MASSAGE THERAPY SCHOOL HOURS OF TRAINING QUESTION:
Hello,
My name's Casey Kinney and I'm an American student who wants to become a massage therapist, and is currently on the hunt for a school. I've been looking for a few months now, but only recently did I find out that Canada (specifically, British Columbia) offers some of the most comprehensive and thorough training in North America. I'm used to seeing schools in New York offering 1000 hours of study, so when I found out that British Columbia had a minimum requirement of 3000, I got a bit excited that someone would offer so much instruction. However, after I thought about it for a while, I began to wonder – what kind of credentials or bragging rights in terms of employment would 3000 hours of training get me? I just don't know if a person looking for a RTM would say to themselves, "Oh, that person only has 2995 hours of training? Don't think so!"
I know I want the most rigorous and in-depth instruction that I can get my hands on - I really want to explore everything. I'm just wondering if people looking for RMT's are actually looking for that or just the fact that I'm a registered massage therapist.
Thanks for your time.
SUITE 101 MASSAGE THERAPY RESPONSE
Hi Casey,
Good question. First of all, let me ask you this: have you ever had massage before, and if so, what part of the profession interests you the most? Some people are really good at relaxing others, and this is what they want to do. Some people are really interested in how massage affects certain conditions and are interested in helping people overcome their health issues through massage. Your own views on health and healing really will determine which school is suited for you. Some people really believe in the medical model and want to be a part of the health profession. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who are not as scientifically orientated and view massage in a more esoteric and holistic manner.
Does the public really care whether you have 1,000 hours or 3,000 hours. At this point, probably not. The difference between 1,000 and 3,000 hours of training is the breadth and depth of dealing with actual medical conditions that require a more thorough understanding of the pathology and treatment options.
I think that you should think of your initial massage school training as the foundation for your future. Where do you want to be in 10 years from now? Most massage therapists take continuing education throughout their career. If you decide further on down the road that you want to learn a different type of massage, the option is always there. However, if you want the most in-depth and rigorous training, check out the West Coast College of Massage Therapy.
Will your chances of employment be limited with less than 3,000 hours of training? In B.C., it might be an issue if you want to use the title of Registered Massage Therapist. Elsewhere, I doubt very much if that will be an issue. Because the laws and regulations are so state and province specific, I think you have to make that decision based on where you live and where you want to be in the future. If you can use the title of Registered Massage Therapist with 1,000 hours of training in your state, and many others for that matter, that makes the most sense.
Honestly, Casey, if you are good at what you do, and you do it with care and skill, you will be busy and your clients will be happy.
Thanks for visiting my site.
CASEY’S RESPONSE:
I'm entering the world of massage therapy with a very broad mindset, meaning I'm not solely going into it with a specific field in mind. I can't exactly put a label on what I want out of massage therapy, and consequently what field I want to dedicate myself in. I know that I got seriously interested in massage therapy after seeing a handful of people walk home with sore limbs and aching joints at my martial arts school. I had always liked massage therapy, but after seeing that I wanted (and still want) to be the one to help them get better, and other than being a doctor, the easiest way to do that was to expand on what I already knew about massage therapy (which, after researching massage therapy, was an extremely small amount of knowledge) and pursue it as a career. I want to be able to help people in general and be able to relax them and help them deal or even heal their pain, as well as get into the sports injury side of it, implying sports medicine and massage. I guess I just want to be a helping hand. You brought up a very good point in how I should think about my initial training - it sparked a lot of contemplation in me.
WCCMT is actually the school that I discovered and got excited about, so it's sort of funny that you should mention it. It also puts more of my confidence in the school, in that it's known by several different people rather than the select few. It's become my top choice school, and it's quite a jump for me (I live on the East Coast of the U.S., so it's a lot of ground to cover to go to college and therefore I need a lot of backing to go there), so I'm looking for as much support as I can get.
In terms of where I want to live after my initial schooling ... that's still very much up in the air, and consequently I've no idea what the massage laws will be. That said, I want to get the highest standard of education so that where ever I do chose to settle down I can do so with relative confidence that I meet the requirements to be considered a massage therapist.
SUITE 101 MASSAGE THERAPY RESPONSE:
Casey,
If you receive 3,000 hours of training in massage therapy, you can pretty much work anywhere in the world and never have to worry when moving from state to state or country to country, as you would be able to meet the requirements and then some. It’s a great foundation for your future as a massage therapist, and sports massage could be your area of specialty and expertise. I believe there is even a possibility for students to complete a Bachelor of Health Science degree in one year, here in B.C. at the Thompson Rivers University, after completing the 3,000 massage therapy training at WCCMT. So, do check it out and let me know if you are accepted.
Related Thoughts:
Discussion on International Study
© Copyright, Sylvia Carlson, 2006. Reproduction without permission prohibited.
