Congratulations on deciding to become a massage therapist! This is one of the most appreciated professions because of the satisfaction you will deliver to others. Massage therapists are high in demand no matter where you live, and the need is only growing with time. More and more people are realizing the true benefits of incorporating regular massages in their routines, thus making it part of their lifestyles. Not only are you guaranteed a lucrative career as a therapist, the jobs are also abundant and only growing. Massage therapists help individuals relieve pain caused by day to day stress build-up, body tightening, injury or illness. Many people these days have incorporated regular massages in their lifestyle routines to proactively mitigate physical problems, maintain good posture and just feel better. A massage therapist’s role is very important and extremely meaningful, which is why the demand for this service has continuously increased over time. It has become one of the most popular careers sought after by many today. Most practicing therapists are employed by hospitals, clinics, sports facilities and smaller private companies that are everywhere. In addition, many massage therapists work independently as either business contractors or in private homes. No matter where you live, there will always be demand for your services and thus several options near you that offer these jobs. Whether you are just now starting your career in the massage field, or want to grow your existing career, this book’s goal is to help you meet your objectives. In the next few chapters you will find information about the requirements you need to become a massage therapist, information on massage therapy schools, online schooling options, jobs, salaries, career growth and more. There is an extremely high demand for massage therapists. With increased population growth, awareness, health consciousness and active lifestyles, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects massage therapist jobs to grow another 20-30% in the next couple years. Because of the growing demand for massage therapists, many are becoming more interested in this professional career. Unfortunately, most do not know what the requirements are, how to get into the field and how to thrive in a profession that is saturated with so many other therapists. Similarly, many others who are already practicing as massage therapists do not know about the options to advance their careers through either additional training, the appropriate networking opportunities, diversification, specialization and more. All the best to you and here’s to your career success! Table of Contents Foreword 1. Introduction to a Career in Massage Therapy 2. Three Things You Should Know Before Becoming a Massage Therapist 3. How to Find the Right Massage Therapy School for You 4. How to Find Information on the Best Massage Therapy Schools 5. Characteristics of the Best Massage Therapy Schools 6. Why You Should Select an Accredited, Certified Massage Therapy School 7. Are Online Massage Therapy Schools Legitimate? 8. The Main Differences Between Local and National Massage Therapy Schools 9. What Is the Cost of a Good Massage Therapy School? 10. How to Ensure You Get a Top Quality Education 11. How to Apply to a Massage Therapy School 12. How to Apply to a Massage Therapy School 13. Courses Offered in Massage Therapy Schools and Continuing Education 14. The Importance of Massage Therapy Certification 15. Skills Needed for a Successful Career or Business in Massage Therapy 16. Three Main Subsets of Massage Therapy Jobs: Clinical, Sports & Spa 17. The Process of a Successful Massage Therapy Job Search 18. The Need for Liability Insurance When Practicing Massage Therapy 19. Why You Need to Pursue Continuing Education for Massage Therapy Summary

This book features over 50 of the industry’s brightest female pioneers who share insightful lessons backed by several years of experience, as well as tips for navigating a successful career in HIT. The intent of this book is to provide the opportunity to capture stories from highly successful women to inspire the next generation who want to pursue a career in HIT and to inspire those already working in the field who are eager to advance in their careers. This book also provides insights on industry opportunities, ways to deal with harassment, the history of female tech innovators, and negotiating competitive salary and employment agreements. Additional industry experts provided guidance on tapping into venture capital funding and tools for career development. A comprehensive resource guide and glossary of industry terms are also included. Co-authors included: Amy Sabillon, MSI, Ayanna Chambliss, CAP, SHRM-CP, Lindsay Rowlands, MHA, and Stacey B. Lee, JD.

Develop the business skills necessary to succeed in massage therapy with help from respected massage educator and business owner, Sandy Fritz! With a user-friendly approach and comprehensive support tools, this authoritative guide delivers a working knowledge of essential concepts for employees or owners of a massage therapy practice and helps you prepare for the professional challenges that await you in the real world. - Renowned massage educator and business owner Sandy Fritz presents a practical, proven business philosophy for success in massage therapy practice. - Focus on need-to-know business skills for complete success as an employee or the owner of a massage therapy practice. - A companion CD with practice management software provides hands-on experience creating client records, setting appointments, entering documentation, and more. - Self-Reflection boxes put concepts into a realistic context through Sandy Fritz's personal experiences in massage practice. - Learning Activity boxes reinforce your understanding and challenge you to apply what you've learned in an engaging workbook format. - Good Stuff from the Government boxes alert you to helpful government resources and help you ensure compliance with federal regulations. - Mentor boxes provide real-world insight and advice from experts in massage and business management for successful practice. - More than 200 realistic photos and illustrations clarify concepts and familiarize you with typical practice settings and essential forms, records, office equipment, and supplies. - Evolve Resources link you to templates for building resumes, letters, advertisements, forms for documentation, and client histories, plus small business resources, annotated web links, a glossary of key terms from the text, and additional exercises and case studies.

Success in massage therapy begins with a solid foundation in the fundamentals! Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, 6th Edition helps you build the skills you need, from assessing problems and planning treatment to mastering massage techniques and complementary bodywork. Case studies bring concepts to life, and guidelines to professionalism include topics such as ethics, legal issues, and best business practices. ‘How-to’ videos on an Evolve companion website demonstrate manipulation techniques, body mechanics, positioning and draping, and more. If you want to prepare for certification exams and succeed in practice, this resource from massage therapy expert Sandy Fritz is your text of choice. Research Literacy and Evidence-Based Practice chapter includes new research findings and explains how research is done, and how to read and understand it. Comprehensive coverage includes all of the fundamentals of therapeutic massage, including massage techniques, equipment and supplies, hygiene, working with special populations, and business considerations; it also prepares you for success on the National Certification Exam (NCE), the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB), and the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). Over four hours of video on Evolve demonstrate techniques and body mechanics — each clip is narrated and performed by author Sandy Fritz — and include a demo of practice management software. An entire chapter is dedicated to case studies which offer practice with clinical reasoning and prepare you to address common conditions encountered in professional practice. Step-by-step, full-color photographs demonstrate massage techniques and protocols by body area. A workbook/textbook format facilitates study and review with matching exercises, fill-in-the-blank questions, drawing exercises, and critical thinking questions. Coverage of body mechanics helps you to create an ergonomically effective massage environment and to determine appropriate pressure, drag, and duration application while applying massage methods. A spa chapter describes the massage therapy services offered at spas and looks at the spa as a possible career track in massage. Adaptive Massage chapter explains how to address the needs of specific populations, from pregnant women and infants to hospice patients and people with physical impairments. Example boxes reinforce specific concepts by showing real-life situations. Coverage of multiple charting methods helps you develop record-keeping and documentation skills, including SOAP and computer charting with simulation on Evolve. Foot in the Door boxes outline the professional skills expected by prospective employers. Learning features include chapter outlines, objectives, summaries, key terms, practical applications, and workbook sections. In-depth HIPAA coverage shows how to store records in a HIPAA-compliant manner and describes HIPAA requirements and training.

This is the third edition of a highly successful guide to using massage therapy through all stages of the birth process, from pregnancy, through labor and birth, and into the long postpartum period. It is primarily for massage therapists but is also intended for physical therapists, other manual therapists and bodyworkers, nurses and midwives, physicians and doulas - any professional who wants to integrate more therapeutic touch in their work. The text combines what anyone who works with pregnant people needs: an exhaustive distillation of current scientific knowledge, alongside hands-on recommendations, specific techniques and business success from almost a century of the authors' combined experience. The reader will gain a detailed understanding of what is happening to the body during pregnancy and beyond, how massage techniques can impact those changes, and very concrete, applicable strategies for how to work with maternity clients to make them feel better. Amidst this abundance of detail about what to do, the authors also explore the flipside - what therapists need to modify and avoid to ensure that their work with pregnant and postpartum clients is safe; how to recognize high-risk factors or other complications; how best to adjust treatment; and how to work with medical healthcare providers throughout the process.

C.1 GIFT. 05-01-2007. $24.95.

Rely on Success from the Start for the inspiration and practical business guidance you need to enjoy a long and rewarding career in massage therapy. Business naiveté is one of the primary reasons massage therapists leave the profession. The author has written this text to provide you with the business skills you need to envision and then launch a successful career. Set yourself on your path to success—right from the start.

Accompanying DVD-ROMs contain ... "more than three hours of video on techniques, body mechanics, and more, plus anatomy and physiology animations that demonstrate concepts from the book."--Page 4 of cover.