As the deadline for renewal nears (massage therapy licenses renew on Oct. 31 of every even year), many massage therapists seek to find CE’s that meet the requirements. These include at least 12 hands-on hours and up to 12 hours of online credits. While we have been in the shoes of those seeking anything that will get them there, it might be beneficial to plan your CE hours at least 6-months in advanced, so that you can take something that interests you and will enhance your practice and boost your enthusiasm for your career. Taking an interesting continuing education class can keep you from feeling stale and burned out in your work.

You could also consider taking a course which gives you a specialization. Often this will require more than 12 hours of time and may require a larger financial investment, however, it may be worthwhile if it gives you an ability to reach a different clientele, charge a higher fee, or practice a modality that is easier on your body (perhaps allowing you to see more clients per day). For example, becoming Vodder Certified in Manual Lymph Drainage can allow you to work specifically with clients suffering from lymphedema or in recovery from surgery or cancer treatment.