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Some career training can be better undertaken as an adult rather than as a high school graduate, and massage school is a good example of this. Added maturity is often a big plus when it comes to studying massage therapy.

Eight reasons to attend massage school as an adult:

• Freedom of choice. Adult learners study because they want to. Reasons why high school graduates attend massage school may sometimes be due to the expectations of parents or peers. Adults have a fuller knowledge of what they expect from life and how they intend to achieve those goals.

• Background knowledge. Mature students bring with them many life experiences, aspirations, and interests. This richness adds greatly to the learning experience.  

• Networking. While younger students often socialize and attend every event possible, adult learners are not so pressurized to blend in. Lasting friendships and contacts can be built up as a result of this fact.

• Flexibility. Adult learners may have other work commitments and family responsibilities. Massage school is ideal as it can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis and fitted into existing schedules.

• Maturity. A massage therapist is not only proficient in the hands-on skills of the trade, but is a life coach, an excellent listener, and a good observer. An older person is often more naturally skilled in offering this type of holistic approach.

• Interest. Adult learners often want to know why they have to study different aspects of massage training, and are not just prepared to learn by rote. This curiosity results in an added depth to their knowledge.

• Motivation. Going to school as an adult means that other people, such as family members, are involved and will be affected if the student runs up financial debt and then drops out of the massage school course. The drive to succeed in order to be able to support dependents is great.

• Improvement. Students who achieve mediocre results at school level often excel when they study as adults. This is because they deliberately form new learning habits and ways of doing homework.

Massage therapy is a career that is often undertaken by adult learners who trained in another vocation when they left school. It’s an ideal second career, and anyone interested in attending massage school should contact us at (206) 932-5950 or Click Here to Apply Now!

Currently, the field of aromatherapy is an unlicensed and unregistered one in the United States.  There is no expectation that this will change in the near future, but if you are considering aromatherapy as your occupational area of interest, you may wish to obtain accredited certification.  By being certified, you will be able to assure your clients and treatment recipients that you possess up-to-date knowledge on the field’s safety, health-related concerns, and standards of practice.

Receiving certification through the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) also provides your clients the assurance that you have taken educational classes in aromatherapy and have completed the certification requirements of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA).  This credential gives your treatment recipients the confidence of knowing that you are an educated and informed practitioner in the field of aromatherapy instead of a fly-by-night snake oil charlatan.

To obtain certification, you would need to find an educational institution or other facility that offers classes in aromatherapy.  You will want to make sure the school is approved by the NAHA so your certification will be officially recognized.  Many schools offer online or distance learning for their curriculum, but attending classes in-person is much more beneficial and rewarding.  Aromatherapy requires knowledge of scents and the ability to manipulate them, so having hands-on experience with your chosen field is infinitely more advantageous than trying to gain skill through online means.

After completing the required coursework, you will typically take a final exam to put your knowledge to the test.  Once you have passed this final exam, you may then register to take the aromatherapy certification test through the NAHA.  There are various levels of certification that have different educational requirements, so make sure your scholastic achievements are compatible with the certification level you are seeking.

Many aromatherapists also hold a license or certification in another field such as massage therapy, nursing, acupuncture, or holistic medicines, and supplement their primary occupation with the benefits of also being a certified aromatherapist.  Whether you want this rewarding field to be your primary occupation or a secondary one, the benefits of being certified are well worth the time and effort spent to obtain your credentials.

For more information regarding Aromatherapy Certification please contact our admissions department at: 206-932-5950 or admissions@nw-academy.com

Seattle’s most persoinalized massage school.

The healing power of touch has been documented for treating and tending ailments for thousands of years, with the earliest use of massage by Egyptians and Chinese.  In China, documents authored between 480 and 722 B.C. have been found to contain references to ancient medical knowledge dating back to 2700 B.C. that detail massage therapy’s healing abilities and benefits.

Beginning around 1000 B.C., Buddhist monks from Japan studying in China noted the healing power of massage as part of Chinese traditional medicine.  The Japanese customized the methods of massage and this developed into Shiatsu.  Focusing on the Chinese theory of imbalance in a person’s energies, Shiatsu used massage to stimulate pressure points to restore balance.

Ancient Greece’s use of massage dates back to 800 to 700 B.C., where massage was used to condition the bodies of competitive athletes.  Around 200 years later, Hippocrates advocated the benefits of massage therapy, along with rest, proper diet, fresh air, and music, to maintain one’s body in a healthy state.

The use of massage therapy as one element of Hippocrates’ total body conditioning was employed by the Romans in the first century B.C.  Wealthy Romans were given massages in their homes while the general populace would go to public baths, where they would receive massages to improve circulation and limber up their joints.  This practice, along with the public baths themselves, was condemned at one point due to the decadent atmosphere it encouraged.

Until the 17th century, massage therapy took a back seat to other methods of treating ailments and injuries.  From 1600 to 1800, the benefits of massage therapy were documented but did not gain popularity in Western culture until the late 19th century and early 20th century.

During World War I, massage techniques were used to treat injured soldiers who had sustained nerve injuries or what we now call PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome).  Despite the benefits of massage, it didn’t enter mainstream consciousness until  the end of the 1900s, when an preferential increase for natural healing methods took root.

With a renewed interest in the therapeutic benefits of massage came the government’s perceived need for licensing and regulation, and massage therapy is now recognized as a legitimate practice for improving an individual’s physical conditioning and emotional well-being.  Despite the centuries of evolution with regard to the practice of massage therapy, many practitioners still hold fast to the techniques and methods of massage’s ancient beginnings.

Primary Source: http://www.naturalhealers.com/natural-health-careers/massage/massage-therapy-history
Secondary Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massage (Used only for the data regarding 2700 BC Chinese use of massage.)

Your 8-hour work day may help you get that promotion you have been yearning for, but it will not do your body and health any good. If you are stuck behind a desk the whole day, it should not be a reason to let your health slide. Maximize the use of your office space to be as healthy as possible, even if you take just a 10-minute break.

Here are 10 self-care tips that will help you transition from an unhealthy and unfit day desk jockey to a healthy and fit day desk jockey:

1. Stay Hydrated: While you are working, it is easy to forget to stay hydrated. This can result in stress and affect your mental and physical performance at work. Keep a bottle of water at your desk and keep sipping it when you are bored or thinking. This way you will keep your body hydrated. If sipping plain water gets monotonous, break the monotony by squeezing a lemon into the water.

2. Look for Reasons to Walk Around: Sitting all day behind a desk can be tiring and exhausting. So look for a reason to take a break and move around. Make it a point to take a short 10-minute break to walk over to your colleague’s desk to ask for something or make a trip to the water fountain. If you get a call on your cell phone, walk around while speaking over the phone. Taking short breaks throughout the day will make you feel less fatigued and you will be able to focus better at your work.

3. Take Care of Your Eyes: Sitting the whole day and staring at your computer screen can result in fatigued eyes, redness of the eyes, myopia or even astigmatism. There are special eye exercises to relieve the stress on the eyes and keep them healthy. Focus first on a nearby object and then look at a distant object for a few second. Do this every two hours. Alternatively, you can close your eyes for two minutes and move the eyeballs in circles clock wise and counter-clock wise.

4. Stretch Those Muscles and Aching Back: Sitting the whole day in your chair will not do your back and joints any good. Take some time out of every hour to do simple stretching exercises while you are seated. You can flex your feet, rotate your ankles and stretch your arms and legs. It will ease the stiffness and facilitate blood flow.

5. Take the Stairs: If you have to meet a colleague or supervisor on a different floor, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Not only will this give you some much-needed exercise, it also will help increase your energy levels. You will be able to concentrate better at work.

6. Bring Healthy Food from Home: Offices are notorious for having unhealthy foods, such as donuts, candies and chips. Instead of giving in to these foods, carry your own food from home. Pack healthy food that is balanced and nutritious. Also, carry healthy snacks, such as nuts, granola, fruit and raw veggies. Avoid burgers and fries and even too much of aerated drinks that cause more harm than good to the body in the longer run.

7. Keep a Close Watch on Your Posture: It is easy to let your shoulder hunch and curve your back when you are sitting for 8 hours a day. Incorrect posture leads to back pain, headaches and muscle inflammation. Sit close to your desk and keep the computer monitor at eye level. Keep your legs at a 90-degree angle and your back at a 130-degree angle..

8. Maintain Good Hygiene: In an office, you will be touching so many things that other people have touched. This is one of the ways to get infections. Make sure you wash your hands before and after eating and keep your desk clean. This will prevent you from falling ill or catching bacterial or viral infections from work.

9. Use Office Furniture for Light Exercises: If your office does not have a gym, don’t fret. Your desk or chair can be used to do dips. This will ease the stress on your body and mind and boost your energy levels.

10. Have Meetings on the Go: If possible, try and schedule walking meetings. You can do this in the building or outdoors, if there is a place. It will help you and your colleagues to get moving and avoid those love handles.

For more infomarion about healthy living check out our Seattle based massage therapy school.

Schedule a massage at our student clinic today – Click here

The benefits of massage therapy are tremendous.  It offers relaxation and reduction of tension in the muscles   leading to chronic pain relief; soothes back pain and stress, improves blood circulation and enhances the immune system.  It is very beneficial after suffering from trauma.

There are a number of careers that   are enhanced by topping up with a massage therapy education..  The extra credentials complement the expertise of certain professions that include the following:

·         Registered Nurses:  Getting a massage therapy education gives nurses an opportunity to engage in independent practice.  A nurse who is a certified massage therapist will do better as they already understand psychological and physiological body issues through their training as nurses.

·         Occupational Therapist:  The use of activities to aid people to regain performance skills that have been lost through illness and injury is the mainstay of occupational therapy.  The aim is for patients to regain the independence that they had both socially and functionally. Massage therapy education will enhance the skills of an occupational therapist through the addition of noninvasive and natural methods of healing.

·         Speech Therapist:  The conditions that affect speech, swallowing and communication difficulties arise from misalignment and distortion of muscles and organs. Speech enhancement exercises can be enhanced by skills obtained from massage therapy education. A speech therapist can massage the muscles and areas that lead to disorders in speech and quality of sound leading to a more holistic approach.

·         Midwife:  The pelvic area in pregnant women relaxes so as to allow childbirth. Soothing the pelvic muscles before child birth will lead to more relaxation and less difficult child birth.  If a midwife has obtained an education in massage therapy he or she will be in a better position as they understand the intricacies of child birth which will enable them to offer massage to those muscles in the body that are crucial during child birth.

·         Physical Therapist Assistants:  These professionals assist people suffering from conditions that limit or inhibit their ability to perform daily functional activities or move around   in the supervision of licensed physical therapists.  A physical therapy assistant will be more effective with a massage therapy education as they can offer professional massage services.  Massage therapy is becoming an extension of physical therapy.

·         Chiropractic Assistant:  The job of such an assistant entails assisting a chiropractor in office and patient management.  Having a massage therapy education will enhance the tasks that a chiropractor assistant can do.

·         Veterinary Assistant / Technician:  Animal therapy also involves massage therapy.   This would make an assistant to a veterinarian much more useful and valuable. Animals also suffer from conditions such as trauma that can be eased through massage therapy.

·         Doula:  Providing physical, emotional and information support to an expectant or already in labor mother is crucial for a successful and event free child birth.  This can be enhancing by offering professional massage services obtained from a massage therapy education.  

·         Yoga Instructor:  Teaching people to relax and feel better mentally and physically is the mainstay of Yoga.   Various exercises are involved which enhance flexibility, strength and posture.  Massage therapy skills can come in handy especially for those clients that will require a lot of work before they are able to engage in the more rigorous exercises. Massage is a great way of achieving relaxed muscles that can be flexed safely.

     Pilates Instructor:  A fitness program designed to enhance muscular strength, tone and posture requires relaxed muscles.  Massage therapy will come in handy to ensure that muscles are well circulated with blood before taking on the Pilates equipment.

Every day technology is becoming more advanced and more easily accessible. With powerful increases in computers in the past decade, they have become instrumental tools for education, enhancing the learning process internationally.

The Apple iPad in particular makes a powerful tool for students due to its mobility. The iPad allows students to have access to endless amounts of knowledge on any subject. Students with greater resources can advance more quickly, and have a means of troubleshooting when they run into problems, with far greater tools for finding answers than a physical textbook could ever allow for. With each student having this kind of access, the traditional teacher-led mold is broken, and enhanced. Fewer students require individual attention with self-guided options available, and teachers are able to focus where they need to.

iPad technology also appeals to all types of learners, providing something effective for any student’s learning needs. There are apps available for pretty much any subject that provide an engaging learning experience. Apps provide a wide range of ways to learn with interactive visuals, engaging layouts, 3D graphics, audio, and text-based experiences. 

Practice tests are widely available on most subjects, providing an effective way to study. The great advantage of the iPad is that any of these tools can be used anywhere.

Massage therapy is well-provided for. The 3D Bone and Muscle App provides a full interactive and three-dimensional display of the human body, along with video lessons, and quizzes. The Pocket Body app contains clinical cases, quizzes, and learning material all centered around the human body with a whole series of interactive displays.

The Apple iPad can make a big difference in a classroom as a sole learning tool, or in combination with a textbook for review and practice purposes. For more information on iPads, visit Apple’s website.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel either bursts or gets blocked due to a blood clot, cutting the supply of oxygen to the brain tissue. The affected area of the brain begins to die and this, in turn, adversely affects bodily functions controlled by that part of the brain. A stroke can have long-term effects on the body and the person requires rehabilitation to improve his quality of life. One commonly used rehabilitation technique is massage therapy.

Benefits-of-Massage-Therapy-for-Stroke-Patients

Massage therapy can improve stroke patients’ quality of life on a day-to-day basis. Some of the benefits of massage therapy for stroke patients are highlighted below:

Improved-Mobility: Various massage techniques can stimulate blood flow to the affected muscles and this helps in improving mobility. Many massage therapists also use acupuncture in conjunction with massage therapy to stimulate nerves and this can also improve mobility. One massage technique that can help stroke patients immensely is Swedish massage. This massage technique uses long and heavy strokes to help stroke patients regain their mobility.

Fatigue-Alleviation: One of the effects of stroke is fatigue and can result in stroke patients feeling constantly tired, sleeping too much, suffering from slow speech and movement, desire to be alone, showing no interest in their surroundings and suffering from shortness of breath. These symptoms can be alleviated with massage therapy and it can help stroke patients feel more energized. Massage reduces cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone, in the body and eases muscular tension.

Helps-Insomnia: Some stroke patients may suffer from insomnia due to dryness of the mouth, shortness of breath and stiff muscles. Massage therapy can relax a person physically and mentally by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. That is why it is common even for healthy people to fall off to sleep after a massage session!

Improved-Blood-Circulation:  Often poor circulation is one of the main causes of stroke. Hence, improving circulation can prevent another stroke from occurring in the future. Stroke patients often have swollen extremities due to the presence of lactic acid in the muscles which occurs due to decreased mobility. This can be alleviated with massage therapy, as it helps to stimulate blood circulation and ensures oxygen and nutrient rich blood reaches damaged muscles and nerves. This aids in the healing process.

Pain-Reduction: Stiff muscles, cramps and muscular tension are a common problem amongst stroke patients and this can result in pain. Massage therapy can address stiff and sore joints by increasing blood flow to the affected parts of the body. When these parts can sufficient blood, cramps and pain can reduce.

Alleviates-Depression: Majority of stroke patients suffer from depression due to their physical state. This can be addressed by massage therapy, as it stimulates the body to release serotonin and dopamine which are mood elevating hormones and have an uplifting effect on the person. In addition, the relaxing effect that the massage has on the body reduces the levels of stress hormones and helps to combat depression.

For more information about the benefits of massage therapy, download our massage school catalog or contact us directly at:

Phone: 206-932-5950

Email:admissions@nw-academy.com

Welcome to Seattle’s most personalized massage therapy school – Choosing between educational paths can be overwhelming and time consuming. Therefore, we put together this chart to show the benefits of choosing massage therapy school as your educational path.

If you have questions about massage therapy as a career option, please let us know. We would love to schedule a time for you to tour the school and meet with our director of admissions.

We look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

Northwest Academy Staff and Faculty

nw-academy.com | Download Our Catalog| ph: 206-932-5950

Premature infants often struggle in the early stages of life as their small, fragile bodies attempt to develop and grow. There are aids available for this, but some of the very best benefits come from natural remedies and treatments, including massage therapy. Massage therapy is an exceptional method for treating the sore, tense and stressed body of an adult, and while it does help calm a child, there are other perks a premature infant gains through the gentle, soothing strokes from an adult’s hands. These benefits offer long term benefits and help ensure the child grows up strong.

One of the most important benefits for premature infants is the improvement of weight gain. After a massage, a child’s vagal tone increases significantly. The vagal tone is an internal, biological process in which the vagus nerve controls and regulates homeostasis. This helps the baby develop tissue and gain weight at a faster rate. As the vagal tone increases, it also helped develop motor skills and the child’s state of being awake and active. In a premature baby, it is important for the child to develop these skills, as often times the first several weeks, if not months, the baby must deal with the medical issues of being born undersized and underweight. For any child undersized, this is exceptionally important and helps lead to a healthy weight. However, this is not the only advantage of massage therapy on premature infants.

Massage is capable of relieving common discomforts babies often deal with, including constipation, gas and colic. It is even able to improve sleep and reduce the level of stress a child endures, not to mention improving the baby’s reparatory system and digestive system, plus it also stimulates both the circulatory and nervous systems. All of these benefits make massage therapy not only important for a premature child, but any and all babies, as it goes to develop their body and increase motor skills.

Premature babies need all the medical assistance available to them, in order to ensure they develop into healthy, strong children and continue to grow from there. While there are other methods for improving the health of the baby, massage therapy has its ow place in ensuring the child develops properly. From improving weight gain to increasing motor skills and soothing common discomforts, such as gas and constipation, there are many perks and few drawback to massage therapy on babies.

For more information about massage therapy specialties or attending massage therapy school check out our catalog.

Any individual who is living with arthritis knows about pain. Studies have shown that massage therapy is a great avenue to turn to for relief of arthritic pain. The massage works to relieve sore and aching joints and is very therapeutic particularly for the knees and hands.

Massage therapy for arthritis not only relieves pain but also provides a great deal of relief from stress. The massage motions help to improve blood circulation and loosening of stiff joints and muscles. In patients who have osteoarthritis in their knees, massage therapy can improve the range of motion and overall improvement of function in the knee.

The benefits of massage for arthritic pain make it worth seeking massage therapy. Spasms associated with arthritis are reduced, synovial fluid is stimulated as a result of massage, which offers arthritic joints additional cushioning and less pain and the production of endorphins is increased. Joints are also loosened, which helps the individual to feel better as a whole.

Specific types of massage therapy that can help relieve the pain associated with arthritis include Swedish, deep tissue, reflexology, Shiatsu and myofascial. Patients are required to discuss their particular health status with the therapist, which can better enable the therapist to provide the right type of massage techniques that will help to ease their arthritis symptoms. During a massage session, the individual can expect the therapist to work on one body part at a time, with concentration on the tighter areas. The massage therapist may even recommend the individual perform self-massage at home and offer a few tips on how to do so.

Interested in helping people with a career in massage therapy? Contact us today at 206-932-5950 or www.nw-academy.com