The Typical American Massage Therapist

      Who is the typical massage therapist? Massage Therapists are compassionate, intuitive people who work with their hands and knowledge of the human body to relieve stress, promote relaxation and healing, among other benefits. The students and graduates of the Healing Arts Center reflect many of the national trends.  If you want to know more about who the typical massage therapist is, by the numbers, view the infographic below for a snapshot of the average Massage Therapist in the United States.

      We have rounded up data about massage therapists in the United States from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and through the AMTA 2018 Massage Profession Research Report, which draws information from the Census Bureau as well as polls and surveys they conducted about the massage industry and profession.

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      As you can see in the graphic, massage is a female-dominated industry, where 89% of LMTs are women. Massage therapists are most likely to be entrepreneurs (72%), running their own business as sole practitioners. Most of them have had previous careers (80%) and often integrate massage into a wider wellness practice, movement therapy, coaching business, or related field.

      At the Healing Arts Center we value a well-rounded education to prepare students for success. 
We know that students take a variety of paths right after graduation and throughout their career, so we provide a foundation to launch in any direction.

Our curriculum includes:

• Energy work
• Breath work
• Sports massage
• Myofascial release
• SOAP noting
• Body Mechanics
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Self care
• Client relations
• Ethics
• Business
• Entrepreneur studies

      HAC's 600-hour massage therapy training program also includes 80 hours of student clinic where students practice their skills in a real clinic setting with actual clients from the public.

      The demographics of the HAC student population closely reflect those of the national average. Most of HAC students are women (78%). The average age of our students is 27 years old, on par with the national average. Whether our students go on to work as employees or as entrepreneurs, there is more than techniques that is required to be a successful massage therapist. This is why our approach is to have students learn how to care for themselves first so they are clear and present to listen and understand what the client needs and deliver a great massage experience for them.

      Throughout the year-long training, students learn from six different instructors who have varying backgrounds in massage, bodywork, energy techniques and chiropractic. Like any valuable learning process, the student ends up learning something about themselves in addition to the curriculum. Over the years we continually see students enter our program to emerge a year later profoundly altered. They report improving their mindset and their approach to life, with renewed confidence, self-esteem, and passion for life. We hear from students how the experience of attending the Healing Arts Center gave them the tools and the community support to grow, heal, and get in tune with themselves.

      The numbers show that massage therapists tend to build their business through referrals - through their ability to have a positive impact on their clients who then recommend their therapist to others. Our inclusion of meditation, transformational breathwork and energy work in our curriculum are key to achieving a level of clarity and presence that allows students to be great massage therapists. This affects their personal lives as well as their interactions with clients, peers, mentors, and others.