Introduction

A massage therapist is a person who helps the injured people to alleviate their pain. After a stressful week, people who want to improve their health or rejuvenate themselves also visit massage therapists.

With their useful skills and training in the required subject, massage therapists help treat posture injuries. They may proffer massage in a specific area or the client’s whole back using their elbows, hands, or arms.

The massage therapists can work either in an office or as a home massage therapist. In the latter case, these people have a portable massage bed to carry to their clients’ homes.

Different types of people seek massage therapy from massage therapists. So, the therapists should modify their massage techniques, acupressure levels, Reflexology, and therapies according to their clients’ requirements.

For example, a young client may require the services of a sports massage therapist. On the other hand, the massage therapist should give a gentle massage with the right pressure points to an elderly client.

The approximate duration of a massage ranges between 15 minutes to one hour. Hence, this profession requires individuals who have good body strength.

The massage therapists take a 15 to 30-minute break between the massage to avoid any injuries. Generally, he or she excels in two to three massage.

Massage therapists can have the following types:

• Sports Massage Therapist,
• Traveling Massage Therapist,
• Mobile Massage Therapist,
• Home Massage Therapist,
• Licensed Massage Therapist,
• Certified Massage Therapist,
• Main Massage Therapist,
• Local Massage Therapist,
• Independent Massage Therapist.

But, you may think whether massage therapy is a lucrative career option or not.

A massage therapist can earn incomes based on their number of clients and networking outreach. But opting for a massage therapist as a side gig will ensure security in terms of revenues.

Salary of A Massage Therapist

The wage of a massage therapist differs in different countries. In Peru, a massage therapist can procure approximately $40-$50 per client.

But the rates of a massage therapist truncate to very low levels in places like Vietnam and Thailand. In these locations, single massage therapy can amass only $4 to massage therapists.

The best country to practice massage therapy is the United Kingdom. A single massage will help you to earn approximately $150 in the UK.

The profession requires people to amass various pieces of training and formal credentials. This enables the massage therapists to learn how to work with various pieces of equipment and relevant techniques.

Procedure to Become a Massage Therapist

Accredited Massage Therapy Program

Before practicing a massage therapist’s profession, it is crucial to amass the formal credentials or a degree. Unlike other programs, the massage therapy program requires relatively less training and is available at reasonable prices.

In the absence of a massage therapy program, the massage therapist has no credibility due to the lack of formal certification. Without a degree, you cannot compete with the strategic adversaries at an advantage.

Generally, a massage therapy program requires individuals to procure at least 300 to 1000 hours of practical training. You should make sure to acquire this training from an accredited Institute. It can augment the credibility of your educational qualifications.

The Massage Therapy Program is the basis of your knowledge to procure a license and practice the profession.

There are many vocational programs related to massage therapy. The vocational courses proffer a specified subject which helps you to pursue your career in a particular subject.

A massage therapy program takes a minimum of five months if you enroll yourself for the full-time program. More training means a better career opportunity.

Though the duration is relatively lesser, you should be fully dedicated and attentive during this tenure. The Massage Therapy Program serves as one of the most crucial attributes of your career.

Choosing the Appropriate Program

Different states proffer different massage therapy programs that fluctuate in their style and working atmosphere. Before seeking admission to any school, you should solicit suggestions from your advisor. The professionals of the massage therapy program should teach to the best of their potential to the students.

With full efforts and time, you can secure good grades in your program. Many prospective massage therapists do not succeed due to their lack of dedication and interest during the training program.

The therapy has long-lasting consequences on the mental and physical health of the people. The program determines your efficiency in the capacity of a massage therapist.

Licencing Procedure

Practicing the profession of a massage therapist requires the individuals to secure a license. You can get a license after clearing a nationally recognized licensing exam. Different states have different exams to give Licence to the citizens for a massage therapist.

Some states also take a practical exam to test the therapy techniques of prospective massage therapists. The two standard exams which the massage therapist should clear in various states are MBLEx and BCETMB. The MBLEx is applicable in 43 states. The state licensing board supervises such examinations.

These exams have questions that give more emphasis on the theory rather than the practical. The knowledge of the massage therapy programs will help you to clear the state licensing exams. You can also take up some study guides that have additional information and can help with exams.

Skills

The Massage Therapy program and the exam help you to amass various skills. First of all, such skills teach you different massage techniques, acupressure levels, and Reflexology. The prospective massage therapists also learn about hygiene, safety methods, ethics, and business strategies.

Business ethics help individuals to amass various marketing techniques. You can augment your client base through the following steps:

Portable Massage Bed

A portable massage bed will help you to augment your clientage by working as a home massage therapist. In this way, you will not lose the clients who cannot come to your office.

Print Media

Various print media like posters, banners, advertisements, etc. will help augment your networking outreach. Be creative while designing your advertisement to make it unique and better than your adversaries.

Word of Mouth Referral

The customers will suggest your services to their near and dear ones if you satisfy them. You can add various discounts, coupons, and lucky draws with your services to entice the target audience.

Hotel and Hostel Owners

Having good Connections with the hotel owners will help you to bolster your clientage. The tourists, after a long and tedious journey, tend to reside in various hotels. You can reap the benefit of such an opportunity and give them a good massage.

Social Media Marketing

In this era of digitalization, the usage of social media has expanded more than ever before. You can exhibit a good word about your brand by integrating the services of various social media marketers. Social media marketing entails Facebook marketing, Instagram marketing, email marketing, LinkedIn marketing, etc.

Conclusion

You can specialize in famous massaging techniques to expand your earnings.

Various massage therapies include:

• Swedish,
• Hot Stone,
• Thai,
• Aromatherapy,
• Deep Tissue,
• Reflexology,
• Aromatherapy,
• Shiatsu.

After getting a license and working as a massage therapist, you should always continue seeking knowledge. This helps in adapting to the modified needs of the people due to the dynamic environment.

Over time, new techniques and pieces of equipment become available to practice massage therapy.