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Massage relieves stress and tension as well as give the person renewed energy. If you want to do this, you have to know how to do it.

1. The first thing you have to do is create the right atmosphere or ambiance. This means finding a cozy, quiet and warm room. You can even use aromatherapy oil or light a scented candle to make the place smell good. It is best to close the curtains so nobody will see that you are giving a massage.

2. You then prepare the massage oil. The best one to use is Jojoba oil but since this is too expensive, you can try almond oil or lavender instead.

3. The best place to give a massage if you don’t have the massaging bed is on the floor. So it is not too hard to lie on, you should spread linen and then cover it over with a blanket.

4. When the room is ready, you tell the person to take off their clothes and lie in between the blanket. If the person is shy, it is okay and let them just lie down in their underwear. Make sure to cover them up to keep them warm.

5. The proper way of giving a massage is by working from right to left. So, you should sit on the right side of your partner on the thigh or between the legs.

6. You then use your flat hands to smoothly slide from the foot to the bottom on top of the back of the right leg and slide again down. Knead the right leg from the bottom to the top in 3 parts by working inwards then outward and then start over. When you are done, the same thing will be done to the opposite leg.

7. Once you are done with the legs, it is time to work on the back by placing yourself at the head facing the legs. Again, you use your flat hands to smoothly slide from head to the bottom with each hand close to the spine. Slide over the edge of the bottom to the side and then slide on the sides upwards just underneath the scapulas, you slide back and move the rest back up to the beginning of the shoulders. This should be done 3 times.

8. You then move over to one side and then use your left hand to do a full circle on their back. With your right hand, you do a half circle beginning away from your left going clockwise. This should be done very slowly, smoothly and sensitively starting at the bottom and then moving all the way up to the shoulders and the back again.

Massage therapy has become a really big industry in the country. As proof of this, clinics have sprouted like mushrooms at every block and there are a lot of more coming. The booming industry is both a boon and a bane for people who want to set up their own massage therapy clinics. the good news is, you have a lot of clients as massages have become a fad. On the bad side, there are already a lot of massage clinics in the block and you have to compete with them for clients. And being the new kid in the block, this may not be an easy thing.

Before you get disheartened by this, remember that when you plan it right, any business can be a potential cash cow. Here are some tips on how to set up a massage therapy clinic that is guaranteed to make money.

1. Location

With so many massage clinics in the area, you would want a location that guarantees a lot of foot traffic. As much as possible look for places that are near major public areas like the park, schools, markets and even department stores. Being near public places will help you in terms of publicity. You are already being seen. All you actually need is a set of signboards announcing your services and of course a good display window. Another reason why it is good to place your clinic in a public area is the fact that when people walk by all the time, some of them would think of trying your services.

2. Services

Your location is just the design of your product. It is the one that you use to encourage people to get a taste of your massage therapy clinics. But what will make your business thrive and last is the service that you provide to your clients. Once they try your services and find it to their satisfaction, they will be your lifelong customers.

One way to do this is to include a unique service that one cannot find in other massage clinics in the area. Research on some ancient massage techniques that no clinic is offering yet. Introduce the massage in the area. For sure, you will be an instant hit. People by nature would want to try something new. Make sure though that you can sustain the new service through training employees and using products that are appropriate to the massage.

3. Employees

Another way to build a successful massage therapy franchise is to hire people who can do the job for you. Of course when you are starting, you will not be able to afford people who are already experienced. Because of this, it will be up to you to train your employees. That is why it is also important that if you are setting up a massage clinic that you know a lot about the industry. You must know for yourself how to massage people. Otherwise, you must know someone who knows the massage therapy techniques. That way, he or she can be the one to train your new employees.

4. Ambiance

Another important part of the massage therapy business is the ambiance. People go there to relax so you must also create a relaxing and comforting environment, somewhere where your clients can escape to.

If you love to work with your hands, perhaps you should be in a profession that does exactly that such as massage therapy. In fact, the US Department of Labor has shown in their latest report that there is demand for such professionals until the year 2012. If this sounds appealing to you, then you should know how to become a massage therapist.

Those who want to become massage therapists should enroll in a program that is accredited by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or NCBTMB. To become a licensed professional, you must complete at least 500 hours of training including subjects such as ethics, anatomy and physiology among others.

If you happen to study massage therapy in a school that is not accredited by this body, you will not be allowed to take the national certification exam. This may prevent you from practicing in states that require this prior to employment which is why you should check first if the school you plan to enroll in is in the program.

Should you somehow be able to find work without getting a license, you could be penalized with fines and even be banned from every practicing there.

The advantage of enrolling in a program under the NCBTMB is that you can apply for federal financial aid if you don’t have the funds to pay for your schooling.

But the big question is how much do massage therapists earn? One research group has pointed out the median salary is $45,611. The report also says that half of those working earn between $36,930 and $55,920 as this varies with experience. If you are new, you will probably just have one or two clients a day while more experienced individuals will have more than 5. This isn’t bad because massage therapy program can go as high as $12,000.

If you are serious about pursuing this as a career, ask yourself some questions. Are you patient? Are you customer oriented? Do you really want to help the patient? If your answer to all three questions is yes then the next thing you have to do is check what specific interests do you have.

Just like medicine, massage therapy has various specialties and these include sports massage, clinical massage and Swedish massage to name a few. While you will probably learn all of these in school, you should already see which one you want specialize in after graduation.

To help you out, it will be a good idea to visit massage parlors and talk to those who are already working. You can also do some research online as there are articles that have been written about the profession.

Once you get your degree and the license, you have the option of working for someone or opening up your own establishment. This will be easy if you had the capital since you will need to buy your own massage table, chairs, pillows, sheets and lotions. But if you want to learn first, then go find work, learn the tricks of the trade and then set up shop.

Now that you know how to become a massage therapist, the ball is already in your court. The right attitude will get you through school because with that you will be able to understand the techniques in helping a customer.