Somatic bodywork is a branch of holistic healing that includes massage therapy, Rolfing, reflexology, and many other related therapeutic services. Thus, students who attend somatic bodywork programs have an opportunity to master all of these different disciplines with long-term therapy in mind. Somatic bodywork is specifically designed to help patients overcome illnesses, injuries, stress buildup, toxin buildup, and other obstacles that prevent them from achieving and enjoying optimal health.
Although different programs vary their curricula, there exist some general commonalities from school to school. For example, therapeutic massage, relaxation exercises, and Rolfing are all areas one might cover in a typical somatic bodywork program. Some programs go several steps further by incorporating diet & nutrition, yoga, meditation, and other tangential areas that have been shown to contribute to greater health and wellness. There are also a host of related therapeutic services both from the clinical world and from New Age medicine that one might have to master in a typical program. Chemistry, herbal medicine, astrology, botany, pharmaceutical medicine, physical therapy, and NLP are but a mere sampling of all that is available. And it's possible to earn a certificate all the way to a doctoral degree in the field.
According to the US Department of Labor, opportunities for those with extensive therapeutic massage training should be plentiful in the years to come. In fact, career opportunities for this particular occupation will grow much faster than the national average for most other occupations. So by mastering massage therapy, physical therapy, deep tissue work, and other related areas, one can greatly increase his or her chances of employability, career advancement, and a favorable salary.
Source: US Department of Labor