Massage Therapy classes to begin at Beaufort County Community College | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Classes will begin Monday, Feb. 4, in a new Therapeutic Massage Program offered by the Division of Continuing Education at Beaufort County Community College.

    Graduates of the course may be eligible to take the Massage Therapy and Bodywork Licensing Exam required to practice massage therapy in North Carolin or the National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

    "Beaufort County Community College is pleased to announce the start of new coursework in therapeutic massage as a new career option for those in our service area," said BCCC President Barbara Tansey. "I hope that this program will be of particular interest to cosmetologists and salon owners in our region who would like to expand their business to include massage for their customers."

    Class will be held 1 to 4 p.m. with a skills lab 5 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, with some Saturday classes to be scheduled.

    The registration fee is $192.50 and includes malpractice and student insurance and a fee for Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, CPR, training. Textbooks and supplies will be an additional cost.

    A massage therapist is a professional who performs massage and bodywork. The field of massage therapy is large and runs the gamut from therapists who perform basic Swedish massage to people trained in other fields.

    A massage therapist's goal is usually to relax his or her client while promoting general health and well-being. Some branches of massage therapy focus on treating specific health conditions or on addressing congenital muscle problems.

    Massage therapy improves circulation by bringing oxygen and other nutrients to body tissues. It relieves muscle tension and pain, increases flexibility and mobility, and helps clear lactic acid and other waste, which reduces pain and stiffness in muscles and joints.

    Employment opportunities for massage therapists in North Carolina include hospitals, rehabilitation centers, health departments, home health, medical offices, spas, health and sports clubs and private practice.

    For more information about any of these courses, contact Lou Stout, BCCC director of Occupational Extension, at (252) 940-6307.

    Students may register by calling (252) 940-6375 or in person in room 802 of Building 8 on the BCCC campus. BCCC accepts Visa and MasterCard. Checks payable to Beaufort County Community College may be mailed to the attention of Eva Peartree, P.O. Box 1069, Washington, NC 27889.

    For more information about other occupational training classes offered by the Division of Continuing Education, visit BCCC's Website at www.beaufortccc.edu/coned/HRD.htm.