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Completing courses at massage school can often seem unachievable, but by following these simple motivational techniques you could soon be finishing up your school year and on your way to the career of your dream.

Visualize Your Goals
If your greatest dream is to open your own massage clinic when you are fully trained then start planning it and really see yourself graduating from school and beginning this career path.

Stay Calm and Positive
Even if you don’t feel like you are getting anywhere, always think positive. If you feel like something isn’t going well, then calmly discuss it with your instructors and see how to improve it.

Maintain a Support Network
Having a group of friends, family and tutors that you can talk over problems with is paramount to staying motivated. They will pick you up when you are down and make you aware of even the tiniest milestone.

Keep Up With Your Work
When you have assignments make sure you do them in a timely fashion – there is nothing worse than the stress of trying to finish work in a rush!

Learn to Relax
You have to be able to unwind after a hard day and learning to do this now is a great idea. When you let yourself properly relax you are able to tackle problems better the next day and you are generally more positive.

Massage school should be fun, but challenging – above all enjoy your time learning new skills and meeting new people.

Top Ten Questions to Consider When Choosing a Massage School

Massage therapy offers not only long term career opportunities, but is suitable for those seeking both part-time and full-time employment. As you consider massage schools to receive your training, be sure to ask these ten questions, improving your chances of choosing the right school for your given needs.

1.      Will training be offered in a variety of massage techniques? If so, which ones? i.e. Sweedish, Sports Massage, Deep Tissue.

2.      What is the schools philosophy? Some schools spend more time focusing on relaxation techniques, while others focus heavily on anatomical and physiological benefits of massage.

3.      How long will it take me to complete the entire program?

4.      Does the school offer part time and full time programs? If I wanted to re-attend at a later point to receive training in a more focused area of massage, is this an option?

5.      Upon completion, will I receive the necessary state certification and/or licensing to begin practicing?

6.      What is the average level of experience and expertise of the educators?

7.      What can I expect the average class size to be?

8.      What can I expect the total cost of my massage school training to be? Does the school offer financial aid options?

9.      What percentage of the school?s graduates move on to become practicing massage therapists?

10.  What kind of job placement or career search services does the school offer upon my graduation?

    Fibromyalgia can be an extremely frustrating affliction.  Characterized by muscle pain and numbness as well as a heightened response to any sort of pressure, the disease can be difficult to diagnose let alone live with.  However, that is not to say that effective treatments are not available.  In particular, many doctors and health professionals have begun to advocate for massage therapy as a helpful addition to a comprehensive treatment of Fibromyalgia.

A number of doctors began to advocate massage as a possible part of the treatment puzzle for Fibromyalgia once it was realized that physical exercise often helped patients reduce their pain levels.  Like exercise, massage therapy offers a number of ways that a sufferer of the disease can live a more normal life.  Massage is able to increase flexibility and range of motion in muscles and joints while reducing inflammation.  Therapy from a qualified massage therapist also allows a patient to increase blood flow to painful areas, increasing the rate of recovery from physical exercise while removing knots in the muscle tissue.  Finally, and most importantly for someone dealing with a chronically painful illness, massage can be extremely relaxing.  It has been effectively linked to stress reductions for pain sufferers and healthy people alike, and offers someone with Fibromyalgia an escape from the pain of movement.  For anyone suffering from this disease, or for someone who has a loved one that is afflicted, massage therapy is a viable option for pain relief that should be explored.

Since effective and successful massage therapy is very much dependent upon the trust and relaxation of the client, it is important that clear practitioner/client boundaries are defined. It’s helpful to take advantage of some tips for creating good client practitioner boundaries.
Clients come to a massage therapist with varying degrees of understanding and expectations, so having clearly understood boundaries can help set the right tone from the beginning. If the client is not aware of the boundaries (or that boundaries even exist!) it creates an environment where both the therapist and client will be outside of their comfort level.
Here are some tips for creating good client practitioner boundaries:

• The practitioner should take time to consider and define what the boundaries are in their own mind. This leaves little room for ambiguity – clear, consistent, guidelines create a more relaxing and productive environment for everyone;
• Some practitioners create a written set of boundaries and have the client sign read and sign them as part of the initial consultation. Developing these guidelines into a written form forces the practitioner to clearly think about and articulate where, exactly, those boundaries lie. Since the client has signed them, it is easy to reference them as a mutually understood point of reference should the need arise.
• Be clear about what you are able to “fix” for clients and what the limits are to the therapy you provide. This can help prevent disappointment from a client with unrealistic expectations of what can be accomplished with therapy.

The importance of massage therapy is impossible to contest.  Not only do you derive physiological benefits from massage, you also see the emotional manifestations of being absolutely stress-free.  A regular regimen of 30 minutes two to three times a week can decrease anxiety, improve your circulation, and decrease blood pressure.
Western medicine has advanced abundantly in our lifetime, but the technique of massage has existed for centuries with unwavering success.  This time-honored tradition has proven reliable because it works.  Massage is curative and preventative, an exceptional craft in the age of chemically-induced healing.  Yet doctors also acknowledge the clinical benefit and importance of massage therapy.
Stress (along with its sister diagnoses depression, anger, and anxiety) causes lasting physical and emotional damage.  The effects of stress expand to every imaginable human aspect, from sleep deprivation to gastrointestinal trouble to memory impairment.  A life lived with minimum stress is a life longer lived.
Massage therapy is instrumental in inhibiting stress, thereby reducing symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease and respiratory disorders.  The deeply penetrating touch soothes injuries and invigorates your body, leaving you refreshed, relaxed, and ready for the demanding activities of everyday life.  Don’t treat massage therapy as an indulgent luxury; treat it as a rewarding imperative.

While a great massage can facilitate relaxation for the entire body, it offers so much more for anyone active in sports. Massage therapy can be helpful for athletes prior to their performance, following their performance and during training. Massage therapy involves the systematic manipulation of muscle tissues using a variety of techniques; Swedish, kneading, compression, friction, vibration, rhythmic striking and stretching. Traditional western massage is the most commonly used technique by athletes.

The benefits of massage therapy in athletics include:

• Increased blood flow
• Range of motion improvement, resulting in improved performance
• Reduced muscle tension and fatigue
• Reduced recovery time between exercise sessions by increasing the speed of the recovery portion of the body’s cycle
• Decreased prevalence of muscle spasms following workouts
• Decreased muscle injuries and strains
• Reduction of lactic acid found within muscles, which are by-products of athletic activity

Sports Massage Therapists

Sports massage therapists must be familiar with the various muscles in the body and how they are affected by various movements during a specific athletic sport. In addition to traditional massage therapy training, they are often also familiar with techniques such as cryotherapy and hydrotherapy, additional techniques that can provide benefits to athletes.

The benefits of massage therapy in athletics, including both physical and psychological, make it a great option for anyone seeking to enhance their performance, reduce recovery time and increase overall health of their bodies.

US News & World Reports included massage therapy among the top careers for 2011. In compiling the list, the authors considered data on job satisfaction, turnover, impending retirements, and employment satisfaction. They also spoke with labor and industry experts and gathered real-life stories about job satisfaction. The Labor Department reported that employment in massage therapy is expected to grow faster than average, up 19% between 2008 and 2018.

A quick overview of the benefits of working in the field might explain why massage therapy was among the top careers. The majority of massage therapists are self-employed, allowing the therapist to set his/her own hours. Others work part-time in a variety of venues, including spas, cruise ships, sport centers, and hospitals. Some practice massage therapy as a second job. Massage therapists can generally practice with only a license, with no degree required (state requirements differ drastically). In 2009, the average salary was $35, 230. In addition, the massage therapy environment is low-stress, often including candles, low lighting, and soothing music.

Massage therapists can work in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. They may treat injuries, reduce stress, or simply promote general health. They may use Swedish massage, reflexology, sports massage, or deep-tissue massage.

For more information about this top career for 2011, visit the American Massage Therapy Association website at www.amtamassage.org .      

Take care of yourself this summer by making healthy summer lifestyle choices. You can take several simple steps this season to care for your mind and body and become healthier.

Wear Sunscreen
Protect your skin this summer and make the single most important healthy decision you can make this summer by wearing sun screen. Skin cancer rates are on the rise and wearing sunscreen is a proven way to help protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

Eat Seasonally
This season offers the perfect chance to add a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet. Make the healthy summer lifestyle choice to add in season fruits and vegetables to each meal and for snacks and desserts. Farmer’s markets, local grocery stores and even larger chains now offer a wide variety of locally grown, organic produce.

Get Out and Move
While the sunshine and great weather may tempt you to laze about in a lounge chair, the summer months offer the perfect opportunity to get outside for exercise. Working out wont’ feel like a chore while the sun shines on a morning walk or jog. Or, take advantage of the great outdoors and try something new, like hiking, biking, or a new sport, like kayaking. A lot of what we do in the summer already like hitting the local pool, also counts as exercise, and of course don’t forget receive regular massage therapy treatments.

In just a few simple steps, you can live a healthy summer lifestyle while still enjoying fun in the sun.

One of the many benefits of massage therapy is its ability to lessen feelings of depression.  When someone is depressed, their brain either inefficiently utilizes or produces less of the naturally occurring hormones serotonin, dopamine and endorphins.  These hormones are responsible for the transmission of messages along neural pathways and are the brain chemicals that help people “feel good.”  Prescription antidepressants affect the levels of these hormones.  However, using massage to treat depression is a safer alternative and one without the side effects or contraindications of pills or capsules. 

The right side of the brain is more active during periods of sadness while the left side of the frontal lobe is more active when someone is feeling happy or joyful.  Massage therapy stimulates activity in the left side of the brain, thereby increasing feelings of well-being and happiness and acts as an antidepressant.

The efficacy of massage therapy as a powerful antidepressant has been shown in clinical studies.  Massage is known to release both serotonin and endorphins from the brain into the body.  Although the exact mechanism for this activity is under study, studies show that therapeutic body massage increases serotonin levels by about 28 percent and dopamine levels by approximately 31 percent.

Do you dream of running your own massage therapy business? If you’re looking at massage programs or are already enrolled, you have a lot to be excited about. Starting your own massage practice can be one of the most thrilling times in your life, but it requires thorough planning. Here’s a basic checklist of topics to address:

Equipment

As all good massage programs will emphasize, the most important piece of equipment is your massage table. Only go with well known, recommended brands. Consider purchasing a second traveling table or chair for events.

When it comes to comfort (oils, blankets, etc.), prioritize your client over price. A big part of what you are selling is an experience. Clients want to feel pampered.

Hiring

Verify that any therapists you hire graduated from reputable massage programs. You’ll either hire independent contractors or w-2 employees. Discuss the pros and cons of each with your CPA.

Licensing and permits

Find out the massage licensing requirements in your state. Any massage programs you attend should provide the education hours needed to meet the criteria for your state. If your practice covers more than one state, you will need to be licensed in each state that you work. You may also need a business license. Check your city, county, and state websites to find out how to register your business.

Risk Management
Get insurance against property damage, theft, and litigation. Hopefully you will never need to use it, but it can keep you from going out of business should the worst-case scenario occur. There are several things you can do to prevent accidents in your workplace. Check for loose carpet or exposed extension cords and be sure not to place candles near curtains or other fabric. Thoroughly inspect your massage table or chair to make sure it is in good condition.

Policies

Prepare a written description of your process and a health questionnaire for clients to read and sign. Request that clients with a pre-existing condition provide a doctor’s permission to receive massage services. Develop a system for your notes. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) recommends the use of SOAP (an acronym for subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) notes, which is a standardized method of documentation used widely by health care providers. Make sure you have a secure filing system to keep all records.

Marketing

It’s well worth it to hire a marketing and graphic design expert to make sure your business has a professional image. A website is a must these days, even if it is a one-page presence to start out with. Take advantage of social networking, and become a member of the AMTA to increase your credibility.

It’s impossible to anticipate every challenge that may arise, but having a plan creates a solid foundation from which to begin. Graduates from massage programs who address the topics above will be well on their way to a successful practice. Best wishes on your new endeavor!