If you are going to pursue a career as a massage therapist, there is a lot of education and experience that need to be done, and that’s to be expected. Aside from that, there are also certain skills and traits that you should make sure you have as you go about building your career. Keep reading to see a few of the areas that you can work on developing and strengthening outside of the classroom.
Strength & Endurance
Physical strength is one of the many things that you can work on enhancing outside of the classroom. When you’re giving massages, you’re using your hands for extended periods of time, so it’s essential that you gain the strength and endurance to do this. Aside from your hands putting in hours of work, as a massage therapist you are spending hours on your feet and putting all of your force and energy into every move that you make.
As such a physically demanding job, you want to be able to live up to the standards. By working on your physical strength and endurance outside of the classroom, you can feel confident that you’ll be able to perform quality massages on a regular basis.
Strong Communication Skills
A common misconception is that a massage therapist needs to be good with their hands, and their hands alone. The reality is that massage therapists also need to be good at a handful of other things, and one of them is communication.
Whether it’s a client that’s wanting to open up to you during their massage or simply vocalizing what you’re doing throughout the massage, being able to communicate clearly is so important. Aside from that, as a massage therapist, you need to be a good listener. Again, this includes individuals that are opening up to you about their day and want to be heard as well as patients that are communicating how they feel about the massage.
Are they uncomfortable? Is what you’re doing hurting them? Is there a part of their body that needs a little bit of extra work? Being able to listen and communicate them is crucial.
Knowledge and Education
An extensive knowledge and education is something that all massage therapists should have. It’s imperative in the craft of massage therapy, but it’s good for more than just that. As you work on a client, you’re going to need to utilize your knowledge and experience to determine the best way to move forward. It’s also incredibly important when you have clients with questions that need to be answered.
While the time that you spend in school is going to play a big part in your overall knowledge, it is also something that you should be working on outside of the academy. Knowledge is power, and you always want to be expanding your knowledge.
Get Registered at Estelle Medical Academy
The first place to start building a career in massage therapy is at an academy. Estelle Medical Academy is an accredited massage therapy academy with staff members that have spent years in the industry. We offer flexible schedules and countless opportunities for our students to take advantage of.
Get more information on our massage therapy program and schedule a campus tour to see if Estelle Medical Academy is the right fit for you. Contact our team if there’s any additional way that we could be of assistance.