Our Curriculum

Term 1
Anatomy, Basic: bones and muscles; basic palpation skills (26 hours)

Physiology Part 1: (24 hours)

General & Swedish massage: history, theory, bodywork practice, chair massage (48 hours)

Ethics, professional practice, communication & hygiene: (12 hours)

Body mechanics, health & wellness: body, mind, spirit; yoga and T’ai chi (14 hours)

Clinical practice: (15 hours)

31 classes = 139 total hours

Books:
Massage Therapy Principles & Practice, Susan Salvo
Illustrated Essentials of Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Sieg & Adams
Coloring Guide to Human Anatomy, Tweitmeyer and McCracken (optional)

Term 2, part 1
Anatomy, Intermediate: (15 hours)

Physiology Part 2: (44 hours)

Deep Swedish/deep tissue: general theory and bodywork practice (32 hours)

Body mechanics: repetitive strain prevention, health and wellness, yoga (12 hours)

Clinical practice: (15 hours)

Term 2, part 2
Anatomy, Advanced Kinesiology: connective tissue theory (16 hours)

Myofascial release: bodywork practice and theory (36 hours)

Body mechanics: repetitive strain prevention, wellness, yoga (10 hours)

Ethics, business practices, and marketing: (16 hours)

Combined Deep Therapy: Neuromuscular Therapy,Travell Trigger Point therapy, Counterstrain Theory and bodywork practice (32 hours)

Clinical practice: (15 hours)

51 classes & 10 clinic sessions = 228 total hours

Books:
Basic Clinical Massage Therapy, Clay and Pounds (for both parts 1 and 2)
Informed Touch, Finando
The Anatomy of Movement, Germaine-Calais (optional)
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, Davies (optional)

Term 3
Oriental systems: theory, energy and meridian anatomy, ethics (16 hours)

Oriental pressure point techniques: Thai, Shiatsu, polarity, and reflexology systems and bodywork practice (56 hours)

Body mechanics, health & wellness: body, mind, spirit, T’ai chi (8 hours)

Clinical practice: (15 hours)

20 classes & 10 clinic sessions = 95 total hours

Books:
Basic Acupressure
Thai Yoga Massage, Kam Thye Chow (optional)

Term 4
Medical Massage: pathological conditions, cautions, contraindications, working with special
populations -- infants, ill, elderly, pregnancy; massage in different environments, theory and bodywork practice (74 hours)

Ethics, professional business practices, marketing: (16 hours)

Hydrotherapy, heat and cold applications: (8 hours)

Reiki 1 - Theory and practice: (12 hours)

Reflexology- (4 hours)

Meriden Theory- (4 hours)

Health and wellness; body, mind, spirit: yoga, Feldenkreis (12 hours)

Clinical practice: (15 hours)

23 classes & 10 clinic sessions = 145 total hours

Books:
Massage Therapists Guide to Pathology, Werner
Complete Review Guide for State & Nat’l Exams

125 total classes & 20 total clinic sessions = 607 total hours

Wellness
Most class sessions begin with yoga, Tai chi, Feldenkreis, or repetitive strain prevention exercises. We are very serious about having our students establish good body mechanics and wellness practices so that they will avoid injury during many happy and productive years as massage therapists. In addition, learning self-care and injury prevention practices gives the students more information to share with their clients when they become massage professionals.

Preparation for Private Practice
Business practices workshops give students information on the requirements for running a successful practice including business planning, accounting and insurance issues, marketing, public relations, networking, communication, documentation, and an overview of the various “post-graduate” specialties they may pursue, as well as the large variety of types of professional practice and employment opportunities.

Ethics and professional standards are an important part of having a successful massage practice, and are a surprisingly interesting study of human behavior and motivations. Student Clinic helps establish professional ways of dealing with the public with supervision by a clinic supervisor, overcoming some students’ difficulties in working with individuals they are unacquainted with. Outreaches are opportunities for students to contribute to the health and well-being of the community by providing seated massage in public areas for health care workers, volunteers in walkathons, teachers, and other groups, and to see how just ten minutes of massage can have an impact in people’s lives.