Prospective massage therapy students need to become familiar with the regulatory requirements in cities and states where they may wish to practice. In-class training eligibility requirements range from 300 to 1,000 hours. States also require a specified number of hours training in specific subjects. Some states also require training from an accredited massage training program or school. Because most states require a minimum of 500 or more hours of massage training, there is a trend toward increasing the number of hours required.
In massage therapy training programs generally require a high school diploma, though postsecondary education is useful. Prior researches in broad subjects such as science, especially anatomy and physiology, psychology, humanities, and business are helpful because of massage therapy’s nature as both a science and an art. There are schools that require a personal interview. Individual characteristics and qualities, such as excellent communication skills and a capacity for empathy, are important due to the high degree of personal interaction involved in massage therapy. At schools selectivity varies widely, with the better schools, not surprisingly, being moderately selective. While being selective, schools usually are basing admission on whether an individual has the potential to succeed in studies and as a massage therapist.
It is optional to enroll in a training program that is accredited or approved by a credible, national accreditation agency. Currently, about 70 training programs and institutions are accredited by COMTA.
The selection is important for an accredited training program because that tells you the program has gone through a rigorous process of objective inspection by outside experts in massage therapy and education, demonstrated that it meets high standards, and can adequately prepare a student to perform massage therapy. A growing number of states require graduation from a training program that meets accreditation standards. Living in or will work in a state that has such requirements, this can be a critical consideration. It is enough frustrating to invest time and money in training only to find out that the training isn’t recognized when you need it to be, so it is important to be sure your training will qualify you to practice.
The accreditation agency is credible, because some schools may be affiliated with groups that have the appearance of being accrediting agencies, but are actually controlled by private, for-profit businesses and do not have the strict requirements that credible agencies have. Consequently, the guarantees one relies on through accreditation may not exist.
The curriculum of training program should cover such subjects as anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, theory and practice of massage therapy, hands-on practice under faculty supervision, ethics and business practices. There are lots of schools that offer a supervised student clinic that is open to the public and gives students the opportunity to work with a variety of people. Teaching programs may emphasize certain styles of massage, so it is useful to find out if a school teaches a style you feel comfortable with. Schools frequently present both full and part time programs.
Consider reading the catalog for a training program carefully. Ask freely a school about its accreditation, along with its philosophy regarding teaching and massage therapy. Many schools can provide an open house or a short introductory course, which can be a useful way to find out what the school is like.
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