Manual therapists who are ready to take their careers to the top level should begin preparing now for the opportunity to earn a whole new massage credential called Master Myoskeletal Therapist (MMT). This premier massage credential was developed to give current and prospective Certified Myoskeletal Therapists the chance to take their massage training to new heights — and show clients and employers they have achieved the highest possible status when it comes to the comprehension and application of Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques (MAT).
The path toward earning massage certification as an MMT begins with first earning the title of Certified Myoskeletal Therapist. In order to secure this initial massage certification, manual or movement therapists must complete one home study massage therapy CEU program on MAT — Upper Body; Lower Body; Posture, Pain & Performance — or the entirely Internet based massage online CEU program called Technique Tour. These programs all were developed and are taught by Erik Dalton, who is the creator of MAT and the founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute in Oklahoma City.
After completing any one of these four massage therapy continuing education programs, manual therapists not only earn anywhere from 16 to 32 massage CEUs, but also earn the Certified Myoskeletal Therapist massage certification. This is a fantastic first step toward becoming an MMT and taking your MAT massage certification to the highest possible tier. For those massage therapists and bodyworkers who are interested in achieving the prestigious master status that comes along with the MMT massage credential, there are several other steps that can be taken in preparation as well.
Preparing now is key, as the MMT program is set to launch early next year. There is a list of requirements you will need to check off in order to receive your MMT credential, many of which you can start working on right away. In fact, you may have completed quite a few of these requirements already — if not, take advantage of the months leading up to the official launch of the MMT program to work on them. You will want to complete as many components of the MMT training as you can before the program opens, so that you can then focus on the newest aspects of the master training.
The requirements for completing the 210-hour MMT training program include the completion of the Posture, Pain & Performance home-study program; the Upper Body home-study program; the Lower Body home-study program; the Professional Ethics home-study program; and the Technique Tour online program — all of which you can start working on right now. To become an MMT, you must also complete one Erik Dalton workshop, either in Oklahoma City or Costa Rica. The next one of these dynamic live seminars is slated for Nov. 28 through Dec. 5 in Costa Rica, and space is limited, so book a spot as soon as possible.
Upon the launch of the MMT training program early next year, Dalton and his colleagues at the Freedom From Pain Institute will release several new continuing education programs that also will be required in order to earn the master credential. These final requirements are the completion of the upcoming Shoulder, Arm & Hand online program; the Motion is Lotion online program; the Art of MAT online program; and the MAT Assessments and “Brain-Pain” client advice program. In order to earn and maintain the MMT credential, you must also complete eight hours of MMT online or live training every two years.
Those who complete this 210-hour MMT training will receive a Master Myoskeletal Therapist diploma; their MMT credentials and contact information listed on Dalton’s highly Google-ranked website; special MMT membership discounts on therapy tables, exercise equipment and massage products; business cards, client brochures and website development; free access to published articles and research papers; and fast-track access to the MAT “teachers-in-training” program. Students who enroll in the MMT program also will receive free online MATchat to stay connected and correspond directly with Dalton and all the MAT instructors.
Achieving this master status is one of the most significant moves you can make in your career as a manual therapist. Becoming an MMT can not only help you to better serve a wider array of clients, but it can also help you to dramatically increase your income and expand your employment prospects.
