Choosing a Good Massage Therapist School

It is necessary to do a number feasibility studies to determine on the kind of massage therapist school you intent to join. Choosing a reputable therapy school will be advantageous to you in the long run because most clients want people who not only know their work perfectly but also people with good academic background in the massage industry.

There are useful tips to take in to consideration when deciding to enroll yourself or a colleague in a massage therapy program. First and foremost, you do not want to join a program that will not be pocket friendly in terms of your degree fee subscription. Many massage learning institutions charge exorbitant prices with the aim of offering quality academic resources to their students, but still fail in securing the student enrollment masses. This is because of their expensive nature of offering their services. This is so simple.

Massage therapist schools that offer reduced fee prices and still enable to deliver first hand quality learning services are not only successful in their student enrollment masses but also with their institutional management. People will tend to go for cheap but alternatively resourceful schools.

With the world being technologically idealized everyday, students tend to move to massage therapy schools that show a sense in offering latest technologies in the industry. Everybody can nowadays perform the ancient massage techniques if given the chance to. Sophisticated techniques like the Aqua method are cropping up and schools that have already adopted these services offer stiff competitions to those that have not.

It is also advisable to attend programs and institutions with reputable therapists as they may be part-time lecturers. You will agree with me that once you get to be taught by somebody who is actually in the field and has the life experience of your dream business or course will be a motivation to you. Massage therapist schools employing part-time reputable lecturers will inevitably be competitive when compared to other local institutions.

Keep in mind to consider the length of time you will need for the completion of this course. Massage courses should not take a long time and for an intense and serious massage therapist school, the course should not proceed for more than fourteen months. People need a fast running course to start their own business if possible. So schools that keep students for quit a long duration of time is at the end of it so expensive. So take time and review other tips on how to get a perfect massage therapist school.

What to Look For in Physical Therapist Assistant Programs

Today, students have greater options available for physical therapist assistant programs. This clinical specialty is growing by leaps and bounds and attracting people to pursue it as their career due to the vast number of advantages it carries. There are two major options available:

• Study as an on-campus student in a vocational school or at a community college or university


• Look for online physical therapist assistant programs

PTA Associate's Degree Program

It's a two year degree program divided into five semesters. The curriculum is designed in a way to provide students with both academic coursework as well as practical experience. Where they learn techniques on how to improve their patient's mobility, relieve their pain and treat temporary or permanent disabilities, through various therapeutic techniques and procedures. Anatomy, Physiology, Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercises are a few of the courses studied.

But there are various avenues to consider for vocational schools. Such as:

Accreditation

Be sure that the school you plan to go to is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Else, you won't be to take the licensing exam to become certified and practice lawfully. Insurance companies also demand certification and in that case the individual is considered disqualified from engaging in clinical practice if not certified.

Transferable Credits

Another cause of concern is whether the credits you acquire at the vocational school are transferable to a regionally accredited college / university. This is important because in case you decide to become a physical therapist later on, then you don't have to start all over again to secure a bachelor's followed by a master's degree from a state college, such as Harvard, Stanford etc.

Previous graduating batches

Another thing to look for in physical therapist assistant programs is that how well the school's graduates have been taken by the industry. It is of great importance for the new student that how is their institute regarded in the industry and if it has a genuine reputation of passing out competent and successful clinicians.

Other considerations

Besides the above, numerous other things come to mind. For instance, how has the curriculum been designed, what's the average class size, coursework and resources, professional instructors etc.

Online Physical Therapist Assistant Programs

Online physical therapist assistant programs are a great blessing for people who are working and don't have the financial luxury to study as full time students. You have flexibility in terms of timings and location as you have the convenience to complete your academic coursework from home or anywhere else. These are also significantly less expensive. Besides this, there are no waiting lists to study the required course as well as little to no restriction on the number of students enrolled in a course.

However, the laboratory and clinical requirements cannot be acquired online and must be done with a professionally certified physical therapist.

How to choose the right online physical therapist assistant program

The following need to be considered when looking for an online program.

• Be sure that the online program you're planning to pursue is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association.


• Review its ranking among other online universities.


• Inquire the passing rate


• Find out about how good is the student teacher network.


• Find out if and how professors can be contacted if required.


• Find out how to contact alumni and co students

The more you research the available physical therapist assistant programs, the better you'll be able to choose the best one that suits your lifestyle, requirements and pocket.

Massage Therapy and the Ironman

Massage therapy is something else to consider when preparing for you first Ironman Triathlon. For some reason, there are those who benefit more than others from massage. I have tried it, but found it a bit expensive to be able to include it as a weekly part of my training. I used it more as a reward after 6 or 8 weeks of hard training.

Should you decide to include massage therapy as a regular component of your training, be sure to find someone skilled in "sports massage" which in many cases is a deeper massage than most people are used to.

There's no doubt that a massage can do wonders after a long bike or run session, but I wouldn't recommend it too soon "before" a planned long training day. I always found that I was so relaxed, I didn't want to do anything after a massage.

It's for this reason I would "never" get a massage too soon before a major race day like the Ironman Triathlon. If you want a pre-race massage I would highly recommend getting it several days before the big race.

If you only have one massage all year, there is one you must make a point of not missing out on. It's the free one you get right after they put that Ironman Triathlon finishers medal around your neck. Just tell that volunteers who are "supporting" you that you would like to go to the massage tent. They will make sure you find your way there. Get there as soon as can after crossing the line as if tends to be pretty busy depending on your race finish time. You may have to sign in and take a seat, but normally you won't be left waiting too long.

Different things work for different people and possibly your best option is to give sports massage a try and see if it enhances your recovery and training. If so, and if its financially viable, you may want to make it part of your Ironman preparation. At the very least, treat yourself to a massage once in a while as a reward for all your hard work.

Massage Therapist Business Plan Models - What You Should Put Most of Your Focus On

If you're starting out as a massage therapist or you're looking to take your practice to the next level by creating an effective business plan, I want to give you a couple pointers so you can focus your efforts in the right places.

When entrepreneurs (which is what you are if you own a massage business) create a business plan, it is very common that they waste a lot of time working out the details of their financial projections and all of the mechanics that go into running a practice. Don't get me wrong: Having a business plan is a good idea. I just don't want to see you waste your time on creating something that doesn't end up having direct relevance on your ability to run a successful practice. As a business owner, it's so easy to sit around doing things that feel productive in the moment but are ultimately NOT directly related to the bottom line profitability of the business.

With that said, the most important part of your massage business plan is your marketing plan. About 80% of your business plan should focus on how you are going to market your services to your local community. If you know how to market well, you will do fine and have plenty of clients. If you focus on other things, however, you'll find that you never have enough clients and that your finances are always a struggle.

That's why I say you are not in the business of giving massages; you are in the business of marketing your massage services. That is the most important mindset you can embrace in order to succeed.

Create a detailed marketing plan for your practice and be consistent about implementing it. This is the main key to your success.

Massage Is Not Just A Physical Therapy

Massage is one of the most controversial forms of holistic therapy. Viewed by some as a rather dubious service, and by others as a merely physical treatment; on occasions it has got a very bad press. Yet massage has many positive physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. As part of a holistic program it is a powerful treatment, which can enhance any healing offered by the medical profession.
Positive touch releases endorphins and helps to create a state of well-being and calm. This physical reaction can lead to beneficial psychological states, but is there any reason for thinking that such states are anything more than the release of chemicals? How can massage heal the mind and spirit as well as the body?

Healing touch is what we do intuitively. When our five year child old falls over and hurts herself then for most people the natural response is to hug her and offer reassurance. When we hurt ourselves we automatically rub the wound. Touch is an automatic natural response. Even the simplest of actions such as stroking a pet can be beneficial.

Using touch to heal is thousands of years old. There is some evidence from images in the pyramids that the Ancient Egyptians used foot massage similar to reflexology. Other ancient forms of healing such as Ayurvedic medicine, demonstrate the potential of using massage to foster links between body, mind and spirit. Ayurvedic treatments recorded in the holy Vedas focus on the whole person through the three doshas or energies, which relate to the five elements. The concept of chakras or energy centres is also an important part of Ayurvedic massage. Consequently, an Ayurvedic masseuse will view the body as more than merely mechanical or the sum of its parts. Such practitioners often understand the subtle interconnection of all living beings and the interaction of their energies.

One benefit of taking a more holistic approach to the person is in the treatment of stress. The role of stress in ill-health is pretty well documented as it can be a trigger for many chronic conditions. Massage plays a key role in helping to relieve stress and bring about a positive frame of mind. Not only can it directly reduce stress, but can also: relieve symptoms of depression, reduce aggression, reduce pain and hence the psychological effects of pain, decrease fatigue and so promote mental resilience, calm aggression, improve immune health, assist in recovery after illness or surgery (with medical consent), alleviate sleep disorders and so stimulate energy, encourage detoxification and generally promote well-being.
Holistic massage differs from the modern bio-medical approach, which focuses on illness as a deviation from statistical normality and seeks to alleviate the symptoms of disease. Doctors and nurses treat the body. We desperately need their expertise and logical clear thinking, but perhaps we also need to treat the whole person not merely the disease. May be there more to health than a healthy body or just the absence of symptoms?

A good massage therapist will connect with the client as a whole person. They will understand the relationships between body, mind and spirit; and will be interested in their client's lifestyle and beliefs. They may well be able to suggest positive steps to help their client deal with illness. Some may offer other therapies such as reiki or colour therapy, to enhance the massage and to connect with their inner most being. How does this happen? Perhaps it is something to do with the interplay of energies between therapist, client and healing process. May be it is to do with the stimulation of the chakras or energy centres. Perhaps we are tapping into something deep and ancient.

So is massage more than a physical treatment? I think it is. Massage touches something ancient and intuitive within us. It helps us to cope with stress. Some systems link directly with spiritual teachings such as chakras. More than this, if we define 'spirit' in its widest sense then massage is a spiritual treatment because it is the expression of creativity and loving-care based on an equal relationship of trust and respect. Thus massage can relax the body and mind; and bring joy to the ailing spirit.

On Elders and Growing Old With Massage

We are talking in the kitchen. They are drinking a glass of wine; I am drinking water in a wine glass, still wanting to be part of it in this way. Drink than do not drive! I am driving so I will not drink, wanting to get my kids home safely and me of course as well.

We talk about this and that. Laughter, jokes -just hanging out. I am sitting across from these friends explaining that I am changing the focus of my massage business to that of "working with old people." I must say, I was not prepared for their response. "UH, I could not do that!" There seems to be a slight expression of disgust on their faces and definitely in their tone of voice. They look at me with a hint of bewilderment sending out the unspoken question "Why would you want to do that." I go on talking about how it will be easier on my hands and how they are more likely to schedule day time appointments when my kids are in school and that there seems to be a great demand since I had six responses from my first advertisement in the paper. I keep inside what I really wonder about, not quite sure how to express my bewilderment to their response. I find myself stepping back inside analyzing what just happened.

Of course, the attitude of our society to shuffle off old people into retirement homes and assisted facilities has to reflect somewhere in my generation. Watching the slow decline of our bodies is indeed not a pretty sight and I can see how the fact that eventually it will take ten minutes to put on one sock does not have any room in our fast-paced society.

And yes I do remember the old bodies I have touched, not pretty, no not pretty at all. The dying bodies of course are worse and yes, there is a lot that happens to the dying body that can evoke disgust. No doubt getting old and dying is not a pretty sight, if you do not know how to move beyond the initial and obvious impressions.

If you just look at the old feet with the discolored toe nails, the cracked skin, unclipped because the old body just does not bend that far any longer, one does want to turn away and go on with life. If you just see the old body of not much use any longer not moving, not offering much in the realm of entertainment and excitement one does want to turn away and find something more stimulating. Who wants to be reminded of this slow decline - Who wants to be reminded that there will be an end to our lives the way we know them.

Well I do. I wonder whether my friends would understand if I told them about the beauty I see in the old body. Whether they could join me in imaging all the adventures and experiences this body has undertaken in a lifetime. "The temple of god" is what I like to think about, as I touch my elders. The temple of good after it has lived a full life of bearing children, working to support a family, dancing, singing, worrying, playing, doing laundry, washing dishing, sleeping, and all the wondrous things we do in a lifetime. The temple of god that allows us to bring forth the most wonderful and the most heart wrenching, the most enlightened and the most ignorant. The temple of god that allows us to experience life, how can we not honor that? Yet we do not, missing an incredible possibility to celebrate life.

This life is not for granted even though we so live it that way, as if it will go on forever. I wish I could tell my friends how these old people are helping me to not go to sleep, to stay alert to what I am doing now, to question again and again, what am I doing with this gift of life? Am I swept away by this dynamic of our society, or am I at full choice about how I live my life? Am I taking part in the incredible busyness we all experience or do I allow myself to hold on to the slow pace I take on when I am around my elders thus allowing myself to stay connected to myself and my deepest life desires.

I want to share with my friends how wonderful it is to sink into being. To be around someone who does not need you to perform, who is just ever so happy for just a smile, a hug, who's face lights up just because you have walked into the door, who's waited for you all week and your coming is the highlight of their day. It stuns me how much they have to offer, these elders - sitting in their chairs not doing much of anything and still there are riches inside that we can touch, that we can connect to, if we are willing to look beyond the ugly and the old, the fragile and the quiet. Once again the old saying:"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder", rings so true.

I feel so grateful and honored to have these elders in my life as allies, as reminders, as friends. I wish more people could see that. I wish they would be honored and respected more and I wish they would be seen more for what they have to offer. I do not say anything to my friends this time, knowing that I will, at another occasion when I am more grounded in my knowing of the gifts the old people, the elders have given me.

Cat Massage - Bonding With Health Benefits

Cats are like humans who experience stress, body pain, anxiety, and other types of physical and mental problems. Humans tend to seek the effective treatment of massage therapy in healing, relaxing and strengthening their body. Today, cats are also entitled to having this type of pleasurable experience as a part of their medical care.

Cat massage therapy is fast becoming popular today due to the effectiveness of this technique both in calming and treating the pet's problems. It helps both pet and owner to bond and relax as they experience the benefits of the alternative therapy. It also aids the owner in getting familiar with its pet's body just by touching it with his or her fingers. Any out of the ordinary within the body can be easily spotted due to the constant touch that breeds familiarity to the cat's body. This also eases the cat during the therapy and heightens its trust with the human touch.

Although deep tissue massage on cats should only be done by professional therapists, cat massage can be conducted by any pet owner. This type of therapeutic massage doesn't require exact execution or proper education of the various massage strokes and techniques. Cat massage practitioners should also take note that the amount of pressure used on cats is significantly lesser than the average pressure used on humans. Our pets usually tend to get scared of too much pressure where they become defensive as they feel threatened by the action.

When performing a therapeutic massage on your cat, make sure that your pet stays calm and cooperative during the whole therapy session. You can do this by letting your pet play before the scheduled time for the massage so that his or her playfulness level decreases. As his or her activity level reduces, his or her struggle during the therapy is lesser. A good way to get your pet to settle down and enjoy a good massage is by getting it accustomed to having massage therapies. You can do this by gently touching the body of your pet in order to get familiar with the treatment. In informal massage therapy sessions, the owner can begin the therapy on their preferred areas. Working on the areas enjoyed by our pets is perhaps one of the best places to begin the massage. The more sessions you give to your pet, the more benefits it gains from the massage. Make sure that your furred friend stays controllable and cooperative during therapies so that he or she can receive the effects and benefits of the physical and emotional treatment.

As cats learn to behave during therapies, their body receives many benefits which includes reduce stress and blood pressure level, stretching and loosening of stiff muscle areas, improved mood, boost in the immune system, relief from body pain and many more.

Although the therapy may sound interesting and beneficial to your pet cat's health, consulting a veterinarian before you try cat massage on your cat is a good idea to avoid the risks and negative effects of this type of massage.