Begin by contacting the practitioners on your list and gathering information. Ask what training or other qualifications the practitioner has. Ask about their education, additional training, licenses, and certifications. See if the practitioner's qualifications meet the standards for training and licensing for that profession in your area.

Ask if it's possible to have a brief consultation in person or by phone with the practitioner. This will give you a chance to speak with them directly and determine if they're the right therapist for you.

If you have a specific ailment or area of interest you want to focus on, ask the therapist if they specialize in that area and how frequently they treat clients with problems similar to yours. Ask if the practitioner believes the therapy can effectively address your complaint.

Ask whether there is a brochure or web site to tell you more about their practice. Ask about charges. How much do treatments cost? If you have insurance that covers massage and holistic healthcare, does the practitioner accept your insurance or participate in your insurer's network? Even with insurance, you may be responsible for a percentage of the cost.

Ask about the hours appointments are offered. How long is the wait for an appointment? Consider whether this will be convenient for your schedule. Ask about office location. If you are concerned, ask about public transportation and parking. If you need a building with an elevator or a wheelchair ramp, ask about them.

Ask what will be involved in the first visit, when you should arrive, and how long the session will last. Observe how comfortable you feel during these first interactions.

Once you have gathered the information, assess the answers and determine which practitioner was best able to respond to your questions and best suits your needs.

Seated massage can be performed in any normal clothing. Long skirts or very tight or bulky clothing can be uncomfortable and restrict the therapists access to key stress points. Large or sharp pieces of jewelry, belt buckles, etc. should be removed. Table massage can also be done clothed but is traditionally received in the nude or in underwear, and draped at all times. This is entirely based on your comfort level and the availability of privacy at your location or the practitioners licensed facility.

Some massage oils can be staining. If you are concerned about a specific piece of clothing, it is best to towel or shower off after table massage or to choose clothing that can easily be laundered. No oils or lotions are used for chair massage. If you prefer the therapist to use your own oil or lotion, ask if they're able to accommodate you.

No tools or machines are used during massage. Massage "equipment" includes a massage table or chair, sheets, a face cradle cover, and cloths for cleaning the equipment between clients.

Tipping a massage therapist is customary. While tipping is not mandatory, it is encouraged, and the tip should be accepted graciously when they are offered. Therapists should never ask for tips or hint that a tip is expected.

As with most services, tipping is customarily based on the cost of service and how pleased you are with your session. Excellent service, above and beyond expectations: 20%; Good service, all expectations were met: 15-18%; Satisfactory service: 10%; Poor service: do not tip any service provider anywhere if they failed to meet your expectations. Communicate that you did not receive the service you expected so that appropriate adjustments may be made.

A note: If you do not pay for the service you receive, if it is paid for by your employer or a vendor with whom you do business or if it is a gift, it is customary for tipping to be included in the price your benefactor paid. If you wish to show your personal appreciation please feel free, but know that it is not necessary. You may want to inquire before your session if the tip has already been taken care of.

It is very important to remember that you are the one experiencing the massage. Therapists are trained to respond to your requests to adjust pressure. There may be a point at which they have no more to give and are already applying as much pressure as they can. If this happens, you may want to choose another therapist who can apply more pressure for your future sessions. It is equally possible that even light touch may be painful for you at times in certain areas. If this happens it may not be appropriate to receive massage at that time. If you have not consulted a physician or chiropractor about the pain, it may be appropriate to do so.

Massage is a very old and respected healing art. There have been many studies on the efficacy of massage therapy in healing illness and injury. Massage therapists are not doctors and are not licensed to practice medicine, diagnose or give medical advice. Different modalities of massage and licensing and certification procedures vary greatly from area to area. For more information on the healing aspects of massage and other touch therapies consult your physician or another reliable source for medical information. If you are injured or sick please see your doctor appropriate for your ailment.

This Code of Ethics is a summary statement of the standards by which massage therapists agree to conduct their practices and is a declaration of the general principles of acceptable, ethical, professional behavior.

Massage therapists shall:

• Have a sincere commitment to provide the highest quality care to those who seek their professional service.
• Perform only those services for which they are qualified and represent their education, certifications, professional affiliations, and other qualifications honestly.
• Acknowledge the inherent worth and individuality of each person and, therefore, do not unjustly discriminate against clients or colleagues and work to eliminate prejudices in the profession.
• Strive for professional excellence through regular assessment of personal strengths, limitations and effectiveness and by continued education and training.
• Actively support the profession through participation in local, state, and national organizations that promote high standards of practice of massage therapy.
• Work in their communities toward the understanding and acceptance of massage therapy as a valuable health service, abide by all laws governing massage practice and work for the repeal or revision of laws detrimental to the legitimate practice of massage therapy.
• Acknowledge the confidential nature of the professional relationship with a client and respect each client's right to privacy.
• Respect all ethical heath care practitioners and work together amicably to promote health and natural healing.
• Conduct their business and professional activities with honesty and integrity and project a professional image in all aspects of their practices.
• Accept the responsibility to self, clients and associates to maintain physical, mental and emotional well-being.
• Respect the integrity of each person and, therefore, do not engage in any sexual conduct or sexual activities involving their clients.

Currently, just over half the states in the United States regulate the practice of massage. In addition to state regulation of massage, quite a few cities and towns and counties also have their own laws regulating the practice of massage, as is true within the state of California. Anyone practicing where there is a local law must meet the local licensing requirements, whether or not there is also a state law. If you live in a place where you are subject to a state law and a local law, you must satisfy both.

Some states have adopted the National Certification Exam (NCE), a standardized entry-level test for massage practitioners, as their written licensing test. In these states, anyone who has passed the NCE in one state can apply for licensing in another state without re-taking the test. In states that do not use the NCE, anyone applying for licensing must either take that state's test or apply for reciprocity, which is usually on a case-by-case basis.

...to a state with greater licensing requirements, will I need to go back to school?

Yes, you do, and perhaps for longer than you think. Most schools will not let you take only a "supplemental" program that fills in the gaps from your previous education, but instead require you to take their entire training. Some schools will accept 50% of the training from a previous school. Because states often require not just a particular number of hours, but also a prescribed list of courses, it can be very difficult to "cut and paste" the courses you need to complete your eligibility.

Those who become nationally certified by taking the National Certification Exam (NCE) are required to be "recertified" every four years. One method is to re-take the exam. The other method is to document 50 hours of continuing education, including at least two hours of professional ethics, as well as at least 200 hours of therapeutic massage sessions during the four-year period.

Typically, the only prerequesite for beginning massage school is simply to have a high school diploma.

Yes. Schools that have Accreditation by a granting organization opens the way to federal loan and grant eligibility. Federal loans and grants for education can be paid only to students attending federally accredited schools.

...how do I know which school to go to?

First, you have to ask whether the school teaching many types of massage teaches them superficially, or at sufficient depth to be of professional value once you are in practice.

Second, you have to ask yourself what kind of practice you want to have. If you want a strictly medical practice, you are best served by a school that specializes in that type of training. For the "average" practitioner, who is more of a "general practitioner", you need to know a little bit about a lot of kinds of clients - your training should include pregnancy massage, energy work, rehabilitation, pain relief, and relaxation massage, to name a few. The more you know, the more capable and confident you will be once you are in practice.

Finally, consider that your massage training need not end at graduation. There are workshops, seminars and advanced trainings available for just about any kind of work you may want to do. So even if you choose a school that does not offer all the training you would like to have, you still have options for rounding out your professional education after graduation.