Massage Therapy School Montgomery, AL
Montgomery massage therapists offer massage tailored to different needs, from repetitive stress injury to pregnancy to cancer-related discomfort.
Montgomery LMTs may seek out traditional positions or seek out groups of like-minded professionals with whom they can affiliate and share studio costs. Massage therapists can even go into solo practice. It can help to have clinical skills beyond the minimum. Montgomery, Alabama massage schools allow students to do just that. There are also innovative continuing education offerings available.
Montgomery Massage Therapy Schools
The Postural Bodyworks Institute program is 766 hours. The curriculum includes postural assessment and functional movement screening. Students provide massage to the public through the student clinic. Student massages include relaxation massage, deep tissue massage, and therapeutic massage sessions that are designed to help relieve bodily tension.
The Montgomery School of Bodywork and Massage is also approved by the Alabama Board. The school offers students the choice of a fully onsite program or one that blends online academic coursework with onsite practical studies. There are full-time and part-time options. The program is 700 hours. Students provide therapeutic massage, pregnancy massage, and reflexology massage at the student clinic.
Massage schools may host therapists with specialized skills for continuing education events. In 2019 the Montgomery School of Bodywork and Massage hosted a continuing education event by a professional who is very well known in the world of hospice massage.
Massage Therapist Work Settings
Work settings are diverse. Day spas provide relaxation massage as well as beauty services. Chiropractic offices and wellness centers serve a healthcare clientele. Montgomery is dotted with small studios, some with a sole proprietor.
Massage therapists around the nation often go to work for major franchises. Massage Envy was among those seeking massage talent in Montgomery in 2019, advertising continuing education opportunities and benefits. One won’t find as many franchises making inroads in Montgomery as in many cities, but with massage on the rise nationwide, it’s likely there will be more!
Montgomery Massage Therapists Enacting their Visions
Some massage practices feature a small team who work together to meet diverse needs and capture a wide client base; they may offer bodywork and other related services. Mind and Body Holistic Spa is one such practice. It offers a session that incorporates Ayurvedic Massage and expressive arts. Clients can make appointments at the regular studio or through a satellite service at a local golf club. The latter option is available for a limited group of services, including myofascial release, cupping, and orthopedic and sports massage (modalities that may support athletic performance or help mitigate injury). Mind and Body holistic Spa is a Board-approved continuing education provider. One LMT specializes in medical massage and oncology massage provider. Another LMT, dually credentialed as an RN, also incorporates Yoga and Reiki, an energy modality.
Massage menus vary a good deal; practices discover unique niches. Natural Healing Acupressure and Massage provides, in addition to 30- to 90-minute massage and bodywork sessions, a limited number of 15-minute options. Clients can select Ashiatsu or targeted neck and shoulder massage. Ashiatsu involves walking on the back while suspended by bars. (Whatever images the phrase “walk on back” may bring to mind, Ashiatsu is considered a gentle form of deep tissue work.)
Hands On Healing is LMT-owned; there are now four additional therapists on the team. The practice offers postural assessment, functional movement screening, and corrective movement as well as a range of therapy-oriented massage and bodywork styles.
Peaceful Kneads offers an integrated therapeutic massage that may blend Swedish, structural integration, and shiatsu bodywork styles. The menu includes other styles to meet specific needs. Among the options are prenatal and postnatal massage, cupping, and Thai yoga massage (a bodywork modality which involves stretching).
Peaceful Solutions Massage Therapy and Spa has a dually credentialed massage therapist and RN at the helm. The small team provides a range of massages as well as spa treatments.
Midtown Massage, a sole proprietorship, has an inter-species focus: humans and canines. Many massage therapists have working relationships with medical professionals. The LMT behind Midtown Massage notes relationships with veterinarians.
Massage Therapist Salary in Montgomery and Economic Considerations
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported mean hourly earnings of $21.44 in the Montgomery metropolitan area. Those at the 10th percentile made $15.32 while those at the 90th percentile made $27.38; the median was $22.61. BLS figures suggest that LMTs at the lower end make more than their counterparts nationwide while those at the high end make less. Overall, massage therapist hourly wages are average – not bad, since the cost of living is significantly lower (https://www.bestplaces.net/cost_of_living/city/alabama/montgomery). It’s the cost of housing that makes Montgomery a cheap place to live.
BLS figures don’t reflect self-employment: a viable option, though one that carries costs and risks. One will find a number of practices in the Montgomery area charging $40 or more for a half hour session; longer massage sessions run a dollar or more per minute. Massage therapists typically spend far less than 40 hours a week actually performing bodywork — even those who manage to build a large client base. The reason for reduced direct service hours is that massage is physically demanding. Successful entrepreneurs may take on employees or contractors.
Employees spend some time doing tasks other than actual massage and may be compensated for all hours spent on the job.