Massage Therapy School in Bangor, ME
There’s a lot to be excited about in the therapeutic massage industry in the Bangor-Lewiston area and throughout Maine. Massage therapists are learning ever more diverse techniques to help people.
In Northern Maine, massage therapy may be integrated into healthcare or into people’s personal wellness regimes. Some massage therapists work closely with other professionals; some seek dual credentialing. Yoga is big here, and yoga and massage practice not infrequently go hand in hand.
One will find a lot of self-employed massage therapists in the area, but self-employment doesn’t mean people are isolated from other healthcare professionals.
Massage Therapy Schools in Bangor, ME and Nearby
Therapeutic Bodywork Learning Center (Brewer) is directed by a massage therapist who is also credentialed in yoga. She has approximately 30 years of related experience. Therapeutic Bodywork Learning Center accommodates working professionals. Courses most often take the form of weekend intensives; students can expect to complete a couple of them a month over a 14-month period. The school has been assigned a code by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. (Students will need to complete some additional educational hours to achieve Board certification.)
It’s a longer way to the Downeast School of Massage in Waldoboro, but some may want to make the trip. The director here has more than 40 years of experience and has developed her own protocol for assessment-based therapeutic massage. Students here get a very solid grounding in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology; in one lab, they build the muscles of the extremities on a mannequin. Students learn how to provide massage for people with special needs.
Acadia School of Massage (Bar Harbor) is a school member of the American Massage Therapy Association. AMTA states that the program is 600 hours and can be completed in six months.
Clinical Massage Therapy Path
Some massage therapists provide services that are clearly clinical. The Dempsey Center in Lewiston offers integrative treatments to cancer patients. It also offers innovation. A recent article in the Sun Journal described how the Dempsey Center will have an instrumental role in expanding scar therapy, a modality that can help re-integrate post-surgical scar tissue. The therapy will be expanded at the Dempsey Center in Lewiston, and training will be offered to massage therapists and other professionals around the state.
Pain is a common reason for seeking massage services, either directly or after first consulting a healthcare provider. Injury-related massage therapy may be covered by auto insurance or worker’s compensation. In some instances, healthcare plans include benefits.
Healthcare offices may provide more than one service onsite. Back in Balance Wellness Center, for example, provides chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage services.
Massage is popular among athletes; it can help them prevent and recover from injuries, including those that come from repetitive use. Those who are interested in sports practice may want to join the sports team of the Maine Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association. They will need to have completed some training in massage therapy; the organization sets clinical and classroom training requirements.
Self-Employed Massage Therapists in Bangor
A very common career path in this area: self-employment. Some businesses have a high profile and a lot of five-star reviews.
Among the popular very small enterprises are A Kneaded Touch, Twin City Therapeutic Massage (Brewer), Bangor Athletic Massage & Bodyworks, and Javanese Massage Therapy & Yoga Wellness.
Bangor Athletic Massage & Bodyworks was started by a professional who gained healthcare experience as a CNA. She provides a number of services, including Kinesio Taping and Cupping.
Javanese Massage Therapy & Yoga Wellness is owned by a professional with massage and yoga credentials. She draws from experiences living and studying abroad. Her studies are diverse, including Singing Bowl Sound Therapy and Reiki, among other traditions. The massage menu is long. It includes Javanese Traditional Massage, Balinese Traditional Massage, Singing Bowl Sound Healing Massage, and Infant/ Child Massage, to name a few.
Those same techniques that help people also help massage therapist’s own practices. The Daily Bulldog recently reported on the first LMT in Maine to be certified in the Graston Technique. The Graston Technique is an instrument-assisted technique that is sometimes used by other professionals like physical therapists. This particular LMT attended a seminar out of state to receive the training. It’s one more technique to add to her arsenal of clinical techniques. Skillful at medical massage, she receives referrals from primary care providers and surgeons as well as chiropractors. Her business is located in Farmington, Maine – a rather long drive from Bangor.
Spas and Wellness Centers in Bangor and Vicinity
Anthony John’s Day Spa Salon & Boutique proclaims its status as the “largest day spa north of Portland” (https://anthonyjohnsdayspa.com/careers/). Patrons can purchase massage on its own or as part of spa packages like “Table for Two” or “The Anthony Classic”. Anthony John’s was among the businesses that sought massage talent in 2019.
Resources
The Maine Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association is a resource for the state’s massage therapists (http://me.wp.amtamassage.org).