Lifelong learning is an investment in your career and one worth every CE hour requirement. Investing in professional development may be (in most states) part of your license renewal, but its rewards can be measured in personal and business growth. Of the 48 states that offer a massage therapy license, certification, or registration, 40 states require massage therapists to complete continuing education (CE). Beyond fulfilling a license requirement, let’s look at what CE can do for you and your clients.
Whether it’s in-person or online education, professional development can be an integral part of advancing your career, practicing safely, providing enhanced services, and maintaining consumer trust. CE is common in the health-care and associated-wellness professions. It offers practitioners the opportunity to sharpen skills, learn new techniques, and stay up to date with industry trends. By studying new modalities, LMTs can learn alternative techniques that can often reenergize and encourage a change in routine or unlock new ways to treat clients.
Although LMTs are, at their core, client-focused and driven to restore balance and movement, the practice is a source of income, and it’s important to consider the positive impact CE has on a practitioner’s bottom line. Learning and implementing new techniques can give you a competitive edge in the job market. Let’s not forget that CE courses and events often present participants with networking opportunities and can open doors to further, lucrative career growth.
ABMP offers a wide range of carefully curated CE content in the ABMP Education Center, including courses on techniques, anatomy, pathology, ethics, business, and self-care taught by the best instructors in the profession. Popular course topics include myofascial and positional release techniques, stretching, orthopedic cupping, fascia, and reflexology.
The number of CE hours a massage therapist must complete to renew their license varies from state to state (take a peek at our infographic!) However, most states require LMTs to complete a minimum number of hours in ethics and massage therapy laws and rules in addition to technique coursework. These provisions help increase public safety and keep practitioners current with state-specific laws and regulations. Many states allow in-person and online home study to fulfill CE requirements—this flexibility assists those in rural areas and people with busy work schedules.
Note: This chart is not specific to annual CE hour requirements. States vary on renewal periods—some mandate annual renewals, while others mandate renewals every two years or every three years.
Whether you’re signing up for a course to satisfy state board licensing requirements or for the pursuit of knowledge, lifelong learning improves job performance and elevates your practice to help you succeed in an evolving industry. Invest in professional development, profit from nurturing the mind, and see ROI in better client care.