Over the past few years a definite trend has emerged regarding holistic and alternative medicines and therapies. People are becoming less eager to rely on prescribed medication and are looking for ways to maintain health and wellbeing in more alternative ways. For that reason, massage schools are becoming more common and there are many more prospective students. If you are considering attending a massage school for yourself it is worth reading the following information to help you make the right decision for your future. Firstly, massage therapy is a form of holistic therapy and therefore an element of science is involved. An example of where this is required is regarding anatomical knowledge. While you do not need to know this prior to your course, it is important to remember that there is a degree of scientific learning to be done. However, this must be balanced by an artistic flair as this type of therapy is an art form in itself. Training in massage does not give you the ability to perform treatments on any individual or area of the body. In fact, there are over 100 different types of massage currently being carried out, many of which require specific training or knowledge. For example, an Indian Head Massage is very different from a Swedish Body Massage, and an individual trained in one would not be bale to perform the other without further training. However, if you do not know the specific area of massage you would like to be trained in, undertaking a massage therapy course is possibly the best thing to do as it gives you a basic, and sound, understanding of the body and how massage works. In addition to this you will learn how to perform different massage techniques, and be given an insight into the more specific forms you may wish to go on to specialise in. Individual massage schools require different qualifications and experience from their students before allowing them to enrol. However, generally you will require a high-school diploma, and any education undertaken after high school can be beneficial. Equally important though are the personal attributes of candidates. You will need to be calm, patient and personable in order to put your future clients at ease, and so these traits are very important to the massage schools. If you feel that attending a massage school is right for you, you can find information about the different schools available on the internet. Massage can provide you with a great new career and a new challenge so I would like to wish you the best of luck for your future as a massage therapist!