History of Massage Therapy

There is much that can be learned from studying the history of massage and the history of the massage profession.

The History of Touch that most textbooks tell you is inaccurate. This is some of the things that I collected from various massage text books on the history of massage that falsely list the

historical myths as so called facts. The largest piece of misinformation is that Per Henrik Ling is not the founder of Swedish Massage!.

The history of massage is very involved and interesting and really deserves a book like "The History of Massage by Robert Calvert (see box below)" to really explain. Just in the last 17 years that I have been involved in massage, there has been many changes and trends. When I started, massage was thought to be more of an art form and attracted many people with more of an artist's spirit. A career in massage offered freedom from a 8-5 job. Most massage therapists started their own business as there were not really many jobs at the time - and who really wanted them anyway! Massage Careers brought with it freedom to do as one wishes, independence and the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives.

I took a 250 hour program in 1987. I have friends who have been in the business longer than me and they had even less training than that and still are very successful. Apprenticeship programs were popular and places like Esalen (www.esalen.org)emerged where one could go to explore their inner massage therapist.

More education is now required and there are more job opportunities although with most you still can't make the same amount of money that you can make by having your own business. It seems to me that as more education is required there would be more businesses opening up. I have heard many stories of people attending 1000 hour programs and not going on to work in the field as they become so intimidated by all they have learned. They are scared that they will be injured, that there is too much competition and are afraid they will hurt someone. While I am sure this is an over-generalization, I seem to be hearing more stories like this.

Massage Franchises such as Massage Envy are opening and hiring many massage therapists at low wages. They offer a massage membership where you can pay under $50 for a massage if you get one once a month. (The going rate in Seattle at the present is $75.) The turnover must be very high at places like that. We don't really know for sure yet what the effects of places like those will have on the profession overall. While it may be a great place to start and learn the business, what is it really doing to the profession to offer massage at such a low rate.

I picture a future of massage where every household has a massage therapist to massage them every day or the family massages each other. Could you imagine?

The future of the massage profession in our hands....

For more on the history of massage:

Why Study the History of Massage?

Massage Magazines Pages From the History of Massage

A Brief History of Massage by Robert Calvert

If you read "The History of Massage" by Robert Calvert (founder of Massage Magazine), you will learn how massage has come from being a community process to what it is becoming today. Massage used to be taught to sons' so they could massage their pregnant wives. Blind Japanese massage therapists used to walk in the neighborhoods calling "Amma" (massage) and would be hired to massage the whole family. What happened to that concept of massage as being of benefit to the whole family and of being a family event?

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Thanks!
Julie Onofrio
www.massagetherapycareers.com