Maine Massage Therapy Schools
Massage therapists provide indispensable services to their customers by practicing and professionally advancing the art of massage. Massage involves using touch to affect the soft tissues of the body for a variety of reasons, including pain relief, reduction of stress, increase of relaxation, and injury rehab. Massage therapists work in a variety of settings, including private offices and spas, hospitals, shopping malls, and fitness centers.
Wherever they work, massage therapists are expected to be well-trained professionals with a passion for their craft. In the State of Maine, there are various training programs approved by the State Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Find Massage Therapy Programs in Maine
You must attend a school that is approved by your state to provide training in the discipline you want to practice. Check with the school and the state board to be sure that your program of study will prepare you for any applicable state licensure.
Overview of Massage Therapy Schools in Maine
The State of Maine has approved the curriculums of 22 massage therapy training programs. Only graduates of these schools may receive a massage therapy license from the State of Maine. A sample curriculum in the State of Maine typically offers five hundred to six hundred hours of training, which includes comprehensive study of the human body, past and present theories and techniques of massage, and various business techniques. In regard to the human body, courses offered by massage therapy preparation programs may include anatomy and physiology, first aid and CPR, pathology, and kinesiology. These courses provide a foundation for basic knowledge of the human body and give students a basis upon which to practice the art of massage.
Technical practices of massage may be explored in such classes as:
– Deep Tissue Massage
– Hot Stone Massage
– Swedish Massage
– Chair Massage
– Spots Massage
– Prenatal Massage
– Hydrotherapy
Finally, courses in a massage therapy preparation program may include courses to help in business practices, such as:
– Ethical and Professional Conduct for the Licensed Massage Therapist
– Self Care for the Massage Professional
– Client Interview and Assessment
– Business Practices
Another important component of any massage training program involves clinical hours. The State of Maine specifies that a minimum of 500 clock hours of training must be obtained by LMTs, some of which must be clinical experience hours.
Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements in Maine
The Maine State Board of Massage Therapy requires completion of one of the state-approved programs (a minimum of 500 hours) as well as passage of the state board exam for massage therapy.
Massage Therapy Job Outlook in Maine
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the profession of massage therapy is expected to grow at a rate of 20%, which is faster than the average profession. It is expected to add some 40,000 new jobs in the next ten years. You can choose to work in a number of salon and spas or begin a salon of your own. There are also number of massage therapists who have seen great success in careers as self employed massage therapists. Take Wendy Decker at Reflexology & Massage, for example, who practices from home offering a variety of services including Swedish massage, deep tissue and energy work as well as reflexology.