Physical Therapy Schools|Benefits Of Massage Therapy Schools

You've heard me talk a lot about starting your own business. That's because in this economy, it's nice to know that you are in control of your finances and job security. One of the easiest business with the lowest overhead cost is massage therapy. Marketing yourself as a massage therapist is easy with the Internet. Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist allow you to find your clientele as easy as a click of a button. You can determine the pricing, and if you do good work, word of mouth will drive in new customers and you will develop a solid base of repeat customers.

So aside from a massage table and Internet connection, what else do you need? Product. Massage oil and massage lotion can be quite expensive, if you don't know how to shop. Buying wholesale is easy, but not if you don't know where to start. First, find a manufacturer that sells oil and lotion by the gallon. You will want to start with a gallon and find a product that works for you. Do NOT go to the store and buy a small bottle of massage lotion from your local drugstore. You will wind up paying the same price for a small container that you would buying a gallon from a good wholesale supplier.

In terms of massage oil, how can do you know which brand to use? Does it matter?

Manufacturers have a very low cost for the base of the product. For purposes of this article, let's say that a company gets their massage oil for $7 a gallon. Then a company goes to that manufacturer and buys the product in large quantities for $10 a gallon. They slap their label on the product and sell it to retailers and representatives for $20 a gallon. The retailer then prices the product out for $40 a gallon. Suddenly, something that only cost $7 to make is retailing at your nearest store for $40 or more per gallon.

So what do you need to do to make sure you get quality product at the best price? Find your wholesaler, get the ingredients and compare! Let's say you like a certain brand but they retail out for over $40? Get that brands ingredient listing, compare to your cheapest wholesaler. Most of the time you will find the ingredients are very similar or even exact. Try the product and you will find that 9 times out of 10 it is the same quality as the expensive brand, but will save you hundreds in the long term.

So take a chance, get started and make your own money. Massage therapy allows you to have freedom of a flexible schedule, working from home and no previous experience necessary. Find a solid massage therapy school in your area, buy some product and get started!

Bulk Apothecary is a huge manufacturer of wholesale massage oil and lotion base among other soap and lotion making supplies.

An occupational therapist helps patients who have lost the ability to do routine everyday activities due to some handicap or physical, developmental or congenital problems, to restore normalcy in their lives. By working closely with them, the therapists not only help the patients to develop the skills required, but also complement these with compensation skills to enable the patients to become independent in small activities like dressing on their own and using a computer. They would also teach them to use accessories like orthotics, wheelchairs and dressing and eating aids. The field of occupational therapy is as demanding as it is interesting, for people with compassion and love for their fellow human beings. However, since this plays a critical part in the lives of patients in dire need of help, an occupational therapy degree is necessary, if you want to make a mark in this field, and for this, you would need searching for accredited therapy schools with occupational therapy program.

If you aspire for a job as an occupational therapist, try to include courses on biology, sociology, psychology, anatomy and other science and social science related subjects, in your undergraduate classes, besides taking up opportunities as a volunteer, which will stand you in good stead for your future educational advancement. You must remember that completing a master's degree and taking up a job, does not absolve you from participating in on-going education to hone your skills and become up-to-date with the latest technologies and developments in the field.

Physically fitness is imperative for occupational therapists, as their work demands standing for most of their working hours, and they even have to lift the patients at times, besides other exhausting activities of the occupation and a strenuous 42-hour week, sometimes even at different locations. In the schools, a therapist would choose the vocation that interests him. Some would prefer concentrating on therapy for children, while others may prefer to devote quality time with helping older patients who may just be recovering from a stroke or some other devastating incident in their lives.

Most occupational therapy schools cater to a master's degree, which is the minimum qualification for an entrance to a career in this field. In addition, the students would also have to take a national certification exam to qualify for employment. Most of these therapy schools run a full-time program, but now, a slew of schools are offering programs on a part-time basis for the student's convenience, so that they can continue to attend to their other vocations in hand. Before you enter a therapy school, you would do well to check out their record of graduating students, the part-time courses they offer and the help they would render in job placement, after you complete the course with them.

A common question we receive is from potential job seekers asking what home health aide classes are required or recommended to become a certified Home Health Aide. The truth is, not even a high school diploma is strictly required to enter the HHA field. But that said, proper classes and training are required both to give you a leg up on the competition and also to ensure you are properly prepared to provide the aid to those who need it.

There are a couple common ways people end up taking home health aide classes. The first is by joining a HHA Agency. Most agencies will provide training and HHA classes to their employees. These courses are often times two to three weeks long and will train the attendee on providing a clean and safe environment, proper nutrition and general care for their patients. Also included will be routine medical procedures such as taking and recording vital signs, infection control, geriatric care and other procedures of that ilk.

Home Health Aide Classes Some common home HHA classes are the following:

- principles of physical therapy and body mechanics

- proper lifting techniques

- healthy food preparation and nutrition

- physiology and anatomy

- infection control

- communication and educational skills for working with both patients and families

- patients rights and ethics

- day to day patient help with personal care such as dressing and bathing

Home Health Aide Classes

A good program of HHA classes will also include a significant practical experience portion that provides the student with directly supervised patient experience.

A second way HHA classes are available to those interested is via sponsor organizations like the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross offers HHA classes in either a 4 week day program or an 8 week night program. In the American Red Cross course, potential home health aides will be trained in basic care for residents in long-term care facilities as well as hospitals and homes. After completing the American Red Cross courses, an attendee will be qualified to take the Nurse Aide state examination and will have the skills to become a Home Health Aide or a Nurse Assistant.

College Courses For Home Health Aide Classes Finally, many colleges offer courses that can be viewed as HHA classes. Some classes to look out for are:

- Pharmacy Assistant

- Practical Nursing

- Health Care Assistant

- Spa Therapy

- CDI College

- Advanced Massage Therapy

- Assistance Health Care Facilities

- Dental Assistance

- Health Care Aide

- Health Care Assistant

- Health, Assistance and Nursing

- Intra Oral Dental Assistant

- Massage Therapy home health certification

People interested in extending their HHA classes should remember that certified home classes are almost always provided offline and in person. It is important to find teachers that you will enjoy and be engaged by. Also, when evaluating a school or institute based on course names, make sure to request information from all possible institutions in order to make sure you receive the best and most suited access to HHA classes.

Hands-On Therapy for Peaceful Sleep

One alternative medicine approach is a perfect option for relaxing your tension and allowing you to sink into deep, restful sleep: massage therapy.

If you are comfortable with someone touching your body, a therapeutic massage is a wonderful sleep aid. In simple terms, massage therapy turns OFF the sympathetic nervous system, and turns ON the parasympathetic system. Thus, it relaxes the body and relieves neuromuscular problems.

I (Dr. Nikos) recently tried this method by actually getting a massage during a recent trip to the suburbs of Chicago. I peacefully drifted off to sleep with no trouble at all, even during the massage.

Relaxation techniques, such as massage therapy, can reduce the frustrations, stresses, and other turmoil that lead to a night of tossing and turning-and anxiousness and poor performance during the daytime.
It seems we all have the need for human touch. Therapeutic massage can have both an internal psychological benefit and an external physical benefit-improving physiological responses for the body.

Therapeutic massage can help with sleep disorders that have a neuromuscular origin such as pain, tension, involuntary muscle contractions, and "restless muscle" syndromes, notably, "restless legs syndrome."

After having a daily massage for ten days, even adults with chronic fatigue syndrome sleep better.

BALMS AND OILS

Massage and aromatherapy can relax your muscles and offer improved blood and lymph circulation. A backrub can reduce nerve irritation and assist by increasing production of pain-killing endorphins. The time-honored healing potential of a good back massage is well known and has many enthusiasts.

Several sweetly-scented natural balms and massage oils are available to use with massage therapy to relieve stress. The aroma, texture, and feel of the oils offer a calming effect in a relaxing environment.

RELIEVING INSOMNIA

Insomnia is common problem for hospitalized patients. Consequently, a search for non-drug alternatives for the treatment of insomnia has been necessary. Massage has been useful as an adjunct or alternative option to drug therapy for insomnia, for example benzodiazepines.

One study, conducted at the University of Arkansas, concluded that back massage is useful for promoting sleep in critically ill older men.

SOOTHING YOUR CHILD WITH INFANT MASSAGE

It may interest you to know that restless babies and children may also benefit from a massage by sleeping more peacefully. In one study of children and adolescents, those who participated in a 30-minute massage (daily for five days) slept longer and more soundly.

In addition to helping an infant sleep, the "calming touch" of a parent establishes a valuable opportunity to soothe and nurture your baby. As little as 15 minutes of massage a day significantly benefits infant weight gain as well as mental and motor development, according to research. Infants' sleep patterns improved with deeper sleep of longer duration.
Baby massage has many benefits, including improved parent-infant interaction, infant relaxation and reduced crying for colicky babies. Some newborns may develop a more regular sleep cycle as well.

In addition, a study by Dieter, et al., discovered that pre-term infants given five days of massage therapy gained weight and improved sleep-wake behavior. The therapy used was a simple, easy-to-learn method of body stroking combined with passive limb movements for three 15-minute periods per day to improve the health of the stable pre-term infants.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE TECHNIQUES

Massage can also help a couple reconnect. It can be a great way to re-acquaint with your partner. You might want to give each other a nightly massage before sleep.

Some of the most common therapeutic massage techniques are:

· Swedish massage: a smooth, flowing style that improves overall relaxation, circulation and range of movement, and relieves muscular tension.

· Deep-tissue or Neuromuscular massage: a style that reaches the connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. This releases tension areas called "trigger points."

· Sports massage: a style that improves athletic performance by massaging specific muscles, tendons and ligaments.

· Reflexology: a style for massaging specific "reflex zones" on your feet that relieves tension and pain, and improves circulation in areas of your body corresponding to reflex zones of the feet.

· Specialized forms: other forms of therapeutic massage.

A "PEACEFUL, EASY FEELING"-- AND A POEM
After you have experienced a therapeutic massage, drink plenty of water (to avoid dehydration and to help in the removal and filtration of toxins) and enjoy the sweet peace of relaxation to benefit your sleep.
As I was drifting into relaxation by the end of my own massage therapy session, the therapist recited a wonderful poem. It had an effect when it was spoken slowly and received in a restful state. "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift-that's why they call it the Present."

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Nikos Linardakis, M.D. is a chief physician in Boston, Massachusetts for Tharos Laboratories, Inc. He currently writes and has previously published articles on evidence-based natural alternatives. He is the author of several medical books, and Editor-in-Chief at McGraw-Hill Companies Health Sciences Division, New York. He can be reached at Nikos@TharosLabs.com
Carli Dixon, M.A., M.S. is a writer/editor who specializes in health, nutrition, the management of stress and change, and current research findings that focus on anti-aging and wellness issues.

Sources and additional reading

Agarwal KN, Gupta A, Pushkarna R, et al. Effects of massage & use of oil on growth, blood flow & sleep pattern in infants. Indian J Med Res 2000; 112: 212-217.

Azad, N., et al. Hospitalized patients' preference in the treatment of insomnia: Pharmacological versus non-pharmacological. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2003 Summer; 10(2): 89-92.

Dieter, JN, et al. Stable preterm infants gain more weight and sleep less after five days of massage therapy. J Pediatr Psychol. 2003 Sep; 28(6): 403-11.

Ferber, S, et al. Massage therapy by mothers enhances the adjustment of circadian rhythms to the nocturnal period in full-term infants. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2002 Dec; 23(6): 410-5.

Richards, KC, Effect of a back massage and relaxation intervention on sleep in critically ill patients. Am J Crit Care. 1998 Jul; 7(4): 288-99.

For those wanting a Massage Therapist Career, this article is here to give you food for thought, to point out some important things to consider and hopefully enlighten you, even just a little, as to whether a Massage Therapy Career is the right move for you, and what you can do to have the best chance of creating a successful career in massage.

Why a Massage Therapist Career?

There are many reasons why to choose a massage therapy career and we'll look at some of them now.

o It appeals to those wishing to help and nurture others.

o Massage is a time tested methodology offering proven results over many centuries of use.

o As alternative and complimentary therapies continue to grow in popularity, so does demand for massage.

o As the therapeutic value of massage gains greater acceptance from conventional medicine, massage becomes an even more sought after therapy.

o As more insurance companies include massage within their cover, demand for therapists increase.

o According to the U.S. Department of Labour Bureau of Labour Statistics, demand for employment for massage therapists is increasing "faster than average."

o A massage therapist career offers both employment opportunities and business opportunities for those with aspirations for creating their own business and being self employed.

o For those with entrepreneurial tendencies, there is the potential for a highly lucrative multi therapist business to be developed.

A massage therapy career has huge potential and demand is growing. Quite simply, it is not a fad, it is an industry with no end in sight. It gives you the opportunity to have a long term business or career with the potential for continual growth.

Choosing your Massage Training

If you are going to have a massage therapist career, it all starts with your training. Firstly, get clear on what your objectives are. If you want to learn massage for fun and to care for your family or pamper you partner, that's great and you can do a weekend certificate course for that. If however you are serious about a career, then choose your massage training carefully.

Be very clear about the credentials and the options that your training will and will NOT afford you.

o Exactly what type of certification or title will you hold?

o What type of professional association will you be eligible for and what are the benefits of that association?

o Will you be eligible for professional insurance?

o Will you be able to treat people covered by health insurance or government care programs?

At a minimum, ensure that your qualifications will enable you to join a professional association and get insurance. Remember you can always continue your education for higher qualifications over time. This is frequently done in massage therapy careers.

Work on Your Massage Business Plan and Start Earning some Cash!

After completing your training it's time to start working and earn some hard earned dollars. There are many opportunities for full and part time employment if that's what you wish.

If you would prefer to start your own business there is one important fact to be aware of..... COMPETITION! The flexibility of a massage therapist career is appealing to many people, and while demand for massage grows, so too do the number of qualified therapists.

You may look at this as a negative thing, however if you are a little clever you can also see this as a great opportunity. Most massage training courses include little or no education on the business side. They really just teach the skills required to practice the therapy. As a result, many therapists will endeavour to start their own business but struggle due to lack of business knowledge.

Be clever and educate yourself not only in the skills of massage, but also the business of massage. There are several options for this kind of education specifically targeted to the massage industry. I have reviewed several of them and the best by far is a program called Massage Therapy Success. It is extremely well put together, very thorough and complete. It is logical, easy to understand and the surest way I can think of to ensure a successful massage therapy career.

It's a difficult decision in regards to choosing which program or clinic to go to when wanting to become knowledgeable in the skills of equine massage. Until quite recently massaging a horse was often considered as a ridiculous luxury that not very many people even saw a need for in the slightest degree.

Now, when you scour cyberspace, there are a veritable "schmorgesborg" of schools, clinics, online programs, books, and tapes all teaching one form or another of therapeutic horse massage. There are now so many choices that it will send your mind swimming and take up a huge portion of your entire day as you aim to decipher the one that is good for you.

Choosing a certification course becomes challenging to the beginner, who, attempting to make a sensible choice on what to do for their certification, cannot understand why there's so much discrepancy between various programs and also the number of hours necessary to obtain a certificate.

It gets even more confusing when the shopper realizes that some schools have multiple modules that require numerous weeks of your time to attend or, to an even greater extent, literally years of attendance so that you can receive the ever coveted "certification."

The question then arises "What value does the certification hold in this industry?"

Currently there is no unified regulation in the United States relating to equine massage. Each state has declared their stance on the matter through the veterinarian laws and it also varies greatly among states, as well as from year to year, within each state.

California, in particular, has no regulations on who is able to perform equine massage, nor are you required to have a certification in any way. Contrast this with the state of Massachusetts where the law states that no equine massage is allowed.

The bottom line is a certificate from any class, clinic, online distance education, video course etc... - is simply a certificate verifying the quantity of hours you've completed through any given institute. Put simply, it's actually a certificate of "attendance."

Until the animal/equine massage industry becomes one unified organization the sole thing you need to be keenly conscious of are the laws within the state in which you plan on practicing. You are, in any case, always able to learn equine massage and perform it on your own horses as you like.

Make no mistake, it's always better to have a certification readily available in the event a prospective client should inquire about your education. Also, this "alternative" health care modality is quickly becoming an integral component of routine care for horses and you will definitely want to have some sort of valid education to help promote this fantastic discipline.

The beauty culture is rising in India with more number of people becoming conscious about their appearance and looks. Nowadays, both men and women seek professional beauticians to groom them. Moreover, with more women becoming financially independent, their increased earning capacity along with above mentioned reasons has resulted in increased demand for beauty treatments and skilled stylists giving beautician jobs a boom in the market.

Beauty culture is not about outer appearance only but includes services like massage and spa that relax your entire body, mind and soul. The beauty profession is increasingly becoming unanimous choice for lucrative career in India. Not only female employees but also men are becoming a part of beauty jobs. Beauticians are trained professionals to offer beauty services such as hair styling, facial, bridal makeup, massage therapy, manicure, pedicure, saree draping, personal grooming, nail art, and much more.

Eligibility: A career in beauty industry gives you a lucrative and recession proof job opportunity. Moreover, to obtain any course in beauty treatment does not require high education. Minimum qualification required is 10th pass. To become a successful beautician you need to have two major qualities- aptitude and determination.

Courses: A number of short-term and long-term diploma and certificate courses are available that can be taken as per your career plans. The duration of these courses may vary from 1 month to 12 months.You can even get on-the-job training facility while working as a trainee.

Training Schools: A large number of colleges and beauty training schools offer diploma in beauty culture. Some of them include VLCC Institute (all major cities), MeeraBai Polytechnic; Delhi, Government Women's Polytechnic College; Udaipur, and Shri Vaishnav Polytechnic College; Madhya Pradesh, among others.

Recruiters: After pursuing diploma and certification in beauty culture from any one of the reputed college you can get hired by top companies like Clara International, VLCC, Eves, Schwarzkopf, Botox Cosmetic, Lotus, Kushi, and Lakme, among others. On completion of diploma or certification courses in beauty you can even start your own saloon.

VLCC is one of the most renowned fitness and slimming corporate in the world. VLCC Group includes a number of its reputed brands such as VLCC Institute of Beauty, VLCC Spa, Health & Management, VLCC Personal Care Ltd., and VLCC Health Care Ltd. The institutes run by VLCC aims at offering highly skilled professionals to the beauty and health care industry.

A career in beauty culture has bright future due to the continuous growth in demand for beauty services in personal care market in India.Job opportunities in the field are not restricted to beauty industry but include a wide scope in other industries such as fashion houses, Films & TV industry, hotels, and academic institutes, among others.

Job opportunities include: beauty advisor in a reputed cosmetic firm, can be appointed to give demonstrations on skin care and make up, start your on business by opening a saloon, work as beauty consultant, etc.

Like most of the best things in my life, Thailand and Thai Yoga Bodywork arrived as surprises.

On a May afternoon six years ago, I sat with a friend and a couple of cappuccinos at The Hungarian Pastry Shop in New York City's Upper West Side. I was a senior at Barnard College at the time, catching up with a former high school teacher who was in the neighborhood. That fall he would be heading over to Chiang Mai, Thailand to serve as the headmaster of an international boarding school. He told me that one of the teachers lined up to join him there had unexpectedly backed out. Knowing both my thirst for travel and that my graduation was imminent, by the last sip of our coffees he had offered me the newly vacant teaching position. "I don't mean to rush you," he concluded, "but I need to know your decision within forty-eight hours."

As an African Studies major, the only things I associated with Thailand at the time were rice fields and elephants. Clearly I had some research to do. A walk down to 86th Street and Broadway's Barnes and Noble's travel section led me to The Lonely Planet. Turning to the chapter on Chiang Mai, I learned that it was a city in the country's mountainous north, it had a yoga studio-and, best of all-I could get a two hour massage for a measly $6. With that, I closed the book, needing to know no more. That evening I accepted the job. This was no mistake; for from this decision evolved an unexpected love affair with Thailand and its healing art, traditional Thai massage.

Upon arriving in Chiang Mai for the first time, I caught onto a few things very quickly: Thailand's cuisine is mind-boggling delicious; everyone seemed to be smiling; and Thai massage is ubiquitous! Within my first 72 hours as an expatriate, I experienced my first Thai massage. Having only received Swedish and deep tissue massages, I didn't quite know what to expect: but as I am never one to decline an adventure, I succumbed willingly. Ensuing were two decadent hours of lying on a floor mat in a borrowed cotton tank top and pants and being pressed, rocked, twisted and stretched into the most ingenious of shapes and possibilities. I left feeling much like I do after practicing yoga: grounded and bright. Amazing! I was hooked-and puzzled, left wondering, "What was that?!"

I soon learned that Traditional Thai Massage (known as nuad boran in northern Thailand) arrived in Thailand approximately 2,500 years ago after its birth in India through Dr. Jivaka Kumar Bhacca, personal physician to the Buddha. Today, Thais continue to honor Dr. Jivaka as the "Father of Healing" in Thai medicine. Once landing in Thailand, this healing art thrived in Buddhist temples, where lay people would come for healing. From there, it spread out into villages where children treated their elders at the end of long days working in rice fields.

Due to its migration, Traditional Thai massage consists of a fusion of multi-cultural healing disciplines such as yoga, Ayurveda, Buddhist meditation, traditional Thai medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. From this fusion arises interactive bodywork that combines deep tissue compression, acupressure and reflexology, energy line work, toning of internal organs, energy balancing, range-of-motion exercises, and assisted Hatha yoga postures. These techniques address muscles, connective tissue, joints, and the more ephemeral 10 major energy lines (or "Sen," similar to the nadis in the yogic system). A typical session runs around 2 hours. During this time, a Thai therapist uses her palms, thumbs, feet, elbows, forearms, and knees on a lucky recipient who is configured in some or all of five positions: supine, prone, side-lying, inverted, and seated. Relaxation, rejuvenation, and well-being follow.

Today, to the delight of many, Thai massage's migration persists. Thanks to an initial handful of pioneers, Thai massage has landed here in the United States where it adapts without compromising tradition. Here, such adaptations assume the names of "Thai Yoga Massage," "Thai Yoga Therapy," "Traditional Thai Massage," and "Thai Yoga Bodywork." One of these initial pioneers, Jonas Westring, serves as the director of Thai Yoga Healing Arts/Shantaya and leads workshops and certification trainings around the world. As a yoga practitioner and teacher, as well as a physical therapist, Westring has spent much of his life traveling and studying in Asia. It comes as no surprise, then, that Westring finds Thai massage to be the perfect container for melding Eastern and Western perspectives. Within his take on the theme, "Thai Yoga Bodywork," Westring reveals, "I marry biomechanics and yoga into the Thai tradition." While his clinical background compels him to keep safety a high priority, Westring laughs that it's really about "yoga, yoga, yoga." "By bringing in the yogic perspective for both recipient and giver," he adds, "It's a great place to introduce people to yoga and to maintain my own practice."

Using Thai Yoga as a self-help modality for the giver makes Westring's approach unique. After waking up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning and then working eight to nine hours a day as a physical therapy assistant in Mattawan, MI, Colleen Potter-Burton, a student of Westring's, still motivates to find time for her Thai Bodywork practice in the evenings. What makes this possible, she urges, is, "When you're going back to diaphragmatic breathing and connecting your breath to the receiver's, by the end of giving a two hour session I feel really wonderful!"

And helping oneself does not negate helping another. Maggie Hopson, also one of Westring's students, is a physical therapist, yoga instructor, and co-owner of High Desert Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation in Winslow, Arizona. Thai Yoga Bodywork, she says, has "added a new dimension to how I approach rehabbing patients. In the past I would work on single joints, but this helped me to look at people more holistically." Patients with injuries such as a torn ACL-- and even those with more severe movement disorders like as Parkinson's, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Lupus-- benefit from Hopson's integrated approach. "These people feel great afterwards," she gushes, "Other patients in the clinic see this and are saying, 'Why aren't you doing that to me?!' "

But Hopson knows that applying advanced body manipulation techniques to injured individuals can be dicey. While her studies with other Thai massage teachers have concerned Hopson due to their lack of emphasis on anatomy, Hopson appreciates Westring's mindful and scientific approach. "Jonas teaches safety first," she says, "and that you need to keep a clear mind so you can sense resistance in the tissues and joints."

On a larger scale, safety is a real issue as Thai massage's popularity soars higher today than ever before. Some practitioners are more skilled than others, and the reality is that people are getting injured. In addition, with so many people practicing, there is concern about the integrity of the traditional form fading into extinction. Bob Haddad, a practitioner in Chapel Hill, N.C., has responded to these concerns by creating the non-profit organization, Thai Healing Alliance International (THAI). THAI aims to build more cohesiveness amongst practitioners and standardize certification. Basic membership requires a minimum of 30 training hours and evidence of an ongoing practice.

Yet beneath the techniques, certification requirements, and rapid growth, the irresistible magic of Thai massage lives on. What keeps an old pro like Westring still going back for more? He concurs with the masses: "It feels good."

As a new parent it is daunting knowing exactly what activity to introduce to your baby and what value it will bring to your baby's life. You want to give your baby the best, the best love care and attention. Yet it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available to you. I remember when my daughters were new-born I was so confused about the array of baby products available...do you buy this gadget, feed your baby this formula or take her to every mother-baby group....It was all too much. I wanted something, simple, affordable, and brought joy to the parenting process. That is why I started baby massage.

What Is Baby /Infant Massage?

Baby massage consists of a series of gentle simple stroking movements over your baby's body. You can undress your baby and massage her as part of her daily care routine or you can slip in a quick massage during the day when she is wearing her clothes.

What Are The Benefits Of Baby Massage?

If you have ever received a massage you will know how relax, energised and stretched you feel afterwards. Baby massage has the same benefit for your baby.

There are many physical and psychological benefits from giving your baby a gentle massage.

Five Main Benefits of Baby Massage

1. Improves Confidence. Baby massage helps you to get used to touching your baby. If you are apprehensive or unsure how to handle your baby, giving her a simple massage can help you feel more confident and assured in your ability to carry and touch your baby.

2. Enhances Communication. Every time you massage your baby, you pick up non verbal and verbal cues about how they feel and what parts of their body like stroking. This information is useful if your baby feels distressed, unhappy or cold. You learn how to respond quicker to their needs.

3.Eases Parental Stress. Parenting is stressful and hard work. Giving your baby a massage allows you time to sit down, relax and enjoy quiet time with your baby. The more relaxed and comfortable you are it becomes easier for your baby to settle and enjoy a good nights sleep. A definite boom for you.

4.Stimulates Circulation and Digestion. As you massage your baby you help to stimulate all her bodily systems especially the digestive and nervous system. This makes it easier for your baby to settle and be contented. Feeding and sleeping play a central role in your baby's life. So the easier it is for your daughter to digest her food and sleep the happier she grows.

5.Encourages Bonding.If you had a difficult birth or your baby has a medical problem or you suffer from post natal depression, it is hard to bond with your baby. Massaging encourages you to slowly get used to looking after your baby and spending quality time with her.

Are There Are Disadvantages Of Baby Massage?

Although massage is fine, it is best to wait till your baby has had their 6-8 weeks check before progressing on more advance massage techniques involving moving the hips. Always listen and respect your baby. if at any time they look distressed or uncomfortable, stop what you are doing and give them time to readjust and settle down.

As your baby grows you can still give them a massage. My "babies" are now teenagers yet they still love me giving them their hand or foot massage as part of their "wind down- bedtime routine!".

I urge you to find out more about the benefits of baby massage. Maybe there is a class near you or you can look online for in-depth articles and videos.

One of the biggest reasons that people are attracted to a career in massage therapy is that they feel they are able to help others in a meaningful way. It is a job that is in alignment with the core values of service to others. Many people long for meaningful work, something that really makes a difference in people's lives, and connects them with others.

There are so many professions out there that just feel lifeless to people. Many professionals today are walking away from stressful careers to find work they can be passionate about, even if it means making less money. Let's face it, most people trade time for money, and the question arises, what's more important, time or money? Is it possible to have both?

If you've ever had the feeling, while doing something you love, of time seeming to slow down and the feeling that you could do it all day, that's when you are in alignment. What an awesome feeling that would be to have while you work. Would that be work at all?

Maybe you don't know how passionate you really are about a career as a massage therapist. Let's look at what it takes to become a message therapist and what is expected of you. Prior to 1990 you could train as an apprentice or attend workshops, but now that the profession has grown it's vital to complete an educational training program. You also will need to pass the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork after you graduate, as well as licensing requirements that very from state to state.

In a city a massage therapist can earn $60 to $100 an hour, and $50 to $75 elsewhere. Most practitioners consider 27 hours a week to be full-time work. It is physical work and that is something to take into consideration, hands get sore and you're on your feet a lot, it takes a considerable amount of energy. It's definitely not a career you want to just jump in to.

With the way things are changing in this economy there are many unconventional business models out there that are very lucrative, that require no schooling, do require some learning, but allow average people to create six figure incomes from home using only a computer and phone. Particularly in the soon to be trillion dollar 'Wellness Industry', there are many companies looking for passionate people to work with, providing the training and infrastructure to create substantial income.

Most people want to become a massage therapist, or enter similar occupations, because they are very passionate people that want to be of service, and that is admirable, the question you have to ask yourself is, do I want to invest the serious amount of time and money into becoming a massage therapist? Is it really your dream?

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