If you’re interested in attending massage school for a future in massage therapy, you may be wondering what you can look forward to as a Licensed Massage Therapist. It’s a great way to combine your academic career with a hands-on profession, while helping others every day and enjoying a flexible schedule.

Like any career, it has its demands and protocols that you’ll have to follow. You’ll also be expected to take continuing education courses for your license and practicing requirements. If you think you might want to get into a massage profession, use this guide to see if massage school is right for you.

The schooling required

You probably have many questions about massage school, wondering things like what physical demands will be required and what kind of education requirements you’ll need for your license. The number of hours required for schooling differs from state to state. (Florida requires a minimum of 500 hours for licensure.) In addition to completing the regular schooling requirements for your licensing, it’s mandatory that you complete continuing education courses if you want to maintain your license. You’ll have to complete these continuing education “units” according to your state to maintain your massage license for the long-term. (Florida requires 12 hours of live continuing educating classes and 12 online based hours of continuing education every 24 months.)

The demands and expectations of the job

Now that you have a better idea of the educational requirements of the career, you may be wondering what the physical demands and other expectations are for massage therapists.  This is one of the more physically rigorous careers in which you’ll be kneading clients up to 8 hours a day, putting pressure on your hands and joints while standing all day. This is one of those professions with a higher burnout rate a few years after graduation for at least half of graduates, often due to improper techniques and not resting between massages. Self-care is important! You’ll have to make sure you are eating healthy, working out, and keeping your weight to a healthy number to avoid physical burn-out.

You’ll also need to maintain a positive demeanor with your clients, especially while they are in pain and making demands of you. You’ll need to be able to maintain your mental health and be prepared to provide healing to clients. They will be expecting physical and spiritual wellness from their appointments, making this career both physically and mentally challenging. Make sure you are seriously interested in health and medicine, that you want to help improve quality of life for your clients, and that you are willing to develop strong relationships. All excellent endeavors.

The perks of massage therapy

There are some wonderful and unique perks that come with working in this profession. Those strong relationships will bring much satisfaction as you watch your clients improve and help to be the reason they are healing. You’ll love the flexibility in the career with a flexible schedule, unlike the typical 9-5 work day many experience, and you can choose between working as a freelancer or as an employed professional in a spa setting or other facility.

The income can be wonderful in this profession whether you are salaried as an employee or working as your own business owner, especially since you are earning in relation to the time and resources you’ve invested into the career. Salaries are on the rise in this profession since the demand for services continues to rise.

There is a great deal of professionalism associated with massage therapy since insurance companies look at it as a health treatment for injuries and you’ll avoid dealing with the tedious, daily operations of the business. With the current high demand, you won’t have to worry about a lack of available positions, and you’ll find much flexibility of job opportunities between home-based businesses, traveling therapy, clinical settings, and more.

If you’re ready to get enrolled in massage school, be sure to use this guide to make sure you are prepared for the profession. It’s a unique and rewarding profession that could be the career of your dreams!