These days, taking a continuing education class as a massage therapist or bodyworker does not have to be an inconvenience. With so many different continuing education classes to choose from, it should be fairly simple to find one in a format that best fits your life, your budget and your schedule.
For the massage therapist and bodyworker who feels the most constrained, in terms of a busy schedule or perhaps a tight budget, it may be wise to consider completing continuing education through an online format. By taking your next continuing education course online, you should be able to save both time and money. After all, a class you attend on the computer does not require a commute, which means no extra money spent on fuel and no extra time spent traveling to and from the class.
Those practitioners of healthy touch who seek even more flexibility in their continuing education format should try to find online courses that do not have rigid attendance rules, but rather ones that you can log on and attend at any time, day or night. Typically, you will still have set dates when assignments may be due or when tests may need to be taken, but there is much more scheduling flexibility involved.
Depending on the topic of your continuing education course, you may decide it would be best to attend these classes in person. This can be especially true when you have enrolled in continuing education to learn a new technique or modality, such as shiatsu or an advanced level of myofascial release. Many massage therapists and bodyworkers find they do best when they learn hands-on skills in a traditional classroom.
There are a few considerations when it comes to taking a continuing education class on site and in person. These include how far away the class is from your place of work or your home and whether or not the day and time the class is held will suit your schedule.
A third consideration, and one which tends to go for all methods of continuing education, is finding any feedback or other information about the class provider, so you can be sure the continuing education course you sign up for is one of the highest quality. Of course, you will also want to make sure any continuing education class you take also meets the standards of your state or regional governing board, if applicable. This way, your class will count toward the credits you may need to renew or maintain your license to practice.
Another popular method of completing continuing education classes is to combine these classes with a bit of a getaway. Destination continuing education classes are usually held in enticing places, such as aboard cruise ships, in winter resorts or in hotels along white sandy beaches. Often, this kind of continuing education class will be condensed into a week or a long weekend of seminar classes, scheduled so students can enjoy the location and possibly bring along family members or friends.
Take advantage of the vast array of continuing education options for massage therapists and bodyworkers, and choose a format that works for you.
–Brandi Schlossberg