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In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. Why you should consider a school鈥檚 longevity.
2. You should receive a massage before you consider becoming a practitioner.
3. How massage can contribute to world peace.

Loving People Is a Must

Cherie Sohnen-Moe, educator and exam committee member for the Federation of State 精东传媒 Therapy Boards, highlights the importance of choosing a classroom environment that fits your learning style.

Cherie has a wealth of experience in massage therapy. From practicing massage for ten years and teaching massage for over a decade, to co-founding the board of the Alliance for 精东传媒 Therapy Education, she can spot a quality massage program and excellent therapist instantly. 

She shares that the most essential characteristic a good massage therapist must possess is a love of people.

[4:40] 鈥淚f you can find joy in working with people without necessarily having a lot of interaction with them and鈥� from seeing the results of what happens after a session鈥� then that鈥檚 good.鈥�

Look For Longstanding Schools

Cherie reveals that when looking for a massage therapy school, you should pay attention to its accreditation status. Then, she recommends choosing a school based on its classroom structure. This can vary, so it鈥檚 important that you ask how a school runs its classes and make sure that aligns with how you like to learn.

Before choosing a school, prospective students should also ask:

• Are the teachers certified?
• Does the school offer training and continuing education opportunities for its teachers?
• How many books does the school require students to purchase for its program? If it鈥檚 just one, that鈥檚 a red flag.

Cherie stresses that students should investigate schools鈥� longevity. Long-established schools tend to be safer options than new schools. However, if you are interested in a newer school, Cherie recommends students research:

• Who is the founder? Do they have a background in massage?
• Who is running the school?
• Is there a dedicated education director?
• What narrative do they present about themselves on their website?
• What resources are available to support students鈥� learning and mental health needs?

Believe in Touch

Most fundamentally, Cherie emphasizes that before you enroll in a massage school, you need to have experienced massage first-hand. You must believe in massage鈥檚 healing powers. She sees massage as a catalyst for positive change and healing, not only on individuals, but on society as a whole: 

[19:48] 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of hard to be mean to someone when you feel good in your body. So, to me, massage is what really contributes to world peace.鈥�

精东传媒 is an intimate profession. It鈥檚 vital that you choose a school that will help you learn its craft with sincerity and excellence.

Learn More:颁丑别谤颈别鈥檚

The post Cherie Sohnen-Moe | The Value of Longevity and Learning Environment appeared first on East West College.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. How to find inspiring teachers.
2. Why you should pay close attention to the amount of clinical hours prospective schools offer.
3. What a massage schools鈥� website can tell you about the quality of their program.

Look Inward First

Bob McAtee, massage therapist, educator, and author, offers advice on how to choose a massage therapy school that enhances your strengths and promotes your health.

Bob has been practicing massage for 40 years and emphasizes how critical it is for prospective massage therapists to reflect on their personalities and needs before starting their search for a massage school. 

He recommends considering prompts like:

• What is my personality like?
• Am I good with people?
• Do I like working with my hands?
• Do I have issues with my hands, arms, or shoulders that might be problematic?

[6:51] 鈥�Injury rates for massage therapists are probably higher than they need to be. I have a general sense that massage training programs don鈥檛 focus on the strength and conditioning aspect of being able to do the work.鈥�

Most massage therapists only last three to five years in the profession. It鈥檚 essential that students determine ahead of time whether they are cut out for the work.

Choose an Independently-Owned School

Bob prefers smaller, independently-owned schools to larger, corporate programs. He has noticed they tend to provide quality education and often are owned and operated by experienced massage therapists.

It鈥檚 a good sign if the school you鈥檙e interested in has a longer application process, an interview stage, or invites you to visit and attend a class. These traits demonstrate that it is strategic and intentional about accepting the right students.

Analyzing the websites of the schools you鈥檙e interested in is also a critical part of the discernment process. Bob says the best massage schools鈥� websites will:

• Have a social media presence.
• Give potential students a feel for what the school will be like.
• Have student testimonials.
• Publish graduation/certification rates.
• Provide information about its faculty.

Research Program Hours and Instructor Credentials

Look into how many practice hours your state requires for you to be able to practice massage legally. Then, choose a school whose program offers that amount, at a minimum. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have the foundation you need.

Bob believes that massage educators should have at least five years of professional experience. Seek out instructors who are well-versed in massage practice and pedagogy. If you feel stuck, ask a massage therapist in your town what school or instructor credentials they鈥檇 recommend.

A Strong Program Supports Holistic Health

Bob emphasizes to his own students the importance of ongoing education and self-care:

[20:42] 鈥�Staying mentally and physically healthy is important鈥� I also try to emphasize that massage therapy is an art and a science. The importance of having anatomical knowledge in our business can鈥檛 be overemphasized, but at the same time there鈥檚 no one right way to do work.鈥�

Great students and massage therapists are open to growth. Bob attests to how curiosity and a willingness to learn has enhanced his career and quality of life. 精东传媒 is a rewarding career, and Bob encourages students to pursue it wholeheartedly.

Learn More:

• 叠辞产鈥檚

Also Mentioned In This Episode:

• East West College of the Healing Arts

The post Bob McAtee | Strong 精东传媒 Programs Prioritize Mental and Physical Health appeared first on East West College.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. Why human touch is powerful and healing.
2. The first thing to evaluate when looking for a massage school.
3. Why finding a mentor should be a priority.

Practicing With Intention

Benny Vaughn, founder of the Benny Vaughn Athletic Therapy Center, speaks about the power of healing touch and how to evaluate the caliber of a program鈥檚 instructors. 

Benny is extremely intentional about every area of his practice. He has cultivated a space for a diverse, integrative care team to serve their community. He carefully designed it with all of the knowledge he has compiled over the course of his career, resulting in a beautiful, innovative experience for employees and clients alike.

Touch Drives Human Connection 

Benny highlights that touch connects us to our humanness. As masters of delivering respectful touch, massage therapists have a crucial role to play as we emerge from the pandemic:

[12:47] 鈥淚f [you] are going to be the very best at delivering touch, you should have the best training because… massage therapy is both an art form and it is a scientific form.鈥�

Becoming a Well-Trained 精东传媒 Therapist

Benny believes massage therapy is a calling that carries responsibility. It is for anyone who wants to make a legitimate impact on people鈥檚 lives.

In order to become the best massage therapist you can be, Benny emphasizes the value of choosing a school that will train you well. Good training will change the way you think.

[15:50] 鈥淲hen you go through massage therapy training and your thinking begins to change and you begin to see and think the good in every therapeutic encounter you have, that鈥檚 an indication you鈥檝e had good training.鈥�

Benny adds that good training includes being exposed to a wide range of techniques. A quality program will then teach you the fundamentals based on the type of massage you want to pursue.

Look for Longstanding Faculty

When evaluating massage schools, Benny recommends that the first thing you look at is the curriculum online. Next, read about the faculty. These are the people who will impart knowledge, techniques, and directly influence the way you think.

Benny recommends asking:

• How long have the faculty been teaching?
• What have they done within and outside of the massage profession?

When teachers have been at a massage school for a long time, that鈥檚 a good sign. Teachers stay at schools when they have success with their students and feel fulfilled.

[22:17] 鈥淭he student benefits… when the teacher is having a good experience with that training program.鈥�

 Other questions that Benny suggests students to find answers to include:

• Does the school perform teacher evaluations?
• Is the learning environment comfortable?
• Does instruction include a variety of learning styles?
• Is the school accredited? If not, why?
• Have there been complaints filed against the school?

Choosing a good massage school has a ripple effect. Your choice will determine who you become as a massage therapist, and your practice will make a difference in your clients鈥� lives.

[37:16] 鈥淵ou will become a vehicle of giving hope to people through touch.鈥�

Learn More:叠别苍苍测鈥檚

The post Benny Vaughn | Good 精东传媒 Therapy Training Will Change Your Thinking appeared first on East West College.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. Why we need touch as electrical beings.
2. The importance of finding a mentor.
3. The number one asset you should look for in a massage school.

精东传媒 Heals Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually

Tom Myers, founder and CEO of Anatomy Trains, shares how essential human connection is right now in both life and your search for an excellent massage therapy program.

Tom recalls that when he graduated from college, he felt emotionally and physically crippled. He realized that while his education had developed his intellect, he had received little emotional or spiritual nourishment.

When he started his career in massage, Tom found the holistic education and profession he鈥檇 been craving. And now, as the world comes out of the pandemic, Tom predicts massage therapy will become even more important for helping people heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

[7:44] 鈥淭here鈥檚 something essential in [human] contact.鈥�

Tom explains that just as people鈥檚 bodies were shaped a great deal by the industrial era, so our bodies are being shaped by our technology and screen time. 精东传媒 therapy can help bring the body back to optimum function.

Clinical Experience Matters

With over 45 years of massage therapy experience as an educator and therapist, Tom knows what it takes to be a practitioner that makes a difference. His advice: secure an education that gives you a strong foundation. 

When starting your massage therapy school search, Tom recommends:

• Clarify what kind of clients you want to work with. 
• Look for schools that focus on the kinds of clients you want to practice on.
• Call teachers at the schools you鈥檙e interested in 鈥� this can help you gauge the quality of instruction.
• Research whether the school will give you access to anatomy and physiology courses.
• Find a mentor.

Clinical experience is important. Make it a priority to ask schools how clients are assigned for students鈥� clinical practice. Is there team consultation? Does the school provide an array of different kinds of clients for you to practice with? Clinical practice should be guided and assessed by an instructor.

Choose a School That Brings You Joy

Finally, Tom highlights that good massage therapy programs equip you with two key skills that go beyond massage therapy:

1. Emotional intelligence: this skill will be instrumental in helping you connect with your clients. 
2. Business understanding: this skill is essential if you ever want to start your own practice.

At the end of the day, you should be excited about the school you choose. Your massage therapy program should bring you joy.

Learn More:罢辞尘鈥檚

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In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. The purpose of accreditation and its benefits.
2. School quality indicators.
3. The best thing you can do to progress in the massage therapy field.

The Value of a Well-Rounded Perspective

Cliff Korn, the chair of the Commission on 精东传媒 Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), highlights what to look for in a great educational environment.

Cliff鈥檚 journey to becoming a massage therapist is unique. From his time in the Navy, to working in sales, and then becoming a massage therapy practitioner and accreditation chair, his diverse experience has helped him gain a well-rounded perspective. He says this is an important aspect of his success as a practitioner, teacher, and evaluator of massage.

Why Accreditations Matters

In his current position at COMTA, Cliff heads the committee that determines whether a school can or can鈥檛 be accredited. He explains that accreditation is a level of standards by which an institution agrees to be measured, similar to a peer review.

[12:17] 鈥�That鈥檚 really what accreditation is: It鈥檚 a peer review.鈥�

While you still can become a good massage therapist if you go to a school that isn鈥檛 accredited, accreditation ensures students get an education that meets standards that are valid across the country. Cliff highlights a few ways accredited schools set themselves apart.

1. They teach how to make patient assessments.
2. They teach research literacy.
3. Their students have access to U.S. financial aid.
4. Their curriculum content is peer reviewed.

School Quality Indicators

Cliff urges prospective students to define their unique goals. Consider the following questions when beginning to evaluate which school is best for you:

• Why do you want to get into massage therapy in the first place?
• What area of practice do you envision yourself enjoying? Sports massage, private practice, medispa, etc.?

Look at school websites for bios of past students. See if anyone from that program specialized in the area of massage you鈥檙e interested in. Hire an alum to give you a massage and pick their brain about the program.

Call the school you鈥檙e considering, visit it, and make time to talk to the alumni. Understanding your school options in light of the context of your own experience, rather than their marketing, is important. 

Pay attention to the instructors鈥� teaching experience. Cliff says it鈥檚 not enough that the instructor has practiced massage.

[24:33] 鈥淵ou really want to make sure you鈥檙e not getting last year鈥檚 students as this year鈥檚 teachers.鈥�

精东传媒 therapy offers many routes for success. In Cliff鈥檚 experience, success came most profoundly through volunteering his time:

[27:46] 鈥淚 find that one of the most important things you can do to progress in the [massage therapy] field is to give back to the field.鈥�

Learn More:

• Cliff鈥檚 COMTA

The post Cliff Korn | Why 精东传媒 School Accreditation Matters appeared first on East West College.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. Questions to ask during your search for a massage therapy program
2. Physical signs to pay attention to when making a campus visit
3. How to spot programs that will help you develop your critical reasoning

Quality Education Is Fundamental for Career Success

Whitney Lowe, founder and director of the Academy of Clinical 精东传媒, shares how to find a quality massage therapy program and build a sustainable career.

精东传媒 therapy has the capacity to change people鈥檚 lives in profound ways. When Whitney was pursuing graduate studies in psychology in the 鈥�80s, he was starting to get burned out. He decided to become a massage therapist to pay his way through his degree while exploring the physical side of the mind-body connection. He soon found a new passion and a rewarding career.

Today, Whitney is one of the foremost instructors of students and practitioners of massage therapy. He stresses that a quality program and excellent instructors are fundamental to your success 鈥� and both require more than just a thorough understanding of massage techniques. 

Research and Interview the School

Not all massage programs are created equal. Whitney shares invaluable tips for finding the best program:

1. Reach out to therapists who completed the program you鈥檙e interested in. Ask them about their experience and if they felt they were prepared for their career.
2. Research the program鈥檚 curriculum. Well-designed curricula utilize integrated, cumulative learning. It鈥檚 not just about the hours spent, it鈥檚 about the quality of the hours that make up the curriculum.
3. Get a feel for the educators. Setting up in-person meetings with faculty and reviewing any writing or work they have published are great steps for determining if the training and qualifications of the program鈥檚 staff meet your expectations.

Whitney reinforces that a good educator will exhibit the following qualities:

• Compassionate
• Good listener
• Caring
• Knowledgeable
• Understanding of student difficulties and differences

Prospective students should have thoughtful questions prepared when going to visit a massage therapy school. Whitney recommends asking about:

• The school鈥檚 philosophy of training their staff
• Support systems in place for students 
• Available resources
• The materials and technology that will be used
• Guidelines and standards for student admissions

When visiting a campus, keep an eye out for the level of tidiness and organization in the offices and classrooms you visit. The state that the faculty keeps their space in reflects the pride and ownership they have in the school. 

Become Business Savvy and Mission-Focused

While choosing a good massage therapy school will equip you with technical skills, Whitney also emphasizes two additional drivers of success:

1. Learn the best business practices to build a profitable and sustainable practice.
2. Gain clarity on why you are becoming a massage therapist. There are always naysayers; knowing your mission will be helpful for the long-term health of your practice. 

[22:00] 鈥淲henever I get… frustrated, burned out, down about things, I try to reconnect myself with what is that mission? And why am I doing what I’m doing? And it all comes back to that idea of… a much bigger picture. I’m really trying to heal a lot of the pain in the world.鈥�

Great Programs Develop Critical Reasoning Skills

Whitney warns that many educators teach massage techniques and modalities as if they鈥檙e the answer to a patient鈥檚 problems. He advocates for teaching students critical reasoning, which is the ability to think through problems and choose the right tools to address them.

[24:38] 鈥淵our ability to recognize who people are, what they鈥檙e about, what their goals are, and how you can work with them to achieve those goals, that鈥檚 what makes a really great massage therapist.鈥�

Whitney acknowledges that critical reasoning is the product of time and experience; however, excellent massage programs will create opportunities for you to begin developing this skill. 

His final tip for prospective massage therapy students: Trust your gut.

[30:41] 鈥淟isten to what your gut tells you when you go to the institution and talk to the people who鈥檝e been there. Do you get a really good sense of this being the right thing for you?鈥�

Learn More:

Also Mentioned In This Episode:Whitney鈥檚 podcast:

The post Whitney Lowe | Treat Your 精东传媒 School Search Like an Interview appeared first on East West College.

In This Episode You Will Learn: 

1. Why positive energy is an important tool for massage therapists 
2. What to look for in a quality massage therapy program
3. How to choose a program that equips you with best business practices 

Set Goals Before Choosing A Program

James Waslaski, author and integrated manual therapist, dives into the importance of defining your goals and choosing a school whose instructors and educational approach will help you reach them. 

James worked as a paramedic for 20 years and transitioned to become an Elite Sports Therapist, working with the likes of Olympians and professional athletes. James is now a leader in integrated manual therapy and orthopedic massage and is passionate about helping others on their journey to becoming a massage therapist.

One of the first steps of that journey is understanding your 鈥渨hy.鈥�

He says the best place to start is the heart. Knowing why you want to be a massage therapist allows you to set productive goals and choose schools that can help you achieve them. This will also help you choose a program that gives you a strong foundation and opportunity to specialize in your specific interest.

When you visit a school, ask yourself:

• Does the school prepare students from a business perspective?
• Does it provide emotional and mental support to its students?
• Is there good energy on campus? 
• Do the instructors and faculty exude good energy?
• Will this school teach me in the way that I learn?
• Do the instructors at that school have professional experience? What does that look like? Remember, simply graduating from a program isn鈥檛 enough to make a great teacher. 

For success within your chosen program, James recommends that you:

• Get in touch with yourself 
• Find self-confidence
• Approach studies with an open mind
• Cultivate positive energy
• Interact with humility
• Be prepared to adapt

Good Instructors Make Complex Information Accessible

Students learn best in an environment in which they feel encouraged and motivated by their instructors. James has seen this play out in his experience both as a student and a teacher. He stresses that the quality of your practice hours will depend heavily on the quality of your instructor.

[20:05] 鈥淚 would look for a school that has a lot of kinesthetic, visual, auditory blending instructors that know how… to cater to every style of learner. I personally barely passed high school because my teachers didn’t teach the way my brain processes information. And now I’m teaching neurologists and doctors and osteopaths and physical therapists in a way鈥� that drives them to passionately learn how to best serve their patients.鈥�

James emphasizes that a great teacher presents information at a user-friendly level, even if it鈥檚 complex. He adds that students should find a mentor once they have set their goals. Don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out to the best of the best for help.

Cultivate Humility

James shares he struggled with insecurity in his younger years. When he became successful that manifested as a big ego.

[31:23] 鈥淏e humble鈥� Realize no matter how much you know, someone knows more.鈥�

Being humble means treating others with a kind heart, not self-deprecation. Good massage therapists make it a point to treat each person with enthusiasm and to give each client the VIP treatment.

James urges students to spend time in nature and take care of themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Keep reevaluating your goals, and set some that seem unrealistic 鈥� they may not be as unachievable as you think.

Learn More:闯补尘别蝉鈥檚

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