Massage Certification: All You Need to Know About Getting Certified and Becoming a Successful Massage Therapist
Massage therapy currently helps millions of people across the country, providing relief from a wide variety of conditions; including stress, sports injuries and more severe ailments. It’s a wonderful career option for those who want to make a difference and help other people, whilst engaging in a role that provides a great level of challenge and personal development.
If you’re interested in developing a career in massage, and you’ve built up invaluable experience through attending classes and practicing on friends, then this practical guide will help you to move on to the next step: gaining your all important massage certification.
How to Get Certified: The Steps Involved to Receive Massage Certification
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Check local licensing and certification requirements: If you’re a US citizen, it’s safe to presume that your state will have some form of licensing requirement regarding practicing as a massage therapist. They’ll also have requirements on the type of certification that you need to have in order to legally practice in the area. The exact type of certification required is very much dependent on your location; so check with local authorities to find out exactly what qualifications you need to acquire.
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Seek appropriate training. Once you know what official certification you require, conduct a search online to locate all massage schools in your local area. The likelihood is that they’ll offer the right training to satisfy official state licensing laws, but it’s a good idea to make absolutely sure before committing to the course.
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Take the time to research. Not all massage schools will offer the same standard of education, and prices may vary dramatically. Seek out honest reviews of the establishment and make sure that you compare costs.
What to Expect Whilst Gaining a Massage Certification
Of course, expectations vary, depending on your location in the country. As a general rule, most states require at least 500-600 hours of training in order to gain a recognized massage certification.
How long this takes to complete depends on the nature of the course. If you’re looking to become a qualified massage therapist as quickly as possible, there are intensive courses available. However, if you’d rather take things at a slower pace, there are courses that operate around your existing working hours, or around childcare.
Levels of Certification
Although there are certain states that don’t require an official massage certification, it can be advantageous to gain one anyway. Clients are far more likely to trust your practice if you have the correct credentials to prove your experience and expertise.
Most certifications are locally based; however, there is a National certification available, which is largely examination based. Not all states require this, however, be aware that some do.
Remember that in addition to your official certification, you’ll also need to become officially licensed to practice massage. Check with local authorities, or your massage school, about exactly what is required by local law for you to start working as a massage therapist.