Massage Therapy School in Aurora, CO
There are opportunities for massage therapists in Aurora, Colorado. There’s a massage-savvy clientele. In developing a niche, an LMT can go deep. Colorado has the second highest massage therapist job concentration in the nation, behind only Hawaii, and Aurora is behind only Denver and Colorado Springs in population. One will of course find many more opportunities in the greater metropolitan area, including the communities of Englewood, Centennial, and Littleton as well as the Mile High City.
Top Massage Schools in Aurora, CO
Massage therapy programs include human sciences as well as practical application.
Full Circle Massage School in Aurora offers a basic 600-hour program that includes a 100-hour course in Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique.
The Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado down the road in Denver offers a 750-hour foundational program. Students learn many modalities, including neuromuscular therapy, myofascial therapy, acupressure, and hot stone.
The Colorado School of Healing Arts in Lakewood offers a 720-hour program. Sports massage and integrative massage are included in the core curriculum. Students can select from electives such as infant massage, seated massage, and polarity.
LMT Career Tracks
Massage may be performed for general relaxation and wellness or for specific therapeutic purposes. In Colorado, clinical massage services – those that target specific healthcare conditions — may be reimbursable through health insurance plans as well as auto insurance plans. Massage therapists who perform clinical services need to be skillful at assessment as well as technique. Some LMTs describe their work as “results oriented”. They have specialized skills that help them target injury and physical dysfunction in an efficient manner. Targeted massages may focus on particular parts of the body.
Other massage therapists cater to a crowd that doesn’t mind coming back month after month – or week after week – as long as funds allow. They are buying the experience as well as the transient mental and physical effects. Spas have traditionally been about general relaxation. They may also offer therapeutic services including integrative massages which blend styles to meet client needs.
Massage Therapist Work Settings
Massage Green SPA and Transformations Salon and Spa are among the local day spas. There are a number of massage franchises operating in Aurora, including multiple Elements Massage and Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa locations; Elements is a therapist-founded franchise with a therapeutic focus. The Spavia Day Spa in Englewood is highly rated.
Massage therapists may also find work in chiropractic offices or in healthcare offices that offer multiple services to help patients manage their healthcare conditions. Mountain View Pain Center is one such practice. It has a team that includes chiropractors, physicians, physical therapists, and massage therapists. Massage is provided by doctor prescription. Bodyworkers perform a variety of modalities which can be helpful for different types of pain issue (for example, trigger point, sports massage, and neuromuscular therapy). Mountain View Pain Center even has a whiplash massage. This well-rated pain center has offices in Arapahoe Crossings and Southlands. Discover Health and Wellness is another diverse practice, one that combines chiropractic care, massage therapy, and nutrition services.
One will find some massage presence at local hospitals and medical centers such as the UC Anschutz Medical Campus.
LMTs may perform mobile massage as well as traditional studio work.
Aurora Massage Therapists in Business
Some very well-rated massage practices have a single LMT at the helm. Aren’t You Worth It? Therapeutic Massage is a case in point; the practice has 19 Google ratings and a 5.0. Among the other high-profile small enterprises in Aurora one finds Ethereal Body Massage, Fractal Massage, Massage by Lauren, and proDynamics Sports & Therapeutic Massage.
Massage therapists in private practice may develop referral relationships with doctors.
LMT Salary in Aurora, CO
Massage therapists employed in the greater Denver-Aurora area averaged $19.56 an hour in 2018. Those at the 10th percentile made just $9.17 while those at the 90th percentile made $31.39. This data does not reflect self-employment, which carries the potential for higher earning but also greater economic risk.
Specialized Trainings
LMTs often list specialized trainings and certifications on their web bios. In this area of the country, one will find many opportunities to pursue specialized training. LMTs can pursue oncology massage training at the Colorado Institute of Healing Arts in Lakewood. The Aurora-based Advanced Therapy Reflex Institute offers workshops in Advanced Therapy Reflex (A.R.T) which may improve range of motion and help with pain conditions. The Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado has a 150-hour advanced course that helps LMTs develop skills for work with many populations: cancer patients, the elderly, migraine suffers, even people who have had spinal cord injury. DeepFeet Bar Therapy has more than 20 Ashiatsu training locations around the nation, among them, Denver.
Professional Resources
Aurora massage therapists may wish to join the Colorado Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association. The organization has a Community Service Massage Team and a Sports Massage Team.
Colorado Massage Therapy License Requirements
The Colorado Coalition of Massage Therapists, a legislative work group, is an additional resource (http://ccmtonline.com).