CBD and Massage Therapy: Considerations and Education
In this Q&A, Maggy Troup, owner of Ascend Massage Studio shares her wisdom regarding the benefits and considerations for using CBD during a massage therapy healing session. If you want to learn more about why she found interest in integrating CBD into her massage therapy session and how she became so knowledgable in the topic, read the first part of this Q&A with Maggy entitled “Integrating CBD into Massage Therapy”. And to learn more about Integrated CBD massages, view our Massage Therapy Classes page for upcoming classes!
Insights from the Field
We wanted to learn more about Maggy’s experiences with utilizing CBD in the massage room, so we asked her! Follow along as she answers some questions related to her interests in massage therapy and utilizing CBD topicals.
People are curious about the benefits of CBD; why is it important for massage therapists that are using CBD to be educated?
While CBD is a very safe and forgiving plant medicine, incorporating it into massage therapy still requires thoughtful consideration. As therapists, it’s our responsibility to ensure we’re using best practices—knowing when and how to use it, understanding contraindications, and most importantly, having a working knowledge of how it interacts with our clients’ bodies.
Our endocannabinoid system—which is the body’s system that interacts with CBD—wasn’t even discovered until the 1990s, and many medical textbooks and professional training programs still don’t teach ENOUGH about it. That means we’re still in the discovery phase, and there’s a significant gap in mainstream understanding of how this system contributes to things like pain regulation, inflammation, and stress response.
As massage therapists, we are often one of the first professionals people turn to when they’re seeking natural solutions for pain, stress, and wellness. That gives us the incredible opportunity—and responsibility—to be educated advocates. We need to ensure the information we are sharing with our clients is current, science-backed, and delivered with confidence.
If we want to elevate the profession, it starts with us. Being informed about CBD helps us not only provide better care, but also empowers our clients with tools and education they can use beyond the treatment room. Let’s lead with integrity, knowledge, and a commitment to doing better.
Knowledge and Training
We urge you to attain knowledge and training from credible sources before integrating ANY products or tools into your professional practice.
What should massage therapists consider when incorporating CBD into their practice?
First and foremost—education. Understanding the science behind CBD and how it interacts with the body is key to using it safely and effectively in a massage setting. Beyond that, product quality is critical. There are countless options on the market, but like anything we bring into our treatment rooms, we need to ensure it's safe, legal, and reliable. That means using products that are third-party tested and contain cannabinoid levels within legal limits.
Another major consideration is cost. High-quality CBD products are not and should not be cheap, so it’s important to think about how this offering fits into your business model. Will you raise your rates? Offer it as an upgrade? As business owners, we must protect our bottom line while maintaining the integrity of our services.
The last consideration I will discuss here is safety. Clients will ask about how CBD works, whether it’s safe, and what they can expect. The best answers are given with clarity and confidence. Taking a course designed specifically for bodyworkers will ensure that you are equipped with the right knowledge, tools, and intention to use and discuss CBD ethically in your practice.
Luckily for y’all, these are just a fraction of the crucial topics that are covered in the CBD course for massage therapists; CBD Integrated: Understanding the Endocannabinoid System for Bodyworkers. If you are ready to join the massage therapists and bodyworkers who are utilizing CBD in their sessions, head over to our Massage Therapy Classes page and register for the next class that fits with your schedule.
Lifelong Learning
Stay tuned for more Q&A style articles from industry leaders and other massage therapists. It is our mission to radically shift the way people view massage therapy and to inspire massage therapists and wellness practitioners to expand your minds and your practices to include an integrated appoach to healing. Want to develop your own classes? We encourage you to invest your time and energy in our self-paced online class Curriculum Development: Step-by-Step Process and Principles to ensure you’re writing lessons that have clear learning objectives and student learning outcomes. Want to share your knowledge and expertise but feel like you have too much on your plate and you could maybe use some help managing your time? Our self-paced online class Time Management for Neurospicy Humans is just what you need to help you make the most of your energy. Not interested in online classes, but simply want to share your knowledge on various topics? Reach out to us and pitch your idea for a contributing article for our blog. We’d love to continue adding Q&A style articles or contributions from our community.