Massage Therapy School in Colorado Springs
There are a lot of specialties that a Colorado Springs massage therapist can pursue: everything from cancer care to sports massage to spa treatments for the luxury get-away. Some practices combine healthcare with a touch of relaxation, and, yes, luxury. Others are focused on maximizing performance and promoting quick recovery. Ultimately, it’s about the clientele. Massage therapy programs often give students the opportunity to explore different career options as they perform massage on the public, providing table massage at the student clinic and chair massage at special events.
Popular Colorado Springs Massage Therapy Schools
The Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) and is a member of multiple massage-related professional associations. CIMT offers both a 550-hour program and an 850-hour program. The latter includes a concentration in trigger point release/ neuromuscular therapy and is stronger preparation for individuals who are interested in medical massage. Student clinic requirements are higher.
The Academy of Massage Essentials offers a program that goes well beyond the minimum: 1,000 hours. Neuromuscular therapy is included. Hot stone massage and Traditional Chinese Medicine are among the other techniques that get some coverage. New career professionals may have the opportunity to continue to work in the clinic – and hone their professional skills — post-completion.
The Colorado Springs School of Massage boasts a 35-year history and a strong pass rate on the licensing exam. The school notes that it introduces students to many modalities, including the very gentle techniques one might use for frail older populations and people in hospice.
An Overview of the Massage Therapist Specialty Options
Among the possible work settings for Colorado Springs massage therapists are beauty salons, resorts and luxury hotels, chiropractic offices, integrative or functional medicine practices, and massage franchises.
Tourism is in the air. It’s hardly surprising that those who want to experience the springs or climb the mountains want to take part in other wellness- and relaxation-related pursuits. Colorado Springs has a number of spas and luxury hotels.
Some healthcare organizations here, as elsewhere, are focused on helping people diagnosed with cancer make it through treatment with as few side effects as possible. Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers notes that they provide referrals for massage, and that these services are sometimes covered by insurance or scholarship. Working with cancer patients, they stress, is a specialty.
Sports Massage Opportunities
Among the area’s attractions is a U.S. Olympic Training Center. While students often volunteer at sporting events as students – and begin to hone their skills in sports massage and related modalities – Olympics-level work is typically at least a few years away. Some massage therapists volunteer a bit of their time at the training center after they have begun to build their careers.
Massage Magazine recently profiled a Colorado Springs massage therapist whose experience includes working at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She had the opportunity to travel with the gold medal-winning women’s hockey team in 2018, even though this particular team is not one that trains in Colorado Springs (https://www.massagemag.com/mt-massage-at-the-olympics-88938). This top-caliber massage professional has a private practice doing sports massage and has some advice for those who want to go into the business; they can benefit from pursuing specialty certification in sports massage or orthopedic massage, seeking mentorship, and advertising themselves in the right places. Continuing education is important. She keeps up with the continuing education herself, believing strongly that there’s always something new to be learned. A more recent article reports that she has been selected as part of the support team for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2019 (https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/990186).
Successful Colorado Springs Massage Practices
The following are among Colorado Spring’s well-known massage practices and the services they highlight:
- Natural Therapeutics Massage & Wellness: Swedish relaxation massage, pre- and postnatal massage, Himalayan rock salt massage, bamboo fusion massage, reflexology, cupping, medical massage for automobile injuries
- Absolute Body Wellness: deep tissue massage, lymphatic drainage, couples massage, sports massage, reiki
- Body for Life Massage: trigger point massage, hot stone massage, pregnancy massage, deep tissue massage
- Advanced Neuromuscular Therapeutics: trigger point, neuromuscular, deep tissue, prenatal
While the above practices have at least one thing in common – a lot of positive Google reviews – they appeal to different people: clients and therapists alike. All nine of the LMTs currently working for Advanced Neuromuscular Therapeutics have earned neuromuscular therapist certification.
Massage Therapist Salary in Colorado Springs
Median hourly wages for Colorado Springs massage therapists were $18.09 in 2017. Fully half of the therapists had earnings between $15.22 and $22.57, though there were significant outliers at both ends; those at the 90th percentile made $29.41.
Many payment models are possible. A massage therapist may be an employee or independent contractor. In some settings, gratuities are customary.
Some of the area’s massage therapists bill insurance companies for qualifying medical services. They may, for example, state that they accept Cigna health coverage. Other forms of insurance may be accepted for accident-related injuries (e.g. Med-Pay).
The state as a whole has a greater concentration of massage therapy jobs than any other in the contiguous 48.
Massage Therapist Continuing Education
Continuing education is an expectation – and an opportunity. Some employers provide advanced training opportunities for their massage therapists. One employer that recently posted in the Colorado Springs area was looking for massage therapists who were interested in training in structural integration.