Massage therapists face a double challenge. Not only must they fight for respect, they also face the challenges inherent in the field: physical and financial limitations.
Becoming a massage therapist is no easy feat. Massage therapists are trained at massage institutes across the US, and partake in a minimum of 1 year of training and academic study plus over 500 hours of hands-on experience before getting their license (exact number of hours varies by state), at a cost of approximately $6,000 to $10,000.
This training is thorough, intensive schooling; a license cannot be obtained by simply watching videos online. Moreover, most massage therapists (94%, according to the American Massage Therapy Association) continue their education to hone their craft — much like lawyers, doctors, and other professionals.