Being able to integrate herbs with bodywork seems very natural and that they work together quite nicely. Some states, like California have specific training in herbal medicine safety for their students because most massage therapists at some point are going to run into folks that want to use natural, safer forms of treatment, the same reason they chose massage for pain management instead of say surgery or a pill.
In Texas where I practice, there is no training required of the 500 hour state regulated program in Massage Therapy in herbal medicine. As a practicing herbalist, I find this to be a great disservice to therapists. Massage is a sort of gateway into holistic health. Many folks will delve into preventative therapies with a massage and end up on a rich and satisfying road to healing and curing ailments that allopathic medicine either wants to suppress or cut out of them. Herbs are a way to add to treatments and make them more enjoyable, more effective, and offer something for clients to go home with that they can use to maintain or resolve their treatment with. I encourage massage therapists to get training in herbal medicine as much as possible. I have a list of high quality information on my website for students when they are researching. I am also going to dedicate a few blog posts to massage therapists so that they can get a good start with using herbs topically and internally with clients
Tips for therapists for using herbs safely in massage:
Always ask your clients before using herbal treatments, some may be sensitive to smells, or have allergies
If your client is unsure of whether or not they have sensitivities or allergies, you can always test out the herbal concoction topically first on a small patch of skin, while you work on a different area of the body.
