Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Body Wisdom an accredited school?

  Yes, we are nationally accredited (COMTA) assuring that our program meets and exceeds nationwide standards.

• I’m not sure if this profession is right for me? Are all massage programs the same?

  Only in that they must meet the minimum number of hours and basic standards as required by the state. After that, there is a very wide variation in what their programs offer. Be aware: ‘not all massage education was created equal’! At Body Wisdom we are experts in the field of massage and bodywork education with a multi-track massage program and outstanding specialist faculty. We don’t offer the ‘appetizer version’ or introductions of a few hours to different massage modalities taught by the same instructors that teach everything else, but rather in-depth stand-alone courses of study taught by experts in the field.

• Do you offer financial aid or financing?

  The cost for a Massage Certification is so much lower than traditional college making financial aid often more expensive than our generous payment plans and in-house finance options customized to cater to your specific circumstances. Please ask our counselor and/or financial advisor for assistance or details.

• How long is your program?

  Your preferred pace of study determines the exact length of your program. The certification program of 900 hours takes as little as eight months to complete, however, many students prefer to spread it over up to 18 months. It all depends how much time you can devote to go to school. On a part-time schedule the program must be completed within 30 months.

• What are your program start dates?

  We offer start dates almost every month of the year. All courses are taught in blocks that come around about once to five times a year. Considering given pre-requisites, you can pick them as they best fit your schedule. Your Body Wisdom career counselor will assist you in choices just right for you!

• What are your class hours?

  In an effort to cater to students with full-time jobs and other responsibilities, we proudly offer a variety of class hours all of which can be mixed and matched. Each course is offered as a block within roughly two weeks. You space out your course blocks as needed, setting your own pace of study.

  • We offer morning classes, evening & weekend classes as well as some full-day classes.
  • A morning class runs generally from 8:45 AM – 12:45 PM – Monday through Friday.
  • Full day classes tend to be held in a few consecutive days from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Evening and weekend classes typically run Mo – Fr, 5:45 – 9:45 PM and Sa/Su 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
  • You can mix and match course blocks from any schedule.

• Do you have semesters or academic terms?

  While our master calendar considers a term to be one year, we do not have specific semesters or terms.

• I work full-time; how can massage school fit into my schedule?

  The vast majority of our students shares your concern and our schedule was created with your needs in mind. Please refer to: What are your class hours (above)

• Can I go to massage school while being enrolled in college; or during my summer breaks?

  Yes. If you are in college and want to study massage during semester breaks, you are welcome to have our career counselor work out the perfect schedule with you. If you are not yet enrolled in college, you might consider a massage training first to finance your college education - starting a couple of semesters down the road. Not only will it be financially beneficial, but also give you a great perspective for your future education and career planning.

  If you have certain windows of time such as teacher summer breaks, you can go to massage school during those breaks

  Let our career counselor assist finding your best options.

• Can I transfer hours or credits from previous education?

  Yes, in general we do accept credit transfer, mostly for science courses, and it all depends on the details and documentation of your training. For specifics, please consult with our career counselor.

• I’m not interested in making any decision – why should I come for a visit now?

  The best time to sit with our career counselor is when you first want to learn anything about the massage profession. A meeting even as short as 15 or 30 minutes will save you weeks or even years of contemplating and considering.

  We consider it our job to INFORM you but your call to make YOUR OWN DECISION.

  What you can gain from a consultation is this:

  • Neutral knowledge about the profession itself, earning potential, today’s job market, business opportunities, market developments, etc.
  • The many career tracks within the massage field, niche options, and specialty massage modalities.
  • Information about available education in general and how to assess a ‘good program’.
  • Cost of education & financial options as well as job placement.
  • Sample Certification Program tailored to your specific interest and circumstances.

  In short we want to give you the key to quickly determine whether you want to consider the profession and what it would entail for you.

• I have never had a massage – how will I know if I’d be good at this?

  Surprisingly, most of our students have never had a professional massage before enrolling in school. It is not a determining factor. Your interest alone is reason enough to explore this option and perhaps even an indicator that you could be good at it, too. We recommend a visit with our career counselor to help you in answering your question.

  Also please refer to the former question.

• I can’t determine my career track or whether I should I work for myself or seek employment?

  It depends on your personality and previous background. Some graduates start their own private practice right out of school and are instantly successful. Others work for a spa, hospital, chiropractor’s office, massage chain, or other institution and turn to private practice later in their career. There are many massage therapists who love working with and for other people, and that’s their perfect path while others want to work from home, at an office, or run a business.

  You might get in touch with your specific direction as early as in the initial consultation with our student counselor; but you’ll certainly find your answers well in time before graduating when you take the Business course: where you map out your dream practice and plan of action.

• I plan to seek employment or already have a business - why take the Business Course?

  Regardless of your background, track, and career plans, the Business course is designed to give you all the tools to be successful on your specific career path. In fact even with the most perfect plan in place, you will most likely gain new information and inspiration for some final tweaks and improvements. And if you are sure to seek employment, you will learn everything you need to attain your ideal position and negotiate good terms.

  This course is extremely comprehensive and includes: career planning, business, marketing and promotion of your skills in any work setting, legal aspects, ethical concerns, communication, professionalism and boundaries, insurance, as well as finances and financial planning for yourself. We even teach you massaging clients on a chair and the million reasons for using it in any work place, and how to do so. Don’t worry, you won’t be bored; this course is very interactive and hands-on.

• Are students required to wear a uniform?

  We find that students are most comfortable when they wear what they prefer. Later during your employment, you may be required to wear a uniform but we think you don’t need practice for that. At Body Wisdom, dress is casual and some reasonable restrictions apply but there are ‘no uniforms.’

• Why do I have to practice in the student clinic & how does it work?

  Based on almost 20 years of running a student clinic, we have determined just the right balance of: lecture, hands-on/lab course work, and student practice sessions conducted in a professional-style setting. Some of the benefits include:

  • Increased confidence levels not only in the learned techniques but also as a person!
  • Deeper understanding of the human anatomy/physiology
  • Greater comprehension of techniques and modalities
  • Useful feedback of real-life clientele
  • Solid preparation for safe professional practice
  • Shrinking the experience gap to seasoned professionals for better job placement options
  • Tweaking career plans based on a realistic working experience
  • Building a future client base or finding employment (recruiters often frequent the clinic and many time clients will follow a graduate)
  • Practice all professional aspects of client interaction and long-term relationships
  • Receive personalized support to become your best in your field
  • Become familiar with the real-world experience of the massage profession

  In other words, it’s a privilege to participate in the student clinic and graduate as a true professional.

• Are students required to sell products in the student clinics? I’ve heard that this is a requirement in some massage programs!

  No. There are some colleges of cosmetology and manufacturers of massage products that have jumped into the massage business and want you to focus on selling products. Body Wisdom School does not.

  It’s true that if you end up working in a beauty salon or spa, you may be required to sell products as part of your employment obligations. However, if that’s the case, that particular spa will gladly teach you their approach. For the majority of our graduates, training to sell products would be a waste of their time.

• Do students get tips in the student clinic?

  While all clients appreciate our students and the excellent work they provide in the student clinic, most of them also give gratuities. Please ask our student counselor for any details.

• What type of study materials and text books do I need?

  All study materials are top of the line and the latest in massage education. They are carefully selected, created, and prepared to provide you with quality resources on everything you learn within each course. Additionally, they are designed for you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding alongside your future practice. As you graduate, you will walk away with an excellent ‘library’ to rely on for on-going support and self-study.

• I am a hands-on learner – how will I do in massage school?

  The majority of massage students prefer hands-on-learning and bodywork over lectures. Body Wisdom School caters to all learning styles, however, due to the nature of our hands-on profession, we have crafted our curricula to teach everything possible in a practical, engaging, and hands-on fashion. Using the immersion method of teaching and focusing on one subject at a time allows us to teach content simultaneously on multiple levels. For the most part, you won’t even know that you are in school because you will be absorbed in experiential learning from hands-on demos to hands-on trades with class-mates, lab time, and other interactive settings.

• What type of homework do I have to expect?

  Your most important homework is to practice your hands-on skills as you learn them which will match your natural excitement as you go along. In preparation for your national exam, you will also review the materials taught in class. Furthermore you will have study aids for your science subjects after the material has been presented to you in class through multiple interactive and hands-on teaching methods. You fare best if you study regularly a little bit throughout your time in school.

• Can I choose electives from more than one Career Track?

  Yes, Body Wisdom is all about choice! Most students choose electives from one main Career Track and then one or the other course that also interests them. This allows you to respond to the needs of more than one segment of the population and gives you wider appeal in your own private practice or to prospective employers.

• What is the difference between the Core Program Courses and Career Electives?

  The Core Program is 504 Hours of study that contain: all the sciences, the Therapeutic Massage and Business series, and your clinical practice. The Career Electives focus on the areas of study that you want to specialize in, like Orthopedic/Clinical or Sports Massage for example. You get to choose 264 Hours of Career Electives from the entire course menu as part of your massage certification program.

• I want to take everything, it all looks so interesting!

  Prospective students often say this initially because Body Wisdom has the largest curriculum available in the United States, and it all looks so good. The truth is that once each course is fully understood every student is naturally attracted to some courses more than others. It’s the job of the Body Wisdom career counselor to explain each course in depth and help you build your dream practice by choosing the very best from the seven different Career Tracks and over 1000 Hours of Career Electives. Lots of choices are a good problem to have!

• I don’t know much about massage, and all these choices are overwhelming. How do I decide what my Career Track should be!

  No problem. You’re in the same boat as half of our students. We’ll make it easy for you by telling you all about the opportunities of the massage business in the real world. Then we’ll ask you key questions and explain all your options, so you can make informed choices about your potential career in massage.

• Can I change the focus of my program along the way?

  Yes. The great thing about the Body Wisdom modular approach is that you can add or drop courses along the way (some reasonable restrictions apply). It is very common for Body Wisdom students to fine-tune their program as they gain greater experience by taking various courses and meeting other students who are on different Career Tracks along the way.

• Can I add Career Electives to my program?

  You can certainly take additional Career Electives, earning additional course certificates as you go with the same preferred program rates. While your program certification consists of 900 hours, your transcript can show all of the additional courses you would take.

• Do you teach nutrition, acupuncture, cosmetology or esthetics?

  No, we don’t try to be everything to everybody. With the most extensive massage program in the United States, we are solely dedicated to teaching professional quality massage and bodywork. However, we fully support practitioners who plan to combine massage and other skills. Please ask our advisors for assistance.