Healthcare vs. Personal Care MassageThere are two main categories of massage therapy: personal care and healthcare massage. Personal care massages are typically offered with the primary focus on general relaxation or wellness enhancement. It may be provided in spas, salons, private massage clinics, health clubs, or other locations. Healthcare massage targets a wide range of … Read more
Overview Unlike other healthcare fields, such as physical therapy or occupational therapy, massage therapy is actually two primary “tracks.” The first track is geared towards the use of massage as a personal care service, with a focus of general relaxation and wellness enhancement. While massage performed for personal care can enhance health, the focus of this … Read more
There is a great deal of confusion in our profession (as well as many others) about the terms certificate and certification. We have an abundance of marketing and promotional materials in our field which advertise for “certification” in particular modalities or technique methods. However, this illustrates a common misunderstanding about the distinction between a certificate (which is … Read more
I’m not sure when it really happened. I guess these things don’t often happen with a sudden event, but with a gradual period of change when you look around and notice that things look different than they used to. For me I think it began several years ago when I started running across some articles … Read more
I have been around this field for three decades now. In many ways it has been quite astonishing to watch the tremendous progress in acceptance of massage therapy as a valid healthcare option. Obviously, we still have a long way to go but we have certainly come a long way in just a short period … Read more
I recently received an email from a practitioner concerned about a study he’d read about massage. The study reported that massage did not aid the removal of lactic acid from the body nor did it increase circulation, both commonly reported effects of massage. He was concerned that what he had learned in school wasn’t true … Read more
I have been having some interesting conversations with industry leaders in the last couple of weeks about continuing education and advanced credentialing. I’ve also participated in some lively social media discussions around these same subjects. There are certainly some strong feelings and opinions about continuing education requirements in our field. More than once I have … Read more
Grow your practice
Expand your treatment success
Develop confidence & pride in your care.
