” The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) is an independent, private, nonprofit organization that was founded in 1992 to establish a certification program and uphold a national standard of excellence. Today, there are more than 91,000 nationally certified massage therapists and bodyworkers safely and competently serving millions of Americans each year. ” http://www.ncbtmb.org/about.php
This exam offers Massage Therapist and Bodywork specialist a standard of practice and respect that didn’t exist nationally before.
The exam is comprehensive and is said by some to be quite difficult. Before I go on, I will say that I have not taken this test but am currently prepping for it.
There are three web sites that I will list at the end of this article to help you navigate through the maze of options available to you.
First research your area and find out the State, county, and city licensing requirements. In some areas you will find that you will not need National Certification right away but keep in mind, this certification is national and becoming more and more a standard hiring requirement.
After researching your area take steps to prepare for the test. You will have to contact the NCBTMB chapter in your area. You can find this information through your city licensing office or go to ncbtmb.org to schedule your test appointment. The scheduled exam times vary from monthly , bi-monthly and twice per year.
There are also different requirements as far as how many hours you have. The eligibility criteria for NCETM and NCETMB are the same:
- A minimum of 500 hours of instruction as follows:
- 125 hours of body systems (anatomy, physiology and kinesiology)
- 200 hours of massage and bodywork assessment, theory and application
- 40 hours of pathology
- 10 hours of business and ethics (minimum of 6 hours in ethics)
- 125 hours of additional instruction in an area or related field that theoretically completes the massage program of study
- Graduation from a school with an NCBTMB Assigned School Code
The above information comes directly from ncbtmb.org.
In your preperation you will find some invaluable resources on the web. Here is a brief list from my own research.
http://www.massagereview.com/ (purchase review books)
These sites offer answers to all the questions you may have about the exam. Do some searching of your own and find everything you can to help you succeed.
Keep in mind that the City you live in may have different requirements from that of the county you live in. Doing your home work will prove to be invaluable to you.
When you feel prepared and ready for the test stay positive. It is difficult but you can succeed.
I hope what you have read here helps you. Put all of your positive energy out into the world and it will return to you in so many beautiful ways. Good luck to you all.
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