Becoming a professional massage therapist can be a rewarding and fulfilling career that allows you to help people relieve pain, reduce stress, and promote relaxation and well-being.
There are many other reasons to become a massage therapist.
However, becoming a therapist requires dedication, education, and a passion for helping others. If you're considering pursuing a career in massage therapy, here's what you need to know to get started.
Research the profession
Before committing to a long massage diploma course, it's essential to do your research to ensure you have a clear understanding of what massage therapists do, their job duties, and the training requirements and outlook. Researching a few massage therapy associations and schools is essential so you can compare those. At Bodyology, we offer many 'Try-First' activities, including a 'taster' massage day, meet a tutor, open class, English assessment and more. Those will enable you to gain the right experience and knowledge to find the right course for you.
Find a reputable massage therapy school
To become a massage therapist, you'll need to complete a diploma program/course recognised by an accredited body such as the Massage Training Institute or the Federation of Holistic Therapists. This will ensure that the massage school has been checked and is regulated by the certified body. Look for schools that offer hands-on training, including anatomy and physiology courses, and opportunities to practice your skills on real clients during clinic days. More about accreditation
Meet the education requirements.
Most massage courses require a high school or equivalent level to enter a massage therapy program. Additionally, most massage therapy programs have specific course requirements, including a reasonable level of English, good ethics and the physical and mental abilities to perform a massage.
Get licensed, certified and insured.
License requirements for massage therapists vary by location in the United Kingdom and worldwide. Bodyology's diploma courses have a Special Treatment License exemption in most places in the UK. Please get in touch with us for more details. Obtaining the correct professional insurance is vital when becoming a professional massage therapist. The right insurance can protect both clients and massage therapists. You would need a few types of insurances offered by various insurance companies. Usually, insurance companies provide insurance only to students from certified and accredited schools.
Choosing the right job opportunity for you
There are many types of jobs in massage: employed or self-employed, NHS or private, Complimentary and beauty therapy, full or part-time and many other options. Understanding the pros and cons of all types of employment is essential while trying to match one suitable to your current situation and lifestyle. You can work from your home, hire a room somewhere, and do house calls to give you just a few examples.
Gain experience and build a client base
Building a client base can take time for a new massage therapist, so gaining experience is essential as you develop your practice. Consider taking extra lessons, meeting with your friends from the diploma course to exchange massage, getting valuable feedback, and more.
Continue your education
Continuing education is crucial for massage therapists to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and research in the field. Massage therapists must complete 15-30 hours a year of continuing education hours every year to maintain their registration.
Consider specialising or adding other skills
Specialising can help you stand out in the field and attract further clients. As you gain experience in the field, consider specialising in a particular area of massage therapy, such as sports massage, prenatal massage, or hot stone massage therapy. Consider adding an extra qualification outside massage, such as yoga teacher, life coaching, acupuncture or healing. This can dramatically make your offer to clients more attractive.
Personal development is vital
Becoming a successful professional massage therapist requires many personal skills such as building a rapport with clients, empathy, good communication skills, having a pleasant personality so clients can easily relax around you, listening skills and more. Remembering those less apparent skills is fundamental to nurturing in order to become successful with clients.
In conclusion, becoming a professional massage therapist requires dedication, education, and a passion for helping others. Bodyology offers many courses and opportunities to 'check things out' before committing to one of our courses.
Links
Introduction to massage (one day) course Professional Massage Diploma Course
9 things to look for when choosing a massage school
Meet a massage tutor for an advisory meeting