“Hi!
I failed the MBLEx last week. I have dyslexia and bad exam anxiety. I have never been a good test taker and I am afraid I will never pass this exam and get my massage license. Do you have any advice?”
If you were considering sending me a similar email, I want you to know something: you are not alone. I have hundreds of emails just like this. Massage therapists are often unique individuals that love the hands on nature of our profession. But in order to get licensed, we need to prove that we have met the minimum competency levels set for the massage profession via an exam. This is where many LMTs-to-be with learning disabilities get anxious.
About 1 in 5 people in the United States[1] have a learning disability, but for a lot of people, these go undiagnosed. So this article is for you— whether you have a formal diagnosis or just struggle with academics, traditional learning, or testing.
Getting the Help You Need: The FSMTB and Accommodations
First, let’s talk about the FSMTB and what they can do for you on test day. They have a process for getting special accommodations for taking the MBLEx[2], but you have to know what they’re looking for. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act[3]) requires them to provide reasonable accommodations if you have a documentable physical or mental impairment.
“Documentable” is the keyword here. It’s not just a note from your mom saying you learn a bit differently, or struggled in school. It’s a formal diagnosis from a licensed health care professional, like a doctor or a psychologist. This is a crucial step that many people miss. It’s about ensuring fairness and following the law.
If you qualify, you can ask for a range of accommodations, but it’s not a guarantee. They review each request and I have seen plenty denied. But, if you have a learning disability and want to know what accommodations the FSMTB might provide include:
Extra time to take the test. This is one of the most common ones and can make a huge difference. Just know that tests aren’t untimed.
A test reader to read the questions out loud to you.
A separate room to give you a quieter place to focus without distractions.
A larger font on the test screen.
A scribe to write your answers for you.
Remember, they don’t let you bring your own helpers. It’s their staff to keep the exam fair for everyone. If you have any questions, you can email them directly at ada@fsmtb.org. Also, accommodations do not include language translation services. The MBLEx is still only provided in English and Spanish.
What if You Don’t Have a Diagnosis?
Maybe you’ve never been formally diagnosed with a learning disability. There is no age limit on getting a diagnoses. Speak to your health care provider if this is important to you to get a formal diagnosis and possible testing accommodations.
Or maybe your struggle isn’t a disability at all—you’re just a hands-on learner in a textbook world. Either way, you can still absolutely use the following strategies to help you pass the MBLEx.
Create Your Perfect Study Environment. You know yourself best. What environments do you thrive in? Do you need to find a quiet spot and put on noise-canceling headphones? Should you turn off your phone and any other notifications to remove distractions? Your brain needs an environment where it can do what it needs to do.
Use Your Hands and Your Voice. You’re a trained massage therapist, so you’re probably a kinesthetic learner. Don’t just read the information in your guides and textbooks. Draw the muscles, say the names out loud, review the concepts while massaging a practice client/friend, or even just walk around while you study. It’s all about getting your body and your senses involved to help you retain the information.
Break It Down. The MBLEx has 100 questions, and that’s a lot to think about all at once. Break your study sessions into small, manageable chunks—maybe 20 or 30 minutes at a time – called pomodoros[4]. It’s a lot easier to stay focused on a small chunk of material than on a whole textbook. Our program also includes mini MBLEx simulations that are 25% of a full exam so you can take small tests when you do not have time. We really try to keep you from being overwhelmed.
Work on Weak Areas. Don’t Avoid Them When you take a practice test, don’t just look at the overall score. Find out what subjects you’re consistently scoring low in. If you’re missing a lot of questions about pathology, that’s where you need to focus your time. Lots of people avoid the subject they are weak in. This won’t work with the MBLEx since you need to read minimum scores in each area, not just overall. Working on weaknesses is another one of our strategies we use for our program.
Use All the Tools. Your textbook is a great starting point, but don’t stop there. Look for videos, podcasts, and online study guides. Finding a resource that explains a concept in a different way is all it takes for it to finally click.
Here is another an actual email from my inbox after someone used our program:
“Hey! I actually took the test at 12:15 today and passed!!! I really loved your website it broke things down for the ADHD impaired like myself. I was having difficulty with other sites and study ideas. I didn’t feel as overwhelmed with your exam prep.
Thank you!”
Ultimately, your brain isn’t broken. It’s just a different kind of powerful. Your unique way of learning is a gift that makes you a great hands-on therapist. You just have to find the study strategy that speaks your language. At Massage Exam Academy, the goal is to make a program that fits the needs of most learners. It isn’t for everyone, but maybe it is for you. You can check out our program details and see if it might be a tool for you to use to pass your exam, get your massage license, and start getting clients on your table.
If you’re just starting to study for the MBLEx, you might be looking for the easiest way to pass your exam. You’ve probably already found the forums and Facebook groups where people are sharing practice questions. Maybe you’ve even downloaded a study app that promises to have the “real questions from the test.” It is possible you have made flashcards with some of these questions or questions from your study guides – word for word. It seems like the fastest, most direct route to passing, and you likely used it on some exams back in grade school, right?
I’m here to tell you that, besides not studying at all, this is one of the worst things you can do as you prepare for your exam.
Here is a sample email or text I get from someone that just found the Massage Exam Academy website after failing the MBLEx:
“None of the questions I studied on the app I was using were on the exam.”
As someone who has talked to thousands of people who have both passed and failed the MBLEx, I see this all the time: a student spends weeks, sometimes months, memorizing questions from these so-called study aids. They feel ready, they feel confident, and then they sit down for the exam only to find that none of the questions look like the ones they were studying. The test they took was not the one they studied for. They memorized questions and failed to truly understand the concepts of the exam that they would be tested on.
Let me put this in perspective: the MBLEx is a professional licensing exam designed to ensure public safety. At over $250 an attempt, it is time to develop study techniques that work and avoid ones that don’t.
The MBLEx Is Not a Memory Test
The biggest mistake you can make when preparing for the MBLEx is treating it like a game of memory. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), who administers the exam, has a very clear mission: to protect the public. The MBLEx is not designed to see how many facts you can recall. It’s designed to test your competency and your ability to apply your knowledge to a variety of situations you might encounter in a real massage practice.
Think about it this way: if a client walks in with a specific condition, the FSMTB wants to know if you can identify the correct course of action—not just if you can define the condition. The exam is testing your clinical reasoning, your ethical judgment, and your ability to make safe, professional decisions. All in all – they want to know if you will be a safe and ethical licensed massage therapist.
This is why simply memorizing questions will never work. The FSMTB has a massive question bank and is regularly adding more questions. They are constantly updating and rotating questions to ensure that the exam’s integrity is maintained and that test takers can pass by simply memorizing a cheat sheet. The questions on your practice app, or that some teacher or other LMT you know, might have been on an exam five years ago- but they likely won’t be on yours. Even if a question is similar, the wording will be different, the scenario will be slightly altered, and you’ll be lost if you haven’t mastered the core concepts.
The Problem with “Question Farms”
Unfortunately, a lot of the cheaper or free “study apps” and websites you find online are essentially “question farms.” They are crowdsourced collections of questions that people claim they saw on the exam. There are a few major problems with this approach:
Inaccuracy: Many of these questions are submitted from memory, and they are often worded incorrectly or contain factual errors. You could be studying wrong information and not even know it.
Lack of Context: A question on its own doesn’t teach you the underlying principles. You might memorize that for a client with diabetes, you should avoid deep tissue massage on their feet. But what if the question on the real exam is about peripheral neuropathy? If you only memorized the answer to the first question, you won’t be able to apply that knowledge to the second.
No Explanations: These apps often give you the answer but offer little to no explanation for why it’s the right answer. Without understanding the reasoning, you’re just adding a piece of disconnected data to your brain, which is useless for a competency-based exam.
The Strategic Approach: How to Actually Study and Pass
So, what should you do instead? Stop trying to memorize the answers. Instead, focus on mastering the concepts. This is how you build a study plan that will actually get you results.
1. Focus on Concepts, Not Facts.
Instead of just memorizing the origin, insertion, action, and innervation (OIAI) of a muscle, focus on its function. What does the pectoralis major do? It adducts and medially rotates the arm. Now, think about that. When would a client need work on this muscle? What real-world scenarios apply? This is how you turn a dry fact into something you can actually use to answer a scenario-based question.
2. Master the Scenario.
Think of every study session as an opportunity to practice your clinical reasoning. For example, a question might ask: “A client with a history of hypertension is experiencing a severe headache. What should the massage therapist do?”
Step 1: Identify the key terms: “hypertension,” “severe headache.”
Step 2: Recall your knowledge of these conditions. What are the contraindications for hypertension? What could a severe headache signify?
Step 3: Use your knowledge to identify the safest course of action. A severe headache in a hypertensive client is a medical red flag. The correct answer is to refer them to a doctor and not proceed with the massage.
3. Use the Practice Exam as a Diagnostic Tool.
A good practice test isn’t about the score; it’s about what you learn from your mistakes. When you get a question wrong, don’t just look at the right answer and move on. Look at the explanation. Why was your answer wrong? What core concept did you misunderstand? This is how you pinpoint your weaknesses and know exactly where to focus your next study session. If you get three questions wrong about the lymphatic system, you know exactly what your priority is for the next two days.
4. Employ Active Recall and Spaced Repetition.
These are proven, effective study methods. Active recall means you are actively pulling information from your brain, not just passively reading it. After you read a section, close the book and try to explain the concept out loud to an imaginary client. Spaced repetition means reviewing the information at increasing intervals. Use flashcards for this, or a flashcard app that uses the spaced repetition model. This trains your brain to store information in long-term memory.
The Bottom Line
The solution isn’t to find a better app with “real” questions or memorizing all the questions in your paper study guide that claims to have all the secrets for this year’s exam. It’s to change your mindset to preparing for this exam like any other professional exam. This takes time, focused preparation, and a commitment to learning key concepts. This is what we have seen work time and time again.
The Plan to Pass on Massage Exam Academy has helped thousands of people make that jump from student to licensed massage therapist. You can make your plan to pass today and finally take that next step toward your new career.
MBLEx Anxiety: A First-Time Test Taker’s Roadmap to Confidence
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The first step of a new journey is often the hardest. The anxiety that comes with doing something you’ve never done before—whether it’s your first day of school, your first massage, or your first date—is completely normal. It’s the feeling of walking into the unknown, where everything is new and the stakes feel incredibly high.
For you, that first big step is the MBLEx exam. You’ve spent countless hours in class and have the skills to be an amazing massage therapist. But now you have to face a test you’ve never taken, in an unfamiliar setting, with what feels like the weight of your future career on your shoulders. I see the panic in my inbox or on Reddit and Facebook from other first-time test-takers almost every day. I promise you are not alone.
While taking the MBLEx for the first time is new for you, helping people pass the MBLEx isn’t new to us. At Massage Exam Academy we have been doing this for over 10 years. We’ve guided thousands of students through the exam preparation process, and we know exactly what it takes to turn that feeling of first time test anxiety into confidence on exam day.
Here is what we have seen work for the thousands of people that have used Massage Exam Academy to pass their MBLEx and get licensed.
We’ll Teach You What Your School Didn’t
Hopefully, your massage school gave you a great education. They taught you how to help people with your hands and how to run a professional business. What they didn’t teach you is the specific strategies needed to conquer this unique licensing exam, like multiple choice strategy[6]. A professional licensing is no joke. It is expensive and can only be taken once every 30 days if you fail. This isn’t a time to casually prepare or rely on people that took the exam years ago before the format changed.
The MBLEx tests you on your ability to apply your massage school textbook knowledge, not just memorize facts. We’ll show you how to think like a test-maker, break down complex scenario-based questions, and stop guessing the answers.
Instead of studying everything at once and feeling overwhelmed[7], we help you build a strategic plan. Our program gives you a clear, step-by-step roadmap so you know exactly what to study and when. You’ll move with purpose, not panic.
We also give you the tools to pinpoint and eliminate your weaknesses, not ignore them (one of the biggest mistakes we see by those that fail the MBLEx[8]). Our mini-simulations and practice tests don’t just give you a score; they tell you exactly which subjects you need to focus on. This means you stop wasting time on what you already know and start putting your energy where it matters most.
We know you have questions. And we have put together a website with answers to the most common questions people have before their exam.
Passing the MBLEx isn’t just about a score (In fact, you don’t get a score on the MBLEx[14]); it’s about getting your license and officially beginning your career as a massage therapist to help others with stress, anxiety, and pain. It is a rewarding career!
Don’t let the anxiety of the unknowns with this exam hold you back. We are are to help you put together a plan to pass your exam and get your massage license.
If you’re staring at a mountain of notes, a textbook that looks like it weighs more than a newborn, and a hundred tabs open on your computer, you’re not alone. I get emails almost every day from students who are just starting out and are already completely overwhelmed. The sheer volume of material for the MBLEx can feel like you are drowning in information that you need to know.
I’ve seen it firsthand, not just with my students, but in my own life. My daughter (who is 4.0+ student) when off to college this fall. She was so overwhelmed by her schedule that she had a moment of panic before she even began classes. She already had a year of college under her belt, so she knew what she was doing. I know the problem wasn’t her ability; it was the sheer chaos of all the information she had to process at once with going away and starting school. Instead of looking at the 15 hours of credits, we sat down and looked at the individual classes, which made it much less overwhelming to her
.
This is exactly what happens with the MBLEx. You have every subject—anatomy, kinesiology, pathology, ethics—all jumbled together. No wonder you’re overwhelmed! It’s completely normal to feel this way. Whether this is your first time taking the exam, or you are back to studying after you failed the MBLEx[8], here are some of my suggestions of what to do when you’re facing this mountain of information.
Stop Trying to Study Everything at Once
Think about it: do you eat an entire pizza in one bite? Of course not. You break it down into slices. Studying for the MBLEx needs to be the same. Trying to cram every subject into your brain at the same time is a recipe for anxiety and burnout.
Our program at Massage Exam Academy is built specifically to fight this feeling of being overwhelmed. We break down the topics for you. Instead of looking at a massive list of subjects, you can focus on one thing at a time. This decreases the feeling of overwhelm and allows you to truly master each section before moving on. We’ll show you exactly what to study and in what order that is best for you with your individual Plan to Pass that you design yourself, so you never have to wonder if you’re doing it right.
Start Small, Build Confidence
I know you want to take a full practice exam to see where you stand, but when you’re feeling overwhelmed, a 100-question test with a ticking timer can feel like a death sentence. It’s too much pressure, too soon.
That’s why our program includes mini-simulations. These are shorter practice tests, like a quarter of the size of the real thing. They give you a chance to experience the exam format without the stress of a full two-hour session. Once you build up your confidence and have more time, we also have full practice exams waiting for you. This step-by-step approach gives you a chance to succeed early and often, which is a powerful way to combat that overwhelming feeling.
You Don’t Need More Information—You Need the Right Plan
Your problem isn’t a lack of information; you’ve probably got too much of it already. The real problem is a lack of structure and direction. You need a clear path that takes you from where you are today to passing the MBLEx with confidence.
You don’t need more information; you need the right information, in the right order. Our Massage Exam Academy course takes the guesswork out of studying. We’ve organized the entire MBLEx curriculum into a simple, easy-to-follow plan so you can stop feeling overwhelmed and start feeling confident.
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Ivy Hultquist
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Heard rumors about a new Texas Massage Exam[15]? It is true! Texas has recently introduced a new state massage therapy licensing exam, providing aspiring Texas massage therapists with an alternative to the widely recognized Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). Even we were surprised about this new exam option when it was announced.
If you are a massage student in Texas, or a massage therapist moving to Texas that needs to take an approved exam, you may be asking yourself which exam you should take? And we know exams cause anxiety too. We’ll address what to do help you pass whichever exam you choose to take.
There are pros and cons to each exam. By the end of this article, you should have a better idea of which one is best for you and what you can do to pass your exam and get licensed.
First, let’s learn about the Texas Massage Exam…
Texas Massage Exam Requirements
To sit for Texas’ state massage therapy licensing exam, candidates must typically fulfill certain requirements set forth by the Texas Massage Therapy Board which is under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
Common prerequisites include:
Completion of a 500 hour massage therapy education program
passing a criminal background check
application submission
payment of fees
Exam Content Breakdown
The content of Texas’ state massage therapy licensing exam covers a range of topics essential for competent practice, including:
Texas Massage Therapy Laws and Regulations
Anatomy and Physiology
Massage Techniques and Modalities
Pathology and Contraindications
Health, Hygiene, and Universal Precautions
Physiology
Hydrotherapy
Laws and Rules
Ethics
Cost
The cost of Texas’ state massage therapy licensing exam is $60 per attempt, making it a more affordable option compared to the MBLEx, which charges $265 per attempt.
Exam Languages
The Texas massage exam is available in English and Spanish (Mandarin Chinese has been discontinued). This initiative reflects the State’s commitment to diversity and recognizes the linguistic diversity of its population.
Texas Exam Content Breakdown
What percentage of the exam pertains to anatomy, kinesiology, Texas laws and rules, or etc? See below. This means that about 11 questions out of 100 will pertain to anatomy and 9 questions will pertain to pathology.
Subject Area
Percentage
Swedish Massage Therapy Techniques and Theory (Includes: Contraindications, Practice of Manipulation of Soft Tissue, Massage Therapy Techniques, Consultation (the Interview), Effects and Benefits, Client Preparation and Draping, and Products)
40%
Anatomy
11%
Kinesiology
11%
Pathology
9%
Health, Hygiene, and Universal Precautions
7%
Physiology
6%
Hydrotherapy
4%
Texas Laws and Rules (Including consultation document and responsibilities of the licensee)
7%
Ethics
5%
Exam Details
Value
Scored Items
100
Time Allowed
150 minutes
Passing Score
70%
Non-Scored Items
10
Time Allowed for Non-Scored Items
15 minutes
Examination Fee
$60
Exam References
A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, Seventh Edition, 2019
Massage Therapy Principles and Practice, 6th Edition, 2019
Tappan’s Handbook of Massage Therapy, Sixth Edition, 2015
Theory & Practice of Therapeutic Massage, Sixth Edition, 2016
FAQ
How does the Texas Massage Exam compare to the MBLEx?
Texas State Exam
MBLEx
Total Number of Scored Items
100
100
Time Allowed for Scored Items
150 minutes
120 minutes
Passing Score
70%
Unknown – minimum competency level
Examination Fee
$60
$265
Languages Available
English and Spanish
English
States that accept the exam
Unknown
Over 40 states accept the MBLEx
Includes Texas Jurisprudence Exam
Yes
No
Will Texas still accept the MBLEx?
Yes, Texas continues to accept the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) for licensure purposes. The MBLEx is widely recognized and accepted by many states across the United States, including Texas. Therefore, individuals who pass the MBLEx can use it as a pathway to licensure as a massage therapist in Texas, provided they meet all other requirements set forth by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
The Board website states that it does not accept the The current Board certification examination (the BCETMB exam) from the NCBTMB.
As for the older NCETMB from the NCBTMB, it is not mentioned on the Texas massage board website[15]. If you took this exam and have an active license, we suggest you contact the Board office before applying.
What about Transferring/ Reciprocity?
Having options is great, but often State exams give you less options in the event you find yourself moving to another state in the terms of endorsement or license portability.
As for transferability, while Texas’ state exam is primarily designed to meet the licensure requirements within the state, its recognition and acceptance in other states may vary.
Some states may acknowledge Texas’ exam as equivalent to or exceeding their own licensing standards, while others may require additional assessments or prerequisites for out-of-state practitioners seeking licensure.
The MBLEx is accepted by 40+ states at this time. So if you plan to move, we strongly encourage you to take the MBLEx.
What if I fail my exam?
Failing an exam is tough. Part of what we do here is help those that have previously failed learn from this experience to strengthen their preparation. That way when they are ready, they can reapply with renewed confidence. Remember, many successful professionals have faced and overcome similar challenges.
The MBLEx requires 30 days between exam attempts. We are not aware of a required wait between attempts for the Texas Massage Exam. There is a mention of being about to test again within your eligibility period on the exam application. With this being a new exam, we will update this article as needed.
Where can I find practice questions and a study guide to prepare for my exam?
For years, we have offered our MBLEx program and State specific massage exam preps for two other states that still use their own licensing exams (Hawaii[16] and New York[17]). What we often see people struggle with on these exams is the laws and rules portions (which the MBLEx does not have).
Make sure you study the Texas laws and rules, or use an exam prep that includes Texas laws and regulation practice questions. As a reminder, those that take the Texas Massage Exam do not need take the required Texas Jurisprudence Exam for massage.
What is the application process and exam process?
Here is the Texas massage exam application that includes a comprehensive guide to the application and testing process, as well as guidelines for this exam.
When you are eligible to take the exam, you will receive an email notification from PSI, which is TDLR’s vendor for administering exams across the state. This email will include instructions on how to register and pay for your licensing exam.
Ready to practice?
Massage Exam Academy has helped thousands of massage therapists pass their massage licensing exam and we are ready to help you get licensed and begin your massage career in Texas too.
Whether you are anxious about your exam, previously failed your exam, or just ready to get this exam done so you can get licensed, we get it.
Here is a free mini Texas Massage Exam we made to help you jumpstart your exam prep.
You previously took and paused this examination.
Would you like to resume it?
