I am a full time massage therapist student, and the way licensing happens is through the state. they are trying to make it a country exam, where it's all the same thing, but there's alot of problems with it since so many states have and want to keep their own way of doing things.

So as it is now, to be licensed as a massage therpist in Florida, I would need to take the licensing exam for florida... obviously. Can anyone tell me what needs to be done for having a license for something like this while living on post or being overseas?

I figure I would need to take a certain exam for it... or I would need to take the florida exam and have another type, I don't know. I'm also thinking I would need to take an exam according to the place I'm in...

but the reason the last reason contradicts itslf is because just like licensing with driving, the rules on base are according to the Army itself, not the country. So is there a specific Army licensing exam I need to take in order to do my work as a Massage therapist on a base anywhere?

I'm not aware of any Army posts that have spas or places that offer massage, so you really wouldn't be working on-post (unless you're living on post and doing it in your home), so I would imagine that the only issue you'll find is individual state certification exams whenever you move.

i've seen bases that have those.. but massage therapist is a health service, so it's not just in spas, it's also in clinics, hospitals, gyms, and of course at home like you think, cause it's a business that you can take with you anywhere.

so if you don't know what i need as far as taking exams go, would you know where i could go to find out?

Well Google is always one's best friend but if you can't find anything, I would go back to the school that you originally got certified by/through and ask them, or contact a place in the state you're moving to that offers massage therapy and ask them who their works get certified by.

I just used Google and found this website, it's the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. Sounds like a good place to start. A little legwork and I'm sure you'll figure out what you need. I used to work at a spa and all the massage therapists who worked there all had a generic state certification, so I'm sure it can't be too hard to track down. What you may end up needing to do is finding a school in the state that offers the certification exam and do it through them for whatever the test fee is.

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Originally posted by theainjmtant:
I'm not aware of any Army posts that have spas or places that offer massage, so you really wouldn't be working on-post (unless you're living on post and doing it in your home), so I would imagine that the only issue you'll find is individual state certification exams whenever you move.

Here at Fort Belvoir, I saw they have a day spa/massage therapy clinic.

Go figure, cuz they also have a pretty sweet PX. It probably depends a lot on the size of the post and how "updated" things are.

haha. nice. there's also quite a few air force bases with some pretty sweet shops and what-not. ^__^

also,i'm looking for taking an exam where i'd still be able to work on base, while i'm overseas... cause I'd rther not work off base while not in the states... if I can't offer my services in a clinic or gym, then at home... that's if i can.

but i'll be sure to look at that site you posted. thanks.

it really all depends on what state when you finish your school you should have a national cert and in some states thats all you need some states you need more and there are also a few states you do not have to have a lic. at all

thanks herhouseboy, but as far as CONUS goes, i know what i have to do already.. .they teach you tat in school. ^_^ you have to understand the national massage boards and all that jazz. blah... i was basically just wanting to know if an when i went OCONUS with the hubs, what i needed to do.

so far i will be finishing my exam for florida to get licensed here... there are chances that my hubby may be coming home, but to a base in texas for some extra training... so i'll move there with him and get the things required for texas taken care of and work there for a year or however long before he and i take off again... once again depending. ^_^

Not sure about your situation but I do know that the barber's that work for the Navy Exchange only have to hold a valid state license and it doesn't have to be the state where the base is located.

If I was licensed in the state of Idaho and working on a base in Washington I would be covered. Hopefully it will be the same for your situation.

Kathy

ooohh... i really hope so... cause as things are going now, i'll be licensced for florida, but i may end up moving to texas with my hubby once he comes back to the states for further training (hospital training)