| If you have chosen massage as a career for | | | | others are taught more exclusively through |
| yourself, and are considering your options for | | | | specialty schools of massage. |
| Schools of Massage, you can probably use some | | | | As an example, Swedish Body Massage and Indian |
| advice. | | | | Head Massage are worlds apart and someone |
| In this article we look at various things you should | | | | who is trained in one system could not perform |
| consider when looking at different Schools for | | | | the other without further training. |
| Massage Therapy to enrol in. There are important | | | | Pre-Enrollment Requirements |
| factors that should always be considered when | | | | Depending on where you enroll for your massage |
| choosing a school for study, but massage schools | | | | therapist training, you may be required to have |
| require special consideration, as they fall into the | | | | certain qualifications or experience prior to |
| realm of therapy and, thus, healthcare. | | | | enrollment. Because the field of massage is such a |
| With thousands of massage training institutions | | | | large and varied subject, there are many courses |
| across the country, inevitably they are not all | | | | that are created as a 'follow on' course, only |
| uniform in quality, and neither are they uniform in | | | | permissible to students that have already |
| suitability to your needs and aspirations. | | | | accomplished prior academic achievements |
| Learning the Art and Science of Massage Therapy | | | | Discuss with the school for massage therapy you |
| The massage school you find yourself enrolled in | | | | are considering, the options available to you as a |
| will teach all aspects of both the art and the | | | | new massage student, or if applicable, a qualified |
| science of massage. The 'art' of massage relates | | | | massage student wishing to further his or her |
| to many of the various physical techniques you | | | | studies. |
| use to perform the massage, using your fingers, | | | | Insurance and Professional Associations. |
| hands, arms, and elbows. Also the creativity you | | | | With health insurance companies recognizing the |
| may employ to design the treatment and then to | | | | contribution of massage to health care, they are |
| best perform it. | | | | increasingly adding coverage to include massage. |
| The 'science' of massage refers to the | | | | This is of course a huge benefit to suitably |
| anatomical, physiological and bio-mechanical | | | | qualified massage therapists, and another reason |
| aspects you will learn of the human body, and its | | | | to ensure the certification you receive will be |
| structure and functions. | | | | adequate to cover your services for inclusion in |
| The staff at the school for massage therapy | | | | health care insurance. |
| should consist of well trained teachers, and should | | | | Also check to ensure your qualifications avail you |
| have at least some years of clinical experience. | | | | to satisfactory options in terms of professional |
| There should also be sufficient staff, with the | | | | insurance as a practitioner, and eligibility for |
| teacher/student ratio being minimal. | | | | professional associations. |
| While the staff's credentials are certainly | | | | Conclusion |
| important, the schools credentials are equally | | | | With greater credibility and ever growing |
| important. Be sure that the certification you will | | | | acceptance by the public, allied health care and |
| receive at graduation will be well received and | | | | conventional medicine, a massage therapy career |
| respected in the areas of massage you hope to | | | | looks to hold a bright future. |
| practice. | | | | With the vast range of choices offered by the |
| Different Massage Systems and Techniques | | | | multitude of schools of massage, comes greater |
| Schools of massage teach different systems of | | | | responsibility for due diligence by the prospective |
| massage. In fact there are hundreds of different | | | | student. I hope the ideas discussed in this article |
| systems and techniques. Many are commonly | | | | give you food for thought on approaching how |
| taught by most schools of massage, while many | | | | you choose your school for massage therapy. |