Massage Therapy-Therapy Cerfication Process

Legal standards vary across the country. As mentioned above, massage therapists are currently regulated by 33 states and the District of Columbia, also by a number of localities. To see a list of which states regulate massage therapists, go to Regulation. Almost all of these states require 500 hours or more of training and/or passing an exam. Some require a minimum of 1,000 hours. You may want to find out in advance what the requirements are in the area in which you want to practice.

Finally, simply gaining experience will help your massage work. Many massage therapists find that their skills improve during the first few years after school because they are integrating what they have learned with hands-on practice in the field. It is also quite common to continue to take classes and workshops - often in specific and/or advanced techniques - and add to one’s portfolio of skills and techniques. It is common to find successful massage therapists with several years experience who have taken hundreds of hours of additional training. In addition, some states, the NCBTMB (national certification), and AMTA all require continuing education credits to maintain your status.

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