Want to Become a Massage Therapist

Nina in Portland, Oregon said: Focusing on money creates a conflict of interest for the caregiver in a therapeutic relationship. When the caregiver's material well-being depends on treating the client for money, her decision making process by default is influenced by those economic considerations.

A true healer should be most satisfied when clients no longer need treatment. This is true for massage as well, even relaxation massage. The ideal goal is for clients to manage their own stress levels. However, as a businessperson the MT must maximize profit margins by selling her services at the highest price. Many MTs actually creating the need for massage - not by harming patients and then healing them but by persuading them that a particular condition should be treated, even if no evidence exists that massage would actually help.

I have always been ecstatic when my clients don't need treatment any longer. Many clients continue coming back, of their own choice for the enjoyment of the sessions or as preventative care. what if I told you that I NEVER sought out clients and told them that they needed massage, but that I always fulfilled needs for massage that already existed and I still made $100k per year. What if I told you that I never had to act as a business person except to uncover needs that were unfulfilled in my community and fulfill them? I had clients in need referred to me.

I thought ALOT about money (my lack of it) when I was poor and overworked as an MT. Once I was making great money, I was able to never worry or think about my bills being paid, or my bottom line being met and I was able to get back into my calling: healing. I can see what you are saying, and for some Massage Therapists it may be true, but it was simply not true in my case. Whether I am the exception or the rule, I can't say.

Also, why is it that MDs, NDs, dentists, chiropractors, PTs can be business consious without repercussion, but we can't...

Meagan in Seattle, Washington said: Also, why is it that MDs, NDs, dentists, chiropractors, PTs can be business consious without repercussion, but we can't...

Very good question. I see that it gets back to the low and loose entrance requirements and lack of care standards. Massage is not medically necessary like the services that MDs, NDs and PTs provide. I completely agree with the tiered levels of education. That would legitimize massage and truly move it into the medical realm.

I was reading some of the disagreements that happened here earlier and can see a very clear pattern. One party speaks on an emotional level, the other logical. The disdain the two have for each other is clear. It's a good indicator of the gap that must be bridged for massage to move forward as a profession. And it reminds me so much of the controversy surrounding chiropractic back in its earlier days!

Now this is good dialogue. We're speaking calmly and rationally without judging, dismissing or being downright nasty to each other. I like it!

I agree! Thank you for adding your thoughts to the conversation.

My 20 year old daughter went enroll in one of those schools for massage theraphy. they told her she doesnt't need tobe certified in this state to become a massage therapist. They are making her all kinds of promises. Is this legal here in California.

Gardener in Washington said: Kinda like how most Joe's....ehem, plumbers make $250,000?
I know a LOT of therapists, none of whom make $100,000. It is very misleading
to advise someone like that. If it is possible, it certainly is not the norm.

My mother makes more then 150,000 year doing professional massage, running her own business. The problem with people is that they are lazy and have no ambition. It gets a little tough and they run away with there tail between there legs.

Belinda in Chicago, Illinois said: My mother makes more then 150,000 year doing professional massage, running her own business. The problem with people is that they are lazy and have no ambition. It gets a little tough and they run away with there tail between there legs.

If your mother reports an adjusted gross income of $150,000 on her form 1040, then I owe everyone an apology and will eat my words on this forum and every other place I've posted.

If I'm wrong, then good! I enjoy being proven wrong.

We must compare apples with apples when we declare "what we make" as a massage therapists. That means ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.

you know what? if you put your mind to it, and work at it, you CAN make 100,000. is it easy? no. do you have to work your ass off? yes. do you have to be a talented massage therapist, with confidence in your work? yes. i have made up to 60 without even trying. yes, living in nyc helps because you can raise your rates but really...all my feedback has been about my expertise and knowledge and caring and seeing that i work hard, from my heart.

massage won't make you rich in terms of money but it will pay your bills, allow you to go on vacation, save money, and live happy, provided that you know how to SAVE your money.

I am an LMT with 6 years experience as an independent contractor in S. California. I will be moving to Spokane, Washington this fall. Can anyone tell me what business is like there and what the average per massage pay rate is at a chiropractors office? I currently see 25-30 patients per week and make $45-$60/massage in the office. Off-site & privates $135/hr. Just wondering if the job market is similar in Spokane?

The truth is, the majority of the clientele out there want to go to a spa to get a massage because of atmosphere or extras that the facilities have. In that case, unless you have the capitol to start up your own spa (and it is expensive), you're looking at about $20k per year working for someone else. I worked at a spa and most of the clientele like to rotate around to different therapists and don't want an interpersonal relationship with someone as lowly as a massage therapist (my impression of what clientele think of massage therapists). Of course there are some wonderful clients that get to know you by name (and that is wonderful), but they are few and far between and not enough to provide substantial income should you decide to go solo.

I have been doing massage for 11 years. Burn-out is not just physical. There is emotional burn-out that can happen. Massage can become very boring. Repetitive. I'm reaching that point now. I have returned to college because of it. Time for a new career.

fluxgrrl in Brooklyn, New York said: I have been doing massage for 11 years. Burn-out is not just physical. There is emotional burn-out that can happen. Massage can become very boring. Repetitive. I'm reaching that point now. I have returned to college because of it. Time for a new career.

I am experiencing the same thing right now after only 3 1/2 years. I don't know what to do with my life now. What are you going to college for?

Could it just be a phase? How have others made it through the burn-out? Thanks for your input.

It could be a phase. You may shift again in a year or so. For me, I realized it was not a phase. Trying not sound like an a**, I have to say that I don't fully believe in phases of this sort. For me, I realized that I needed more mental stimulation. I could no longer handle the dark, candle-lit, silent, hour by hour day that made me miserable. Yes, one can meditate, but I could not take the constant silence and darkness and giving and giving and giving. Since I have returned to school, I am much better equipped to deal with the boredom because I know I have a new path. But really, if you don't have a back-up, be prepared that this boredom may stay and not leave. Hopefully for you, it will leave and you will be able to continue your work.

Good Luck!

Freida in Rietberg, Germany said: I am experiencing the same thing right now after only 3 1/2 years. I don't know what to do with my life now. What are you going to college for?

Could it just be a phase? How have others made it through the burn-out? Thanks for your input.

Depending on your personality it may a permanent situation and not just a phase. Just like fluxgrrl I needed more mental stimulation and social interaction. My college adviser taught me about 6 types of personalities when it comes to the work you should choose. Massage therapy can be good for realistic types (Prefer physical activities that require skill, strength and coordination. Shy, genuine, persistent, stable, conforming, practical), social (Enjoy helping and developing others. Sociable, friendly, cooperative, understanding) and conventional (Prefer rule-regulated, orderly, unambiguous activities. Conforming, efficient, practical, unimaginative, inflexible).

On the other hand, massage is not a good choice for investigators (Thinking, organizing, understanding. Analytical, independent, curious), artists (Prefer ambiguous, unsystematic activities that allow creative expression) and enterprising types (prefers verbal activities in which there are opportunities to influence others and attain power. Confident, ambitious, energetic).

Understanding this helped me realize why massage didn't work out for me and that it was OK. Don't let anyone out there make you feel bad for who you are! Good luck to both of you.

I am disappointed the kind of comments this thread has generated. I am looking for info about becoming a massage therapists and all I see here is a bunch immature back and forth. I don't understand why everyone's so up in arms about Julie's experience. If you don't believe her fine... say so and leave it alone and stop wasting space on this forum. It's not constructive. Hope you all find something fulfilling to do with your lives.

wondering in Waterloo, Ontario said: I am disappointed the kind of comments this thread has generated. I am looking for info about becoming a massage therapists and all I see here is a bunch immature back and forth. I don't understand why everyone's so up in arms about Julie's experience. If you don't believe her fine... say so and leave it alone and stop wasting space on this forum. It's not constructive. Hope you all find something fulfilling to do with your lives.

Other therapists have told me Julie is annoying because she has no credentials besides being a massage therapist yet pretty much demands you believe just like her, even if you didn't ask for an opinion. They say Julie condemns any experience that don't match her own. I don't know if it's true, but that's the perception.

It's too bad you don't see the beneficial in the comments here as well. I've learned much about myself and the profession from this site by reading both the positive and negative. The world is all about balance, both yin and yang. It's just as important for prospective MTs to be exposed to the negative because it's a tough profession and definitely not for everyone.

Peace be with you.

Helms357 in Indianapolis, Indiana said: I am wanting to become a massage therapist. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time but I am scared I will not make enough income to live on. Can you help me out? I can not trust schools that are trying to get me to sign up or the labor statistic because they always seem to be wrong. Please give me some input. Thanks so much.

Have a look at this website i got the dvds i earn part time what i was earning full time www.bodymassageme.com

Julie has been a massage therapist for 20 years, so she has the experience, skills and expertise to charge $100 per hour.

If you are in your first year of massage and expect to charge $100 then that is unrealistic. I am an accountant (nothing like massage) but if i left uni and expected to be on a CFO salary in my first year, i wouldn't even get a job. But if i did get a job on a CFO salary in my first year, my boss would soon find out that I didn't have the experience and I would get fired.

You have to start at the bottom and work up. My salary is 4 times as much as it was 10 years ago. of course it is, but I followed the process of starting at the bottom on crappy wages, getting experience, maturing, and the annual payrises come along.

Julie also talks about getting to find out your core beliefs, know yourself etc. Given she has been working 20 years as a MT i assume she is 40.

If you are in your first year of massage, you may only be in your 20's, so you can't expect to know yourself like a 40 year old. Maturity and self knowledge comes with age, going through bad experiences and growing from it.

I don't think it is fair for Julie to tell people that they should think this way, and be that mature, and charge x amount. Because I would be be VERY surprised if Julie was earning $100,000 a year 20 years ago when she started out.

I also don't think it is fair for everyone to "have a go" at Julie because she is trying to let you know, that if you start from the bottom, have patience, grow as a person, grow in your skills, and be prepared to grow you business in a way where perhaps you don't do the whole 25 hours per week yourself, but hire other to help you, and perhaps sell merchandise, and run a website, and write books and articles. If you trust in the process, just focus on NOW and take each day as it comes, then I think Julie is trying to say that in 20 years time you WILL earn $100,000 a year, or more.

Helms357 in Indianapolis, Indiana said: I am wanting to become a massage therapist. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time but I am scared I will not make enough income to live on. Can you help me out? I can not trust schools that are trying to get me to sign up or the labor statistic because they always seem to be wrong. Please give me some input. Thanks so much.

yes go to Straford intatution

I have been doing massage for 4 years. All at a high end spa. I was interested in doing massage to make decent money, work less hours, and to help others. I have done all of this, but now I am not happy. I am finding that I am not challenged or stimulated mentally. It turns out that I like to use my brain, interact with others, and experience new things. At a spa, I do basically the same massage over and over again, in a dark room, all quiet, usually no talking. At first it was a great change from my super busy insane job as a spa concierge. I loved the peace and quiet. Now I feel isolated, alone, and almost socially challenged. Sure I talk sometimes to my clients, but I rarely see them again, and the spa is so busy I really don't get to know my co-workers. I do like it when my clients compliment my massage and say how great they feel, but it seems that this isn't compensating for the lack I am feeling. I have also recently gotten injured, tendonitis. So I have been working through that, and also notice I have plantar fascia pain from standing for so long on the hard tile floors. It is hard physically and energetically, and psychic wise too. Perhaps if I worked at a chiropractor I would be more mentally challenged figuring out how to treat the injuries? I am not sure. In the beginning it was challenging in a good way, learning new treatments, perfecting everything...etc. Now it is a challenge being there. Not a good challenge. Maybe I need to just take a break, or change where I work, or something? I think for some people it is different. They LOVE massage and can work through anything. BUT I don't feel this intense LOVE for massage, I am great at it, I like it when people are happy, but....it is not the LOVE of my life. BUT even then the others I work with, some of them LOVE massage but their bodies are hurting, and they don't look very happy at all. So, I know something is going to have to change....

Woody in Woodstock, Illinois said: Depending on your personality it may a permanent situation and not just a phase. Just like fluxgrrl I needed more mental stimulation and social interaction. My college adviser taught me about 6 types of personalities when it comes to the work you should choose. Massage therapy can be good for realistic types (Prefer physical activities that require skill, strength and coordination. Shy, genuine, persistent, stable, conforming, practical), social (Enjoy helping and developing others. Sociable, friendly, cooperative, understanding) and conventional (Prefer rule-regulated, orderly, unambiguous activities. Conforming, efficient, practical, unimaginative, inflexible).
On the other hand, massage is not a good choice for investigators (Thinking, organizing, understanding. Analytical, independent, curious), artists (Prefer ambiguous, unsystematic activities that allow creative expression) and enterprising types (prefers verbal activities in which there are opportunities to influence others and attain power. Confident, ambitious, energetic).
Understanding this helped me realize why massage didn't work out for me and that it was OK. Don't let anyone out there make you feel bad for who you are! Good luck to both of you.

I am so glad that you posted this. I am going through so much now. I posted down below a few people down. I am really realizing that I probably do not have the right personality for massage. Part of it yes. But after 4 years, I have gotten completely bored and unchallenged. I am a little shy, and do like some quiet time, and don't like too much stimulus. BUT apparently this is just not enough stimulus or challenge at the moment. I do think I am more of an investigator and a little enterprising. To do repetitive tasks over and over is just too much. I do want to help people, but I feel like I give all I have in 12 hours a week have nothing left for myself or anyone else. THANK YOU!

Meagan in Seattle, Washington said:

I'll be honest, I am shocked at the level of anger and pettiness coming from people who are suppose to be healers. We look like a terrible group of people, and entirely unprofessional.

I've no idea where any of you are now, but chanced upon this forum by doing a Google search, looking to get into Massage Therapy... I'm honestly shocked at the anger and bitterness amongst the usernames here and a couple other sites I've happened upon. I've researched A LOT of potential career choices and this is genuinely the first to indicate so much hostility amongst it's "professionals". I sincerely hope this is an extremely small cross-section of the field.

I genuinely pray, 33 months later, you are all much happier and more satisfied with whatever it is you are now persuing.