Massage Therapy Modalities
Now that you've made the decision to become a massage therapist, and pursue a career in the field of bodywork, you will need to decide what type of therapy to specialize in. Many therapists choose to specialize in more than one area of massage therapy. This opens up the door for more services you can provide (and also, more places where you can find employment, which translates into more money). Each modality requires its own specialized training. There are approximately 80 different specialties of massage but, we'll only mention a few of the more popular ones here. Swedish. Swedish massage is the most common and best known type of massage in the US. Swedish massage is based on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology and was pioneered by Swedish physiologist Per Henrik Ling. During your training to specialize in this modality, you will focus on five basic strokes, all which flow towards the heart. This type of massage therapy is a great choice for beginners. One of the...