| Many debates have occurred on whether theoretical | | | | taking the training and receiving continuing education |
| or practical massage therapy education is better. My | | | | credits. If you take a shorter initial training and then start |
| preference is to get a good foundation but then go out | | | | working in the field, you may be able to deduct the |
| and obtain some practical experience. You will learn | | | | cost of any future classes as continuing education |
| much quicker about what works and what doesn't but | | | | expenses. This can result in significant tax savings. |
| also have enough theory and training to understand | | | | Please note that I am not an accountant or tax |
| and properly execute the fundamentals.Regulations by | | | | advisor, and that tax laws change, so please check |
| States, Counties, and Cities vary as to the amount of | | | | with an accountant or tax advisor before making any |
| training required before being licensed. Our area, | | | | decisions based upon the tax advantages.There are |
| Sacramento County California, happens to require 125 | | | | some states that require 500 hours of training to |
| hours at the present time and Healing Arts Institute | | | | practice massage professionally. If you live or plan on |
| offers a qualifying program to match that. There are | | | | working in one of those states you may wish to check |
| other schools that offer 500 hour and even 1000 hour | | | | with the state to see which schools would meet the |
| programs. At first glance it may appear that a longer | | | | requirement for that state. Also, not all states |
| program would be better, but there are several | | | | recognize training from schools in other states.If you |
| reasons why that may not be so.One advantage to a | | | | are in one of the following states you may wish to |
| shorter training is cost. Initial training is around $1375 for | | | | check with your state about licensing requirements: |
| registration, tuition, and books on a 130 hour program. | | | | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of |
| 500 hour programs typically start at $8000 or more. It | | | | Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, |
| is a large investment of time and money for entering a | | | | Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New |
| field that you may not be sure about pursuing. In a 126 | | | | Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North |
| hour training, the basics of massage are taught along | | | | Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, |
| with how to help people without causing harm. The real | | | | Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West |
| training happens when you begin work on paying | | | | Virginia, or Wisconsin. In other states, like California, |
| clients. This is true whether your initial training is 126 | | | | licensing occurs at the city or county level where the |
| hours or 1000 hours. There are some things that can | | | | business resides. You can check with your city or |
| only be learned in actual practice in the real | | | | county clerk about licensing requirements. A listing of |
| world.When you come back for more training you | | | | massage laws in the states that license massage |
| have the option of choosing which advanced classes | | | | therapists can be found in the book "Massage, A |
| you want to pursue. There are many different | | | | Career at Your Fingertips" by Martin Ashley, or on his |
| directions to go with massage therapy, and you will | | | | website at: of the local requirements I believe it is best |
| excel best pursuing your own area of interest. When | | | | to establish a foundation of massage therapy |
| you take advanced classes after working in the field | | | | knowledge and then apply your knowledge to practical |
| you know what questions to ask so the training is | | | | experience. This is the best way to learn and get |
| more relevant to your needs. As you learn new | | | | started in my opinion. After some "working world" |
| techniques you think of clients you can use those | | | | experience you can return and take classes on |
| techniques on. In this way your learning is much more | | | | techniques that you want to specialize in. These |
| complete than for someone who took 500 hours of | | | | classes will also make sense to your experience and |
| classes before doing their first professional | | | | will be easily integrated into your practice.Dr. James |
| massage.There are also tax advantages to taking a | | | | Mally, N.D., runs the Healing Arts Institute, a massage |
| shorter training first. Most people cannot take a | | | | school in Sacramento that offers a Massage |
| deduction on their income tax for the cost of their initial | | | | Certification Program and Acupressure Certification |
| training in a new field. The exceptions would be for | | | | Program plus continuing education classes in subjects |
| people working in related fields such as: a manicurist or | | | | such as Deep Tissue Massage, and Sports Massage. |
| cosmetologist who is taking this training so they can | | | | The website offers massage continuing education |
| expand the services they offer to their existing clients, | | | | training videos or DVDs for sale in Swedish massage, |
| a chiropractic assistant who will be doing massage in | | | | sport massage techniques, deep tissue massage and |
| the same clinic after graduating, or a nurse who is | | | | a musculoskeletal anatomy audio CD. |