Job Responsibilities
I am a currently a Massage Therapist working out of my home. I
help my clients feel better, physically and sometimes
emotionally. I am currently working very part time, about 2-3
hours/week. During the hour massage I manipulate the soft
tissue of the body and relieve any tension or strain to the
muscles of my clients. Each client has his/her own reason (pain
relief, stress, tension, injury, etc.)for wanting to recieve a
massage.
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Job Requirements
Currently in Alberta the minumum program requirements to become
a Massage Therapist is 500 hrs of training and there are a
number of schools and institutes available to receive the
required training. Most of these schools have a program that
exceeds this requirement. There is a minumum GPA required to
pass. The courses are quite easily available once you've been
accepted into the program. The workload is quite busy for full-
time students, but part-time is also available for people with
other priorities. The quality of the program and professors
would vary from school to school.
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Uppers
I love to help people. It's nice to get a smile from a client that can forget
about the pain for a while, or just someone who needed a break and a bit of
pampering. Every body (anatomy) is different. It's always interesting.
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Downers
It can be frustrating when a client does very little to help
themselves. I can't fix everything.
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Lifestyle
I enjoy the flexible hours because I work out of my home. Other Massage
Therapists may work for other healthcare professionals(ex:chiropractor, doctor,
health spa, etc.) so I can't speak for them. Working from home is more practical
for me right now, and the fact that I work for myself is also a bonus. There are
always seminars and other ways to keep myself informed on any new therapies or
even to retrain or upgrade my knowledge. It's all very interesting and again,
every body is different, so no day is ever the same as the last.
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Compensation
Working at home, I have none of usual benefits and salaries, as
such. But, I do have the freedom to make my own hours, work from
comfort of my home and have the capabilities of writing alot of
my expenses off at tax time.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Make sure you enjoy people, of all kinds, shapes and sizes. The
job market for this kind of career is expoding and becoming the
choice of more people to help themselves and feel better at the
same time. Massage Therapy is becoming as well-known as any
other healthcare career.
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