What to look for in a Massage Therapist?
When selecting a Massage Therapist, it is of the
utmost importance to make sure that he or she is a skilled practitioner,
knowledgeable and ethical. The easiest way to ensure this is to ask
whether the therapist is nationally certified. If so, there should be a
certificate from the National Certification Board for Massage & Bodywork
in their office, or they should display an NCTMB decal that is visible
to customers.
In order for a therapist to be able to use the
credential of being Nationally Certified the therapist must meet certain
requirements set by the NCBTMB.
The therapist must:
- Demonstrate a mastery of the core skills and knowledge necessary to practice massage therapy.
- Complete 500 or more hours of massage therapy education from an accredited institution.
- Pass an NCBTMB standardized exam.
- Uphold the organization's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
- The therapist is also required to participate in continuing education.
In addition to being Nationally Certified it is also good to make sure that the therapist has a valid massage license, adheres to a code of ethics and has a policies and procedures document for the protection of both parties.
