How To Choose Continuing Education

Continuing education has become big business in the massage industry. More states are requiring that massage therapists be licensed or pass a national certification test, with continuing-education units (CEUs) part of the re-licensing or re-certification process. Some massage therapists look for certification in certain areas, such as medical massage or spa techniques, to add to their professional status in a growing field. Professional organizations for massage therapists usually require that members complete a certain number of continuing-education hours. And many massage therapists keep themselves refreshed and their clients coming back by regularly learning new massage techniques.

Since we are spending a good portion of our income for continuing education, how can we make sure we are spending it wisely? How can we best avoid a disappointing experience? Here are some tips to consider before laying money down.

First, pay attention to the CEU requirements for each license, certification and organization. To get organized, keep an updated list of each, including the date by which you must renew, and the hours and topics of CEUs required. You may find that one training can satisfy the requirements for several things. For instance, ethics or CPR may be required by both your national certification and your state license—so one class will help to meet both. As you complete each requirement, check it off your list and keep a copy of your certificate of attendance. You will probably have to provide this documentation when you renew.

Think about your learning style. Do you learn best by listening, doing or reading? Do you like to learning from a video or DVD, so that you can view a technique over and over again? Are you shy about using something you’ve learned unless you’ve had hands-on training with an instructor by your side? Do you mind if you are in a group of 200, watching an instructor on a video screen far away at the front of an auditorium? Do you like to read a book with illustrations and photographs? Continuing education for massage therapists is available in all these forms. The key is to sign up for what works best for you, so that you will transfer what you’ve learned into your session room as much as possible. For me, craning my neck in a crowded convention room to see someone on a platform at the front doesn’t teach me much. Peg your own learning style, and select a course that matches you.

If you want to attend a class with a live instructor, check out her experience and qualifications as well as how she sets up her training sessions. Has the instructor taught regularly on the topic? Does she offer handouts to participants? Is there a question-and-answer time for those who need additional help with technique? Does the instructor limit her class to a certain number of people? Are you expected to take a table and linens with you? Knowing the answer to these and similar questions will help you know what to expect and how to prepare.

It is possible to earn CEUs by viewing videotapes or DVDs, or by completing online training. Look for instructions about completing the course in order to get your documentation; you may need to take a written test, send documentation of practice sessions, or complete an online quiz. For online courses, ask if there is a sample module that you can work through, to see if you like the course and style of instruction.

Make sure you can find a live person at the company who can answer questions and take care of any potential snarls.

Consider whether your budget will allow you to travel, and if so, whether you want to make a trip part learning, part vacation. Several companies now offer CEUs on ships, in foreign countries, or at resorts in the United States. Usually, a portion of the day is spent in class, with the rest being free time. This is a great way to combine learning with recreation, and can be a tax benefit for those who are self-employed. But you may decide that when you’re on vacation, you really want totally away from thinking about your work. In that case, the combination trips won’t work well for you, as you’ll feel torn between work and play.

Always ask about cancellation fees, especially when a trip is involved. Can you get a total refund if Aunt Minnie falls and needs your help at home? Will the company charge a cancellation fee? How close to the date can you cancel without penalty? Are travel costs such as plane tickets refundable?

When considering the cost of a CEU course, add in all costs, including income lost when you are away from your practice. Most massage therapists don’t get paid when they aren’t working, either in self-employed or spa situations. So, the true cost of your training is the registration fee, your travel, and the amount of income you will lose by being away from work. This may make a shorter course, or one located closer to you, more appealing.

If you need CEUs that are approved by a certifying organization, make sure that what you sign up to take has that approval. Otherwise, you may complete many hours only to find they were never approved by the organization and cannot be used.

Finally, make sure that you are interested in what you’ve sign up for. If you just want to check something out, consider a two- or three-hour overview at a conference or convention first, and then sign up for a longer course if you are intrigued with what you saw. Signing up for something only because it is close or cheap doesn’t serve you. You may check off a requirement, but you won’t take anything home to use. Good massage involves not just our hands, but also our spirits—so don’t go somewhere in body and leave the rest of you behind.

— Sue Painter, L.M.T., is the owner of the Touch Therapy Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sue practices massage and coaches other practitioners in customer service and business-building techniques.