GAL Magazine - Aye, There's The Rub . . .

Aye, There's The Rub . . .

Written by Samantha Arnold

Any woman can tell you that life causes stress. It doesn't matter if you are a single mom working two jobs, or a single woman enjoying the dating life. Most stress settles into your body’s muscle system, causing headaches, backaches, and a multitude of other symptoms. As a college student, I am often hunched over my laptop for hours on a daily basis. After working for awhile, my shoulders and arms cramp up, and I hear myself saying, “I really need a massage.”

But what exactly does a massage therapist do? What kind of training do massage students go through?

I talked with Candace Frye and Rosalie Jacobi Hutchens from Pitt Community College's Therapeutic Massage Program in Greenville, North Carolina. Frye is the Program's Director; Hutchens is the Program's Administrative Secretary. In addition, Hutchens is a recent graduate from Pitt's Therapeutic Massage Program.

Pitt Community College (PCC) offers a two year program. Upon completion, students are given an Associates of Applied Science Degree. The application process is pretty simple--fill out an application for admission, attend an orientation and interview, and actually receive a massage from a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist, or an LMBT.

Once accepted into the program, the student will take courses in bone, muscle and joint anatomy; medical terminology; nutrition; body movement; and a variety of treatment techniques such as deep tissue massage, chair massage, pressure point release, and nerve and muscle therapy.

Another required course for Therapeutic Massage students is Ethics. This course is required because a student will be in a room with a client who is partially undressed, and the student needs to know the boundaries which should be followed and issues that can arise.

Practical, hands-on experience is essential for Therapeutic Massage students. During the first semester, when students are learning techniques, they will practice on each other. In their second semester, the students are interns; placed in different clinics and sights throughout Pitt County, where they will have to complete 160 hours of massage.

After completion of degree and internship requirements, the students will have to complete licensure exams to become an LMBT. The graduating student will have to take the National Certification Exam and then apply for a license through the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy.

When asked about the difficulty of the licensure exams, Hutchens said, "I don't think the exam is difficult to pass if you have studied hard and are well-prepared, and the instructors at PCC really over-prepare you for the exam. They understand what is required not only for the certification exam, but also for becoming successful practitioners who can feel comfortable treating clients in a clinical setting. They provided learning opportunities that thoroughly prepared me to become massage professional."

An LMBT can earn between $25,000 and $30,000 per year.

For more information on Pitt Community College's Therapeutic Massage Program, contact Candace Frye at (252) 493-7653 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Pitt Community College's website address is http://www.pitt.cc.nc.us/.

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Samantha Arnold is a senior English and Journalism major at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. A native of southern Ohio, she is quickly adapting to life in the south. She lives with her cat George and her dog Gracie, named after George Burns and Gracie Allen. She enjoys collecting 1970's and 80's sitcoms on DVD, classic rock, and old Volkswagen Beetles.