She observes clients physical reactions and encourages their comments. Massage therapists need to be good listeners, she says. They need good interpersonal skills because they have to inspire trust. Massage therapists also need specialized training. After earning a high school diploma, they attend massage therapy school.
Students also learn several massage techniques and receive hands-on training.
Barbara was a physical education teacher before attending massage therapy school. She began giving massages as an amateur. During summer bike trips, she and fellow cyclists massaged each other s sore muscles. She discovered the benefits of massage and learned she had a talent for it. She enrolled in a 9-month massage therapy program at a school in Omaha, Nebraska.