How To Become A Certified Massage Therapist
Massage therapy is a booming industry, and not just in the realm of pampering but in the health care field, too. The US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the profession will grow faster than average between now and 2010. Americans are spending between $4-6 billion annually on massages. Massage can relieve pain, improve circulation, provide better lymph movement and just promote a better sense of well-being (and that's just a few of its benefits).
However, there is still sometimes that connotation of "adult massage parlors." While professional facilities should never be lumped into the same category as these "back door" places, the association still exists. "Massage parlor" and "masseuse" are words taboo at professional schools and healthcare facilities and if someone uses them, it's either because they do not know any better or they are in fact, one of "those places." Because of this, it is crucial to the success and reputation of a massage therapist to become nationally certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Certification from the NCBTMB promotes credibility, upholds professional ethics and standard practices, promotes continued professional development and more. Furthermore, while not required to practice in some states, 36 others and Washington D.C. do require national certification. And, even in states where this is not required, schools, clinic owners and other employers of therapists can't stress enough that becoming nationally certified is the way to go.
To be eligible to take the NCBTMB exam, a massage therapist must be a graduate of an established school that is state-licensed and granted a code from the NCBTMB. Also, the program must have included at least 500 hours of training, including ethics, anatomy and physiology and other relevant course material. We do not want to speak negatively about any school in our area, either opened or since closed, but a certificate program that offers continuing education units (CEUs) does not meet the NCBTMB standards. At schools such as Allied Medical and Technical Institute in Forty Fort, PA, the accredited diploma program is 39.5 credits and 730 hours. While the skills learned at a non-accredited school may be similar, the outcome is not. The difference is that if one is does not attend an accredited school, they are not eligible to sit for the national certification exam, which may affect the ability to open a business in certain areas. (Recently in Plains Township, PA a massage spa was prevented from opening because the therapist was not certified). This could also prevent securing employment at a professional facility. Therefore, attending a school that is not approved by the NCBTMB is a waste of time and money, unless the goal is for personal enrichment only.
Is a non-accredited and/or credit-free program cheaper? Could be. Price should not be the only factor in choosing a massage therapy school, as some disappointed graduates of non-accredited schools can attest. At AMTI, they recently had a student from another school, and his wife, contact them for help; they found out too late that the school he was attending would not allow him to become certified.
Another very important factor is that federal financial aid is not available for non-accredited programs. So, in the long run, a cheaper program could actually cost more since higher interest loans must be taken or larger out-of-pocket expenses must be paid to make up for the lack of federal funding.
If you (or someone you know) are considering an exciting career as a massage therapist, we cannot encourage you more to do your homework. Ask the right questions. Do some research. Do not let what appears to be a good deal steer you to a school that can't get you the career you want.
For information, contact the NCBTMB at
http://www.ncbtmb.org or call them at (800) 296-0664. Also, the American Massage Therapy Association is good resource at
http://www.amtamassage.org or (847) 864-0123. They can provide you a list of approved schools.