Donna Sarvello, LMT, BCTMB
Many massage therapists start teaching long before even considering becoming an instructor. A client asks why a particular therapeutic massage technique worked so well. A colleague wants to know how you handled a difficult case. You explain it once. You explain it again. Next thing you know, you’re sharing your techniques and it becomes second nature. At that point, you’re already providing continuing education, just on an informal basis.
If this scenario sounds familiar it may be time to take your career to the next level and become a formal continuing education provider.
Why Becoming an Approved Provider Matters
Earning approved provider status through the National Certification Board signals credibility to massage therapists, employers and state reviewers. It confirms that your massage therapy continuing education courses have met the accepted standards and reflect consistent, high-quality instruction.
Most state licensing boards accept NCBTMB approved provider listings for license renewal, and board certificants need to complete continuing education hours for every renewal cycle, which usually repeats every one to two years depending on location. It’s this compliance requirement that creates an ongoing demand for instructors who teach fellow massage therapists both in person and through online classes.
Once an instructor is listed in the directory, interest starts to climb on its own. Colleagues who once asked questions casually start registering as students, and conversations start shifting from “can you show me how you do that” to “when is your next course.”
How Instructors Naturally Step Into Teaching
Most instructors don’t begin their careers with the intention of becoming teachers. The idea grows slowly. When people keep asking the same questions, it’s only natural to consider creating a class.
Teaching also adds a sense of clarity to your work. When you explain what you do to other professionals, your own approach becomes more focused. Instead of pulling you away from massage therapy, teaching helps you feel more connected to it. And as a continuing education instructor, you begin to establish your role within the bodywork community.
What You Need for Approved Provider Status
Approval is simple once you know what’s required. First-time applicants typically submit:
- Proof of massage therapy licensure
- Documentation of instructor qualifications or subject expertise
- A complete course content outline with delivery methods, learning outcomes and learning objectives
Reviewers look for content that stays within the recognized massage therapy scope. Courses based solely on energy concepts, such as chakra balancing or intuitive practices, are more likely to be declined when they don’t tie back to therapeutic massage application. Topics like treatment strategy, advanced science, self-care, or business growth tend to move through more smoothly when written in a grounded and practical way.
Teaching the same course a couple of times with five or more participants before submitting it gives you a clearer sense of what works and what needs extra work. Other ways to ensure your course is offering high quality continuing education is to make video recordings or ask participants for feedback. Blending a few different approaches is the best way to create a course that holds up in real settings, not just on paper.
From Therapist to CE Provider
Once the application is submitted, many therapists start putting their plans into motion. Some begin outlining a new course, while others prepare to give students access through online courses or in-person workshops, often before NCBTMB approval even arrives.
Becoming a CE provider doesn’t take you away from hands-on work in the profession; it extends it. You still help people move and feel better, and other professionals carry those results into their own practices.
How to Write Effective Objectives for Your CE Course
Cindy Connolly, BCTMB, LMT
Many therapists who consider becoming an NCBTMB Approved Provider already have a course idea in mind. What usually holds them back is not the material itself, but figuring out how to write the course in a way that will get the stamp of approval. Turning what you know into acceptable material that’s ready for evaluation is easier when you understand what reviewers are looking for.
The best way to start is not by asking “What will I teach,” but “What should someone be able to do after they finish this course.” It’s that shift in mindset that keeps the focus on delivering practical applications instead of just delivering information.
Learning Outcomes vs. Learning Objectives: Know the Difference
Before you start writing your course, you need to understand the difference between outcomes and objectives. Reviewers look for both, and state regulatory boards expect each one to be clearly defined. Mixing them up is one of the most common reasons applications get delayed.
A learning outcome describes the overall result of your course. It answers the question, “What should someone be capable of by the end?”
Example: Perform a lymphatic massage.
A learning objective is a measurable step that contributes to that outcome. It answers the question, “How will I know they learned it?”
Example: List the structures of the lymphatic system.
Define Your Learning Outcomes
Most continuing education courses only need one to three outcomes. The exact number depends on your delivery method and the length of the course you plan on offering. Keeping the outcomes focused helps students stay on track and keeps everything clear for the panel reviewing your application.
Tip: Use the SMART approach for each outcome.
| SMART Criteria | Meaning |
| Specific | Clearly states the skill or result |
| Measurable | Can be demonstrated or verified |
| Achievable | Reasonable for the time and format |
| Realistic | Fits within your scope and methods |
| Timely | Can be completed within the course duration |
Write Clear Learning Objectives
Learning objectives are the steps that lead to your outcome. They show how students will demonstrate understanding.
Most objectives fall into three categories, with a professional and balanced course mixing all three:
- Psychomotor: hands-on skill
- Cognitive: knowledge or decision-making
- Affective: awareness or response
Examples:
- Psychomotor: Perform effleurage strokes with proper pressure and direction.
- Cognitive: Identify when effleurage is not appropriate.
- Affective: Observe changes in the client’s breathing or muscle tension during the stroke.
Match Delivery Methods to Each Objective
Once your outcomes and objectives are clear, the next step is choosing delivery methods that fit what you’re trying to teach. The method you use should match how the student is expected to show understanding.
- If the objective is psychomotor (hands-on skill), plan for live demonstration followed by practice time or supervised drills.
- If the objective is cognitive (knowledge or decision-making), use short lectures, guided discussion, or simple recall activities.
- If the objective is affective (awareness or response), case studies, partner feedback, or reflective prompts tend to land best.
People absorb information differently, so using a variety of approaches helps reinforce the material from more than one direction. Mixing it up keeps students engaged and leads to stronger results when they apply what they’ve learned in the studio.
Prepare for Submission
Once everything is in place, you’re ready to assemble and submit your full outline. Approval opens the door, but delivery determines whether it truly works. When students walk away feeling more confident, they tend to come back — and it’s that consistency that builds a lasting teaching career.
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About the Contributors
Donna Sarvello, LMT, BCTMB is a graduate of the Chicago School of Massage. She has worked in chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics and holistic centers, and has served as an educator and program manager. She is currently Vice President of Educational Support at the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
Cindy Connolly, BCTMB, LMT is a graduate of the Northern Prairie School of Massage and Bodywork in Sycamore, Illinois. With experience working with medically fragile and elderly clients, she became the first massage therapist hired at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. She now serves as an Approved Provider Specialist at NCBTMB, supporting applicants through the continuing education process.
Last Updated on October 23, 2025 by MASSAGE Magazine