650-Hour Therapeutic Massage Program

Apprenticeship-based Training

"I learned massage as a child, on the massage table, under the gentle guidance of my mother's hands. For me, massage has always been an expression of deep caring. Our goal at the Arcata School of Massage is to pass on that tradition of caring, from one person to another, as it was taught to me."
-Tobin Rangdrol, Director

ASM is not an ordinary school. First, our founders asked, "What makes massage therapists successful?" We discovered something very interesting: most therapists develop their real skills after they graduate from massage school. It is from their clients that therapists learn how to work intuitively and pay attention to the subtle clues of the body. It is through client feedback that they learn the importance of genuine care and approachable professionalism. Most importantly, it is through experience that therapists learn how to work with clients' breath and awareness - the keys to relaxation... So we created a program that teaches those things first. The results are beautiful.

Training at ASM begins with a foundation in meditation, and the study of the natural healing capacity of the body, rather than with the memorized routines and strokes typical to institutionalized massage training. Our students learn about massage and the natural healing abilities of the body through personal experience, from each other, from their mentors, and from their clients. In other words, our students learn the most important aspects of massage therapy in real-world contexts - in just the same way professional therapists develop their best skills - but with the guidance and support of a caring and competent group of mentors... Read more.

Meditation, Always

Every class at ASM begins with body-centered meditation. Through the use of breath and attention, students develop the body awareness, mental focus, and inner quiet that is necessary for a massage therapist to be able to "listen" to the subtle language of the body.

Therapeutic Massage

"When people ask for a 'deep' massage, they are not necessarily asking for you to press hard; they are asking to be touched deeply."

- Shari Sunshine, LMT (Tobin's Mom)

Massage therapy, done well, is an improvisational art form, not a mechanical routine. What is therapeutic for one person may be boring, or harmful, to another. A skillful therapist is one who is able to assess the needs the client, and then create the best possible treatment, drawing upon a broad range of skills, and inventing new ones as the need arises. It is through this capacity to work with another person, not on them, that makes massage therapeutic, for without that essential trust and communication between therapist and client, true relaxation is not possible.

A clinical, or scientific understanding of the therapeutic function of massage is also important. A therapist must know how the body works, and what its capacity for healing is, in order to work in collaboration with the body's own healing mechanisms. It is important to understand that the therapist is not the healer - the body is. We work with the body and the person, educating each of our clients about the incredible capacity of the body to heal itself. To do this, we must know about that process, from personal experience.

The Therapeutic Massage techniques taught at ASM draw upon the foundations of caring, focus, Anatomy and Physiology, and optimal movement introduced at the beginning of the program. We teach Therapeutic Massage through direct contact with injured clients in class and in the clinic, academic study of musculoskeletal dysfunction and Pathology, and hours and hours of hands-on practice.

On-the-job Training

Soon after learning the fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, students begin working with their mentors in our very popular Student Clinic. By spending a little bit of time each week applying what you've learned in a real work environment, you develop the confidence and professional skills that will be the basis of your success in business. The Student Clinic is, quite simply, the best learning opportunity offered in the program.

After graduation, most students choose to participate in our Work-Trade Internship, earning up to $1500 toward their tuition in an unsupervised, professional massage clinic. In addition to the immeasurable benefits of so much practice, the actual work experience that the internships provide are excellent resume building and professional networking opportunities.

More Magic

In addition to comprehensive training in the art of Therapeutic Massage, the 650-hour Apprenticeship includes specialized training in Prenatal Massage, Thai Yoga Massage and Shiatsu, and Energy Work, as well as short seminars in Reflexology and Aromatherapy. For even more variety, students may choose to add Continuing Education Certificates in Hot Stone Massage, Spa Treatments and Sports Massage. Click here for a complete course list.

Employment and Self-employment

In Business class, each student develops a full-scale working business plan, including financial analysis for new business creation. Resume writing, interview skills, and self-promotion techniques (including Chair Massage) are included.

Graduates are eligible and well prepared to take the National Certification Exam and the MBLEx, as well as many state-administered certification exams. ASM graduates have a 100% pass rate on the NCE!

Our program develops therapists who are capable of working everywhere massage is offered, including spas, chiropractic offices, physical therapy offices, doctor's offices, holistic clinics, and as self-employed therapists.