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Wanna be a Massage Therapist? Here are the Essential Skills You Need to Possess!

When you’re paving a career for yourself in whichever industry you chose, there are certain skills that you need to possess to be excellent at what you do. Let’s say that you decided to become a massage therapist and use your hands to heal the tired, aching muscles of your clients. To be a successful massage therapist, there are certain skills that you need to possess including the following:

  • Good massage techniques

Naturally, you need to have good massage techniques. There are schools from where you can earn certification to become a professional massage therapist. After the theoretical classes, practical applications of what you have learned will commence – after which you can work out in the real world. The basic goal of massage therapy is to manipulate the muscles and soft tissues for pain relief, stress relief and other benefits. Massage therapists work in clinics, spas, health clubs, hotels, resorts, and similar establishments. There are also those who run their own businesses.

 

  • Good communication skills

If good massage techniques serve as your main tool in this line of work, a supplemental skill that you should have has something to do with the way that you communicate with your clients. During the initial visit, you should know how to communicate with a client to delve into his or her medical history, the symptoms being experienced or the results expected from the treatment. Over time, you would learn how to read between the lines and know what the client really wants – especially for people who do not have a way with words.

 

  • Good judgement

If a client comes in super stressed out, will a massage do him good or will it just worsen the condition? A massage therapist should be able to discern these things – especially if a patient comes in with an injury or a deep muscle ache. If a client demands a technique which you know will worsen the condition, you need to be able to explain the negative aspects of such action and respectfully decline to service the client.

 

  • Adequate people skills

As a massage therapist, you will be dealing with all sorts of people. You should have adequate people skills or social skills because your success and repeat business lies in clients liking what you have to offer. As such, you need to make them feel comfortable throughout the session.

 

What about Wages?

 

A massage therapist can work on a full-time or a part-time basis. Others use it as a supplemental source of income. According to PayScale.com, the average wage of a massage therapist in the US for 2015 is $20.01 per hour. Of course, the total salary depends on the skill level and the number of hours worked – but this median rate should give you an idea about the wages.

 

As a massage therapist, you need to have good massage techniques, people skills, good judgment and communication skills. Don’t worry if you do not all of these while you’re starting out. With every client, you will acquire new skills and learn through experience so you should be able to develop all essential skills to succeed in your craft in the long haul.

 

 

 

 

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