There are quite a few complaints that people—especially those in the field of healthy touch—may have about the role technology has played in the decrease of human interaction. However, most of these people can also acknowledge the bright side of technological advances, at least in terms of convenience.
One of the major ways in which professional massage therapists and bodyworkers stand to benefit from today’s technology is through online continuing education courses. The ability to enroll in and complete a continuing education class from one’s home or office computer can be hugely beneficial, especially for those touch therapists who do not have the time or money to take continuing education classes on site or through a destination seminar, as well as for those who happen to live in more remote areas.
These days, it seems that all a massage therapist or bodyworker needs in order to take continuing education classes is a reliable computer with Internet access. Therefore, if you happen to fall into the category of practitioners who lack the time, money or appropriate location for attending on-site or destination continuing education classes, it may be time to consider making the leap into online continuing education.
A wide array of continuing education courses for massage therapists and bodyworkers is available online, from classes that teach technique to those that are more focused on the ethics and the business side of massage. Of course, it will be important for you to first determine what kind of topics you believe you can learn online.
For example, there are some people who truly learn best in person, particularly when it comes to hands-on techniques and modalities. If this is the case for you, it does not mean that online continuing education is no longer an option. It simply means you may need to carefully consider what kinds of continuing education classes you choose to take online.
For instance, you could enroll in a continuing education course on the topic of marketing for massage therapists and bodyworkers, or perhaps an online continuing education class that focuses on accounting practices for touch therapists who own their own businesses. Basically, you can search out those continuing education classes that are more thought-based and less touch-based when it comes to earning continuing education credits online.
However, with the advances in today’s Internet technology, you may find that you can learn an even wider array of skills online—including those more focused on touch. This is because many online continuing education classes include video presentations, where you can see and hear your teacher as he or she shows the class exactly how to apply various techniques.
Today’s online continuing education classes also often include a method for interacting with other students and the teacher, usually through some kind of forum or class message board, so you will not find yourself isolated away with just some books and videos.
With all the diverse online continuing education classes available for massage therapists and bodyworkers, the convenience of this option is highly appealing.
–Brandi Schlossberg