage therapy can be contacted for further details.

Person appearing for such training will have to satisfy certain criteria such as:

o Have good moral character.

o Certificate of having completed training at an accredited institution.

o Proof that the required hours of supervised fieldwork were completed and the standards maintained to complete the course by the accredited institution were met satisfactorily by the candidate.

o The therapist will have to pay a licensing fee and will have to regularly renew the licenses. It will be better if you give a legal structure to your business and select an appropriate name for your business that is not a copy of any other registered business and make sure you hire the services of an attorney to register your business. Make sure you have a physical address of your business before applying for a license and that you submit details such as the names, phone number and addresses of the owners and submit proof of id such as a passport or drivers license etc. Make sure your business is not violating any zoning restrictions.

For information regarding licenses and permits, you can contact:

Washington State Department of Health

Health Professions Quality Assurance

P.O. Box 47865

Olympia, WA. 98504-7865

Washington State Department of Health

Health Professions Quality Assuranc

310 Israel Rd.

Tumwater, WA. 98501

The Physical and Emotional Health Benefits of Massage

In a fast-paced world filled with deadlines and an overabundance of tasks, many seek the therapeutic benefits of massage to address the physical and emotional strains that sometimes accompany the resulting physical strains and mental overexertion. Massage is historically rooted in body care throughout all the countries of the world. It is increasingly being offered, along with standard treatment, for a wide range of medical conditions. Found in a variety of settings, massage therapy offers individual physical and emotional restorative care in an effort to maintain balance in daily living.

Physical Care

Massage therapy can be a powerful ally in individual health care regimen. Peer-reviewed medical research shows that the elements of massage promote overall healing of lymphatic, gastrointestinal, circulatory, and musculoskeletal systems. In response to massage, specific physiological and chemical changes occur in the body, with profound effects on physical functioning and well-being. The manipulation of various muscle layers can alleviate chronic pain, stimulate the immune system, aid in blood pressure control, promote infant growth, improve joint flexibility, increase circulation, enhance tissue regeneration, reduce spasms/cramping, and lessen post-surgical lesions and scar tissue. Additionally, massage therapy is often a supplemental protocol in the care and treatment of diseases such as cancer, arthritis and cerebral palsy. Currently, massage therapy is the most utilized form of complementary and alternative medicine in hospitals throughout the United States.

Emotional Wellness

Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. Massage therapy continues to promote overall health and emotional well-being with its ability to reduce stress and lessen anxiety. In addition to promoting general relaxation and stress relief, massage can be used to stimulate the release of pain relieving neurotransmitters (endorphins and serotonin). There is an abundance of research confirming the benefits of human touch. Just as infants build security and attachment to their caregivers through touch, the adult body responds to human touch with increased levels of self-assurance, safety, and calmness. Massage therapy reduces anxiety and depression while enhancing energy levels and promoting quality sleep. The relaxation and rejuvenating properties of therapeutic massage greatly contribute to the promotion and ongoing support of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.