Massage Therapy Schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland
The Casey Health Institute calls massage a well-researched clinical discipline. For years now, the Maryland press has touted the benefits of therapeutic massage. The Frederick News Post, for example, has reported on the successes of thermal massage therapy. The Bethesda Magazine profiled a massage therapist who was drawn to massage in part because she had witnessed its power when her mother received the therapy while receiving hospice services for AIDS (https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-magazine/january-february-2016/be-well/).
Massage therapy is indeed therapy for quite a few conditions, and in Maryland, it’s not just healthcare professionals voicing their support. Maryland distinguishes between professionals who practice therapeutic massage at healthcare organizations (who must be credentialed as Licensed Massage Therapists) and those who practice non-therapeutic massage (and may be credentialed as Registered Massage Practitioners). The Potomac Institute of Massage lists hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes among the healthcare settings that are restricted to LMTs.
An LMT-qualifying degree will not necessarily be in massage, though a prospective massage therapist will need to demonstrate quite a bit of coursework in the health sciences; the massage program itself may be as short as 600 hours. People come to massage therapy with education in diverse fields. Even in the healthcare arena, careers are not built on the basis of credit hours alone. Training may include modalities like lymphatic drainage, myofascial release, and trigger point. Massage therapists also pursue training to work with special populations like oncology or geriatric patients.
There are varied opportunities for RMPs as well. In the Gaithersburg and Frederick areas, one will find major franchises like Hand and Stone, LaVida, Massage Heights, and Massage Envy. One will also find local spas, catering to those who want to relax, unwind, and enjoy the feel-good aspects of hot stones. There are also the sports and exercise enthusiasts, seeking their “something extra” in places other than healthcare settings. Some practitioners, notably, complement their RMP credentialing with professional certifications in specialized bodywork modalities.
The following is a look at massage therapy opportunities in Gaithersburg, Frederick, and the smaller municipalities located on the Maryland side of the DC metropolitan area.
Popular Massage Schools Near Gaithersburg
The Potomac Massage Training Institute in Silver Spring is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Education (COMTA). The school offers a 600-hour program and a number of continuing education classes. 2019 events include manual lymphatic drainage, integrative reflexoogy, and even healing bowls.
The Central Maryland School of Massage in Frederick offers a 750-hour program with full-time, part-time, and weekend options. The American Massage Therapy Association reports that the Central Maryland School of Massage is an AMTA school member and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET).
Columbia College in Silver Spring, accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE), offers a 600-hour program that includes 100 hours of practicum.
Prospective massage professionals in this part of Maryland may also want to consider programs located in DC or Northern Virginia. They should be aware, though, that Maryland sets its LMT requirements higher.
Massage across the Lifespan
People are recognizing the value of massage across the lifespan. A reporter for the Bethesda Beat recently reported on a Rockville assisted living facility that would feature massage services (https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/developer-looks-to-start-construction-on-rockville-senior-living-facility-next-year/). Prenatal massage has become common in Maryland and around the nation. One will find multiple Gaithersburg spas and franchises touting it among their services.
Local Massage Practices
Serenity SpaWellness Center in Rockville has a team of massage professionals providing services like sports massage, prenatal massage, and hot stone massage.
Namaste Studio in Frederick combines yoga with massage and bodywork. Namaste represents the combined energies of quite a few!
The Thomas Scott Salon and Spa in Frederick is, as the name suggests, part beauty salon. The business, though, is also an established presence in the massage world. It provides corporate and chair massage as well as hot stone massage, maternity massage, and full-body massage that combines Swedish and deep tissue techniques. The Thomas Scott Salon and Spa was among those that advertised for new talent in the spring of 2019.
Massage Therapist Earnings
Massage therapists in the Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville metropolitan area earned a mean wage of $24.37 in 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those in the Washington-Arlington- Alexandria area earned an average $19.12. Reported earnings varied widely, especially in the greater Silver Spring metropolitan area, where those at the 90th percentile made more than five times what those at the 10th percentile did.
Self-Employment Opportunities
Self-employment is a viable option – a very viable one for the right person! Some successful Gaithersburg and Frederick massage practices have a sole massage therapist at the helm. Browse the website of the highly rated Frederick Massage Therapy, for example, and you will find just one bio: an LMT and self-described ‘Renaissance woman’ with training in specialized modalities, including vocal massage therapy/ laryngeal massage, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, dermoneuromodulation, and pillossage.
A number of highly rated massage therapy studios are under the name of the individual massage therapist.
Massage Therapist Achievements
Massage therapists are making their mark in Maryland. A massage therapist is even credited with approaching Suburban Hospital about bringing the Nobody Dies Alone (NODA)program to the facility (https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-magazine/july-august-2015/at-suburban-hospital-no-one-dies-alone/).