Courses & Descriptions for Massage Program 

Intro to Massage Therapy (20 hours)
Let’s talk about massage therapy! How to get started, success strategies, self-care, using tools, conscious practice, communicating with clients, planning your schedule to increase career longevity. We will discuss how to handle difficult and potentially awkward client/therapist situations. We will also cover ethics and hygiene. 

Massage I (110 hours)  
The techniques of Swedish massage emphasize long strokes and other techniques such as effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and others, to encourage blood flow, circulation, and relaxation. Students will also learn about body mechanics, positioning, draping, client/therapist etiquette, and understanding pressure. Students will begin to practice techniques and draping on each other.

Massage II (120 hours) 
Students will learn how to test and treat the more common sports and overuse injuries. Students will learn Trigger Points, PNF, strain/counterstrain, and more advanced massage techniques. Students will be introduced to massage modalities to include but not limited to aromatherapy, lymphatic drainage, craniosacral, reflexology, and more.

Business Topics (50 hours) 
Students will learn how to own and operate a private business, covering topics such as itemizing expenses and filing taxes, managing your business, setting boundaries with clients, basic legalities of hiring employees, understanding W2 vs. 1099, advertising, and marketing, professionalism, ethics and more. 

Anatomy and Kinesiology (150 hours) 
Learn how to palpate bony landmarks, follow muscles from origin to insertion, learn to follow fiber direction, and understand the benefits of massaging in the correct direction. Palpate joint structures, ligaments, bursae, and tendonous attachments that are often common sites of pain and injury. Find landmarks that lead to and identify endangerment sites. Learn about basic movements, concentric and eccentric, to improve the effectiveness of therapy.

Pathology (40 hours) 
Students will learn about common diseases and any contraindications that apply to massage therapy. 

Practical Application (175 hours) 
Practical application will be the hands-on practice of the massage techniques learned and applied during the entire course to include the public open lab times. Much of the classroom hours will involve engaging in hands-on practice.  

Massage Clinical (75 hours) 
Students will apply their knowledge by practicing massage techniques on clients who come into the lab. Students will practice the process of reading health intake forms, conferring with clients, and documenting SOAP notes. In total, students need 75 hours of unsupervised practice. 

First AID/CPR (10 hours) 
A certified CPR instructor will come to the school to teach this course.