If you’re looking to move into the beauty industry to focus on building a career in massage therapy, then we have an excellent article for you below. We’ll go over a few of the steps to becoming a massage therapist, how to succeed by following these and how to get into massage therapy.
For those who love to pamper their friends and family, you’ll be glad to know that this is absolutely a paying career, and massage therapy is worth considering.
Not only is massage treatment excellent for those who enjoy offering up a great, relaxing muscle massage, but it is highly rewarding too.
Helping clients with chronic muscle pains or assisting in muscle recovery for sport, you’ll be the right-hand man or woman for people who need a little bit of pain relief.
Make Sure It’s the Career for You
Although we’re pretty sure you’ll know what’s right for you, it’s still a good idea to double-check that massage therapy is the career for you.
You may love to offer up a good back or shoulder rub to friends or family, but when it’s your daily job, it might lose its charm. You’ll also need to keep in mind that there is a bit more that goes on in the massage clinic other than just massaging your clients.
A few other things you might be expected to do are:
- Scheduling appointments for clients
- Taking payments and working the front desk
- Decorating your clinic with furniture and other decors
- Designing treatment programs for clients with chronic pain
- Taking calls and responding to emails
To add, the massage therapy field is regulated, and you’ll also need to undertake continued courses and training programs to make sure you’re at the top of your game in massage therapy.
These courses are also required to ensure you’re a licensed massage therapist, though it’s not too hard to find a great course in massage therapy. If all this still sounds like good fun to you, then you’re already one step down!
Do Your Research
Once you’ve ‘researched’ yourself, then it’s time to move on to thinking about where you’ll be able to work, should you move forward with a career in massage therapy.
Depending on your location, there may be a high demand for massage therapists or low demand, and it’s essential to keep this in mind. You might need to consider a move to another city before undertaking your degree in massage therapy, or you could study remote and move later.
Almost all major cities have a relatively substantial demand for massage therapists, though the capitals will be your best bet.
Other things to keep in mind are part-time, full-time and casual positions as well as whether you’ll need equipment.
How to Get Educated in Massage
As we mentioned above, the career is regulated and does require an education to succeed, though there is a tonne of avenues you’re able to make use of. A few of these include:
- A Certificate Degree in Whole Body Massage
- A Common Injuries course in Massage Therapy
- A Certificate IV Degree in Massage Therapy Practice
Take a look at a few of these courses online and read up on their requirements and teaching styles. From there, you should be able to figure out which is the best learning path for you.
Remember that in the massage therapy field, there isn’t one single pathway like other careers, and with that in mind, you can pick and choose the ideal one for your lifestyle.
Get Certified and Insured
The final step in becoming a massage therapist is getting your certifications such as First Aid Certificate.
A few things to do:
- Obtain Your Senior First Aid Certificate
- Obtain CPR Qualifications
- Get Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Get Public Liability Insurance
- Get Product Liability Insurance
- Register with International Institute for Complementary Therapists
With all of those certifications and registrations out of the way, you’ll need to invest in some massage equipment, and you’re at the final stage of becoming a massage therapist! Either work on developing your business on your own, or work on landing a role at a local massage therapy practice.
