» THE COMPLETE SPA BOOK FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS

THE COMPLETE SPA BOOK FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS

“This book is a MUST for anyone interested or think they may be interested in massage therapy…. very informative. So much detail you could never cover this much information in a year long class. GREAT BOOK”

–Amazon reviewer

THE COMPLETE SPA BOOK FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS is one of the most comprehensive books available for students of massage therapy, especially those who plan to specialize in spa modalities. It also incorporates extensive features to aid instructors in the classroom, including a Course Management Guide, PowerPoint presentations, exams, handouts and reviews. You can order the book on Amazon here.

Preface

Maybe you are a single parent. Maybe you are fresh out of school. Maybe you have reached a place somewhere in the middle of your life and you felt a change was needed. Whatever your particular situation, a career move into the spa industry can be vastly rewarding. In this field, you will help people feel better, look better, and actually be better through an emphasis on therapeutic wellness and stress relief.

The environments where you may find yourself working include some of the most beautiful in the world. The clients you will meet and interact with are often influential, well-known, creative individuals whom you can help and get to know. Many spa therapists travel far and wide, see the world, and make new friends. This can become your life, if you have the education and the tools to be successful at your new endeavor. That is what this book is all about. In these pages, you will learn more about spas than you perhaps realized was possible. In the first section, you will discover the rich history of spa cultures from around the world and how they have developed into the modern spas where so many therapists have found rewarding and fulfilling work. In Section 2, you will come to understand the intricacies of hydrotherapy and the ways it is actually applied by working therapists in the modern world. You will learn how to safely perform specialized spa bath and shower treatments, and understand how to master the powers of heat and cold to balance and soothe your clients. You will find out how human skin is regenerated through a myriad of exfoliations, and you will discover the many healing potentials found in our oceans. In Section 3, you will come to know the therapeutic properties of herbs, muds, clays, and other natural products from the Earth. You will learn what makes a spa massage different from a massage given in any other environment, and how you can make your own spa massages the best they can possibly be. You will work with heated basalt stones, learning how to safely apply them during a spa massage. You will be introduced to the most popular essential oils used in spa settings and be shown how to incorporate them into simple yet effective aromatherapy protocols.

Beyond learning about spa modalities and hydrotherapy, you will also find out what it takes to be a successful member on a top–notch spa team. In Section 4, you will learn the ins and outs of finding and securing the best spa jobs, and then providing the best possible customer service once you have done so. You will come to appreciate the importance of selling therapeutic spa products to clients and how you can increase your own prosperity by doing so. And if you are one of the many therapists who hope to open spas of their own one day, you will find plenty of information here to get you started.

Throughout your studies in this text, you will be given many opportunities to both give and receive dozens of therapeutic (and luxurious) spa treatments. In fact, by the time you are through with your spa studies, you will have experienced more spa services than all but the most seasoned spa goer. Each and every protocol features detailed step-by-step instructions, as well as a full– featured set of information about products needed, room setup, benefits, contraindications, and much more.

Sprinkled within each chapter are many notes of interest in the form of tables, sidebars, and profiles of working spa professionals who will help inspire you on your quest for knowledge and skill in this field. You will also find SPA TIP callouts, SPA CAUTION callouts and SPA ETIQUETTE callouts to help draw your attention to those points deserving particular attention.

Throughout the book, you will notice that the instructions and examples are gender-neutral, meaning that approximately half of them will use the “he” pronoun and half will use the “she” pronoun. Though there are more female therapists working in the spa industry than males, both genders are held in equally high regard by spa owners and guests, and no intentional favor is given to either in the following pages.

The new skills you gain through your study of spa therapy will make you a highly portable professional, sought after by many employers, with a repertoire of skills that has grown much richer and deeper. There is much to know if you want to successfully join the thousands of people who are making places for themselves in the spa world. So, let’s get started…