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Our student clinic provides high quality massage and skin care services. Prices much lower than you would normally expect to pay. Located in Dunwoody, one exit east of Perimeter Mall. Gift Certificates and Monthly Specials!
Atlanta Massage Therapy School Courses
Our 750-hour massage therapy school curriculum is organized into the ten courses of study outlined below. Each course represents one piece of a puzzle, a puzzle we take out of the box and assemble with you. As the puzzle nears completion you begin to realize that the picture taking shape could be you, an Atlanta School of Massage graduate fully prepared to enter the job market with the skill and confidence of a seasoned professional.
The first three courses introduce you to the field of massage therapy. They prepare you to perform full body massage and provide you with the foundation necessary for advanced study.
The Swedish Massage & Deep Tissue Therapy Certification Course
The most widely practiced style of massage therapy in the United States today...
- The style Atlanta School of Massage introduced to Georgia in 1980
- The style we've perfected over the last 25 years
- The style that over 13,000 clinic patrons requested from us last year alone
...and the core of our massage therapy certification curriculum.
Introductory classes in Anatomy, Physiology, Touch, and Body Mechanics allow the new student to confidently step into the world of the massage therapist. This strong foundation includes a first look at the terminology commonly used in the profession, prepares you to perform Swedish massage both safely and effectively, and facilitates an enjoyable learning experience. The Classical Swedish Massage technique, incorporating effleurage, petrissage, friction, vibration, tapotement, and joint movements is presented.
Students at our Atlanta massage therapy school develop a full-body routine specifically designed to increase range of motion, reduce stiffness, and stretch connective tissues in order to help their clients achieve a greater sense of relaxation. The superior Swedish Massage skills you develop enable you to advance to our next level of study, an Integrated Approach To Deep Tissue Therapy, the Signature Style of Bodywork developed at Atlanta School of Massage.
The primary goal of any Deep Tissue style of massage is to restore balance to the body by affecting the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. While techniques may vary, the objective remains the same: to relax and lengthen restricted tissues. By combining superior technique with our Client Centered Approach, Atlanta School of Massage takes Deep Tissue Therapy to another level. The following advanced massage techniques are included in our Integrated Approach to Deep Tissue Therapy:
- Polarity
- Therapeutic Touch
- Cross Fiber
- Deep Transverse Friction
- Assisted Massage (combines massage with movement)
- Deep Tissue (gliding style)
- Connective Tissue
Our experience with Swedish massage school education has shown that you can greatly enhance the results of the Deep Tissue technique by emphasizing the Client Centered Approach. Increased awareness and attention to detail allow the client-centered therapist to detect the subtle changes many therapists miss. Long held tension patterns dissolve when a skilled therapist accesses the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue and identifies the dysfunctional fibers. Clients report increased relaxation, pain reduction, better posture and more flexibility as some of the long lasting benefits provided by this style of massage.
The Spa Therapies Certification Course
Our Atlanta massage therapy school prepares you to enter the fastest growing area of the massage therapy job market. Spa Therapies classes teach you to develop individualized massage and spa treatment sessions. Spa history, theories, and therapeutic benefits will be discussed along with promotion and pricing. You will learn to operate and care for spa equipment, develop treatment plans, and practice creating custom treatments and corresponding spa menus.
This course includes hands-on labs conducted in our teaching clinic and is designed to train students in a comprehensive selection of body treatments. You will review indications, contraindications, therapeutic effectiveness, and treatment protocols for the most popular spa therapies offered in the United States.
- Exfoliation: Body Polish / Salt Glow
- Aromawrap
- Body Masques: Thallasotherapy / Pelotherapy
- Back Treatment
Additional classes in Aromatherapy and Hydrotherapy round out your Spa Therapies training. Aromatherapy classes present the art and science of using natural essential oils to aid health and beauty. You will examine the benefits, effects, and individual healing properties of each essential oil so that you can safely create custom-aromatic blends for calming or energizing effects. Hydrotherapy classes introduce the thermodynamics of heat and cold on body tissues and function. You will learn to appropriately apply water, ice therapies, and moist heat therapies.
Shiatsu is a Japanese style of massage therapy based on the acupressure system of points and meridians. Pressure applied to specific points on energy meridians effectively release muscular tension. You will be taught a basic full-body Shiatsu routine and learn to blend these techniques into an integrated massage session.
Thai Massage includes energy balancing with muscle, tendon, ligament, and joint stretching, and combines practitioner-assisted yoga-type postures with deep pressure massage. Most Thai Massage stretch postures may be integrated into massage therapy given on the massage table.
The next three courses provide you with a comprehensive education in the popular field of Medical Massage. You will learn to integrate your technical expertise and rapidly expanding knowledge of the body under the tutelage of our superior instructors.
The Neuromuscular Therapy Certification Course
Neuromuscular Therapy is a system of soft tissue manipulation that addresses the underlying causes of pain, not just the symptoms. An accomplished neuromuscular therapist interprets the effects of the following internal and external factors, which often create irregular activity in the central nervous system that leads to pain and dysfunction:
- Postural Distortion/Dysfunctional Biomechanics
- Reduced Circulation
- Trigger Points
- Nerve Impingement/Tension
- Somatovisceral/Viscerosomatic Reflexes
- Trauma
In this massage therapy certification course, you will study the physiology of each of the factors on this list. Atlanta School of Massage teaches you to match the physiology of each condition with the physiological effect of your technique. The ability to choose the appropriate massage technique allows our graduates to maximize the effects of their treatment.
The Orthopedic Physical Assessment Course
Orthopedic Physical Assessment is a systematic method used to evaluate clients who present with specific complaints. This course is designed to provide you with all the skills necessary to Determine, Choose, and Refer:
- Determine if it is appropriate to work with the client
- Choose a treatment approach that is safe and effective
- Refer to another healthcare practitioner if massage is not appropriate for the condition
Atlanta School of Massage delivers an in-depth look at the numerous soft tissues of the body and the damage caused by excessive mechanical stress. You learn how the body repairs itself and examine the role that massage can play in influencing this process. Following this introduction, you will study the most common injury conditions that affect each joint and learn the orthopedic physical assessment techniques used to identify them.
The Special Populations Course
In order to make you a versatile therapist, Atlanta School of Massage teaches a wide array of massage technique. In most situations, it is your ability to reason, not additional technique, that allows you to tailor a massage session for any client in any setting. This course provides the background information that allows you to customize massage sessions for the groups listed below and fulfill their unique needs.
- Sports Massage reviews pre and post-event guidelines including basic first aid techniques for thermal injuries commonly seen during athletic events. Instructors will demonstrate primary sports massage strokes, combine these strokes with active and passive movement, and illustrate how they may be applied in clinical and athletic settings.
- Illness Care explores a wide variety of medical conditions that you may encounter. Class discussion will focus on indications and contraindications for massage as well as the emotional implications of disease, chronic pain, and terminal illness.
- Pregnancy Massage classes teach indications and contraindications for performing massage during pregnancy. The use of bolsters, pillows and props are also emphasized in relation to pregnancy massage and other special medical conditions.
- HIV/AIDS Education class is designed to give you a comprehensive and medically accurate view of working with chronically ill individuals, including those with AIDS. Emphasis is on issues relating to HIV infection, AIDS, and how these conditions impact massage therapy care.
The remaining courses have been designed to further diversify your skills, magnify your value in the massage job market and prepare you for the transition from student to professional.
The Seated Massage Therapy Certification Course
An American Massage Therapy Association poll of its members revealed that seated massage represents the largest untapped area of the massage market. Atlanta School of Massage has included a comprehensive certification course that teaches you to integrate the skills you learn throughout the program into a seated massage routine. Seated massage is portable and allows you to work in a wide array of public settings:
- Trade Shows
- Salons
- Airports
- Malls
- Outdoor Festivals
- Corporate Offices
Seated massage gives you the opportunity to revisit techniques previously mastered and explores new ways to apply them. It provides you with access to clients who do not receive table massage and expands your ability to earn money. Atlanta School of Massage teaches you how to tap into the corporate market. A seated massage contract with a business, rather than an individual, can provide you with a steady stream of clients to bolster your revenue.
The Reflexology Certification Course
The Reflexology Certification Course introduces you to a 5,000-year-old method of treatment that is becoming increasingly popular with today's massage and spa clients. Skillfully applying thumb and finger pressure to the feet creates reflex effects that stimulate the natural tendency of the body to rebalance and heal itself. Restoring balance to the body can help relieve stress, relax tension and improve circulation. You will learn to perform a comprehensive reflexology routine, an aromatic reflexology treatment and to integrate the skills into full body massage sessions.
The Related Topics Course contains classes that round out your education and prepare you to be...
...successful in school
- Orientation
- Study Skills
- Massage History
...successful in your practice
- Business
- Communications
- Ethics
- First Aid
...and successful with the National Certification Exam
- Board Review
The last week of the program is designed to facilitate your transition from student to professional. Twelve hours have been devoted to groom you for the NCBTMB National Certification Examination. In massage education it is common practice for recent graduates to attend, and pay extra for, a National Certification review class. Atlanta School of Massage has included this in our curriculum to help you take that first step on your way to a long and rewarding career.
Our Student Clinic gives you the opportunity to practice massage technique and interactive skills, with the public, in a real life setting supervised by professional massage therapists. Our curriculum is designed to provide you with all the basic skills necessary to perform a quality full body massage by the end of the first trimester of the program. You begin clinic in the second trimester, after completing your Swedish studies, and continue to provide massage to the public throughout your advanced training. On a recent visit to our facility, an independent auditor described the student clinic as "The crown jewel of Atlanta School of Massage". Our graduates describe their sessions with real life clients as the most beneficial part of the program. Our clients responded by requesting over 13,000 massage sessions from our students last year alone. All the data supports what we have believed all along, that a massage therapist would not be prepared to begin a professional career without this practical experience.
Atlanta School of Massage does not view Human Sciences as a separate course. In order to elevate your massage skills to the highest degree, we schedule all science classes in harmony with technique classes. A masterful body worker creatively synthesizes art and science in every massage session. Your "Key to Education", the order in which we present our curriculum, ensures that you develop the critical thinking skills necessary to reach this advanced level of therapeutic maturity. Our approach is to blend 180 hours of the following human sciences into our courses:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Kinesiology
- Pathology
A prime example of our integrated approach to teaching can be found in our regional sequence. We present structure, function, palpation, and assessment methods, as you study each joint, prior to integrating massage techniques for that area of the body. Our "Keys to Success" educational strategy ensures that, as a graduate of Atlanta School of Massage, you are the consummate massage therapist all others can only aspire to be.
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2 Dunwoody Park - Atlanta, GA 30338 - Phone: 770-454-7167
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