Archive for Become a Massage Therapist

A Career in Massage – Is it for you?

December 2, 2011 Julie Onofrio Become a Massage Therapist

I just released my first book last month on amazon.com! A Career in Massage – Is it for you? It is something I have been working on for over 10 years really.  It actually started as my first Ebook which I sold on one of my first websites created using Site Build it!  I started selling ebooks a few months after starting the website and now it is a paperback book (kindle and nook coming soon!)

It has felt like basically my life’s work to complete this book.  It is everything that I wish someone had told me about becoming a massage therapist. 

No one ever told me it was going to be this hard!

No one ever told me that it was about building a business!

No one told me that I would get burned out helping and that helping was a sign of something that is going wrong!

What I did want was a more rewarding career- one where I could be making more of a difference and one where I had more freedom.  I got all that but I never thought having freedom would also mean having no money! I of course lived simply (and still do – living in a mother-in-law house on a 5 acre ‘mini’ farm with horses, chickens that I take care of when my landlords are away where I also have a very large garden.)  I could set my own schedule, sleep in, take long lunches which in the early days included a ferry ride to a neighboring island for lunch and I could just get by without many cares.

Then my 40′s hit and the realization that retirement would be impossible at the rate I was going.  I also had some major health issues starting in 1998 which is one of the reasons why I did start this website. (I had severe, debilitating vertigo for about 10 years – gone now -knock, knock, knock.)  Back then it was just more something to do when I was stuck at home feeling sick.  I started writing and putting notes together on everything I wished I had more help with or had known about becoming a massage therapist.  It turned into this website that is basically my massage school notes.

Today it seems even more competitive with the increasing number of massage schools up until about 2007 when the number of schools started leveling out due to the economy.  There are many news sources like US News and World Report saying things like massage is an upcoming career for 2011.  The problem is that most statistics are really inaccurate because of things like most massage therapists are self employed so income and other stats do not count those massage therapists.  Schools take news reports like that and run with it continuing to tell potential massage students that they can make tons of money while having their own schedule and flexible hours.  Well you can get some of that but you won’t have enough money to retire on.

There are so many other things that massage schools are telling potential students that is just inaccurate so that they can make a career in massage sound more appealing:

  • You can make $60 an hour
  • Health insurance is covering massage
  • You will find a high paying job really easily
  • You can work on a cruise ship and travel the world having fun
  • You will be working in this soothing, relaxing environment like all the nice pictures they show at spas and health resorts
  • People love massage and will soon be flocking to your door if you just set up shop
  • You will be helping people

What they don’t tell you is that you will have to touch people! Imagine that!  Yes some massage students don’t realize that.  Touching has a much deeper meaning than most can imagine.  You can find out more in my book of course!

 


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The depth in deep tissue massage

October 30, 2010 Julie Onofrio Become a Massage Therapist, Massage Theory

Learning deep tissue massage is one of the many things you can do to set yourself apart from all of the other massage therapists out there.  Having a good deep tissue instructor in massage school can help.  How will you know if they are good?  They will teach that it isn’t about applying more or deeper pressure using physical strength.  Good deep tissue won’t leave you bruised or feeling hurt the next day.  The other part of this is how people feel or what they are able to feel and what they want to feel in their massage.  I for one have really ropey back muscles from arthritis and scoliosis and find that I can’t feel it when most people say they are doing deep tissue.  I also have had years of structural integration (Zentherapy) where the goal was to create pain in some ways (more on that later).   I personally get better results when I can feel the pressure being applied.  The pressure doesn’t feel painful to me.  It feels good!  It helps be to feel better and feel more!  To me that is what all massage is really doing – helping people to feel more.

So in learning deep tissue in basic massage school, you will most likely be learning about connective tissue and the deeper muscles of the body like the psoas, piriformis and other muscles.  A good deep tissue massage therapist will learn to palpate the various structures and be able to feel the tightness in different layers of the muscles.  Just taking a weekend workshop or two in deep tissue is only just the beginning.  It really takes practice and developing your skills to go deep.   As I said, I also took Zentherapy training in the 1990′s with it’s founder William “Dub” Leigh.  He combined his training with Ida Rolf and a Zen Master from HI and tried to teach that using “Ki” or “Chi” was a much more effective way of doing deep tissue.  The only problem is that most people were still having deep tissue forced on them instead of “using the force” and people were often screaming on the massage table.  When force is used it creates more resistance and tension usually.  People will tense up more rather than relax more.  It is also a matter of learning to work with clients using deep tissue and keeping in contact with them and keeping them in their bodies while you are doing deep tissue.  It is about engaging them in the process and teaching them about their bodies showing them how their bodies work and how they can learn to relax tight muscles with things like breathing and awareness.  Getting them to notice the change that occurs in their body when you are working on them can help to show them the value of massage and what it can do which will hopefully help you in getting regular weekly clients.

While the Zentherapy deep tissue is now too extreme for me now, I did learn some key things to doing deep tissue through their trainings.  One of them is to use your body and your breathing to apply deep tissue pressure instead of trying to use strength or force.   I first let my elbow or knuckle or fingertips touch the surface and then take a deep breath myself and allow my body to relax and ‘sink into’ the clients body gently yet firmly.

Most spas and massage franchises say that they are doing deep tissue massage but I have found to be the work and skills very inconsistent.  It also seems like many spas define deep tissue as just applying more pressure and don’t really know the difference.   So learning ‘real’ deep tissue can help you to make a difference in your job performance and help to set you aside from the other massage therapists at places like these.  There isn’t a clear definition of deep tissue massage that is understood even among massage therapists.  So when clients are getting deep tissue at one place and it is just deeper pressure, they don’t really get the full understanding of what deep tissue could really be like.  Things like this make it challenging for massage therapists to be in and stay in business and find jobs.  How a clear definition can be created and put into the hands of every massage therapist is the issue.

To explain further with an example:  I do deep tissue massage and triggerpoint therapy work.  I had a client come in a few weeks ago saying he had been seeing a MT at a local franchise weekly for over a year but he was in a significant amount of pain.  He had been getting deep tissue massage.  When I worked on him one time he said he had never gotten a massage like that and most of his pain was gone.

I used to even give clients a handout on getting deep tissue massage but now I just verbally talk to people about deep tissue work.

It is important if you are learning deep tissue to be worked on  people who are doing good deep tissue.  It is also recommended that you practice and learn. It takes a few years or more to be really good and proficient in deep tissue massage. I have outlined some of the things about deep tissue massage on the main website and am also creating a section on deep tissue massage on my other website -www.massage-career-guides.com to help teach massage students about the concepts of deep tissue massage to help them decide on a course of study.  Share your stories there about how learning deep tissue or getting deep tissue massage has helped you.

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Massage Advanced Certification?

October 24, 2010 Julie Onofrio Licensing and Legislation, Massage Politics, News

The NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) is currently in the process of creating an advanced certification massage exam.  I have to say I am skeptical right from the start and always have been since the inception of this organization.  It was created back in 1988 just when I was getting out of massage school. Their history is quite rocky to begin with. I was never a supporter mainly because I saw how it was created.  There was never any research done from what I could see at that time to see if it was needed.  It was supposed to be an entrance exam for the AMTA and it somehow all of a sudden just became a certification exam for the massage profession.  It was funded by AMTA for starters.  They did pay the money back to AMTA and are now independent of AMTA and in fact AMTA has disowned them and does not professionally endorse them any longer and changed their support to the Federation of Massage State Boards exam -the MBLex (AMTA Press Release).

The latest news from the NCB says in their latest news(pdf):

The credential will be the first to enable accomplished practitioners to differentiate themselves in the massage marketplace. It will also make it possible for employers and members of the conventional and integrative healthcare arenas to hire practitioners based on a certified, advanced level of experience and expertise.

Is that what is needed for a massage therapist to differentiate themselves in the marketplace?  What proof is there that an exam will help do that?  What about teaching MT to do just that by learning a specialty and learning to present themselves in a way that differentiates themselves from all of the other massage therapists out there in their neighborhood.  If everyone takes the exam – will they all be differentiated?

Those who earn the advanced credential will be nationally recognized for possessing the critical thinking skills necessary to function in complex situations. In addition, they will be relied upon for their ability to work in a team environment utilizing treatment plans based on research-informed outcomes.

How will they get that training in critical thinking skills and on research when most of the massage therapists out there have little training in research since research is really just in it’s infancy in this profession.

“NCAP practitioners will offer the advanced capabilities increasingly sought out by discerning clients, employers and healthcare providers,” said NCBTMB Chair Neal Delaporta. “The credential will open up new opportunities for therapists in conventional, integrative and clinical healthcare settings. It has the potential to take the entire profession to a new level within the medical community.

Is that what will help us be recognized as a health care profession and be able to work in the medical community billing major medical insurance companies and working with injuries and diseases?  Here in WA State we are already recognized as a health care profession and we are able to work with doctors and insurance companies.  We are able to do that because we had a very savvy insurance commissioner who also had a great massage therapist – Lori Belenski- who is now working for the WA State Chiropractors Association as a lobbyist.  Debra Senn, the insurance commissioner created a law that mandated that insurance companies must pay for massage, Naturopaths and Acupuncturists.  The WA State Legislature adopted the “every category of provider” mandate as part of the 1993, Health Care Reform Act to go into effect in 1996.  The insurance companies fought it and took it into Superior Court and held it up until 2000.  Here is the report done at the time “Issues in Coverage for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Services: Report of the Clinician Workgroup Jan. 2000.  The full report that I have a copy of lists the timeline of events leading to the passing of this law.

Does it take an exam to make massage accepted by insurance companies?  Not based on WA State since we only have the minimum of 500 hours of education required for massage professional licensing.

What will take the profession to a new level is having reciprocal licensing!  Come on already!  That’s a simple one to me anyways.

Chair-Elect Alexa Zaledonis added, “For practitioners with the NCAP credential, it means a potential for increased marketability and heightened earning power. It will help connect advanced therapists of all modalities to rewarding positions with high-level employers.”

How will it do that when the major employer in the massage profession are massage franchises.  There aren’t any higher level jobs or at least very few.  What it takes to find or create higher paying jobs is saying “NO” to low paying jobs and going out there and showing employers just what massage can do and how much you can make for an employer.  It is about having the skills to market yourself and negotiate pay – just like most other careers.  Since most massage therapists are locked in the “Noble Poverty” – “It’s not about the money” – too many Massage Therapists are not standing up for themselves and are looking for what a job can do for them rather than what they can do for a job.

The next step is a job task analysis “that will ask practitioners to determine the knowledge, skills and abilities that an “advanced practitioner” must possess, as well as the level of importance that should be placed on each.”

What makes for an advanced massage therapist?  Is it their skills and training?  Is it the amount of time they last in the field?  With over 250 different kinds of massage and bodywork out there (and that number growing everyday)- how will they come up with skills that all types of massage therapists will be able to acquire?

In 2009, the NCBTMB did a needs assessment survey to ask the profession to help define the criteria for the possible exam.  The survey looked at:

•Defining the Advanced Practitioner
•Identifying the Necessary Characteristics of Advanced Certification
•Identifying the Criteria for Advanced Certification

Personally, I find it interesting that they didn’t ask if they thought an advanced certification was needed.  They just assumed that it was and went on to ask questions about it.   Since I never saw any benefit to the regular certification exam, what will people get out of the massage advanced certification?  I have never in 23 years been asked if I was licensed or certified.  I guess I am lucky to live in an area where massage is accepted more and seems to be ahead of the game in being accepted by health care companies.

What makes for an advanced massage therapist?  Anyone who can last more than 3-5 years would qualify in my book!

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Massage School Websites

November 29, 2009 Julie Onofrio Become a Massage Therapist

I have just been doing some research to start adding some massage schools to my massage school directory and my first impression is that massage school websites really need help!

The first one I went to I looked around a bit and finally got to a page that said that the school had closed and was no longer in business.  It wasn’t on their first page!  Yikes.  No wonder they went out of business.

Here are some things to look for on a massage school website to help you make a decision about choosing that massage school:

  • Look for info on their classes and the cost of the classes.
  • Schools that just have a form that you fill out without providing any info are of course trying to ‘sell’ you on their school so beware.
  • Look for info on the teachers – not only their bio but if they are a qualified teacher or if they have a successful massage business.  Many teachers are just former students with no teaching experience.
  • Look for things like a mission statement and vision for the school.  A good mission and vision statement will be about the massage students and the massage profession.  Many schools missions are very vague and not very carefully thought through.  One of the ones I saw was something like “Teach massage students and heal the world one by one”.  Nice and noble but is it real?
  • Look for an intro half day or full day class to give you an intro to the massage profession and see if you like to touch people who are half naked!  Yes you have to touch people!  That includes hairy backs, scars, overweight people with all kinds of diseases and conditions.
  • Look for an open house event if they don’t have an intro class.
  • Visit the student clinic if they have one and get a few massages.  Talk to the students and teachers.
  • Pass rates for students going through the testing process can be manipulated.  Instead of pass rates ask for a list of successful graduates who are working in the field or have their own business.

These are just a few of the things to look for on massage school websites.

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National Massage Board needs help

October 10, 2009 Julie Onofrio Licensing and Legislation, News

The National Certification Board for Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) needs some serious help.  Their press release (pdf)last month indicates that they are moving ahead with their project to create an advanced credentialing.  What I find most interesting is that they are moving ahead without really finding out if the massage profession even wants or needs an advanced credential.

They are doing a very short survey to massage therapists but it was only sent out to their current members as far as I know which is also very biased. (Correct me if I am wrong on that.)

Seriously folks – you have to take the survey and/or contact the NCBTMB to tell them your opinions or they are going to waste your money again!

This is the contact information from the press release:

For additional information, contact NCBTMB Director of Exam Development Elizabeth Langston, CAE, at 630-652-0482 or elangston@ncbtmb.org.

A few notes:

anyone can take the survey and anyone can take it multiple times…

The survey was only sent out to NCBTMB members.

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