Why take continuing education beyond the fact that most state boards require it for license renewal? The best answer to this ongoing question is that it’s an opportunity to tailor your education toward your own career goals. Another is that as a health practitioner, you will need an understanding of the ever-changing and ever-increasing body of healthcare knowledge. There are also some content areas, such as law and ethics, that you will continually need to update your knowledge on as a massage therapist. After you’re licensed, you will want to stay up-to-date on your skills, industry information, and the latest research. It’s essential for massage therapists to continue their education for many reasons.
New Skills
You may find classes that offer a set of skills you haven’t learned yet. By learning new skills, you open up a world of possibilities. You may be able to expand your client list or even change your rates, depending on your new skills and experience. New techniques are constantly being thought up and tested out. If you want to stay on top of the game, you’ll want to continue your education so you can learn those new techniques.
Tailoring Your Needs
Most states have standard requirements for licensure renewal. Most massage therapy courses you’ll find will contain the basics required by the state, but those classes will not prepare you for every experience you may encounter. If you continue your education as a massage therapist, you can tailor your education to your career needs. If you’re looking to specialize in a specific area, continuing your education can give you the tools and resources to reach the top for your target area.
Meet Client Needs
You may have a client or two that you’re not entirely sure how to handle. By continuing your education to learn about your client’s needs, you can safely and legally provide your service to an expanding list of clients.
Increase Income
The more you continue your education, the more techniques, skills, and experience you have, the more you’ll be able to charge clients. This may not be at the top of everybody’s list on why they should continue their education, but it’s certainly a bonus!
Protect Yourself and Clients
Some continuing education courses offer assistance on handling legal situations should an injury occur while working with a client. Other courses will teach you the best ways to avoid injury to yourself and your clients, thus offering a way to protect yourself and those you’re serving.
It’s essential to continue your education as a massage therapist since state requirements may change. You’ll not only stay up to date with requirements, but you can also learn new skills and techniques that will allow you to increase your rates, or you can even take classes that will teach you how to protect yourself and clients from injury.