Massage Therapy Practice

Congratulations on completing massage school and obtaining your temporary or permanent massage therapy license! Now you have to make some decisions, if you have not already done so.

You can work in a spa or in a massage-in-a-box place. You can rent an office, which can be quite expensive for a brand new massage therapist. You can open an office in your home if it is allowed by local ordinance. You will not have to worry about paying rent while you build your massage therapy practice. This can be very convenient.

You can also set up an outcall massage therapy practice.

Or you can set up your massage therapy practice inside of another business....

Hair salon massage is fairly common in many cities across the United States. Some massage therapists actually work as employees in salons. Others are independent contractors, paying a fee to the salon for a small space.

Usually, you get a tiny corner or a place by the shampoo sinks to set up your massage chair. If the customer has to wait for a while, he/she may want a quick massage. The people who are waiting for the customers to get their hair done are your main chances to give massage to. They are not waiting for their favorite stylist and often are bored to sit there and flip through old magazines.

The disadvantages are the noise, the smells, and the sense of being crowded. These all can prevent the client from relaxing.

The perm solution and some of the other chemicals can really be offensive. A lot of talking, laughing, and phone calls are going on as well. It is not the best place to try to give relaxing massages unless you can be in another room.

I have not worked in a salon, but I have friends who have performed chair massage in salons and they all say the clients are few and far between. Once their hair is styled, salon customers do not want a massage for fear of messing up their hair.

Hotel massage is big in tourist towns and large cities. Some hotels have their own spas with massage therapists on duty. Others do not. But, if you have introduced yourself to the concierge and you have befriended him with a free massage or two, he may call you when the next guest says that he/she would like a massage. Perhaps you can offer the concierge a free massage for every two or three clients he calls you for.Some will have a spa area or a room designed to give massages. In others, you will need to give the massage in the guest's room. Always let people close to you, such as your family, a friend, or a co-worker know where you are going and let the guest know that others know.

You can do this by making a call on your cell phone when you arrive. Do it in front of your client and let the person with whom you are speaking know when you will be leaving. This is for your protection.

Put your keys and your ID and cell phone in your pocket, not in a bag. That way, if you need to leave because you feel that you are in danger, you can still drive away or call someone. You can always go down to the front desk and have someone return to the room with you for your things if there is a problem.

Be cautious as not all guests who say they want one really want a massage. Some want to harm you. If you have a funny feeling about it, even after you arrive, leave immediately. Don't worry about your stuff. Security can get that for you. Just get out. Trust your gut feeling. Don't think about the money. Think about your safety.

A hotel-based massage therapy practice can be done safely and there is profit to be made. Most guests are not going to hurt you, but take precautions. Chair massage in a dental office? Yes, dentists are now beginning to realize that a dental office massage therapy practice providing massage prior to significant work performed by the dentist tends to calm nervous patients.

My dentist now provides spa services in his office. He contracts with spa workers to come in a few times a week. It is a great service for his patients.Dentists are discovering what we have known all along--that massage relaxes and soothes. Less analgesia is used after a pre-dental massage and that is good for the patient and the dentist. Less stress all around. (Just to clarify--analgesia is great stuff. Once when I had a wisdom tooth pulled, I let my dentist give me analgesia for the first time and it was wonderful! My terror quickly subsided and I felt no pain at all until after I got home.)

You can approach busy offices and see if they would like to hire a massage therapist or contract with one to massage their patients prior to treatment.

Medical doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists are also now turning to massage therapists to provide relaxing and pain-relieving massage. As the profession of massage therapists grows, its popularity across the country and the world will grow and more and more healthcare professionals will have massage therapists on staff, providing massage for a variety of reasons, including massage therapy in the dental office to relax the patient.

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