EFTA00008320

Part V: Living the Good Life: Massage for Every Body
292
The ten traits of a born massage therapist
1. Do people swoon and tell you that you have "great hands" when you
simply place them upon their neck and shoulders and squeeze a little?
Yes/No
2. Do you feel sympathetic pain someplace in your own body when some-
one else tells you about their own pain? Yes/No
3. Do you feel very comfortable with your own and others' bodies? Are you
free from excess inhibition and body image hang-ups? Yes/No
4. Do you have the ability and desire to work several hours a day at a very
physical endeavor requiring significant stamina? Yes/No
5. Is It easy for you to remain in silence for an entire hour (or several hours
in a row), without Indulging in conversation if a client doesn't wish it?
Yes/No
6. Have people ever told you that your presence makes them feel peaceful
or calm? Yes/No
7. Do you take your own health seriously by exercising, watching what you
eat, and using moderation? Yes/No
8. Does the idea of changing your lifestyle and livelihood seem exciting
rather than horrible? Yes/No
9. Is the human body a source of wonder and intrigue for you, making you
want to learn more about how it works through intensive study? Yes/No
10. Are you willing to invest a significant amount of time and money for
schooling, supplies, association memberships, and equipment? Yes/No
Count up the number of "Yes" responses and compare your total with the fol-
owing:
3 9-10 Head to the nearest massage school to enroll.
3 6—8 Begin serious Investigation about the possibilities; send away for
more information from massage schools.
3 3-5 Seek the advice and inspiration of established massage therapists
in your area who may be able to give you some Insight about what daily
life in the massage field is really like.
3 0-2 Consider more deeply what your needs and motivations are for
looking into massage as a career.
EFTA00008340

293
Chapter 20: Have Hands, Will Travel: Doing Massage for a Living
An honest took at yourself
Before you take the plunge, you really need to stop and ask yourself: Am I
really into touching all those strangers all day long for the rest of my life?
This is not a career for everybody. It takes a certain kind of person to be a
massage therapist. And if you are that kind of person, what you may discover,
after a short while, is that those "strangers" you may be touching are not
really strangers after all, but fellow human beings whom you can relate to on
a meaningful level through your newfound skills.
Massage gives us an acceptable avenue for empathy. Practicing professionals
can touch others in a caring, compassionate way, helping them with their
problems, easing their stress, and letting them know they're not alone.
Massage therapists are paid to be there for people.
That's no small thing.
So take an honest look at yourself. Does that deep desire to help and
empathize with others outweigh whatever reservations you may have regard-
ing the nitty-gritty reality of dealing with the not-always-wonderful public? If
so, maybe you have quite an adventure ahead — a massage adventure.
The Massage Adventure
After you make this fundamental choice and decide to pursue your career in
massage, then you have to prepare yourself for your new role in society. Yes,
people may look at you with different eyes when they see you carrying
around one of those big massage tables that look like padded suitcases. How
will they react? What will the neighbors say?
It's strange to think of yourself as this new person, isn't it? It's almost like
becoming a police officer or ship captain or any other profession that
involves the wearing of a uniform. You're on display as what you are, and it
may be uncomfortable at first.
These sensations gradually fade away, though, as you begin to associate
more and more with other people who make a similar career decision. The
first place you begin to meet your fellow travelers is usually in massage
school.
EFTA00008341

294
Part V: Living the Good Life: Massage for Every Body
Getting trained
Chances are that you already know somebody who knows somebody who
has taken up massage as a career. It's ever more popular, with people from
many different backgrounds.
There are over 800 massage schools in the U.S., where training usually lasts
about 6 months. In some areas, though, you can get certified in as little as a
hundred hours, and in others you need more than 1,000 hours, which can
take up to a full year. Other countries can require significantly more training,
such as Canada for example, with schools that have 2,000- or even 3,000-hour
programs, lasting up to three years. Most schools offer part-time classroom
hours for those students who work another Job, and some even have
Saturday classes once a week for extended periods.
Here are some of the things you explore in massage school:
3 Anatomy
3
Physiology
3 Massage (dub!)
3 Applicable ethics, history, law, and so on.
3 Hygiene
3 Allied therapies, such as hydrotherapy
3 Professional conduct and ethics
3 And much more
Sounds like an actual academic program, doesn't it? That's because it is.
Massage school is not just rubbing and relaxing all day, but that doesn't mean
it isn't fun. Most graduates have very fond memories of their massage school
days. And, just like in other schools, you establish new friendships, possibly
spark romance, and change life paths.
Choosing a school
All massage schools are not created equal. And the one you choose may play
an extremely important role in your overall experience of massage. Some
schools have a very grass-roots feeling, and attending them makes you feel
like a part of the massage revolution as it unfolds across the globe, touching
people's spirits, as well as their bodies, in many important ways. Other
schools are more interested in providing their students with a no-nonsense,
technically oriented approach to massage based more strictly on a medical
model.
EFTA00008342

Chapter 20: Have Hands, Will Travel: Doing Massage for a Living
295
All schools let you attend an open house or a class to see whether the
school's "personality" is the right match for you. Take advantage of this
opportunity, and make sure to ask plenty of questions when you meet past
and present students.
Another way you can check the standards of a school is to see whether it is
accredited by an official organization. In the US., for example, schools accredited
by the Commission on Massage Training Accreditation/Approval (COMTAA)
or the Integrative Massage and Somatic Therapies Accreditation Council
(IMSTAC) had to meet some very strict guidelines. You can be rest assured of
the quality. Information about these accrediting organizations is available
from the American Massage Therapy Association and Associated Bodywork
and Massage Professionals.
The prospect of attending a massage school may excite you, but you have no
idea how truly valuable the experience is until you go through it yourself.
Some of the high points include:
3 Camaraderie
3 Increased knowledge and self-confidence
3 Exposure to new techniques and systems
3 A return to the stimulating, youthful lifestyle of the student
3 Credentials you can travel with
3 Self-transformation (See the sidebar later in this chapter.)
Chapter 21 lists ten of the best places to study massage.
An information-packed book about massage schools is available from
Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). It's called the
Touch Training Directory, and you can order it by calling 800-458-2267 or
303-674-8478 or by visiting liVIW . a bmp . corn.
Determining cost
Massage school may cost anywhere from several hundred dollars a semester
at a vocational technical school up to around $15,000 at some of the top
schools, with the average seeming to hover in the $5,000 to $6,000 range.
Schools in countries outside the U.S., based more on a medical education
framework, can cost quite a bit more.
As you can see, massage school usually entails a substantial investment. And
that doesn't include the equipment and supplies you need to get started after
you finish school. You need things like a massage table, business cards, and
so on. So you need to think long and hard before plunking down that much
dough for an education in touch therapy. This thought process is good. Think
EFTA00008343

Part V: Living the Good Life: Massage for Every Body
296
Transformation through massage school
It's a rare person who can go through massage very endearing quality in most people. It lets
school and not be transformed on some funda- you all communicate on anh onest level.
mental level. What makes this so, you ask?
v School offers you a time-out from the race
Several things:
you've been running in your life up to now. It
3 Everybody there is making a change of gives you time to take stock of what's most
some sort in their lives, which makes for a important, of where you've been and where
lot of very open people, ready to share you truly want to go.
themselves with you, and readyto have fun!
v When you begin literally touching people on
ye People enrolled in massage school are a daily basis, as you will in school, you
thereto take charge of their own lives in an quickly get back in touch with whets real,
entrepreneurial sense and a health sense, and what matters. Life matters. Health mat-
too, so you're likely to do some important ters. People matter. What you're doing is
networking with kindred spirits. Many busi- important, and as you realize this More and
ness relationships have been forged,in the more each day,your Ramey transform.
classroom.
Attending massage school is no guarantee for
V Many students are often scared out of their a changed life, but it's a prettY 909d bet that you
wits that they won't be able to support may come away with some insights and direc-
theniselves after they graduate; this makes tion thatyou never even considered before you
thertHeel vulnerable, and vulnerability is a began. Just stay open.
of it as a filtering system that keeps the less-than-serious from getting into
the profession. Even with the costs, many tens of thousands of new massage
therapists enter the worldwide market every year.
Obtaining licensing and certification
After you graduate from school, you receive a certificate stating that you
passed the course. Then, in many areas, you have to take that certificate and
apply to take yet another exam to get your license. The license legally allows
you to practice massage in your area. You never thought it would be so com-
plex, did you?
The laws regarding licensing can indeed be confusing, and they're different
everywhere you go, so the best advice I can give you is to do some thorough
research into the regulations in your own area. Just a little accidental slip-up
could turn you into an outlaw massage rogue, which would not be good for
your professional reputation.
EFTA00008344

297
Chapter 20: Have Hands, Will Travel: Doing Massage for a Living
Discovering your neul lifestyle
Freedom at last! After you make it through schooling, certification, and licen-
sure, you're out there in the real world massaging real people — for real
money. This new lifestyle you create for yourself is nothing like the boring 9
to 5 routine at your old job. But with your old job, you knew when you were
working and you knew when you were off. Now, it seems like you're always
either coming back from giving a massage, Just about to give a massage, or
thinking of ways you can get more people to sign up for massages.
Ah, there's the real rub; there's never an end to the massage work that needs
to be done.
When you work for yourself doing massage, you have to create some new
rules and boundaries, like any self-employed person, so that your work life
doesn't swallow you whole. Whether you work in a spa, a clinic, a doctor's
office, or in your client's homes, you're going to need new boundary rules
(see the sidebar about boundary rules in this chapter).
So how much wilt you make? (the real story)
Many would-be massage therapists add up the numbers. "Let's see, 50 dollars
per massage, doing just 5 massages a day, 5 days a week, makes $1,250 per
week, times 50 weeks ... oh my god! I'm going to be rich. Rich, I tell you!"
As a result of such calculations, many unsuspecting people have found them-
selves several months later sitting in a classroom studying the function of the
gluteus maximus muscle. They bide their time, going through the motions,
Just waiting for their chance to graduate and become massage millionaires.
Well, it doesn't always work out exactly that way. In fact, it seldom ever does.
The average annual salary of a massage therapist in the U.S. is under $20,000
per year, according to one association's statistics, and the number of mas-
sage school graduates who end up not working in the field at all is
surprisingly large as well.
The truth is that, like any business, the massage business is a hard business.
It may be a little more "romantic" than some other fields, but the day-to-day
reality of it includes an awful lot of good old-fashioned hard work, combined
with many things you may not have thought you would need, like marketing
savvy, business plans, self-promotion, and managerial skills.
You can, indeed, make a very good living doing massage, and that may coif-
tinue to be the case as more and more people worldwide realize the benefits
that massage offers. But don't do it just for the money. You need to have
another, deeper, reason, too, or you may end up like certain old rock-and-roll
stars and massage therapists, eventually burning out.
EFTA00008345

298
Part V: Living the Good Life: Massage for Every Body
Boundary rules
The rules you come up with for yourself as a loud in front of the mirror a few times to your-
massage therapist are completely personal. No self, as if you were talking to a client Eventually,
two massage therapists need follow the exact they seem natural.
same guidelines. The importantthing to remem-
i•-• I don't work on weekends.
ber is to stick by whatever rules you set. This
increases your self-esteem, makes life a lot po I don't work after 8 p.m.
easier for you, and lets your clients know that
3 I only take new clients by referral.
you're serious about your business.
3 I don't accepttips/I do accept tips.
The following are just a few suggestions of
potential boundary rules. Yours may be much 3 I have a 24-hour cancellation policy or the
different Practice saying your new rules out massage must be paid for in full.
The tip of the iceberg
You may have heard stories about massage therapists who get incredible
tips from wealthy clients, and you may have wished that you, too, could
receive such large gratuities. This Is very natural. Yet, some people say that
if you receive tips for massage, you do a disservice to the industry. They say
tipping turns massage into a service (like a waiter serving food to your
table) rather than a treatment (like a doctor helping you find relief from a
particular problem). You wouldn't consider tipping your doctor, would you?
The problem here is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, of a larger under-
lying Issue about how we want others to perceive massage. In the end, it's
up to you whether to receive tips or not. It's hard to turn down that cash
staring you in the face as someone hands it to you. Believe me, I've accepted
a few whopper tips myself over the years. There's really nothing wrong with
it, in the right circumstance, but it's also good to be aware of the larger
issue. (See Chapter 8 for more information.)
Becoming a real pro
Alter you're out there and actually making a living giving massage, you may
soon find that there's more to the Job than just the hours spent working
hands-on. In order to become a real pro, you need to network your way into
the industry and become a part of it, just like you would become a part of
the telephone industry, say, or the music industry. And that means ... going
to parties!
That's right. You have to go to some organized massage parties, also known
as conventions, that are held every year in various locations. Speaking of
associations, it's a great idea for you to join one of them, at least for a year
on a trial basis, to see how the contacts, information, and sense of commu-
nity can help you get going with your new career.
EFTA00008346

299
Chapter 20: Have Hands, Will Travel: Doing Massage for a Living
Make sure to subscribe to an industry magazine or two, and read each issue
from cover to cover. This may help you feel like an insider as you become
familiar with all the people, places, and history that make massage what it is
today.
Where the Profession Is Headed
In a nutshell, up. Yes, up is the direction the profession of massage therapy is
heading. And I'm talking on a worldwide scale here. If you're looking to get in
on a growth industry, you really couldn't pick a better one than this, because
the number of human bodies out there available to be massaged is growing at
a tremendous rate. Sometime around the publication of this book, for
instance, world population Is going to surpass the 6 billion mark. So there's
no shortage of clients. And there's more wealth now than there ever has been
before, so many people can afford to pay for massage. An even bigger trend,
though, and one that has already started, is that insurance companies may
pay for massage because It's a cost-effective, health-care alternative.
That's right — in the future, as a massage therapist, others may respect you
as a part of the evolving medical field, and your services may be paid for
through insurance billing. This is already happening, but it may soon become
more common.
And in addition to the respect and success that you can claim, there's a "cer-
tain something" that makes massage special, too. It's in the simple human act
of touching — of contact. That's our true specialty, and let's hope it never
changes, no matter how successful we become.
Where you can go as a massage therapist
If you spend the time to gain some expertise in massage, people may eventu-
ally be seeking you out for your services, rather than the other way around.
Believe me, this feels very good. It is the exact opposite of sitting in your
underwear on Saturday morning searching through the want ads hoping
there's someone out there who can appreciate your abilities.
After you work to establish yourself as a massage therapist, you may be at an
entirely different place than you have ever experienced up to now. A good
place. it's a place that often leads to other places, as those who gain success
turn around and teach their skills to others in a variety of ways.
Many massage therapists compound their success by turning to teaching at
massage schools, at weekend workshops, and in books and videos that they
create for other massage therapists. Some massage therapists even go on to
become consultants, speakers, and sought-after health experts.
EFTA00008347

300 Part V: Living the Good Life: Massage for Every Body
And just think, it all starts when you make that simple, profound decision, to
reach out and touch other people. Through massage you can do that.
The gift beyond price
If you decide to pursue massage, you may discover some things about life
and about yourself that you never would have guessed otherwise. You will lit-
erally "get in touch" with your own existence In a new way. You change. You
grow. This is the most valuable gift you receive, and it comes to you when
you start to dedicate yourself to giving to others. What a concept.
Go ahead! Give it a shot! It is truly a path worth pursuing.
Best of luck to you.
EFTA00008348

in
Part
The Part of Tens
The Wave
5th By Rich Tennant
EFTA00008349

In this part ...
yen
with all the nifty photos and detailed instructions
n this book, there still might be times when you'd
rather just have somebody else make the massage deci-
sions for you. Instead of figuring out all the moves for
yourself, for example, wouldn't it be nice to slip away to
one of the most fantastic spots on the planet and have a
professional give you a massage? You'd probably like me
to suggest the top ten places to do just that, wouldn't
you?
And, in the same vein, wouldn't it be convenient if I were
to cut to the chase and say to you, "Okay, here are the ten
simplest massage moves you can perform on anyone
(including yourself), anywhere, anytime, to relieve
stress"? That would take a lot of the work out of learning
massage. I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?
Ah hal I thought so, but you're not lazy. It just means that
you've been reading for a long time now, and you're a little
tired. You'd like some understanding here, a little compassion.
So that's what this last section is all about. Here in The
Part of Tens, I relieve you of your burden of figuring things
out and just go ahead and list things for you. In the
process, you'll discover the answers to such burning
questions as "What's the best place to get a massage in
Morocco?" and "How can I massage my cat's ears?"
In addition, you are made privy to a short list of top
places to study massage professionally so that you can go
out and wow the world with your newfound healing gifts. I
even help take the pressure off you on birthdays, Mother's
day, anniversaries, and other special occasions by listing
ten ways to give massage as a gift.
Who's your buddy?
EFTA00008350

Chapter 21
Ten Top Places to Study Massage
0 •0 0 000000 0 00 0 OW 0•0•0 00 000 0 0000 0 0.0..•0••0 000 0 0
In This Chapter
ga. Ten top U.S. schools
D Ten top international schools
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 00•••0000000000000000•000••
f you decide that, after reading this book, there is absolutely no way that
you can go on with your life without rushing out to become a professional
massage therapist, I would Just like to say ... congratulations! You have made
a very wise and dynamic career decision. One of the very first places this
decision may take you is a massage school of some kind or another. Massage
schools each have their own personality, history, reputation, strong points,
weak points, and soon. Choosing the right school to spend some important,
life-transforming time in over a period of several months or a year is not a
decision you should enter into lightly.
In the same way that you end up making friends with the people you are
physically close to (In school, at work, as part of white house internship pro-
grams, and so on), you usually end up choosing a massage school that is
somewhere in the vicinity of your house or apartment. However, if you have
the luxury of mobility and can consider schools in a variety of locations, I
have compiled a list here that may help. Keep in mind that these schools are
some of my personal favorites as well as those recommended by colleagues.
There are many other fine schools around. In the U.S. alone, approximately
800 massage schools dot the landscape, and that number just keeps growing.
If you'd like to see a much more extensive list of schools, I suggest the Touch
Training Directory, published by Associated Bodywork and Massage
Professionals. It costs about $15, and you can get it by calling 800-458-2267 or
303-674-8478 or visiting www. a bmp . corn.
Massage Schoots in the U.S.
And now, if you'd like to consider some really dreamy places to attend mas-
sage school in the U.S., check out the following suggestions.
EFTA00008351

304
Part VI: The Part of Tens
Keep-in mind that you can go experience a weekend workshop or a week-long
intensive class before deciding to commit to a full course of study at many of
these listed schools. This is a highly recommended way to get to know your
prospective fellow students, faculty, and the facility itself. Call each school to
receive a catalogue of workshops.
Atlanta School of Massage, 2300 Peachford Road, Suite 3200, Atlanta, GA
30338; 7704547167; WWW. atl antaschoolofmassage.com.
Like many massage schools, the Atlanta School of Massage started out as a
small dream in the minds of people who really liked doing massage them-
selves. Then it grew. And grew and grew. Now it has a management board of
its own, and a large, full-time staff. In addition to traditional training programs
In Swedish massage, sports massage, and so on, ASM developed one of the
first extensive spa therapy training programs offered at any massage school.
Students can receive certification for specialties in spa services (see Chapter
15 for more info on spa treatments).
California Healing Arts College, 12217 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 206, Santa
Monica, CA 90025; 310-826-7622; www.chacmassage.com.
This school, run by a very together woman by the name of Lucinda, has a
great referral system and graduate internship program. Students here get one
of the best opportunities anywhere to transition themselves into the actual
workplace, which is often a shock after spending several months in the
rarefied and idealistic air of the massage school environment. The school
takes advantage of its urban location in L.A. to get students ready for the real
world.
Down East School of Massage, P.O. Box 24, Waldoboro, ME 04572-0024;
207-832-5531; www.mi dcoast comi—dsm.
Imagine a private reserve in the woods of Maine, complete with a pond and
one dirt road called Moose Meadow Lane. Then add a modern, three-story
school building, a devoted, caring owner, and a topnotch, fully accredited
massage training program. You then have the ingredients for an intense yet
tranquil massage learning experience in one of the most beautiful settings
anywhere.
Educating Hands, 120 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33130; 305-285-6991;
www.educatfrighands.com.
This is another school I'm rather biased about, right here in my own home-
town. Educating Hands has been around for many years, and owner Iris
Burman has dedicated herself to graduating students who use their hands to
express their hearts. It's a fun, yet comprehensive, fully accredited program,
and the beach is only ten minutes away.
EFTA00008352

305
Chapter 21: Ten Top Places to Study Massage
Esalen Institute, Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920; 408-667-3000;
www.esal en .org.
As touted in Chapter 2, Esalen can be considered a kind of epicenter for mas-
sage consciousness in the U.S. Situated on the dramatic northern California
coastline, it acts as a magnet for some of the best teachers in the world.
Instructors have developed their own particular massage style there (not sur-
prisingly called Esalen Massage), which you can learn while in residence. Not
a bad way to spend your school days.
Heartwood institute, 220 Harmony Lane, Garberville, CA 95542;
707-923-5000; www heartwoodinsti tute.com.
"A school that is more accurately lived than simply attended" is the way this
campus set on 240 acres of rolling mountains, meadows, and forests is
described. Located way, way, way up in northern California, this is the place
to go if you want to experience the "whole enchilada" during your massage
training experience. There's organic food, fresh air, stunning views, and a
comprehensive holistic philosophy that permeates your time there, making it
one of the most unforgettable episodes in your life.
Krlpalu Center for Yoga & Health, P.O. Box 793, Lenox, MA 01240;
413.448-3400; www.kripalu.org.
Set on a hill overlooking a lake in the Berkshire Mountains of western
Massachusetts, ICripalu has had a long, illustrious historytof training massage
practitioners, especially those interested in the "spiritual" side of massage.
Instructors at this residential facility practice a lot of yoga and meditation,
making them the perfect peaceful practitioners to teach stressed-out folks
from the big city. You may want to test the waters at this somewhat eclectic
place before you commit, though, especially if chanting in Sanskrit at 6 a.m. is
not your cup of tea.
Scherer Institute of Natural Healing, 935 Alto Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501;
505-982-8398; mug. schereri nsti tute.com.
If you're going to go to massage school someplace, why not gorgeous New
Mexico, where you can hike, ski, soak in hot pools in the desert, and eat some
of the best Mexican food anywhere? The Scherer Institute has had nothing
but rave reviews from the press and from friends who've gone there. Now
with a second facility in Taos, they offer a holistic experience that is
unsurpassed.
Suncoast School of Massage, 4910 Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607-3802;
813-287-1099.
All right, I admit it, Suncoast is my alma mater, and the owners, Dan and Telka
Ulrich, are long-time friends. I may indeed be somewhat biased about this
school, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider going there, because
EFTA00008353

3
06 Part VI: The Part of Tens
it's excellent. The program has consistently turned out highly skilled and
competent massage therapists, some of whom even go on to write books
about massage.
Swedish Institute, 226 W. 26th Street, New York, NY 10001; 212-924-5900.
Okay, so spending months out in the splendid beauties of nature at some
massage school in the mountains eating nothing but organic fruit is not your
idea of a good time. Perhaps you would prefer the fast pace and abundant
nightlife of a major metropolitan area instead. What metropolitan area is
more major than New York City? In fact, one of the oldest massage schools in
the country is located right in the heart of New York City. This doesn't mean
you can spend all your time pursuing that acting career or goofing off,
though. The program is quite comprehensive and takes 1,224 hours to
complete.
International Schools
Therapeutic massage is growing in popularity outside the U.S. — perhaps
even faster than it is inside — as many people around the world come to see
the value of "alternative" therapies. The following are some neat schools in
several countries.
Australian School, 104C Warrigal Rd, Burwood VIC 3125, Queensland
Australia; tel. 03 9830 0555.
Many massage schools in Australia receive extra assistance from the govern-
ment so people can afford to get a massage education there. The Australian
School of Therapeutic Massage offers a good basic course and is recom-
mended by an Australian massage association.
Clare Maxwell Hudson's Massage, 87 Dartmouth Road, London, England
NVV2 4ER, UK; tel. 00 44 181 450-6494.
Clare Maxwell Hudson has written a number of popular books on massage,
and she has a well-known school in London as well. The school started out
with basic courses in 1984 and has since evolved into a full-fledged training
institute. Much of the class work can be completed part-time, on weekends,
to allow for the schedules of busy professionals. Owner Hudson believes one
of the most valuable parts of her training is the work placement in hospitals
that students are offered each semester. This is a good place to get hands-on
guidance from an internationally recognized expert.
EFTA00008354

307
Chapter 21: Ten Top Places to Study Massage
Federation of Masseurs, 24 rue des Petits Hotels, 75010, Paris, France;
tel. 01 44 83 46 00.
The Federation of Masseurs Kinesitherapeutes Is not actually a school. It's an
organization that can lead you in the right direction when you're seeking mas-
sage training in France. Things are different in France for massage therapists
because their training is a part of the medical system, and graduates, known
as kines (key-nays), are highly respected professionals within the medical
community. If you're planning on studying at one of the schools in France,
you need a keen desire to work in medical settings, and, of course, it helps if
you know how to speak French.
Federazione del Massolisioterapisti (F.N.C.M), Massonsioterapisti V'm Aosta
16, Trento, 38100 Rome, Italy; tel. 03 94 61 915 499;
www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/2521.
This is another network of people teaching and developing massage tech-
niques. Working with the ministry of health to uphold professional standards,
the FNCM also lists classes in many different massage modalities given
throughout Italy.
Institute of Thai Massage, 17/7 Morakot Road, Hah Yaek Santltham, Chiang
Mal, Thailand; tel. 66-53-218632; www. i nfot hal .com/itm.
If you're like most people, the first time you receive a Thai-style massage, you
immediately want more, and you may even feel the desire to share the great
pleasures and health benefits of this ancient art, called Nuad Bo-Rarn In
Thailand, with others. Maybe that's why so many people make the pilgrimage
to Chiang Mal to study with Master Chongkol Setthakorn, head teacher at the
Old Medicine Hospital there since 1985. Five levels of courses are available,
each lasts five days for a total of 180 hours.
!Carlsbad Spa Training, Czechoslovakia, contact Dr. Jonathan Paul
DeVierville, The Alamo Plaza Spa, 204 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX
78205; U.S. tel. 210-223-5772; www. karl sbadspa . cjb. net.
Dr. Jonathan Paul DeVierville, Ph.D. is a veritable fountain of information
about water. In fact, he knows so much about water and hydrotherapy that
he has decided to dedicate his life to sharing the healing message of spas.
Each year in May he takes a small group of lucky students to Czechoslovakia
with him to study the traditional forms of hydrotherapy and other healing
methods used in the spas there.
EFTA00008355

30s
Part VI: The Part of Tens
Northern Institute of Massage, 100 Waterloo Road, Blackpool, England FY4
1AW; tel. 44 1253 403548.
This school has been around since 1924, and they have graduated over
35,000 students (many of whom are still alive). The students spread out
across the English-speaking world to ply their hands-on trade. In the past ten
years, the school has seen an upsurge in activity as more and more people in
the U.K. become interested in alternative therapies. The school has even
opened branch offices in other countries — two in Ireland, and one in the
Caribbean. Call if you're interested in schooling, or even if you're a visitor
Just traveling through — workshops are open to everybody.
South Australia Health Education Center, 38 Currie Street, Adelaide,
Australia SA, 5000; tel. 08 8410 1975; www.massage.net .au.
If you'd like a massage school experience down on the south coast of
Australia, and you want to study with people serious about their massage
(the principal and several instructors were invited to the Commonwealth
Games to offer sports massage to the athletes), this is the school for you.
Sutherland-Chan, 330 Dupont Street, Suite 400, Toronto, Canada; tel.
416-9241107; www. sutherl and- than. corn.
If you'd like a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, cosmopolitan experience while
studying massage, in a peaceful, laid-back Canadian city, Toronto may be
the place for you, and the Sutherland-Chan School & Teaching Clinic may
be the perfect school. It's located right in the middle of downtown Toronto,
which features excellent housing and actual humans walking around at night.
Sutherland-Chan has been around since 1978. The program is a hefty 2,200
hours, and fully 70 percent of the students already have a college degree
when they arrive. What really sets the school apart is its intense clinical out-
reach program. In order to graduate, every student performs supervised
clinical work in area hospitals.
West Coast College of Massage Therapy, 555 West Hastings Street,
Vancouver, Canada V6B 4N4; 888-449-2242; www.. coll egeofm a s sage . com.
You have to get ready for some serious schooling If you study massage in
Canada, which requires between 2,000 and 3,000 hours of training, depending
on which province you live In. The direction and emphasis of training at the
West Coast College is based on the medical model approach to healthcare,
according to Ron Garvock, dean of massage therapy at this school in
Vancouver. This three-year program costs $25,000 Canadian dollars, which
perhaps makes it the highest standard in massage education in North
America. They also have campuses in the Toronto area and are expanding
into Victoria and Niagara as well.
EFTA00008356

Chapter 22
Ten Outstanding Places to Receive
a Topnotch Massage
In This Chapter
D U.S. massage spots
D International massage spots
you're
going to get double your money's worth out of this chapter
because it actually includes not ten, but twenty, spectacular places to
receive a massage, ten in the U.S. and ten In other countries. How can we
afford to do this, you ask? Well, we spare no expense when it comes to letting
you know about potentially the most spectacular massage experience of
your life.
Let's face it, Just about anywhere you are when you're receiving a massage is
an outstanding place. Close your eyes and off you go to paradise. But trust
me on this, your experience may be enhanced if you manage to make your
way to one of the many truly incredible environments that are waiting for you
out there. Any one of the following locales may set your imagination soaring
and stimulate your sense of the beautiful in life. You may also find it quite an
adventure getting to some of these exotic spots, so buckle up and get ready
for some of the most pleasurable explorations of your life.
us.
Massage Spots
Here are some great places to go In the US. when you're seeking your next
fabulous massage experience.
Enchantment, 525 Boynton Canyon Road, Sedona, AZ 86336; 800-826-4180;
www.arizonaguide.com/enchantment.
This is one place I'm almost reluctant to name because it's such a special
secret hideaway, but because you were kind enough and smart enough to buy
this book I suppose you deserve to find out about it. First, go to Sedona, a
EFTA00008357

3
10 Part VI: The Part of Tens
small town two hours north of Phoenix, Arizona. Then follow Boynton
Canyon Road a few miles out of town where you enter a spectacular valley
sacred to the Native Americans who once lived in cliff dwellings there. The
massage you receive in the spa is more than a massage. Be prepared for an
exchange of energy between you, the massage therapist, and the powerful
vibrations of the canyon itself. It's filled with something mystical.
Esalen Institute, Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920; 408-667-3000;
mew. esal en. org.
This is the only spot to make it onto both the ten top schools list and the ten
top massage spots lists. This place deserves it. Some people say that the con-
sciousness of the entire planet has been shifted in a positive direction by
people who receive massages on Esalen's deck overlooking the Pacific. Here,
a bunch of talented, sensitive people practice a form of massage that is
meant to fine-tune your body and your awareness to an entirely new level.
And you experience the whole thing while listening to the majestic fury of the
Pacific Ocean pounding the rocks hundreds of feet below. I think you should
go there and check it out.
Green Valley Spa, 1871 West Canyon View Drive, St. George, UT 84770;
800-237-1068; www . I shopper .com/greenval ley.
Just a two-hour drive from gaudy Vegas, Green Valley is a true oasis in the
Utah desert — a magical place. To receive your massage, you enter a womb-
like inner chamber where It's hard to tell whether you're inside or outside. All
the ingredients used on your skin are plucked by hand from the surrounding
hills, and every detail of the environment is chosen to create a special experi-
ence, down to the color of the fruit in the water you drink. I personally
cannot say enough good things about this place.
Harbin Hot Springs, P.O. Box 782, Middletown, CA 95461; 707-987-2477;
WWW . harbi org.
Well, this spot is not for everyone. There are, after all, dozens of naked hip-
pies walking around, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there are lots of
other people in close proximity who are not naked hippies. Harbin can
indeed feel like a throwback to the sixties or seventies, but the sublime
waters gushing from the underground spring are more than enough to make
up for the funky surroundings. Take turns dipping your body (naked or not,
no one will Judge you) into the hot spring and then the cold stream for some
intense stimulation before heading into the massage center for your hour-
and -a-half appointment with bliss.
Kohala Spa, 425 Walkoloa Beach Drive, Kona, HI 96738; 808-886-1234;
www koha I aspa . com.
Ever wanted to receive a therapeutic massage from a native Hawaiian healer
in preparation for a swim with the dolphins in a natural lagoon pool immedi-
EFTA00008358

3
11
Chapter 22: Ten Outstanding Places to Receive a Topnotch Massage
ately outside the massage room door? Me too. Well, the Koala spa is where
you can do just that, and you can also enjoy the amenities at one of Earth's
finer resorts. This could be one of the greatest things you may ever experi-
ence, in the realm of massage or any other realm.
Little Palm Island, 28500 Overseas Highway, Little Torch Key, Fl. 33042;
800-343-8567; www.littlepalmisland.com.
If you're in the Florida Keys and you're searching for a secluded resort on its
own private island where you can receive a massage in a mangrove tree
house, then Little Palm Island is probably the place for you. This is Gilligan's
Island gone upscale, with about two dozen thatched-roof bungalows, a pool, a
bar, water sports, and an incredible gourmet restaurant. What else do you
need?
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, 1001 LaFayette Drive, Farmington,
PA; 15437; 800-422-2736; MAI nemacoli n. coat
Tucked away between silos and cow pastures in the Laurel Highlands out
near West Virginia, you will find a surprisingly beautiful place called
Nemacolin Woodlands Spa that would be considered a Jewel in even the most
exclusive areas. The newly renovated spa was designed'by the well-known
artist Clodagh, who has created more of a spiritual experience than a build-
ing. Within its walls, you'll discover an opportunity to commune with the
harmonious elements that have been brought together — water and wood,
stone and light, sophistication and earthiness. After you're thoroughly
relaxed in these surroundings, request to receive your massage from a mas-
sage therapist who's been on staff for a few years, long enough to have been
trained by one of the country's premier massage instructors, Bob King.
Nemacolin flew Mr. King in for a special private training, which is indicative of
the way they do just about everything — first class.
The Peaks, P.O. Box 2702, Telluride, CO 81435; 800-789-2220;
www.thepeaksresort.com.
Swoosh down the slopes in this incredible alpine valley, straight into the
embrace of a topnotch luxury spa where a squadron of massage pros wait to
take care of you. Telluride's a lovely place In the summer, too. The only down-
side to receiving a massage here is that you may be lying down for an hour
with your eyes closed Instead of out exploring the spectacular countryside
Spa of the Rockies, 1 Crystal Park Road, Manitou Springs, CO 80809;
719485-1198.
This is a little-bitty place, but it has a big heart, and it's really cool. You can
find it up a side street in the old mining town of Manitou Springs, near
Colorado Springs and spectacular Garden of the Gods Park. Try to visit in the
winter so you can soak outside beneath the chilly night sky in a big hot tub;
EFTA00008359