Next time you are considering a continuing education class for your massage therapy or bodywork career, take the time to think about what kind of course would most benefit you and your practice in the greatest number of ways. Often, picking a continuing education class that provides a good return on your investment comes down to knowing where your practice stands currently and where it could use a boost.
Keeping a finger on the pulse of your practice is not only a good way to do business, but it also comes in handy when it comes time to enroll in continuing education classes. If you are mindful as you go about your work as a massage therapist or bodyworker, then you will be likely to notice any areas of your work that need a bit of strengthening.
For instance, you might find that accounting aspect of your massage therapy or bodywork practice needs to be cleaned up and made more efficient. In this case, you could search for continuing education courses focused on accounting procedures specifically for massage therapists or bodyworkers. Such a continuing education class may be based on a popular software program, or it may cover the important principles of accounting for small businesses.
Staying aware of the reality of your practice as a massage therapist or bodyworker could also clue you in on what kinds of clients are or are not coming through the door or calling for appointments. You may, for instance, be seeing quite a few clients who simply want to reduce stress levels in their lives and improve their general sense of relaxation and well-being.
This is wonderful, but it could also mean there are quite a few client populations in your community that may be untapped in your practice. If you wish to access clients who are experiencing issues associated with sports or exercise, in addition to those who are looking to relax and unwind, then you might want to take a continuing education class on a deeper massage therapy or bodywork technique, or a modality devoted mostly to athletes.
As you keep abreast of what’s happening in your practice, part of your reflection should be focused on you as the practitioner. Think about how passionate or enthusiastic you are about your work, and how you feel at the end of the day after seeing a number of clients.
If you come home from your work as a massage therapist or bodyworker and feel completely drained, it could be a sign that your body mechanics need to be refreshed. Check out the most current continuing education classes on body mechanics, and you could find the knowledge you need to practice more efficiently.
If your body mechanics are on point and up to date, then the solution might be learning a new technique that requires less physical stamina to perform. This could mean enrolling in a continuing education class on the topic of some form of energy work, such as reiki or Healing Touch.
Keep your finger on the pulse of your practice, and you should have a good sense of the kind of continuing education classes that will provide the greatest return on your investment.
—Brandi Schlossberg