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Why is it important to keep learning after you've graduated?

Why is it important to continue taking classes and learning after you've graduated from massage school? How does it help you and/or your clients?

We need your input for an upcoming story in Massage & Bodywork magazine, so post your answers in the comments below!

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Huge topic, Abram!  I'm going to make a list because that seems to be the best way to present my thoughts that I've had so far:

Keeps us fresh as therapists, helping to prevent burnout.

Gives us more than one way to solve problems for clients.

Creates an opportunity to become a specialist in one or more areas.

Keeps us from getting stuck in any kind of pattern, be that body mechanics or patterns of treating people.

Keeps us passionate, and fascinated with the human body/mind/spirit.

Provides an opportunity to work with like-minded people and form networks of friends and colleagues.

It is many times an opportunity to get work done on ourselves. 

Massage school can only create a basic foundation for us; many times there just isn't time to go in-depth enough to give us enough information in any one area.  Or they can go in-depth in one area (like deep tissue or NMT) but just skim several others.

CE classes are an opportunity to get other perspectives on how to do body work.  Multiple perspectives create well-rounded therapists (and people in general!).  Even re-taking the same classes with different instructors can be invaluable.

That's what I've got for now.  I'll add more if I think of more!

Thanks Therese, all sorts of good stuff!

Glad to!!  I haven't come up with anything else yet but if I do I'll certainly post it.

It can also be a way of being different to other therapists in town. I offer multple disciplinaries in my clinic and always on the lookout for other possible additives to be different or enhance what I already do.

I enjoy learning ans as Therese put it, it is facinating learning more about mind/body and spirit

The day you think you know it all is the day you need to quit.

I always Know It All.  But then, after a while ( a week to two years), I realize I didn't.

Laura Allen said:

The day you think you know it all is the day you need to quit.

As research goes more in depth into what massage is, how the body works, etc., information changes. Things we were taught as fact might have changed and refreshers are always a good idea. For instance I was taught massaging in the first trimester of pregnancy is ok in many instances but most older therapists I've worked with still say absolutely no. Which I guess shows that even with required CE's therapist still don't necessarily improve their knowledge and continue to grow. 

when you come out of school, you think you know a thing or two, but you're really very green. Cont Ed helps you develop your skills as a therapist so you can better serve your clients. It gives you access to other professionals and how they practice as well. Some of them will help you with a client with difficult issues. You can also save a lot of money by networking with existing therapists on what classes they liked, and what wasn't worth it.

not sure if you are still looking for contributions to your story. for me, learning is a lifelong process. if you stop learning, you might as well stop living. this is not just the case with massage, but in general.

specifically as it applies to massage however, the more modalities you learn over time, the more you will be able to help your patients. not only that, the more familiar you become with the human body, various conditions and possible treatment approaches. the more educated and aware you are, the better service you will be able to provide your patients. again, this is the same in any field.

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