Massage Therapy School in Charlotte, North Carolina
As a city for massage therapists, Charlotte, North Carolina has a lot going for it, from respect in the healthcare community to some favorable economic conditions. There are multiple schools in the vicinity that provide clinical massage therapy training.
Popular Massage Therapy Schools in Charlotte
Southeastern College – Charlotte boasts a 900-hour clinical massage program: well above the pre-licensure minimum. Students progress through multiple classes of ‘massage and neuromuscular therapy’ and accrue 100 hours of student clinic. Southeastern College – Charlotte holds institutional accreditation through the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
Gaston College gives therapeutic massage students multiple options. They can choose to earn an associate’s degree or to complete a shorter career track. The American Massage Therapy Association lists hours for the diploma program as 656.
NC Massage School offers a 650-hour diploma program. The program devotes considerable time to Swedish and neuromuscular techniques and allows students to come away with neuromuscular certification: potentially a big plus. Students also get an introduction to the movement modality Tai Chi.
The North Carolina School of Advanced Bodywork has a clinical/ medical focus. Students will get a foundation in Swedish massage. Myo-fascial therapy and structural therapy are also in the curriculum.
Massage in Healthcare
Multiple organizations in the Charlotte area provide oncology massage. Presbyterian Medical Center lists chair massage among the services available for symptom management. Some small massage studios also list oncology massage among their services.
The Levine Cancer Institute, a part of Atrium Health, gives oncology massage the green light, stating that massage may reduce pain and stress and may contribute to the patient’s coping ability (https://atriumhealth.org/medical-services/specialty-care/cancer-care/cancer-support-programs).
Oncology massage requires specialized training. It’s one of many specialty practices. Some Charlotte massage practices even provide medical massage by doctor prescription.
Specialized training facilitates work with other populations, including the elderly. It can be about wellness as well as disease management. The Pines at Davidson Retirement Community counts massage among the wellness services it offers to seniors, noting that residents come for wellness and that this an area where they have very high resident satisfaction (https://www.thepinesatdavidson.org/senior-community-charlotte-north-carolina-nc).
Corporate Massage and Mobile Massage
Massage is also gaining attention for its ability to lessen workplace stress and boost workplace productivity. One will find big name mobile massage companies in the area as well as local services like Pamper Us Mobile Massage. QCity Metro recently profiled Pamper Us Mobile Massage (https://qcitymetro.com/2019/02/13/self-care-for-the-busy-professional-massages-are-no-longer-just-a-luxury-service). At Pamper Us, the goal is to do more than provide care for tight muscles; team members can also provide a relaxing spa atmosphere through lighting and music.
Charlotte Massage Practices
One will find Charlotte practices with quite a few massage therapists listed. LMBTs may be employees, contractors, or professionals who have decided to go into business together. It is not uncommon to include a lot of information in the bio about the individual LMBT’s training and certifications.
Eden Therapy boasts both hot stone and hot bamboo treatments. Their LMBTs can perform neuromuscular therapy and also focus massages, which are relatively short massages designed to focus on a particular problem area.
Bambu Organic Spa touts eco-friendly products as well as therapeutic services. Modalities include Bamboo and Himalayan salt stone. This spa can provide lymphatic massage, which they note can be helpful after some surgeries, including mastectomies. The practice currently lists 14 massage therapists, each adept in a number of modalities.
Massage Works currently lists eight massage therapists as staff. Between them, they have developed quite a few therapeutic competencies, including assisted stretching, cupping, and TMJ massage for those with neck and jaw tension.
Urbana CitySpa has been in the news multiple times since its inception in 2006 (https://www.urbanawellnessspa.com/blog/in-the-press/). Early 2019 finds the practice looking for new team members with prior massage experience. Swedish and deep tissue are expected; other modalities, from prenatal to Shiatsu, are desirable as well.
Massage Business Success
A number of massage studios in the Charlotte area have grown. Sometimes success means needing more LMBTs operating under one’s company name.
The Art of Massage is one that has grown its team over time. The business notes that their three original LMBTs shared one room at the start. Now they not only have more rooms, they have more locations.
In early 2019, Olea Massage and Bodywork listed a founder (who was not taking new clients at that time) and four additional LMBTs. Bios described things individual massage therapists did well, like helping people reach their fitness goals. They also provided a human perspective on their particular skill sets — like having grown up in a family of sports fanatics.
Wages and Career Outlook
Job concentration in the Charlotte area is above the average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In a 2018 blog post, Sparefoot placed Charlotte, North Carolina in the list of top cities for massage therapists (https://www.sparefoot.com/self-storage/blog/21072-19-best-cities-massage-therapists-move-2018/). This was based on factors like cost of living, adjusted salary, and job availability.
The median hourly wage for a massage therapist in the Charlotte metropolitan area in 2017 was $19.42. Most made between $14.98 and $35.98, though 10% fell on either end.
Continuing Education
The North Carolina School of Advanced Bodywork has a number of courses by guest trainers on its continuing education schedule for 2019, including senior spa therapies, pain posture performance, and Tui Na bodywork.
NC Massage School , meanwhile, has a busy calendar that includes sound healing, introduction to mat Shiatsu, introduction to cupping, Zen facial massage, and making bodywork lotion, among other offerings. It even hosts a three-day intensive in Thai massage.
While there are a number of continuing education options in the Charlotte area, some massage therapist go further to learn specific modalities and train under individuals who are experts with a particular technique or population. The proprietor of Results Massage and Bodyworks is an example; she informs the public that she’s done more than 570 hours of continuing education, and that she’s traveled around to take classes with the best. This, too, she says, has been an enjoyable journey.
Intensive courses are often taught over the span of a weekend or a few days.