What does it mean to be certified in massage therapy?
There are two types of certification in the massage
profession.
You can receive a certification after completing a course
of study in a specific modality such as deep tissue therapy, cranio-sacral
therapy and be certified by that school or educator. You can also graduate
from massage school and be certified. You can be Nationally certified. It does not mean you
are able to practice massage legally and charge for your services.
To practice legally, you need to be licensed by your state
if they require it and have proper business licensing in you city or even
county. To find out what states require professional
licensing
go to the licensing and certification page.
National
Massage Therapy Certification is different and requires that you fulfill
specific education and training requirements. National Certification is
regulated by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and
Bodywork.
There is much controversy over the issue of national
certification and the process that it uses to credential massage therapists.
You can read more about the issues and find some resources
on alternatives in the licensing and
legislation pages.
