Winona Bontrager is passionate about her career in massage therapy.
It feels like an important gift to offer someone in our busy lives.
That makes now the perfect time to dive, hands-first, into a career in massage therapy.
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What Is the Day to Day Like for a Massage Therapist?
I asked Bontrager to walk me through the typical workday.
I expected her to answer, We provide massage therapy.
There are the administrative tasks, to start.
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What Are the Skills and Qualities of a Successful Massage Therapist?
A career in massage therapy is not for everyone.
It can be physically taxing and requires perfect customer service.
you better be able to look someone in the eye when you talk to them, Bontrager explained.
In fact, customer service was her focus when talking through qualities and skills.
Keep personal thoughts to yourself, she added.
This time is about your client, not you.
If you hope to open your own practice, cultivating business and marketing skills is also crucial.
And, of course, youve got to be good at administering a massage.
One of the biggest challenges for massage therapists is remaining positive and professional with difficult clients.
Thats where that patience really comes in handy.
For starters, the career is flexible.
Even more important: Massage therapy is an incredibly fulfilling career.
And when it comes to her most stressed-out clients?
Bontrager swells with pride at the look of total relaxation on their faces after treatment.
While youwont need a college degree, you will need some schooling and licensure.
Each state has its own education and testing requirements to practice, Bontrager explained.
Education hours for schools and state requirements are usually between 500 and 1,000 hours.
Bontrager noted that you must have your high school diploma or GED to apply.
you’re free to find information on the MBLExhere; just remember to study before your test day.
The AMTA even offers afree massage exam prep app.
This also requires that you might pass a police background check, Bontrager added.
But this can also vary.
Not settled on a career in massage therapy and hoping to stay faraway from college debt?
Consider a career as amail carrierorreal estate agent.
Timothy Moore is an editor and a freelance writer.
Though a career in massage therapy sounds really cool, his hands are more suited to the keyboard.
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