Think about you and then why you’d like to become a massage therapist. Some of the key things a massage therapist needs to be are:

• Patient
• Concerned for others
• Want to help others
• Comfortable around others

Giving and getting a massage is a very intimate situation so a very important part about the job is to want to make people feel good and feel good about them. You should consider the specific interests that you have and then when you are going through your schooling/training you can concentrate on those especially as you are just starting out. Additionally:

• Visit other massage therapists and get some massages, it’ll show you a lot of the different specialties and let you try them for yourself
• Do your research, check information out online about massages and get some books or borrow them from the library, reading about massage can give you a lot of knowledge too

Training
There are many schools out there so make sure you find a program that is suitable for you. You’re likely to have seen some TV or magazine ads for them or even received mailers. You’ll want to keep in mind that the purpose of these schools are of course for them to make money so you’ll want to examine any and all claims that they may make very carefully. Find the school that will not only cater to your specific specialties that interest you but help you to satisfy any of the certification requirements that your jurisdiction will have and obviously keeping your budget in mind as well.

Licensing
You’ll want to be sure to research your specific jurisdictions licensing requirements. There are different requirements varying on your jurisdiction. There are even some that don’t require you to be licensed at all. By checking before you even begin your training you’ll know what you need to do and what you should expect.

If you need help or have questions make sure you check with your states licensing board. Your school that you choose will be able to assist you in understanding the requirements and then what you need to do in order to obtain your license.

You should make sure to keep in mind when finding out about state requirements even if your state has no licensing requirement your county or city might. To make things even more complicated there are some jurisdictions that will require a license for some massages but not for others. National certification might be required in some states and other states have none and they might have their own exam.

Even if there is no license requirement you should really consider becoming board certified as it will open a lot of doors for you professionally. If you’re considering opening your own or providing home massages you’ll likely need to look into getting a business license.

Final Thoughts

• The techniques to connect with a client are really important to learn while in school.
• If you are practicing without a license in a jurisdiction that requires it the fines could be steep and you could be barred from further practice.
• Your success doesn’t just depend on what you’ve learned but it really depends on you in the end.
• Make sure you learn how to take care of yourself so you can avoid burning out.