Working in a spa as a massage therapist

View Schools that offer Massage Therapy Courses.

Whether it is a day spa or a luxurious residential clinic the role of massage therapist lies at the very heart. You will be welcoming clients and providing them with pampering therapies which may be part of a package of treatments which they have booked. The experience of working in a spa as a massage therapist offers many opportunities and is quite different from that of working independently. With luxury spas worldwide there are many alluring opportunities to work in a glamorous industry.

The spa may have particular rules about grooming or appearance and may have a uniform which you are asked to wear so that clients have a seamless experience of the spa as they move from treatment to treatment. As an employee you will work fixed hours for an agreed-upon salary, which is different from the challenges of working for yourself as a massage therapist. You may also get benefits such as use of the spa facilities or training and development. A different arrangement is that you work for the spa on a freelance basis so that you are still effectively working for yourself.

The spa will have a receptionist who takes bookings or you may take bookings on your own behalf. Each day you will have a fixed number of clients, although this may vary depending on how many people have actually booked. As a rule weekends tend to be busier than weekdays. You will tend to work almost continuously between clients. As an employee you may have to work long or unsocial hours, at least until you are established.

There will be treatment rooms and you may be expected to help with their maintenance. When a client arrives you will greet and escort them to the room and then allow them to get settled before beginning your treatment. You will need to familiarize yourself with a range of products relevant to your therapy, some of which may be unique to the spa. In some cases you may be on commission to sell these products to clients as part of your salary.

Whichever massage treatment you offer, you may wish to diversify during your time at the spa by learning and developing new skills and techniques. It may be possible for you to find funding to do this from your employer who might appreciate the value this could add to what is already on offer. For example, if you already practice Swedish massage, you could train in hot stones or aromatherapy massage to diversify.

As a spa employee you will be part of a team which means that you will have colleagues to discuss problems with and share experiences and workload with, something quite different from working as a solo professional. Hopefully this provides you with a level of support and opportunities to exchange information and professional experience. Opportunities within spas mean that it is possible to move into management if you are successful. The earning potential for the manager of a hotel spa can be high and there is also security of employment.

Spas exist around the globe and so there are fantastic opportunities for travel if you work as a massage therapist. There are spas in almost every country in the world, many of them in hotels or dedicated residential resorts. You may decide to apply for glamorous luxury five-star spas which are always seeking a high caliber of therapist. There are also opportunities to work at destinations such as cruise liners. There are usually shortages of staff for such high-end spas, so why not set your sights high?

Schools that offer Massage Therapy Courses

Florida College of Natural Health

Diploma Programs:Students enrolled in this program are preparing themselves for success in the field of bodywork. The standards established by most state and municipal governments for receiving a license are exceeded by the program.

Associate of Science Degree ProgramsThis program provides many different approaches to bodywork, and is preparation for students to go into holistic massage therapy.

Associate of Science in Natural HealthThe Associate of Science in Natural Health program offers its students dual training in massage therapy and skin care. The Therapeutic Massage Training Program not only teaches the art and science of massage therapy, but also teaches sound business skills for the benefit of the students. The holistic theory to skin care is the key approach of The Skin Care Training Program.

Associate, Diploma.
AS / Massage and Skin Care, Therapeutic Massage Training Program, AS / Advanced Massage.
Florida.

Steiners School of Esthetics at VASOM

In the Professional Massage Therapy Program at the Virginia School Of Message, Students will be totaling 637 hours in the theory and practice of therapeutic message and related modalities. Intensive focus is given to Human Anatomy & Physiology. This program provides pupils with the class-work necessary to be successful as an entry-level massage therapist in a variety of settings including spas, salons, medical environments, fitness environments, wellness centers and private practice.

Diploma.
Professional Massage Training Program.
Virginia.

The Bryman School of Arizona

Massage therapists work in various places like massage therapy clinics, private offices, doctors' or chiropractors' offices, with sports teams, resorts, at athletic clubs, yoga retreat centers, beauty salons, dance studios, cruise ships and golf courses.

Associate.
Massage Therapy.
Arizona.

American Career College

American Career College has assisted student's success for more than 29 years. There are many options for a massage therapist, such as private practice, medical or acupuncture clinics, chiropractic or physical therapy offices, day spaces, or fitness centers.

Certificate.
Massage Therapy.
California.

Hollywood Institute

Diploma.
Massage Therapy.
Florida.