When you become a massage therapist, the best perk is perhaps the flexibility in the job. You choose where you go, what you do, and how you do it. The discipline encompasses the best of working with people from all walks of life as well as helping them relieve tension and heal injuries, to feel better and work and move with greater ease. When you become a massage therapist, you help promote relaxation, health, injury rehabilitation, as well as encourage clients to deal with stress and chronic pain reduction or management more effectively.
Would you like to become a massage therapist? If so, the steps below will help you embark on the road to working as a licensed massage therapist in the state of Georgia.
State Requirements for a Licensed Massage Therapist
Getting started. The first, most important element is you. As a massage therapist, you should be personable, easy to work with, and comfortable touching someone in an ethical way. Delving into a new career and honing those skills involves a considerable time commitment on your part. Before enrolling anywhere, ask yourself if you:
Some massage therapy programs run from Monday https://www.londonmobilemassage.ca through Friday, lasting over four hours (or approximately 21 hours a week) at the bare minimum. Other schools can have more strenuous schedules placed on the student who wants to become a massage therapist. If time is limited, some massage schools offer classes in the late afternoon or evening, or even a combination thereof if your schedule better permits a less-than-structured course calendar.
Researching potential schools is also vital. While you will cover many of the same basics, remember that not all schools are created equal. Get to know the teachers. Their teaching style may or may not jibe with the way you learn. Tour the campus. Is this somewhere you can picture yourself learning and growing?
Education/Training. The massage school that you choose should boast educational curriculum that is approved by the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy. At the school of your choice, you will be required to complete an approved program, which should be 500 hours or longer, and will cover all standard Western massage techniques. It is recommended that you do not purchase equipment until you begin your education. Purchasing a massage table prior to learning about table height can impair your ability to apply sufficient pressure during a massage session.
Throughout the duration of the massage therapy program, you will learn fundamental skills, such as Swedish, deep tissue, orthopedic, cross fiber, and neuromuscular massage therapy. You should also expect to become well versed in carrying out a physical assessment of your clients to identify key areas of the body to be addressed in the massage session.
In addition to learning a variety of techniques while at the school, you may also decide which approach interests you the most and choose to specialize in one area after you begin your career.
Licensing requirements. Upon completion of a massage therapy program, you will need to take and pass one of three exams approved by the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy.
Your credentials will be evaluated by the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy. Qualifying applicants will become licensed and therefore eligible to provide therapeutic massage in the state. In order to remain up-to-date with changes in the industry, 24 hours of continuing education are required during each biennial renewal period.
Affiliations. Once you are a licensed massage therapist, you must be willing to uphold strong ethical values. Affiliating with professional massage therapy organizations will aid in this endeavor and add to your credibility.
Affiliating is also a great way to network with other massage therapists in your area or state to discover the newest techniques and technologies and learn about new positions for a licensed massage therapist.
Getting a job. Have your newly acquired licensing number handy. You are required to write it out on all of your business information. You should also check in your municipality for business licensing requirements. If you affiliated with certain massage therapy organizations, you can receive pointers to assist you in looking for your first job as a licensed massage therapist.
Many employers are in need of well-qualified, licensed massage therapists to work in a variety of exciting positions. These positions include, but are certainly not limited to, spas and medi-spas, and medical offices, such as ob/gyn, chiropractic medicine, and orthopedics. Hospitals are also in need of the services of a skilled massage practitioner for cancer patients, rehabilitation, and pain management. The options are limitless when you become a massage therapist.
Wherever you go, with your newfound skills as a licensed massage therapist, you can help invigorate tired limbs and encourage better movement, improve circulation, alleviate stress, and bring smiles to countless clients throughout the day.
Reflexology, also known as zone therapy is an ancient holistic healing technique. The theory behind this alternative medicine is that through the application of pressure to the foot, the practitioner may affect specific reflex zones in the body, producing a reduction of stress and pain. While much of reflexology as yet to be scientifically validated, individuals who have received treatments swear by it, and insist that reflexology is responsible for reducing imbalances and blockages involved with chronic illness. Reflexology zone therapy massage is founded on the principle that specific zones on the feet have corresponding points that indirectly affect bodily organs and stimulates, heals and anesthetizes these organs with balancing blood circulation.
Many followers of reflexology prefer these holistic massages as an alternative to invasive forms of treatment. This safe and non-invasive treatment that massages certain points in the body to ease various ailments in symptoms relating to illness and disease. Reflexology is based on principles that are not involved in traditional medicine. Although it has been around since the days of Early China and Egypt, there has been nothing proven that zone therapy treatments actually heal diseases. Because of this, reflexologists will inform their patients to continue any other treatments you are receiving as a patient and http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=massage use reflexology foot massages as a supplemental form of treatment rather than an alternative. Combining zone therapy treatments with medicinal treatments and therapy may relieve pain and promote a quicker healing process.
After your reflexology sessions, the vital energy within your body will circulate more balanced between every cell of the body. This increased blood flow eliminates blockages that to specific organs. These blockages and build up throughout the body are believed to be the cause for pain by holistic healers. With this reduction of pain patients will also experience comfort and relaxation but discomfort initiallyshould also be expected. Once the detoxification process starts during the reflexology treatment, a patient can expect slight discomfort, a feeling of nausea, emotional ups and downs, changes in your body temperature, dizziness, mood swings, and drowsiness just to name a few. While these symptoms are not appealing, the result effects include relaxation, stress reduction, relief of pain in various regions of the body, increase energy and stamina and productivity.
Zone therapy foot massages should be received frequently to maintain blood flow and reduce potential blockages throughout the body. As an alternative to frequent visits to a reflexologists, specialized sandals have been created specifically for reflexology. The "fingers" of these reflexology sandals by the Japanese company Kenkoh, replicates the actions of a reflexologists and can effectively continue the process between sessions. You can purchase these sandals online at happyfeet.com.