Our Story

The National Holistic Institute started in a house on College Avenue in Oakland, California in 1979. After several years of informally studying massage therapy with different mentors, original NHI founder, Carol Carpenter, had a vision to build a massage therapy school dedicated to training professional massage therapists. NHI continues the tradition of offering an excellent education to become a massage therapist, by offering you comprehensive programs that give you all the tools and knowledge you will need to be successful in the ever-emerging industry of massage therapy.

Original NHI Logo

By 1989, the school moved to a larger building in the neighboring city of Emeryville, California. In the 1990s, as the field of massage therapy gained popularity, Carol Carpenter, along with her team of passionate NHI instructors, played a key role in developing professional standards for massage therapists and massage therapy education. To this day NHI’s curriculum and faculty remain some of the most respected in the nation.

In 2003, Mason Myers and Tim Veitzer, joined forces to continue the NHI culture of tradition, excellence and service! Their integrity and commitment to the staff and students and to our mission of Helping People Have Work They Love, is a big reason why our team at National Holistic Institute continues to have work we love! As a matter of fact, during their first year of ownership, Tim enrolled in and graduated from NHI’s Massage Therapy Training Program.

Tim & Mason, NHI Massage School Owners

In 2023, Mikkel Dixon stepped into the role of President and CEO of National Holistic Institute and Bauman College. Bringing a lifelong belief in the transformative power of education, a belief shaped by his own family’s journey, Mikkel’s leadership is deeply anchored in NHI’s core mission of Helping People Have Work They Love. Under his guidance, NHI continues to expand access to high-quality bodywork education, empowering students from all walks of life to build meaningful, sustainable careers centered on healing, wellness, and service to others.

Mikkel Dixon, President and CEO of National Holistic Institute and Bauman College

Mikkel Dixon | President & CEO of National Holistic Institute and Bauman College

Today, NHI is one of the largest, most respected schools of massage therapy in the world. As leaders in the field, we are committed to supporting the integrity and positive growth of the massage therapy profession well into the future.

Students & Employers Love Us!

NHI made a huge impression on me while attending an open house event where I experienced such a peaceful, non-judgmental space with kind and patient teachers who strived to pass down their experience to make their students successful on their massage therapy journey. NHI opened doors for me to some exceptional clinics right after finishing the ANMT program.

Eva Chalupova | San Jose Campus

National Holistic Institute truly is a great school. The instructors are passionate about their craft and really want their students to succeed. At NHI I learned so much about massage, energy transfer, trigger point theory but most importantly, I learned about myself. NHI literally changed my life and possibly saved it, I will forever be grateful to this institution.

Emilio Rivera | Ontario Campus

NHI changed the way I viewed massage therapy. I went from seeing it as a luxury to a valuable part of recovery and overall health. They helped me see how much a difference I could make in being a well educated/trained massage therapist. The ANMT Program has definitely made my resume stand out to various employers which has given me multiple options for employment. It prepared me to work in any setting.

Jessica Gomez | Santa Ana Campus

I love working with people and bringing them relief. I moved out of state and quickly found employment. Once the hiring manager found out I was an NHI graduate, not only were they interested in hiring me but they also offered me a higher rate of pay because of the quality of my education. I could not believe they knew about NHI across the country. I am so happy in my new career and I know that it is based on the foundational learning that I received at NHI.

Tinesha Walker | Clovis Campus

Accreditations

Accreditation is the process of evaluating a school or educational training program to determine whether it meets standards set up by an accrediting organization. When you attend an accredited institution, you are attending a school that has undergone a rigorous process that evaluates educational quality. It’s not easy to become or remain an accredited institution. The rules and regulations are strict, precise and designed to protect students. Here are some of the benefits:

A reliable indicator of quality
Approved program of study
Qualified instructors
Recognition by employers nationwide