Massage Therapy School in Bridgeport, CT

Massage therapists are helping people in Bridgeport and the surrounding areas stay fit and healthy. Many work in massage studios or franchises. Some are stationed in healthcare offices. Because fitness, wellness, and massage fit so well together, Connecticut residents can find massage many places, even the YMCA.

With Bridgeport located so near the New York border, a Licensed Massage Therapist can potentially draw from a very large metropolitan area, but he or she will want to take note of New York’s high educational requirements.

Popular Massage Schools in Bridgeport Vicinity

The New York College of Health Professions in Syosset offers an associate degree. The curriculum encompasses both European massage and Asian bodywork. A focus is holism. The program notes that all students study Qi Gong, T’ai Chi Chuan, or yoga, and as a result, are better able to understand body functioning. The New York College also offers a program in advanced Asian bodywork, open to massage therapists and nurses; students who complete this program earn their bachelor’s degree.

The Cortiva Institute in Newington is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Education (COMTA). The American Massage Therapy Association lists program hours as 720

Tunxis Community College offers its 754-hour program through the continuing education department (https://www.tunxis.edu/completion/massage-therapy). There is breadth to the curriculum; among the topics are chair massage, Eastern theory, and special populations.

The Finger Lakes School of Massage in Mount Kisco, New York offers a 1,000 hour program. The Finger Lakes Massage School is an accredited institution with a number of financing options including federal financial aid.

The Hiring Market

Spring 2019 found many businesses in the greater Bridgeport area advertising for massage therapists.

Some of these businesses sought contractors. NoNonsense Functional Training in New Haven was among them; the business was adding team members as it moved from being a fitness center to being a more comprehensive wellness center.

Other practices advertised a range of benefits. For example, EQUINOX, self-described as a provider of “integrated luxury and lifestyle offerings”, touted insurance and 401K.

Multiple franchises – Massage Envy, Hand and Stone, Elements – were seeking LMTs and advertising varying benefits.

A few practices sought practitioners with specialized skills. One listed medical massage, lymphatic massage, sports massage, and myofascial fascial release as potential certification areas.

Bridgeport and New Haven Massage Practices

Massage therapists may be employed or self-employed. Some of the highly rated massage practices in the area are actually small LMT-owned studios. An example is the popular Rapha Massage.

Massage therapists also work alongside other professionals in a variety of settings, including spas, chiropractic offices, and wellness centers. The following are illustrative of the diversity: By the Sea Day Spa, a popular local spa, offers Swedish massage and various specialty massages (the latter for a slightly higher price); the practice also provides a number of other spa services. Some healthcare offices, by contrast, focus on pain and injury. Still other practices, sometimes termed wellness centers, are multi-faceted. An example is the new Red Barn in Durham, Connecticut, where one finds a little bit of many things. There are counselors, massage therapists, Reiki/ energy practitioners, a social worker, and an ordained minister.

Mobile Massage

Massage therapists also do outcalls. A growing trend nationwide is corporate massage. It can be more than just a perk or reward. A 15 minute chair session – easy to set up at the office – can help employees manage stress and boost their productivity. Table massage may be performed in private homes. Some businesses specialize in outcalls, including national companies like Zeel. Others, like local Elm City Wellness, offer it as one service among many.

Massage Therapists in Healthcare Settings

Some massage therapists are employed by, or affiliated with, major health systems. Oncology massage is becoming more common. St. Vincent’s Medical Center utilizes massage for oncology pain management. Yale New Haven Health also utilizes massage therapists as part of its integrative treatment program for cancer patients (https://www.ynhh.org/smilow/services/support-services/integrative.aspx). The service is performed by LMTs who have special training in oncology massage.

Massage therapists may have various professional affiliations and relationships. Elm City Wellness notes that they can do outcalls at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Self-employed massage therapists in the area have other specialties. The LMT behind Mother Nurture Massage and Bodywork, for example, specializes in prenatal, medical, and infant massage. Parents can learn infant massage.

Southbury Therapeutic Massage and Wellness is run by an LMT who is also credentialed as a physical therapist. She has multiple advanced trainings, including oncology massage, geriatric rehab, and manual lymph drainage.

Some individuals receive massage therapy as part of a hospice care or palliative care program. At least one hospice provider advertised for an LMT in this part of Connecticut in early 2019. In Connecticut, one may find palliative massage therapy extended beyond the true hospice population (that is, those who are no longer seeking treatment for a severely life-limiting illness).

Massage Therapist Wages

The median wage for a massage therapist in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metropolitan area was $18.12 in 2017. There was a wide range, with those at the 10th percentile making just $11.09 and those at the 90th percentile earning $36.58.

Continuing Education

Specialized coursework may be taken during the initial program or afterward as continuing education. LMTs in this area of the country have access to a lot! The Cortiva Institute hosts workshops in diverse subjects like Chinese medical massage, raindrop therapy, and active isolated stretching. In-depth oncology massage training is available in the Bloomfield New Jersey area. Metropolitan New York of course has many diverse CE providers.

Additional Resources

Connecticut Massage Therapy License Requirements

Massage Schools in Connecticut