It’s one of the ironies of the Great Recession. Even as Michigan’s long and deep economic downturn generates plenty of stress, many laid-off workers are finding new careers as massage therapists.
Despite the poor economy, demand for massage therapists is still holding strong, thanks to hiring by hospitals, chiropractic offices, nursing homes and others.
“We’re now being accepted by the health care profession,” said Karen Armstrong, supervisor of clinical massage at Beaumont Hospitals, which operates massage clinics in Royal Oak and Troy. Read More
Massage therapists
The job: People trained to use the practice of touch to manipulate the soft-tissue muscles of the body to treat painful ailments, reduce stress, rehabilitate sports injuries, etc. There are more than 80 types of massage, including Swedish, deep-tissue, reflexology and acupressure.
Pay/benefits: Varies widely depending on the number of hours worked and where a massage therapist works. In Michigan, annual pay ranged in 2008 from $15,800 to $62,700, with the median at $29,300. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost half of all massage therapists in the U.S. worked part time in 2008.
Availability: On average, Michigan has about 80 job openings a year for massage therapists, according to the state’s Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth. It forecasts employment of massage therapists in Michigan will increase 10% from 2006 to 2016. These figures include self-employed individuals. Nationwide, the majority of massage therapists are self-employed, according to government data.
Training: Experts advise doing a lot of research to find the best schools. In Michigan, 11 massage-training schools are members of the American Massage Therapy Association and their names are listed on the association’s Web site, www.amtamassage.org. Training includes anatomy and physiology classes. New regulations being formulated will require all massage therapists to have a license in Michigan. License requirements include taking a minimum of 500 hours of training at an approved school and passing an examination.
Pros of job: Personal fulfillment, flexible hours and you can make a lot of money if you work hard.
Cons of job: There are few benefits, it’s physically demanding, it takes time to build up a steady group of clients and work can be seasonal with more business demand in the winter.
For more information: Go to the Web site of the American Massage Therapy Association at Click here and its Michigan chapter’s site at Click Here.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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