Massage Therapist Training
State of the Art Massage Education
National Holistic Institutes's (NHI) massage therapy education brings together a world class group of faculty grounded in a rich history of solid teaching principals, and state of the art knowledge of massage therapy techniques and modalities. A powerhouse of experience, the exemplary staff brings to the students decades of hands-on clinical, business, and educational expertise. NHI's massage therapist training equips you with a wide range of massage techniques, along with a host of employment opportunities.
Since 1979, NHI's massage training program continues to provide its students with an academic foundation so that they can pursue the career of a professional massage therapist. Graduates of the Core 900 Hour and/or Advanced 450 Hour massage therapy training gain access to lifetime career placement assistance which will help them take up massage therapy as a career and earn a good living.
NHI's Core 900 Hour massage therapy education curriculum includes training in: Swedish Massage, Acupressure massage, Shiatsu Massage, Sports Massage, Massage for Pregnant Women, Massage for People with Injuries, Chair Massage, Foot Reflexology, Deep Tissue Massage, Energy Massage, Joint Mobilization, Rocking and Shaking massage, Professional Draping Procedures, Body Mechanics for the Therapist, Hot Stone, Thai Massage, Aromatherapy, and Assessment and Customization of massage sessions.
NHI's Advanced 450 Hour massage therapy education curriculum includes training in: Neuromuscular Therapy, Skills for Medical Massage, Somatics, Cadaver Labs, Critical Analysis of Client Needs, Myofascial Therapy, Orthopedic Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Advanced Deep Tissue Massage, and Skills for Clinical Sports Massage.
Core 900 Hour Program: Massage Therapy Training Curriculum Descriptions
- Anatomy
- the study of the parts of the body, especially muscles and bones
- Aromatherapy
- the use of pure essential oils (from various plants) in a massage to enhance relaxation or attain other benefits such as skin quality improvement
- Acupressure
- the application of light pressure with fingers on special points on the body to enhance health or lessen problem – these are the same points as used in acupuncture
- Career Development
- we place a strong emphasis on the learning of business and professional skills.
- Deep Tissue
- work that focuses on the various deep layers of body tissue, often applied to long-term problem areas
- Energy Massage
- techniques to balance the body’s energy, founded on scientific information about the body as an electro-magnetic field
- Foot Reflexology
- a relaxing foot massage that is said to address the whole body since areas of the foot “reflect” conditions/areas of the entire body
- Hands-On Experience
- we offer two invaluable opportunities for students to gain hands-on practical experience: the NHI Student Clinic and NHI's Externship program.
- Hot Stone Massage
- the application of warm stones to the body, either in a stationary position, or used as “gliding tools” along with oil
- Kinesiology
- another name for anatomy, this is the study of the body’s movement and of specific muscles in detail
- Lymphatic Massage
- deep massage work that flushes toxins out of the body
- Pathology
- the study of illnesses or abnormal bodily conditions
- Massage Theory and Practice
- we teach you a wide range of massage techniques. We also teach you how to assess a client’s individual needs and how to develop a customized massage program to meet those needs.
- Myofascial Therapies
- Myo-fascial Therapies (myo means muscle, fascia is a “lining” between skin and muscle, and around muscle bundles) includes advanced techniques designed for solving problems in each major area of the body: neck, shoulders, back, etc
- Physiology
- the study of the body’s systems, such as the Digestive System, the Immune System, etc
- Pregnancy Massage
- massage that takes into account the special needs, such as body positioning and cautions, of a pregnant woman
- Rocking & Shaking
- keeping the body in a continuous rocking motion to release tight muscles and loosen joints
- Shiatsu
- a style of work originating in Japan that uses finger pressure and stretches for body relaxation; done on a floor mat without the use of oil
- Sports Massage
- techniques particular to athletes and highly active people, used to assist them in enhanced performance and quicker recovery from injury
- Swedish
- a popular style of oil massage that uses moves, such as long gliding strokes, that are aimed at relaxation and increased physical well-being
- Thai Massage
- the traditional massage of Thailand that focuses on yogic-type stretches
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
- the ancient system that sees the body from an “energy” point of view and forms the basis for acupuncture; at NHI, TCM is the basis for our Shiatsu classes and acupressure classes
Advanced 450 Hour Program: Neuromuscular Therapy Training Curriculum Descriptions
- Advanced Deep Tissue
- distinguish between "deep" as in "heavy pressure" and "deep" in terms of finding and feeling the layers of the muscles
- Cadaver Lab
- students get to actually see the "layers" of fascia and muscle they have studied, learn to distinguish arteries from veins, and see the body organs fully enveloped in fascia
- Critical Analysis of Client Needs
- learn to take the information clients give, asses it against your background of anatomy, and plan a customized session to address their concerns
- Injury Prevention
- explore how to work with a client's pain and dysfunction before it becomes an actual injury, explain the process to a client, and set up the appropriate number of sessions to get specific results
- Injury Rehabilitation
- learn to break down scar tissue, apply PNF stretches, employ lymphatic techniques, deep transverse friction, and post surgical massage to clients who have been medically diagnosed with a particular condition
- Longevity in the Massage Profession
- discover how to provide deep work without using much pressure, how to respond to client injuries, and achieve very real results
- Myofascial Therapy
- understand the connection between muscles and fascia so that you will be able to free the muscles from painful entrapment
- Neuromuscular Therapy
- distinguish between a tight muscle and a clinical condition, apply effective massage, and educate the client on how to engage the muscles in a healthy way
- Orthopedic Massage
- explore specific assessment tools to determine if massage is appropriate for a certain condition, or if you should refer the client to another health professional
- Pain Management
- obtain skills to assess if a muscle is the actual cause of pain, and apply appropriate massage
- Re-Invigorating Your Business
- add exciting new dimensions to your professional work, to increase your business, by collaborating with other health care professionals and being able to work with clients with special needs
- Skills for Clinical Sports Massage
- find out the causes of an injury in order to coach the client on what activities to avoid while healing, and design a series of sessions to initiate the healing
- Skills for Medical Massage
- learn in-depth client history-taking, strategizing, and collaboration with other health professionals
- Soft Tissue Injury and Healing
- study the physiology of soft tissue injury to determine what stage of injury the client is in. also learn the usual causes of soft tissue injury, and be able to educate clients on avoiding re-injury
- Somatics
- study posture and learn to re-educate the brain to start releasing long-held patterns through very specific exercises
- Trigger Point Therapy
- understand the real nature of a muscle "knot", the common name for a Trigger Point. distinguish between Active, Latent, and Satellite Trigger Points and how to relieve the pain they cause
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