Massage Therapy School in Cheyenne, Wyoming
The Wyoming massage therapy occupation has been projected to grow by 15% between 2016 and 2026. It’s small, but it’s on the rise — and it’s easier than one might realize for people in the Cheyenne area to be part of that change. The location is key. It’s not just that Cheyenne is the state’s biggest city. It’s also located in a key border area. A person can get high-caliber training, even in niche practice areas. It can help to have not only massage skills but initiative and business sense.
Wyoming massage therapists are subject to local licensing requirements. The city of Cheyenne licenses massage therapists (https://www.laramiecounty.com/_departments/Health/massage.aspx).
Top Massage Schools Near Cheyenne and Surrounding Areas
The Academy of Natural Therapy in Greeley, Colorado is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). The school boasts a 750-hour program which offers preparation for clinical settings. Swedish massage receives 60 hours of coverage; neuromuscular therapy, 80. An additional 40 are devoted to trigger point. The student will receive 60 quarter hours for a program that can be finished in just three quarters. The Academy of Natural Therapy is a school member of the American Massage Therapy Association.
The Healing Arts Institute in Fort Collins, Colorado offers a 600-hour program that prepares students to do full-body relaxation massage, integrative therapy for pain relief, and corrective bodywork. The school teaches a particular type of neuromuscular therapy called the Body Insight Method. The Healing Arts Institute states they have been approved by the Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
IBMC College in Fort Collins offers a 49 quarter hour massage therapy diploma program. Students learn Swedish massage, neuromuscular and myofascial techniques, and Eastern modalities. The business skills curriculum comprises eight quarter hours. IBMC College states that students may have the opportunity to volunteer out in the community. Suncrest Home Health and Hospice is a possible volunteer site. Other possibilities include local races and marathons.
The Bear Heart School of Massage offers students the choice of a 550-hour massage program or a longer combined massage therapist/ esthetician program. The school is very small; course scheduling is determined after enrollment. Students typically attend two to three days a week.
Massage Therapist Job Settings
Massage therapists may offer services from within chiropractic offices. Active Care Chiropractic lists a number of conditions for which massage may prove useful.
Some physical therapy offices have massage therapists onsite as well. Avenues Physical Therapy has a massage therapist onboard. Physical Therapy Center has two, one of whom also teaches yoga and hula hoop classes. Yoga, notably, has become a very common wellness practice nationwide.
Therapeutic massage has some presence in conventional healthcare. Cheyenne Regional Cancer Center has a massage therapist onboard who is certified in oncology massage.
There’s also the ‘relax and rejuvenate’ market. Adora Day Spa is known for its massage.
Many of the practices here are very small. Indeed they may be the work of a single massage therapist. Some sole practitioners in the Cheyenne area have garnered a lot of positive web reviews! A licensed massage therapist can even provide massage services out of his or her own home. However, the city will need some basic information like a floor plan that delineates the area to be used for massage. A person who offers in-home services from a rented home will need to demonstrate that he or she has the owner’s permission.
There are many potential markets. Some senior living communities have spas. More elders could benefit from services.
Massage Therapy Preparation
Cheyenne resident who pursues massage therapy education will likely attend massage school in Colorado. Colorado has the second highest massage therapist concentration in the United States and not surprisingly, quite a few massage schools. There are multiple Colorado schools within about an hour. Schools in Northern Colorado provide a strong introduction to techniques used in pain and rehabilitative massage.
Some Cheyenne massage therapists have gone far beyond the minimum in their training. Advanced trainings and certifications can help practitioners provide the best bodywork techniques for people with pain or chronic health issues. They can also set practitioners apart. Among the techniques Cheyenne massage therapists note on their bios: positional release, myofascial release, primal reflex release, active isolated stretching, craniosacral therapy, and proprioceptive-deep tendon reflex. Some massage therapists are effective at integrating styles to meet individual needs.
Continuing Education
Cheyenne massage therapists may wish to travel into Colorado for continuing education. Among the courses available from the Academy of Natural Therapy are medical massage, massage for special populations, Shiatsu, reflexology, manual lymphatic massage – and even canine massage. The Healing Arts Institute offers a reflexology program and neuromuscular program that are comprised of multiple courses and go into depth in the subject matter. There are also shorter elective courses that take just a day or two. The 2019 schedule includes hot stone massage and aromatherapy lymphatic massage. The Bear Heart School of Massage has osteopathic manual therapy on the calendar for 2019.
Experts often “drop in” on massage schools for occasional weekend intensives. Some massage therapists take an occasional trip for an advanced training session — for example, to learn oncology massage from the best.