There are over 1500 massage schools in the US
alone. Deciphering the advertising and choosing the best
massage school for you can be an overwhelming process.
The biggest thing you need to remember is that
massage schools are in the business of getting massage students
into their school. They need students paying them to stay
in business. This often conflicts with their massage
school curriculums that focus on healing and caring.
There are many good schools out there.
There are also bad massage schools out there. Finding one
that will provide you a solid education and help you get a job
or start your massage business is the one for you.
Massage school websites are of course the best
place to start looking. From what I have seen there are
not many massage schools who really understand the web and what
having a website is about. A massage school website should
be very up front with you and inform you of what it is going to
be like to work as a massage professional - whether it is a job
or starting your own business.
Because massage is a business that is about
stress reduction and healing, massage is often portrayed as a
relaxing profession - you know all those nice pictures of
working in a resort or on a cruise ship traveling the world.
Then there are jobs in the "Medical" massage category that make
it sound like massage is widely accepted by the medical
profession. The fact is that it is only just beginning to
be accepted by the medical community. There are only 2
states that allow massage therapists to bill insurance companies
for their services : WA and FL. Yes that is it. You
can bill for car accidents and work related injuries in most
states but not PPO's.
So in choosing a massage school you need to
weigh out the facts and also figure out what you need in the way
of support for learning in massage school. You will be
learning difficult subjects - anatomy, physiology, kinesiology,
pathology, massage theory and learning about ethics and making
business decisions.
Massage school is usually a life changing
experience. Touch has a way of bringing up deeper issues
in people that reside in their past. It also has a way of
providing the nurturing that many have never gotten growing up.
This factor combined with the fact that you will be studying
difficult science based classes can be challenging. You
need to choose a school that can see you through it all and give
you the support in getting through it all.
I have written about the whole process of
choosing the massage school that is best for you in my Ebook -
The Massage Career Guide - The Truth About Becoming a Massage
Therapist. (What massage schools and associations won't tell you
about becoming a massage therapist.) You can purchase it
through this link or read more about it here.
Be sure to visit my
Massage Schools Guide website.
