Massage Therapy

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Assigned School

Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy Approved

Premier School Member of American Bodywork & Massage Professionals

Why choose a career in massage Massage Therapy?

The benefits of a career in massage and Massage Therapy:

• Freedom:

Many Massage Therapy

choose a career in Massage Therapy because they enjoy the freedom of not being stuck in a cubicle or an office all day. Being a massage therapist allows you to work in a variety of locations and meet a wide range of people. A team-oriented massage clinic, a tranquil day spa, a chair massage booth outdoors at a festival or fair, a therapeutic massage in a medical health-care setting—the options are endless!

• Flexibility:

If you choose to be an employee of a clinic or spa, the manager can work with you to help you find a schedule and clients that are right for you. If you choose to become an independent contractor or own a private practice, you’ll enjoy the flexibility to make your own hours, choose your own career path, and be your own boss!

• Rewarding:

If you have a passion for helping others, you’ve come to the right place. Because there’s nothing more rewarding than helping to reduce someone’s pain and stress. Massage therapists make a positive impact on people’s lives every day!

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How Can You Help Others?

In Massage Therapy school, you’ll learn about the many different ways people use massage to support their health goals. You’ll learn about the muscles and joints in the body and how to use hands-on techniques to promote balance, flexibility, and fluidity in the body’s

structures. Massage helps people rest and recover, supporting their natural healing mechanisms. In a massage career, you never stop growing and learning. With 300-plus modalities, there’s an approach to massage that fits every client and every practitioner.

Here are just a few of the ways

you might use your skills in your career:

• Sports massage:

Massage therapists are increasingly being included as integral components of athletes’ training teams. Sports massage can be done in a spa or clinic setting or performed on-site at athletic events, in a chair or on a table.

• Pregnancy massage:

Pregnancy massage therapy help mothers through the pain and discomfort of pregnancy. There’s nothing like seeing the smile on a mother’s face and knowing you helped not only her, but her growing baby, too.

• Geriatric massage:

More seniors are discovering the joys and benefits of massage. Putting your skills to use to aid the aging population is a rewarding experience for all involved.

• Corporate chair massage:

Companies know that happy workers equal productive workers, and savvy CEOs have been bringing in chair massage therapy to keep their employees healthy and injury-free for years.

• Relaxation massage:

Perhaps the most traditional setting for massage therapy is within a spa setting. Working in a calm, tranquil environment, enveloped by soothing aromas and serene music sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

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Choose your path!

Does the security and structure of being an employee of a massage clinic or spa franchise appeal to you? Or do you want to enjoy the freedom (and are you ready for the responsibility) of owning your own practice? The beauty of a career in massage therapy is the wide range of options from which you have to choose.

Career Opportunities

• Work in a medical or health-care setting:

Massage therapists are employed in many hospitals and private physician or chiropractic offices. These massage therapists work in a clinical setting as one part of a team of health-care professionals.

• Work in a franchise location:

Working in a massage franchise or clinic offers stability, security, and structure. Every location is different, but in general, you can expect to enjoy a consistent schedule and regular income.

• Work in a spa:

Massage is one of the most requested services at luxury spas, which means massage therapists are always in demand. Working in a spa setting allows you to enjoy working alongside a variety of health and wellness specialists and apply a variety of creative body treatments in a luxurious setting.

• Work as an independent massage therapist:

Self-employment allows you to set your own schedule, create your own work environment, and choose the modalities you practice.

However, you are also responsible for attracting and retaining clients, performing bookkeeping, and everything else that comes with running a business.

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Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center

Massage Therapy Course

General Course Information

    • Courses Taught: Massage Therapy

    • The Massage Therapy course is a 600 hour evening program that encompasses all required education according to the Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy.

    • National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Assigned School

    • Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy Approved

    • Premier School Member of American Bodywork & Massage Professionals

    • Adult Program

Instructor Information

    • jessica.warner@scctc-school.org

    • Web Page: http://scctc-school.org

    • (570) 278-9229 Ext. 6648

Texts, Readings, & Materials

    • - Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center’s Transcript for Study

    • - Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy

    • - Federation of State Massage Therapy Board

    • - National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork

    • - Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals Student Success Curriculum, Textbook, Powerpoint, Worksheets

    • - Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals MBLEX Online Practice Exam

    • - Milady’s Theory & Practice of Therapeutic Massage, Sixth Edition Curriculum, Textbook, Powerpoint, Workbook, Test Review Booklet, Test Bank Questions

    • - Trail Guide to the Body 6th Edition Curriculum, Textbook, Powerpoint, Workbook, Flashcards, Videos

    • - Trail Guide to Movement Curriculum, Textbook, Powerpoint, Videos, Worksheets

    • - A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology Textbook

    • Policies and Student Success

    • General objectives of the course of study

    • Rules and policies implemented by the school

    • Consumer safety and general safety precautions

    • American Bodywork and Massage Professional‘s Student Success

1. Massage History and Development Overview

A. Evolution of Massage

B. Contemporary Massage developments

C. Overview of Massage Systems and Bodywork Modalities

2. Ethics, Laws & Regulations

A. Scope of Practice

B. Law, Licenses and Education Requirements

C. Code of Ethics

D. Therapeutic Relations

a. Professional Boundaries

b. Professional Communication

c. Ethical Business Practices

E. Sanitary and Safety Regulations

3. Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology and Pathology

A. Overview

a. Relationship of Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology and Pathology to Massage Therapy

b. Physiologic Changes During Disease

c. Healing Mechanisms of the Body

d. Medical & Anatomic Terminology

B. Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology and Pathology of the Human Body

a. Levels of Living Matter, Cells, Enzymes, Tissues

b. Anatomic Positions, Terms and Meanings

c. Body Cavities, Organs, Regions, Structures

d. Systems

I. The Integumentary System

II. The Skeletal System

III. The Muscular System

IV. The Circulatory System

V. The Immune System

VI. The Nervous System

VII. The Endocrine System

VIII. The Respiratory System

IX. The Digestive System

X. The Excretory System

XI. The Human Reproductive System

4. Massage Practice Part 1

A. Professional Practitioner Self Care

a. Building Strength, Flexibility, Balance and Control

b. Body, Posture and Table Mechanics

c. Professional Rules

B. Effects, Benefits, & Contraindications of Massage

a. Effects, Benefits, and Conditions Generally Relieved From Massage

b. Contraindications and Endangerment Sites

C. Equipment & Products

D. Sanitary and Safety Practices

a. Paths of Disease and Infection

b. Sanitary Conditions and Precautions

c. Safety Practices and Procedures

E. Consultation and Documentation

a. First Appointment, Consultation, Explain Procedures and State Policies

b. Client’s Needs & Expectations

c. Intake,Medical History Forms, Body Diagrams, Preliminary Assessment, Treatment Plan, Informed Consent

d. Documentation and Client Files, SOAP Charting, Updating Records

F. Classical Massage Movements

a. Classification, Understanding, Description, Application of Massage Movements

b. Touch, Gliding, Kneading, Friction, Percussion, Joint Movements

c. Rhythm and Pressure in Massage

G. Procedures for Body Massage

a. Preparing, Assisting, and Positioning the Client for the Massage

b. Chair Massage

c. Procedures and Methods of Draping

d. Contact and Maintaining Contact with Client, Quality of Touch

e. Procedure for a Basic Professional Body Massage

H. Massage for Special Populations

a. Prenatal Massage

b. Infants, Children, Elderly Clients

c. Clients with Disabilities

d. The Critically Ill

e. Precautions for Working with HIV/AIDS Infected Clients

I. Therapeutic Procedure

a. Client Assessment, Observation

b. Soft Tissues Barriers

c. Palpation Skills

d. Acute and Chronic Conditions

e. Using Assessment to Plan Sessions and Performance

f. Massage Techniques to Address Soft Tissue Dysfunction

g. Review Outcome in Relation to Intent of Session

5. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

(CPR Instructor will instruct this course)

6. Student Clinic

A. Supervised Application of the Knowledge and Skills While Working with the Public.

a. Sanitary and Safety Practices

b. Consultation and Documentation

c. Application of Massage Therapy

7. Massage Practice Part 2

A. Hydrotherapy

a. Use and Effects of Applications of Heat and Cold

b. Cryotherapy and Application of Cold

c. Thermotherapy and Application of Heat

d. Contrast Therapy

B. Aromatherapy

a. Common Essential Oils

I. Effect, Uses, Contraindications, and Blending

II. Aromatherapy Massage

C. Massage in the Spa Setting

a. History and Massage in the Spa Setting

b. Spa Massages

c. Stone Massages

d. Spa Modalities

e. Exfoliation

f. Body Wraps

g. Policies and Philosophy

h. Employment and Advancing in a Spa Career

D. Athletic/Sports Massage

a. Purpose of Athletic Massage

b. Applications for Athletic Massage

I. Event Massage

a. Pre-event, Intra-event, Post-event

II. Restorative/Training Massage

III. Rehabilitation Massage

E. Massage in Medicine

a. Alternative and Complementary Medicine

b. Integrative Medicine

c. Chiropractic and Massage

d. Hospital-based Massage

e. Massage as Medicine

f. Insurance Reimbursement for Massage

F. Introduction to Clinical Massage

a. Neurophysiologic Therapies & Neuromuscular Therapy

b. Trigger-point Therapy

c. Muscle Energy Technique

d. Position Release

e. Myofascial Massage

f. Craniosacral Therapy

g. Deep Tissue Massage

h. Lymph Massage

G. Overview of Additional Therapeutic Modalities

a. Reflexology

b. Energetic Manipulation

c. Other Energetic Therapies

d. Chakra Energy Work

e. Additional Somatic Therapies

8. Business Administration

A. Business Practices

a. Employed

I. Resume

II. Interview

b. Self-Employed

I. Business Planning

II. Basic Bookkeeping

III. Employees

IV. Marketing

Course Description

    • The Massage Therapy program is a comprehensive 600 hour program which offers students the opportunity to successfully complete the necessary competencies needed to successfully pass the Pennsylvania Massage Therapy State Board Exam and to enter the profession with entry-level job skills.

Instructional Philosophy

    • The mission of the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center is to provide educational opportunities for all students to reach their full potential by striving towards excellence through academic knowledge, basic skills, and technology taught by a competent and committed staff within a safe environment. These opportunities will enable students to become life-long learners, productive citizens, and responsible members of society.

Instructional Delivery Plan

    • This course has a diverse student population and recognizes that each student will advance at different levels and rates. A flexible course schedule is used to meet the needs of the students, either as an individual or as a class.

Assessment Plan

    • Each marking period grade will be comprised of the following areas:

      • Journal

      • Theory Assignments ( Vocabulary, Workbook, Review, Project)

      • Class Participation/Attendance

      • Test Grades

      • Skill Evaluation

      • Clinic Participation

Course Policies

    • Attendance policy as described in the student handbook

    • All safety, classroom and clinic rules must be adhered to at all times

    • It is each student's responsibility to collect and make up any missed work, tests, or assignments

    • All school rules and policies must be followed as described in the student handbook