Craniosacral therapy can be a great addition to your massage therapy business. With more and more clients looking for relief for depression, infections, migraines, anxiety, joint stiffness, and other medical conditions, including craniosacral therapy as part of your massage therapy services could improve your clients’ health and boost your business.
However, before you begin offering craniosacral therapy, it is important to understand the licensing requirements. If you do not remain in compliance with your state laws, your business could be in jeopardy.
When you have questions or concerns about licensure for your massage therapy business, be sure to contact our trusted health and wellness attorneys at the Center for Health and Wellness Law, LLC.
What Is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a massage technique that combines osteopathic and chiropractic maneuvers. It is designed to rebalance the rhythmic system. It consists of light hand and finger pressure on the sacrum and cranial bones to reduce involuntary movement.
These days, according to the American Massage Therapy Association, a growing number of people turn to massage therapist offices for craniosacral therapy.
How Craniosacral Therapy Works
If craniosacral therapy is different from traditional massage therapy, why do you need a license? Craniosacral therapy is different from massage therapy in that it works more closely with the bones and joints of the skull, cerebrospinal fluids, and the spinal cord.
This makes it a more complex type of massage therapy intervention. The thinking is that, as the fluids are pulsed through the craniosacral system, the fluids cause small movements that begin to work together to regulate the pressure of the cerebral spinal fluid in the brain. This is supposed to increase circulation, which is thought to reduce the symptoms your clients are experiencing.
This meditative approach to treatment is thought to alter nerve ending signals and perception, which can then reestablish the craniosacral system, according to practitioners.
Requirements to Practice Craniosacral Therapy
Every state has its own regulations for practicing craniosacral therapy. Some states have no licensure requirements whatsoever, while others regulate craniosacral therapy in the same way they regulate massage therapy, requiring a license.
Before you move forward with this practice as part of your business, you will need to check your state’s laws or speak with a qualified attorney.
The state of Florida, for example, considers craniosacral therapy a form of massage therapy. Let’s take a closer look at Florida’s craniosacral therapy licensure requirements to get a better idea of what you might encounter in your state.
Education and Training Requirements
Florida practitioners should be prepared to complete a craniosacral or massage therapy program that requires a minimum of 500 hours. Upon completion of this program, you will be listed as a Registered Craniosacral Therapist (RCST®). Since one of the goals of craniosacral therapy is to relieve deep tension in the head and spine, you should also be prepared to complete Reiki 2 training at an accredited facility.
Although craniosacral therapy itself may not be regulated by state or federal governments, since this is considered a type of massage therapy, it is important to ensure you have secured the licensing you need so you can practice without running into any compliance issues. This also means you must complete continuing education requirements to renew your massage therapist license as needed.
You Must Register With the Florida Board of Massage Therapy
Be prepared to register your massage therapy license with the Florida Board of Massage Therapy (FBMT), so you can begin offering craniosacral services. You should be prepared to pay a $155 registration fee before you can receive licensure by the FBMT.
You may also be required to pass the national massage licensing exam before the board will grant your license. Additional requirements before you can obtain the licensing you need include:
- Completing a ten-hour Florida laws and rules course
- Completing a two-hour prevention of medical errors class
- Completing a three-hour HIV/AIDS class
If you are interested in finding out more about where you can obtain your craniosacral therapy license, you can check out the Florida Board of Massage Therapy website for a list of approved programs.
What Happens If You Practice Craniosacral Therapy Without a License?
Practicing craniosacral therapy without a license may not be in your best interests or the best interest of your massage therapy business. Since massage therapists are required to have licensure, failure to do so could result in devastating sanctions to your business and even criminal charges.
In fact, practicing without a license in the state of Florida can be a criminal offense.
The last thing you need is to be accused of unlicensed massage therapy. By obtaining your massage therapy license and getting the certifications you need to practice craniosacral therapy, you can avoid putting your business in jeopardy and your freedom on the line.
If you have additional questions or concerns about your massage therapy or craniosacral therapy licensing in any state, do not hesitate to contact our experienced wellness lawyers to discuss the specific details of your case.
Contact the Center for Health and Wellness Law, LLC for Help Today
Craniosacral therapy is often considered a part of the massage therapy practice. Since you must obtain your massage therapist license before you can offer services through your massage therapy business, getting licensed in craniosacral therapy specifically is often not a requirement.
However, being properly licensed and credentialed allows you to offer these services to your massage therapy clients and can set your business apart from other massage therapists in your area.
Learn more about getting your craniosacral therapy license and ensure your massage therapy business is following state and federal laws when you contact our wellness lawyers at the Center for Health and Wellness Law, LLC. You can reach us via our quick contact form or by phone at (608) 579-1267 to schedule your initial consultation today.