Missouri Massage Therapy Schools - MO

Before deciding if you want to pursue massage therapy as a career, it's best to job shadow a massage therapist for a period of time. This will give you an idea of what it is they do each day, and in whatsetting they work. In fact, you may want to watch more than one type of massage therapist at work, in a variety of milieus, to decide which type of massage therapy you'd like to specialize in – whether it's Relaxation Massage, Medical Massage, Sports Massage, or Corporate Massage. Make sure you receive massages from a variety of masseurs as well, to be on the receiving end and feel what exactly it is that you'll be doing.

To become a Massage Therapist in the state of Missouri, one does not need to have a degree, but rather, certification from a Missouri Massage school approved by the Missouri State Board of Therapeutic Massage and preferably also accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). These schools should be brick-and-mortar as opposed to online programs, as much hands-on, practical application is necessary in a Massage Therapy program. In the state of Missouri, students must have at least 500 hours of Massage Therapy education. Some programs in Missouri exceed this requirement, offering as much as 600 hours of education. Coursework in a Missouri massage school should include the following:

• Ancillary Courses such as History and Future of Massage, Hydrotherapy, and Statistics/Research
• Business and Ethics Courses such as Documentation and Charting, Ethics of Trauma Intervention, and Confidentiality and Scope Issues
• Massage Courses such as Orthopedic Assessment, SportsMassage Team Practice, and Clinical Massage
• Most schools also require a predetermined number of hours of Student Clinical Practice

Within the state of Missouri, Massage Therapists must complete 12 hours of Continuing Education units every two years to maintain their license.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Massage Therapists in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Independence, Missouri may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the St. Johns Mercy Medical Center, St. Anthony’s Medical Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Missouri Baptist Medical Center.