This article will show you how to find the best massage therapist training for your interests and circumstances. Practicing massage can be a very rewarding, fulfilling and profitable profession, and there is a growing demand for skilled therapists.

But before you actually start looking for a massage school or teacher, it’s a good idea to get a little bit of hands on experience. Just get a massage DVD or book first, study that and practice with friends and family members. Especially in the first stages of the process, you can learn a lot just from carefully studying DVDs, books and putting that new knowledge into practice immediately.

The truth is: not everyone is made out to be a massage therapist. It doesn’t matter so much how good or bad a massage that you give at this early stage is – you can always improve that over time. But what matters is: do you enjoy the process of giving a massage? Do you like physically working with people? Is it an activity that emotionally drains you or charges you up?

Once you have given about 20 massages, you should have a pretty clear sense about whether this is something that you want to pursue further or not. Again, don’t be focused on how good the massages that you give are so much, but on whether you like doing it. If yes, then it’s time to find the right massage therapist training for yourself.

As with many things, preparation will also come in handy here. Before you sign up for the next best class, ask yourself this: how much time am I willing and able to set aside for my massage education? How much money?

Where do you want to practice? In some states and countries, you need to have a certain certification in order to practice as a massage therapist. This surely is boring research, but it’s a lot better to find these things out before you spend thousands of dollars for a massage school.

A good massage therapist training should be dominantly practical, hands on work under the supervision of well-trained teachers. That means the ideal conditions are small class sizes, and daily practice. Theory and anatomy are important, but even more important than having knowledge in your head is to be able to have it “in your hands” – that is, to be able to feel and manipulate tissues, tendons, muscles. Palpation is the skill of diagnosing the body by feeling it – and it is one of the most valuable skills you want to develop early on in your massage therapist training.

Try to call up different schools and talk with them to get an impression of what they have to offer and how they compare. Visit their training facilities and talk to current and former students. And ask them if they can help you to find a job as a therapist too – some massage schools for example are well connected with spas or cruises that offer a good opportunity to get practical experience in a professional environment while earning some money.

Also, see if you can get any kind of financial support for your training.

There is also the option of private lessons with a massage teacher – this can be a good way to quickly develop your practical skills, although getting a formal education will be of much bigger benefit when you try to find a massage job later on.