What to expect in a massage therapy job

With how stressful life is right now, people are looking at new ways to de-stress and just relax their minds and their bodies. Massage therapy is the answer to many people?s need for de-stressing. This is the reason why it is one of the fastest growing industry.

A career in massage therapy can be pretty lucrative. Clients, who are mostly well to do or those who have money to burn, are known to give big tips especially if you have given them great service. It is actually through tips that you can earn a lot in this kind if industry. But it can also be harrowing and stressful. In order to survive on the job, you need to have the following set of characteristics.

1. Gift of the hands

Hands down, (no pun intended) having the gift of a comforting set of hands is the number one requirement for a career in massage therapy. To win customers over, you need to be skilled not only in massaging but also in relaxing. This may seem the same for most people who are not in the industry but once you are already part of it or is an avid client of massage therapy, you will know the difference.

A massage therapist can do all the right strokes to the letter but will not give comfort to the client. Some, on the other hand, may not do the conventional strokes but do relaxes the client. Some people?s hands naturally have a strong firm grip but others have a stronger grip that can be hurtful to the muscles.

2. Gift of Gab

Another way to charm your clients into giving you really big tips is the gift of talk. Actually, when you think about it the best way to talk to your clients while massaging them is to listen. Let them talk to you. Let them tell you about their problems at work and at home. Most people will have something to complain about in their career. After all, they are there in the massage therapy clinic to de-stress aren?t they?

This is the main reason why there are a lot of massage therapists who are privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of their clients. You see, when people are in a relaxed setting, they are more prone to speaking about their problems. This is especially true when they are in the company of strangers who would not really know who they are talking about. They feel that massage therapists are not really part of their world.

3. Gift of patience

Working in a massage therapy clinic will allow you to meet all kinds of people. This may be good if all of them are interesting and affable. But what if they are not? And I assure you, you will come across people who you would just like to forget because of their attitude and their personalities.

In this kind of job, you need to have the patience of a saint especially when you have a client who is obviously so wrong but is still insisting that they are right. And the worst thing is, you can?t argue because as they say, the customer is always right. You fight with them, you lose your job. That?s the way the game is played.

Technorati tags: massage their they have therapy them

Ten of the Best Types of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy has been around for hundreds of years. If you need to relief from muscle pain or stress, you can choose from one of the ten best types of massage therapy around.

1. First is Swedish massage therapy. This happens to be the most common type to find in the US because it is very gentle and relaxing. Here, the masseuse will use long strokes, kneading and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil.

2. Next is aromatherapy and the reason why it is called such is because one or more scented plant oils are used during the session. You will just have to select the oil you want to use. In fact, the most popular one is lavender as it is well suited for stress related conditions together with an emotional component.

3. There is also hot stone massage. Here, heated smooth stones are placed on certain parts of the body to help loosen those tight muscles and balance energy centers in the body. At times, the masseuse may also apply gentle pressure especially for those who have muscle tension.

4. Then there is deep tissue massage. This type is designed to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. Here, the masseuse will use slow strokes better known as friction techniques across the grain of the muscle.

The distinctive feature of deep tissue massage is that it is used on those that have chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems and recovery from injury. You will often feel sore for the next day or two.

5. Shiatsu is a Japanese form of massage therapy. Here, the masseuse will use localized finger pressure in a rhythmic sequence on acupuncture meridians. Each point is held for 2 to 8 second designed to improve the flow of energy and help the body regain balance. Those who have tried it say that it is relaxing yet firm. The best part is that there is no soreness afterwards.

6. Thai massage is similar to Shiatsu because it aligns the energies of the body using gentle pressure on specific points. Part of the session also includes compressions and stretches as you are moved in a variety of postures just like yoga but in this case, you don?t do anything except go with the flow.

7. For women that are expecting, they can opt for pregnancy massage. It is designed to relieve stress, decrease swelling, relieve aches and pins as well as reduce anxiety and depression.

8. Reflexology is also known as foot massage because it involves applying pressure to certain points on the foot. Those who practice this believe that the foot corresponds to certain organs and systems so if you are able to work on that, you have also done it in the whole body.

9. Then there is sports massage that is designed for people involved in sports activities. This type is designed not only for professional athletes since it helps prevent and treat physical injuries.

10. Lastly is back massage which usually lasts 30 minutes. Unlike reflexology that focuses on the feet because it represents special points in the body, this one simply relieves tension in the back caused by lifting heavy objects or driving for long periods of time.

Of course there are other kinds of massage therapy aside from the top ten most popular ones mentioned. Given that these are the only ones available in spas, perhaps you should just stick with the best sellers.

Technorati tags: massage because will have there also