I would like to go over my suggestions for the process of finding just the right massage therapist for you. First of all you want to consider:
What do you want from your massage? Pain relief, relaxation or maybe a soothing spa treatment.
If you want pain relief, how are you going to pay for this?
*Auto insurance coverage from an automobile accident.
*Labor and Industry for a work related injury.
*Health insurance for you have massage coverage.
*Old fashion cash, check or credit card.
*Other, and yes, there really is an other.
Now you have a little more clarity about what you want from your massage. Next, here are some questions you can ask of the therapist to get a better feel if they are a good fit for you.
Do you have a License? As of now, 37 states require massage therapists to be licensed. Washington State, where I practice, is one of those states. Some cities or counties will require a local license. I practice massage in Seattle where the requirement is only the state license.
Are you a member of the AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association)? Professional members of AMTA have demonstrated their competency through successful completion of the AMTA national exam or graduation from an accredited program. Members must also pursue continuing education standards in order to retain membership.
Are you trained in any specific massage modalities? The various types of massage are termed “massage modalities.” Each massage and bodywork modality requires specialized training. While some massage therapists use just one or two types of massage, most employ a variety of techniques in their practice.
Are you an insurance provider and if so what types of insurance do you accept? Many massage therapist do not accept insurance or only accept certain types of insurance. For example I accept:
Aetna
Alternare
First Choice
LifeWise
Premera
Uniform
L&I (Labor and Industry)
PIP (Personal Injury Protection) for automobile accidents
Where are you located and what are your fees? Being within your budget and driving reach are important. Some therapists offer specials. Some therapists will bring their massage tables to your home.
What does an average session of your massage entail? Remember the first part of this post where we talked about what do you want from your massage? You can get a better feel for what is going to occur and whether it fulfills what you want from a massage if you know what their massage entails. I think it also gives you a chance to intuitively check in with your gut, or however you make decisions, that this is a good fit for you. Not every massage practitioner works for every body. That is okay because there are many different massage therapists and many different bodies.
If you are looking for resources where you will find great massages therapists I have a few links for you.
Biznik This is a great networking group that has a search engine. Type in massage and vous la. They all have their own page which allows for the therapists to include quite a bit of pertinent information.
AMTA Online Locator Service is a national listing of members including their modalities.
Cortiva Most of the Cortiva Schools are accredited by COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation) and they have a national listing of therapist that have completed their program.
Hopefully this was helpful for you and if you have any questions, let me know in the comment section below. Thank you, PJ Harris LMP http://www.pjharris.com
PJ Harris' Massage Blog 
Thanks for the great post. It’s important for people to find a quality therapist. Some people don’t know how to go about finding one.
Helpful post – thanks. found you via biznik
As someone who has gotten a massage about once a month for years, here at home and whilst elsewhere, a key thing is the amount of training and practice the person has had. Second (what can know only after a session) is how well they ask and listen re what a client expects from the session
Thank you, Lovelyn! I am enjoying sharing about the wonderful world of massage.
Massage has been going through a transformation in the public eye and it has been amazing to see its progression over the years towards a fully accepted modality. My patients benefit greatly from massage as bodywork is so effective for chronic pain, stress and tension and so much more. Not all massage therapists do the same type of work, so I especially liked this post as many people who are new to massage are not sure where to start. Thanks PJ!
-Dr. Jake
Thanks Dr Jake!! I see holistic health and conscious allopathic medicine creating a new level of wellness for our patients. Naturopathic medicine is a cornerstone in this vision. I appreciate your validation of the importance of massage.