Different routes suite different needs, but I think don't you should knock those of us who have decided to the FE route. There are some excellent tutors in our local collages, and they have the advantage of costing a fraction of the price of private institutions.
I'd agree that just being qualified in Swedish massage is not going to sustain a massage career, and the more training you do, the better it is. But the answer isn't just in CPD courses, certainly not for Sports and remedial.
I did Hot/cold stone massage as a CPD course between terms, and I think that worked well.
Myarka
Well said
myarka
different routes suite different needs, but i think don't you should knock those of us who have decided to the fe route. There are some excellent tutors in our local collages, and they have the advantage of costing a fraction of the price of private institutions.i did the fe route too, and yes they are cheaper but in my experience it wasn't worth it... time wise
i'd agree that just being qualified in swedish massage is not going to sustain a massage career, and the more training you do, the better it is. but the answer isn't just in cpd courses, certainly not for sports and remedial.
i was refering to getting a good grounding in basic massage skills, not sports and remedial massage, thats another story...
i did hot/cold stone massage as a cpd course between terms, and i think that worked well.yes, hot stones would be a another good cdp course to do
Drew, if you can afford it go private and do lots of CPD and in a year you will be way ahead of your 1 year FE swedish massage counterparts with their... three strokes of this then three strokes of that massage 😉
TBW
How patronising!
How patronising!
People are entitled to their opinions, and IMO a year to learn swedish massage is much too long, but thats my opinion, and im sure that those that did it that way found it useful, but unless you have done both ways, you cant really knock the other. I have done both ways, and im with TBW, intensive was much better for me.
I also spent 3 years on a sports therapy degree, which was IMO, wasted.
One thing that disturbs me in both FE and HE is, this terms student usually ends up as next terms tutor, with no clinical experience, it happened on my FE therapy course and it also happened at uni.
Drew, if you can afford it go private and do lots of CPD and in a year you will be way ahead of your 1 year FE swedish massage counterparts with their... three strokes of this then three strokes of that massage 😉
TBW
Oh yes, I forgot every FE college tutor is the same and you can your experience across the whole country. It's a good job private training is consistent.
:rollaugh: :rollaugh: :rollaugh: :rollaugh: :rollaugh:
Myarka.
People are entitled to their opinions, and IMO a year to learn swedish massage is much too long, but thats my opinion, and im sure that those that did it that way found it useful, but unless you have done both ways, you cant really knock the other. I have done both ways, and im with TBW, intensive was much better for me.
I also spent 3 years on a sports therapy degree, which was IMO, wasted.
One thing that disturbs me in both FE and HE is, this terms student usually ends up as next terms tutor, with no clinical experience, it happened on my FE therapy course and it also happened at uni.
And that was MY opinion 🙂 what's your point!
Adding a bit...
TBW was knocking it tho, and he shouldn't, it doesn't really give Drew the opportunity to view both sides of the coin, when it is so one sided.
And oh dear 🙁 lol
I never said an intensive course is better than an FE course...:confused:
I did a one year FE swedish massage course and I know that...
one year to learn swedish massage is far too long...
qualify and then move on to other areas...
make the best use of your time, don't waste it!;)
TBW
(my experience and my opinions)
(my experience and my opinions)
Yeah, great to share experience and opinions.
I a way of clarification, because we see Swedish massage as foundation level, I would include A & P in that. A & P seems to be glossed over, and I've in my 3rd year of studying it.
So I would consede that Swedish Massage in isolation can be easily taught in less than a year, but if you add A & P I think a year is about right.
As a matter of interest, how do short intensive courses do case studies and clinical practice?
Myarka
Before I did oily massage, I trained in clothed massage, ie IHM and Thai massage. But I realised that I was missing out by not being able to offer oily massage. But I didn't want to do a 9 month ITEC course (even though I would of got it free as I was teaching in FE at the time, and tutors' perk was free courses), so I did a 6 day Indonesian massage course. The techniques I learnt were far better (at least in a deep tissue & remedial context) than Swedish, and a friend that I went on the course with who is a Swedish massage therapist said, "This is far better and I have wasted 5 years of my life doing Swedish!"
I have to admit that everybody on this course had a bodywork background and all had A&P, so the tutors just went straight into it, therefore it was post-grad study. I'm not suggesting that this is the way to go, we all have different needs and different career decisions to make.
But I do feel that level 3 massage course does have merits:
*it is a foundation course
*it helps bridge the gap between being a complete novice to being a competant therapist
*not everyone wants to be sports/remedial practitioner
*it's a stepping stone to other types of healing/bodywork
And as for length of study time, that is so debatable. Individual needs are so different. But one thing in my mind is certain, that it doesn't take 3 years of training to be a massage therapist. It may take 3 years to be good at what you do, but that's because of practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, and more practice.
RP
Hi Myarka
In terms of the Indo course that I did, the case studies can be given in after the practical exam. No case studies, no diploma!
Best wishes
RP
Thanks Reiki Pixie!
Really appreciate your advice.
That's OK me handsome 🙂
we didn't do any case studies on my VTCT level 3 swedish massage FE course at all
we just did 5 assessments
we didn't do any case studies on my VTCT level 3 swedish massage FE course at all
we just did 5 assessments
we did 5 case studies plus 5 individuals, plus those carried out at the college.
But I think that's the thing with VTCT, it doesn't matter if it's a college of FE or private institution everyone interprets it differently. So it's becomes not a point of the qualification but the quality of training.
Is a BA from Oxford university the same as a degree from Hertfordshire university?
We get too qualification obessessed and forget about the actual training. Unfortunately university are better known than schools of massage.
Myarka.
And that was MY opinion 🙂 what's your point!
Adding a bit...
TBW was knocking it tho, and he shouldn't, it doesn't really give Drew the opportunity to view both sides of the coin, when it is so one sided.
And oh dear 🙁 lol
You did call TBW patronising, for expressing their opinion, which does seem to come from their experience.
TBH I read your reply and found it incredibly rude also, so perhaps it's not that the OP is oversensitive, but that you are under...sensitive.
She/he asked for advice. Not a grilling.