What is Massage Therapy?
As previously discussed, massage therapy is an alternative form of healing that helps people feel and function better. The massage therapist manually stimulates skin, muscles and tissue to diminish stress and relieve tension and pain in their clients. Swedish, or Classic Massage, is the kind of massage that many of us think of when researching massage therapy, and most Bethlehem NY massage therapy schools offer it as their principal type of massage. But keep in mind, there are numerous other forms of massage that schools have the option to include within their syllabus. Following are just a few examples.
- Neuromuscular Therapy Massage
- Deep Tissue Massage
- Sports Massage
- Shiatsu Massage
- Thai Massage
- Hot Stone Massage
- Pregnancy Massage
Practitioners that work in therapeutic massage should be referred to as massage therapists. On occasion you might hear them called a masseuse or a masseur, which is generally the name of a female or a male massage practitioner. Unfortunately, these names typically carry a negative connotation among the general public and Bethlehem NY professionals alike and should be avoided.
Massage Therapist Education Requirements
Most Bethlehem NY schools offering massage therapy require that the enrollee has earned a high school diploma or a GED to qualify. Programs can vary in length from several months for a Certificate or a Diploma to as long as two years to earn an Associate’s Degree. The lengths of the programs will also be State specific based on the training hours required for licensing. An additional factor that can also have an effect on the program length is whether classes are offered during the day or in the evening. In addition, an Associate Degree in Massage Therapy may have general education requirements and the credits may be transferrable into a similar Bachelor’s Degree Program. After you have received your Certificate or Degree, the education does not end there. The type and amount of continuing education you will need to complete will depend on the State where you are licensed. Some states require both a certain number of hours of continuing education as well as specific education in subjects, such as ethics or HIPAA compliance.
Massage Therapy Licensing
After your graduation from an accredited Bethlehem NY massage therapy program, you will then need to become licensed in the State where you will be practicing. The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), is an exam controlled and administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) and is required by most States as a portion of the licensing process. Some States have additional tests or their own, so find out from your State prior to enrolling in a massage therapy school. If you fail the MBLEx in the first attempt, you can re-take it after 30 days but will be charged another exam fee. After obtaining your license, you will be required to renew it in most states, which means complying with renewal requirements and paying a renewal fee. As previously mentioned, completion of a specific number of continuing education hours are usually required as a prerequisite for renewal. And if you should move to another State, licensing will be required for that new State also. Every State regulates massage therapy differently, so it is not safe to assume that you will automatically qualify for licensing. Check with your new State before moving to confirm that you meet the requirements to practice legally there.