Massage Therapy Schools in Hattiesburg, MS

Mississippi isn’t what one would typically describe as massage country. However, Hattiesburg has quite a bit of it. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that, while the population is relatively low, job concentration here is above the average for the nation as a whole.

People who complete their educational program here may ultimately find themselves with quite a few options. They can stay in the Hattiesburg area or set up shop in a part of the state where there isn’t a massage school or a lot in the way of massage. Massage is on the rise most places around the country. Statewide, massage therapy has been projected to experience 15.6% occupational growth over the course of the 2016 to 2026 decade.

Mississippi students get a solid education that can form the foundation for practice in any of many places. Mississippi sets licensing requirements higher than in many states: 700 hours. Programs include at least 600 hours of instruction and at least 100 hours of student clinic (with no fewer than 50 consisting of actual hands-on massage therapy sessions). The curriculum includes 200 hours of science classwork which covers anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, neurology, and pathology. Students learn to function within the healthcare system, exploring concepts like massage benefits and contraindications, client evaluation, and healthcare referrals. And of course they learn a lot about techniques!

People are starting to recognize that massage provides more than just relaxation. Lett Chiropractic notes the following among the potential benefits of massage therapy: improved circulation, lessening of swelling, and relief of muscle spasms (https://www.lettchiropractic.com/about-us/services—techniques.html). Massage has some presence in healthcare in the Hattiesburg area, though not to the extent of some other cities. There are massage therapists in the area who have training in specialized techniques, but there are niche areas left to develop.

Those who enter the massage therapy industry here today can be a part of building it.

Massage Therapy Schools in Hattiesburg and Nearby

The Institute of Health & Technology (Hattiesburg) offers a 788-hour program that can be completed in 11 months. Students receive some foundation in a number of modalities including sports massage, prenatal/ infant massage, and Shiatsu. They also learn about supportive modalities like hydrotherapy (water) and cryotherapy (cold). The school touts the opportunities students have to provided services out in the community.

Blue Cliff College-Gulfport and Gulf Coast Community College-Long Beach are the next closest Mississippi schools. (Information is as of December 2019.)

LMTs continue to develop their skills through post-licensure courses. The following are among the many live workshops that are currently approved for continuing education in Mississippi (and on the schedule in Mississippi or a nearby state in 2020): Acupressure for Neck Back and Sciatica Pain, Functional Movement Assessments – Head, Neck, Brachial Plexus and Shoulder, Hot and Cold Stone Therapy, TMJ Massage, and Gua Sha Face and Scalp. The following are among the approved online courses: Sports Massage: Starting Your Career, Introduction to Pediatric Oncology Massage, Orthopedic Assessment and Treatment Planning for Back Pain, Reading a Research Article, Attracting Business Clients, Meeting the Needs of Elder Clients, and AMTA Fascial Therapy CE Program, Part I and II.

Learn about additional opportunities: Massage Therapy Schools in Mississippi

Hattiesburg Massage Practices

Spas combine massage and other face and body treatments. Spa massage is typically associated with relaxation and luxury – a place for a staycation, a gift for a special person, a girls’ day out – but are increasingly offering therapeutic styles. The following are among Hattiesburg’s popular spas and studios:

Healing Touch Day Spa offers medical massage, Shiatsu, lymphatic drainage, and neuromuscular massage therapy, among other services.

The Lotus Day Spa and Salon has four massage therapy rooms, plus rooms for other spa services. The menu includes some therapeutic options, including myofascial release and neck and shoulder massage.

Cool Therapeutics combines massage with amenities like infrared sauna and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

One will find big-name franchise organizations. Massage Envy and Planet Beach Spray and Spa both have massage and spa services.

Self-employment is a popular option.

Massage Therapy in Healthcare

Health systems are getting into the massage business, and Hattiesburg is no exception. Merit Health-Wesley offers massage therapy services at its wellness center (https://www.merithealthwesley.com/massage-therapy-services).

Here people are aware that it’s not just people with serious health conditions who can benefit from massage — it’s also the people taking care of them. The Hattiesburg American stated in an article about nursing shortages that Merit /Health Wesley was including complimentary massage among the little perks granted to nurses to help the job feel more manageable — and to help keep them on the job (https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/education/2018/10/02/nursing-shortage-critical-mississippi-us/1131810002/).

Hattiesburg Massage Therapist Salary

Hattiesburg Mississippi massage therapy professionals earned a mean hourly wage of $14.91 in 2018.The median was a somewhat higher $16.39. Most massage therapists in the area made between $8.21 (10th percentile) and $19.22 (90th percentile). The average was higher than in the state as a whole and higher than for other metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas within the state for which average wages were reported.

The location quotient was 1.46.

Career and Professional Resources

Prospective massage therapists may want to join American Massage Therapy Association and their state chapter (https://www.amtamassage.org/chapters/82445). AMTA has a mentorship program. Associated Massage & Bodywork Professionals also has resources to support practitioners from the student stage on. ABMP supports members in putting up a professional website (among many other things).