3 Most Important Factors in Picking a Massage Therapy School

Taking the step towards higher education can be intimidating, but finding the right massage therapy school can make all of the difference in your success. Being a massage therapist is an exciting and rewarding career that gives you purpose. You get to help people relax, heal, and improve their well-being. You get mental and spiritual job satisfaction as you see the difference you are making in your clients lives.

You also have the option of taking your massage business on the road and traveling the world, or staying local and establishing a regular clientele—all while receiving a great salary and making your own schedule. If you are an extrovert, you will love getting to meet new people, and if you are an introvert, you will relish in the peaceful serenity of the massage sessions. It’s the best of both worlds!

So now that you have decided to face your fears and take that next step, how do you know which massage therapy school to choose? Key features separate one school’s program from another and can make a huge impact in your ability to develop your career and licensures. These considerations include accreditations of the program, what types of specialties that program offers for your advancement, and the overall quality of the program’s curriculum, meaning how prepared you will be to work on your own once you graduate.

How To Choose Right Massage Therapy School? 3 Most Important Factors in Picking a right one

Accreditation Matters

When an organization accredits a massage therapy program, or an entire school, they are essentially giving their seal of approval that this school’s curriculum meets their high standards of excellence. Accreditations are a big deal because if a program is not accredited it can result in the state refusing to allow you to test for your massage therapist license, and thousands of wasted dollars on your part, as you will be forced to start your education all over again. Here is a list of Florida Academy’s accrediting organizations and what these entities represent.

• Council on Occupational Education (COE): Originally founded in 1971, the Council has 44 years (and counting) of experience which began as the accrediting agency of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1995, the Council expanded and became a national accrediting organization of colleges and private programs that sought to offer specialized technical degrees and certifications.

• Florida Department of Education – The Commission for Independent Education (CIE): The Commission monitors private programs that function separately from public education to ensure that the State’s mandatory high standards of education are met. Among the oversight of the CIE are the following areas: consumer protection, program improvement, institutional policies and administration, data management, and the licensure of independent schools, colleges and universities.

• Florida Department of Health: The motto of the Department is “The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, & community efforts.” This is completely true of their continuous oversight of programs as they ensure that public health remains the utmost importance to all health professionals and contributors.

Specialties & Versatility

When it is time for your job hunt, you need to think about how marketable you are. Not only do hiring managers want to see that you went to an accredited program, but they also want to see that you have a wide variety of experiences and techniques to offer. This is why Florida Academy has built our massage therapy program to incorporate instruction in basic, Swedish, chair, trigger point, and myofascial release massage. You do not want to be a one-trick pony—versatility counts! In our Therapeutic Massage/Allied Modalities program, we go beyond traditional specialties to focus on medical massage practices utilizing ultrasound, E-stim, TENS, near IR light therapy, and postural analysis.

Quality in the Curriculum

Throughout our massage therapy program, Florida Academy emphasizes assessment, palpation, and postural analysis. Why? Because these are important health factors that need to be considered before, during, and after each massage, and as health advocates we need to help educate our clients on the importance of self-awareness.
Our program offers 900 hours of hands-on training which means that by the time they graduate, our students have thoroughly learned all aspects of the curriculum and integrated these concepts into their sessions.

Choose Wisely

Take that next step toward your career and choose the school that will set you up on the path to success. Contact Florida Academy today and start your future now.