Massage Therapy School Health Works Institute in Bozeman Montana

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Massage Therapy School Prerequisites are listed for the courses that require previously acquired knowledge and/or skills. Prerequisites are listed only in clock hours.

SWEDISH MASSAGE THERAPY TRAINING

This is the first massage course presented in the program. Students learn the history and benefits of massage, contraindications, procedures for draping and positioning the client on the massage table, the use of oils and lotions, and how to perform traditional Swedish massage strokes that can be combined in various ways to artfully perform a deeply relaxing or invigorating massage. Students focus on the quality of their touch, beginning skills for assessing the condition of soft tissues of the body, and combining the various strokes to perform a smooth, well-paced, thorough massage that is suited to the needs of the client.

HYDROTHERAPY TRAINING

Hydrotherapy has been used effectively by massage therapists throughout the history of the profession. The use of hot and cold therapies is presented. Students learn the physiological effects of and indications and contraindications for hot packs, ice packs, ice massage and specialty baths. Also covered are special considerations for the massage therapist’s body mechanics while performing the treatments.

CHAIR (OR “ON-SITE”) MASSAGE TRAINING

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 30 hours of Anatomy, and 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology. This course presents contraindications, safety precautions, and hands-on techniques for performing massage on a client who is seated, either on a common chair, or on a specially designed, portable, massage
chair. Chair massage can be effectively used to educate the general public about massage therapy services, because it can be performed almost anywhere, including airports, business offices, community festivals, etc. Included in the course are ideas for using chair massage as a massage therapy practice-building strategy.

CLIENT ASSESSMENT AND TECHNIQUE INTEGRATION

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 20 hours of anatomy, 20 hours of Physiology/Pathology. This course is presented after students have completed Swedish Massage and a portion of the study of Anatomy and Physiology/Pathology. The intention is to assist students in combining the knowledge and skills they have gained thus far, emphasizing critical thinking skills necessary to assess each client, understanding the probable condition of specific soft tissues, and selecting and skillfully applying the techniques that are likely to be most effective for the particular client.

ENERGETICS

Prerequisite: Swedish Massage Therapy. This course provides students with an introduction to the topic of energetic involvement in massage therapy. Students learn about, experience and practice a variety of basic energetic techniques while exploring the potential benefits for and impacts on themselves and their clients.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 40 hours of Anatomy, and 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology. Myofascial release is the first of the advanced technique courses. Students learn about the fascial system and gain an understanding of the impact of fascial strain on the body. In addition to using postural analysis, this class focuses on the application of sustained pressure and movement into the fascial system in order to reduce fascial restrictions.

THEORY OF ASIAN MEDICINE AND ASIAN BODYWORK TECHNIQUES

Prerequisites: 50 hours of Anatomy, 50 hours of Physiology/Pathology. This course presents the theoretical foundation of Asian medicine in simple terms, giving the student an understanding of concepts such as balance and harmony, energy flow and stagnation, and the effects of the seasons and times of the day on various systems. Students learn Asian-based techniques that can be incorporated into various types of
massage therapy sessions.

NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY AND TRIGGER POINT MASSAGE

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 40 hours of Anatomy, and 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology. In this course, students learn the theory of re-education of the neuromuscular system in the client. Instructional time is spent on characteristics and perpetuating factors of trigger points, guidelines for treatment, palpation and compression treatment, and the design of practical treatment plans for clients.

strong>SPORTS MASSAGE

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 30 hours of Anatomy, 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology, and Neuromuscular Therapy and Trigger Point Massage. This course presents techniques for pre- and post-event massage therapy for competitive athletes, as well as methods for helping all active clients maximize their fitness activities by avoiding injuries and receiving prompt assessment and treatment for soreness, fatigue, and injury of muscle tissue. Students learn about the effects on soft tissues of the body of various kinds of exercise, stages of healing following injury, and results of over-use or under-use of muscles and other soft tissues. Techniques presented in this class are applicable to a wide variety of client needs.

INTEGRATION

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage, 30 hours of Body Awareness, 20 hours of Psychology, 99 hours of PACK, 66 hours of Physiology/Pathology, and Energetics. This course supports the student in integrating all of the knowledge and skills learned in the program. The course teaches students how to accurately define and describe the layers of connections among the body, mind, energy and spirit. The core principles of Mindfulness, Presence, Holism, Intuition, Intention and Embodiment are actively explored as essential components of the student’s experience. This exploration accelerates the student’s progress on his/her path toward mastering the art and science of skillful touch.

Important Note Regarding Body Mechanics:

Instruction on body mechanics is included in every hands-on course. Students learn how to use their bodies properly when performing each massage therapy technique at a massage table. Emphasis is placed on sound principles for body mechanics, both to prevent injury to the massage therapist and to increase the comfort and effectiveness of the techniques as experienced by the client. Students learn to correct their own posture and body mechanics, developing good habits to support their longevity in the profession.

PACK (Palpation Lab, Anatomy Lecture, Clinical Anatomy, and Kinesiology)

In this course, students study the structure and movement of the human body in both lecture and laboratory settings. This multifaceted course uses audiovisual resources and a variety of learning activities to support students in developing an understanding of the human body, with emphasis on the musculoskeletal system. There is a focus on kinesiology, including the physics of movement and clinical and scientific application of principles related to joints and bones and how body parts move in relation to each other. Students learn to recognize movement patterns that may lead to pain and discomfort in their own and their clients’ bodies. Emphasis is placed on palpation skills and the ability to locate and access specific muscles, bony landmarks and ligaments. Restrictives are introduced as a technique for precise muscle identification and for facilitating the release of muscle tension.

PHYSIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY

This course presents information on the functions of the human body. Major systems and their components are presented, including the circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, lymphatic, integumentary and reproductive systems. Levels of organization of the human body such as chemical, cellular and tissue levels and homeostasis are studied in the context of normal, healthy functioning as well as numerous conditions and illnesses. Definitions, causes, symptoms, and treatment of various forms of dysfunction and disease processes are presented. Emphasis is on conditions that massage therapists need to recognize as contraindications to massage therapy and/or conditions that should be referred to another practitioner for diagnosis or treatment. The conditions presented are ones that massage therapists are most likely to encounter in their practices.

NUTRITION

Prerequisite: 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology. This course presents a brief overview of the effects of good and bad nutrition on the soft tissues and other components of the body, and information on vitamins, minerals, deficiencies, diets, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, filtered water, organic foods, and the effects of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Students will learn about making healthy choices for themselves as well as giving basic nutritional
information to clients.

BODY AWARENESS 1 AND 2

This two-semester course provides students with tools for increasing their level of awareness regarding their body, breath, and energy. Through movement and breathing exercises, students gain tools to use on physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual levels, enabling students to: notice and release unnecessary tension; recognize holding patterns; and work with personal limitations and potential. Students gain self-knowledge of their independent movement patterns and posturing habits. Students discover their emotional and physical strengths and weaknesses that occur while moving their bodies, and develop a vocabulary for accurate description of these experiences. This course has been designed to encourage students to embrace methods for experiencing improvement in their physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual health and wellbeing.

PSYCHOLOGY 1 AND 2

This two-semester course combines philosophical exploration and personal growth experiences with the study of communications and the client-therapist relationship. Students consciously focus on self awareness, self esteem, and personal beliefs, as they are affected by giving and receiving touch in the intensive environment of massage therapy school. With an enhanced connection to and understanding of the self, students then focus on the abilities and understanding needed for becoming compassionate, interpersonally skillful, professional massage therapists.

SURVEY OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH MODALITIES

This course provides students with an overview of the evolution of alternative health care in the United States, emphasizing the role of the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Students learn about various forms of alternative health care that they may want to use and to which they may refer clients. Presented are definitions, descriptions, and demonstrations of a number of alternative/complementary/integrative approaches to health and healing.

BUSINESS

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage. This course presents information that students need in order to achieve long-term career success in the field of massage therapy. Topics include promotion and marketing, record keeping, financial planning,
tax reporting, legal requirements, licensure and certification, professional associations, and employment contracts. As students learn the various strategies for building a successful practice and obtaining employment, they complete an individualized, specific, realistic plan detailing the steps they will take to achieve their personal and professional goals related to their massage therapy practices.

ETHICS

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage and 20 hours of Psychology. The profession of massage therapy is becoming more widely respected and accepted by the general public and by members of other health care professions. A critical factor in maintaining this respect and acceptance is the level of consistency with which massage therapists can be expected to demonstrate professional, ethical behavior and ethical business practices. In this course, students explore and discuss issues such as: boundaries, sexual arousal, establishing and maintaining good working relationships with other health care professionals, and making good decisions when faced with the difficult ethical dilemmas commonly encountered in massage therapy practices.

CLASS INTEGRATION SEMINAR

Prerequisite: A minimum of 200 classroom hours in any combination of courses. Class Integration Seminar consists of one class session conducted by the school Director, Education Director and the Psychology Instructor. The focus is on the student’s overall experience of the program. Feedback is given and received by all present, and suggestions are made for maximizing the benefits of the program to the student. The intent is for the student to increase her/his understanding of the individual’s and group’s various responses to the experience of being in a massage therapy training program and to identify factors affecting the satisfaction and success achieved by each member of the Health Works community.

STUDENT CLINIC

Prerequisites: Swedish Massage Therapy, 20 hours of Psychology, 30 hours of PACK, and 30 hours of Physiology/Pathology. The Student Clinic course begins with an orientation to clinic policies and procedures, preparing students to successfully participate in this component of the program. Students develop their skills for creating and completing client records. Students learn proper use of medical terminology and abbreviations, how to take a client’s medical history, and client case management.

On Student Clinic days, students perform massage therapy sessions with members of the public. The Clinic Supervisor provides support, instruction, feedback, and evaluation of the student’s work. Students also receive oral and written feedback from each client. Students learn how to work with clients with conditions including pregnancy and back pain, and illnesses such as cancer, fibromyalgia, and other illnesses and conditions that massage therapists are likely to encounter in their practices. The Student Clinic Supervisor presents instruction on numerous illnesses and conditions, and students are then able to tailor their client interviews and treatment plans to focus on techniques that are particularly effective for each client.

On a day following each Student Clinic day, students attend a de-briefing session with the Student Clinic Supervisor. On Clinic days, students must focus on their individual experiences with their clients. The de-briefing session gives the students and Supervisor time to discuss and learn from the experiences of all of the students in the class.

Student Clinic gives students the opportunity to integrate the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom, thereby achieving an increase in confidence and an enhanced ability to manage the entire massage therapist/client experience. The Clinic Supervisor provides advice and assistance for making a successful transition from student to professional massage therapist.

Health Works Institute
111 S. Grand Avenue, Annex 3 • Bozeman, MT 59715
Ph. (406) 582-1555 • Fax (406) 522-0493

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