Learning doesn’t stop just because you graduate from school and pass your NCBTMB certification exam. In many cases, massage therapists are expected to attend school and earn continuing education credits. The good news is that continuing education can be interesting as well as educational.
During your education classes, you can train to specialize in another area of the field or learn about new massage therapy fields. By taking classes, you can learn more about your craft and also grow professionally as a therapist.
Fulfilling CEU Requirements
Despite these benefits, most people simply take NCBTMB CE classes because they must do so in order to keep their licensing. Perhaps this is the case with you. In order to retain licensing in states that require it, a therapist must take at least 48 hours of instruction every 4 years. This is equal to about 12 hours a year, although it can be more. The good news is that you may be able to take classes online to qualify for continuing education classes. This is much easier than going out at night after work to attend classes. After you take classes for credit hours, you will need to submit documentation from the class to the licensing board in order to receive credits for the course.
If you are a therapist that lives in an area where licensing is not necessary, you may be tempted to slack off and not attend classes. This is particularly true if your finances are strained or if you are dealing with some difficulties in your personal life. However, it is important to take the time and budget the money necessary to keep on top of the latest developments in the field. In many cases, continuing education expenses are reimbursed by employers. Therapists may also qualify for reduced cost or free classes.
Learning New Modalities
Therapists that are taking continuing education classes may be surprised to learn about two of the most quickly growing fields in massage therapy. These are the areas of canine massage and equine massage. Although massage therapy for equines has been around since the late 1980’s, not too many people know about the field. The field is growing especially as companion animals and horses are being used for therapy programs or to assist police and law enforcement officers. Show animals may also benefit from massage too.
Another area in the field of massage therapy is medical massage. Therapists are helping cancer patients and other patients with chronic diseases to manage their conditions using massage. Massage therapy can be used to control pain or even to regain some range of motion in a limb after a stroke, surgery, or an accident.
Networking Benefits
Another great reason to take continuing education classes is that you will meet many different therapists that are working in the field. Meeting other therapists and networking at classes is a good idea because it can also help to further your massage therapy career.
As you can now see, attending continuing education classes is very important for massage therapists for personal and professional reasons. Take some time today to check out the many different types of classes available.
