For most of us, a massage is a treat and something to look forward to. If you’re spending hard-earned money and time on self-care in the form of a massage appointment, you’ll want to be sure you’re getting a service that’s effective and enjoyable, delivered by someone who knows what they’re doing.
The practice of massage is not officially regulated within New Zealand. There are currently no mandated licences or registrations, and this means that theoretically, anyone could put a sign above their door. The lack of accountability can make it a minefield for clients!
A massage from an inexperienced massage therapist, at best, will probably be lacklustre with little positive impact. At worst, it could cause an injury. Professionalism is also crucial to a good massage; you deserve to feel safe and comfortable on the table.
Thankfully, massage practitioners have put safeguards in place. Here’s how you can find a positive experience.
Look for qualifications and registration
Despite the lack of legislation, the massage industry in New Zealand is largely self-regulated. Massage Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ) is the only massage therapy-specific membership body in the country, and exists to promote and regulate the industry. All of our therapists are registered with MANZ.
Qualified massage therapists may have studied and received certification at a variety of training institutions. This will depend on where they trained and what they specialised in. Within our own team, for example, we have:
- Jennifer, who trained at New Zealand College of Massage to gain a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage.
- Diane, who trained at Wellpark College of Natural Therapies to gain a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage.
- Liezl, who trained at the University of the Free State in South Africa to become a qualified Massage Therapist.
You can look up colleges and institutions to determine their legitimacy. The New Zealand College of Massage and Wellpark College of Natural Therapies, both now closed, operated under the NZQA framework, which meant that students were able to receive funding and loans to study there. Now, you can check for an accredited NZQA provider on the MANZ website to verify that a qualification comes from somewhere trustworthy.
Seek out a specialist
If you’re looking for something in particular from your massage, like a pregnancy-safe session or lymphatic drainage, it’s always a good idea to find someone with expertise in that area. This might mean extra experience or extra studies or qualifications, and therapists will generally advertise this.
Jennifer, for example, holds a Certificate in Fitness (Personal Training) Level 4, and Diane has post graduate training in Bowen Therapy from Bowtech. Liezl has completed her Honours in Sports Science, making her our sports massage expert. You can read about the specialisations of each team member on our team page, and most massage clinics will have this information available to you.
Read some reviews
One of the best ways to know what you’re getting into with a massage provider is to read their Google reviews. Previous and current clients are the experts on professionalism and service!
A massage therapist can be entirely qualified but not able to make clients feel comfortable and at ease on the table, or fail to create a welcoming and relaxing environment in their clinic. Reading reviews, or simply asking around friends, family, your workplace, or your sports team for recommendations, can help you to find the right fit.
If you’re in Howick, Elemental Body Therapies is the place to go for massage by trained, qualified therapists who have studied a range of different techniques and specialties. Get in touch with the team!