Massage Therapy School in Allentown and Tri-Cities Area
The Allentown/ tri-cities area is pretty hot when it comes to massage. There are plenty of hot towels here and plenty of hot stones. The job concentration in the tri-cities area is also above the norm for Pennsylvania and a bit above that of the United States as a whole.
There are many massage modalities and also many purposes. Some people seek massage for relaxation purposes, some to support general wellness, some to obtain at least temporary relief from physical aches and pains, whether illness-, age-, or pregnancy-related. Others use massage as part of their rehabilitative plan. Injury-related massage may be covered by worker’s compensation or automobile insurance.
Massage Therapy Schools in Allentown, PA and the Tri-Cities Vicinity
Pennsylvania massage therapy programs must be at least 600 hours and include minimum hours in particular curricular areas, including anatomy and physiology.
At the Pennsylvania Institute of Massage Therapy (Quakertown), students learn anatomy from experienced chiropractors and massage from experienced LMTs. The program takes eight to ten weeks to complete, depending on the scheduling option selected. During the six-week intensive portion of the program, students learn from guest lecturers as well as regular teachers. Myofascial Release and Active Isolated Stretching are among the modalities presented.
It’s a bit further down the road, but the Academy of Massage Therapy and Bodyworks in Pottsdown is another worth considering. It’s COMTA-accredited. The curriculum includes 260 hours each of anatomy and physiology and massage theory and practice. The remaining hours consist of weekend classes and clinic time; the latter is scheduled on an individual basis. The Academy of Massage Therapy and Bodyworks is a school member of the American Massage Therapy Association.
Warren County Community College just across the border in New Jersey is also an AMTA member. The school provides a 673-hour program that forms the basis for licensure in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.
Allentown Massage Practices
The following are among the go-to massage places in Allentown:
- Intuitions Integrated Wellness
- Donna’s Medical/ Therapeutic Massage
- Advanced Massage Therapy
- The Spa at McCann
- Lehigh Valley Health Network Fitness
Allentown boasts a highly rated Elements franchise. Elements is an LMT-founded therapeutic franchise.
Bethlehem Massage Practices
The following are among Bethlehem’s well-rated practices:
- Well of Life Center for Natural Health
- Balanced Body Therapeutic Massage
- Healing Hands Massage and Wellness Center
Healing Hands Massage and Wellness Center lists a particularly large team of LMTs, more than 20. A note on the website in late 2019 says they’re hiring.
Bethlehem Hand and Stone has solid client ratings.
Easton Massage Practices
And here are some of the popular businesses where you can find massage in Easton:
- New Oasis Spa
- Fresh Salon and Wellness Center
- Chiropractic Whole Health
- The Valley Om: Yoga and Bodywork
- Norwegian Spa
Clearly, there’s diversity here. Norwegian Massage, the Norwegian Spa notes, is deeper and has more hot towels. It has hot stones, too. Patrons can opt for other styles, including basic Swedish. The Norwegian Spa includes services people may not traditionally think of as spa, including meditation and yoga.
There is more than one well-rated Hand and Stone franchise in the Easton area.
Massage for Special Populations
Here and there, people are working to make massage accessible to those who can truly benefit but may have a hard time obtaining it. People receiving skilled nursing services at Allentown Health Care Center have access to on-site massage therapy. Advanced Massage Therapy counts oncology massage among its services and includes the notation “proudly trained at Tracy Walton” (www.advancedmassagetherapylv.com / #services). Tracy Walton is a well-known name.
Self-Employment
LMT-owned practices may be big or small.
Lehigh Valley Medical Massage is a one-man operation; services are brought to the client.
Rockin’ Good Health is another very popular practice that lists a single proprietor. The Rockin’ Good Health massage menu includes manual lymphatic drainage for edema reduction and Lomi Lomi for a touch of Hawaiian inspiration; the experience begins with a guided meditation.
Roots of Vitality in Bethlehem is also very well-rated.
Some LMTs bring others on board. Healing Hands Massage and Wellness (Bethlehem), begun by an LMT in the ’90s, has grown a lot over the years. Advanced Massage Therapy is another LMT-practice that boasts a team of providers.
Advanced Studies in Massage and Related Modalities
Bodyworkers in the Tri-Cities, Pennsylvania area not only have high-caliber pre-licensure programs in this area; they also have access to a plethora of continuing education opportunities.
The Academy of Massage Therapy and Bodyworks offers a five-day intensive to help students master advanced techniques for sports and orthopedic massage. There are other courses available, including Bamboo Fusion, Forearm Fusion, and ‘Manual Therapy to Eliminate Multiple Nerve Compression Pattern of the Upper Body’.
Warren County Community College in Allentown offers courses like Shiatsu and Qi Gong. Massage therapists can take a 40-hour class to get a solid grounding in Shiatsu.
Of course some look beyond Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The proprietor of Lehigh Valley Medical Massage says he travels — he has been as far as San Francisco to learn sound healing from the Globe Sound Healing Institute.
Allentown Massage Therapist Salary
The range of wages reported for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area is tighter than in many metropolitan areas, but they’re solid. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean of $19.80 for 2018 (median: $20.35). Those at the 10th percentile made $13.88 (higher than their counterparts nationwide) while those at the 90th percentile made $24.65 (lower). The paucity of low paying jobs doesn’t reflect a paucity of jobs overall. Job concentration here is higher than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.