In the realm of professional massage therapy and bodywork, where the requirement for continuing education is a reality in so many states and regions, it is no wonder there is such a vast array of classes available. These courses aim to further educate touch therapists on topics that span the spectrum from new techniques and advanced hands-on skills, to accounting and marketing for massage therapists.
With so much diversity in the arena of continuing education for massage therapists and bodyworkers, there appears to be at least one very common trend—the popularity of home-based learning. These are classes that practitioners can take from the comfort of their own homes or offices. Typically, home-based continuing education happens through the use of a computer with an Internet connection, as well as DVDs.
Taking a closer look, it is not hard to see why this delivery method for continuing education classes has become so popular. Perhaps the biggest driving is the sheer convenience of taking courses without having to leave home. Often, this means that the massage therapist or bodyworker can be much more flexible in terms of when he or she sits down to “attend” class, complete assignments and take tests.
Among the other convenient aspects of home-based continuing education are the cost and time savings associated with such courses. These classes can vary in price and may or may not be cheaper than the in-person alternatives. However, practitioners tend to save money on the fact that they are not required to commute to these classes, either locally by car or to a destination seminar by plane.
The flexibility these classes can also play a role in the financial benefits of these courses. For example, a busy massage therapist may be able to keep up with all her bookings and complete a home-based continuing education class, because she may be able to squeeze her class in around her client appointments. However, when taking a class on site and in person, whether locally or far away, there is usually far less scheduling flexibility, so the practitioner would not be able to book any clients during class time.
Fortunately, as home-based continuing education has grown in popularity, it seems the quality of the classes have continued to increase, as well. Professional massage therapists and bodyworkers should be able to derive great benefits from these classes and feel as if they did not miss out on learning in person.
Home-based continuing education comes in handy especially for those massage therapists who happen to live in more remote areas. Instead of having to travel, these practitioners can tap into the long list of home-based continuing education classes available today.