Important to Know

• Statement of Non-Discrimination:

• Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School does not discriminate in admission or access to our program on the basis of gender, race, color, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or place of origin.

• Accreditation

• Is Body Wisdom School accredited?

  Yes, Body Wisdom is a nationally accredited school through COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation). Our massage program meets and exceeds nationwide standards. https://comta.org/.

• Title IV – Financial Aid – Financing

• What do you offer?

  Officially recognized by the Federal Department of Education, Body Wisdom is a Title IV School, and we proudly offer a selection of financial assistance to meet the needs of all our students: Financial Assistance. Our Student Counselor will gladly direct you to the appropriate advisor: 515.727.4890

• The Massage Profession

• Is it Right for Me? Can I be successful?

  Unlike any other profession, Massage Therapy can be practiced in many different settings. With the right education, that goes beyond the basics, you can also choose from a vast list of modalities and specialty tracks to define your specific orientation within this field. We find that persons attracted to the Profession also have what it takes to be good at it. Nevertheless, there are factors to be considered. We take this very seriously and provide you with all the crucial information to determine yourself if Massage Therapy is the right career you. And once you know, we can certainly prepare and guide you to succeed.

• Massage Education

• How to Find the Right Education for Me?

  While most US schools meet basic state regulations, there is a very wide variation in what their programs offer. Be aware: ‘Not all massage education was created equal’! Instead of offering ‘appetizer versions’ to massage modalities taught by instructors who teach everything, at Body Wisdom, we opt to specialize in in-depth stand-alone courses of study, also presented by experts in their respective fields. We don't believe a one-size fit’s all approach to massage and rather provide career tracks built into our Certification Program. No need to go to school for a foundation and spend more time, money and resources on additional education to become a good therapist. Plus, a long menu of specialty courses and modalities caters not only to your interest and talent, but also prepares you to work with a large range of population and in many different settings. Not to mention all of the above assures longevity in this profession.

• Massage School

• How do I Find the Right School for Me?

  It is YOUR choice, which school to attend and we truly care to give you excellent and neutral information to get it right. Body Wisdom School was founded for the purpose of offering the best and most comprehensive curriculum anywhere! Still, all our staff is trained NOT to SELL, BUT to INFORM. We won't encourage anyone to study here, and only accept students when we agree it’s in our mutual interest. What we look for in our students is a passion for wellness and care, the commitment to be your best, and a genuine interest to succeed in this career. It’s simple, you look for the best school and we look for the right students. If our excitement for the best possible Massage Education is contagious to you we can talk more...

• Not Ready to Decide

• I’m only slightly interested – 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 30-60 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.

• Start Dates

• What are your program start dates?

  We offer start dates almost every month of the year, but generally serve 3-5 cohorts annually. All courses are taught in blocks. Core courses come around several times a year, while elective course repeat roughly every 8-15 months. Considering applicable pre-requisites, you pick courses as they best fit your schedule. Our Student Counselor is excellent in creating the perfect program with and for you.

• Class Hours

• What are your class hours?

  In an effort to cater to students of any age, background, and walk of life, whether they have much or little time for school, we proudly offer a variety of class hours which can be mixed and matched as well. Each course is offered as a block within one or several days to up to a few weeks. Spacing out your individual course blocks as needed, you set your own pace of study within a part- or full-time program length, or perhaps even beyond.

  • 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 over a few consecutive days from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM,
  • Evening/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 full courses from any schedule.

• School & Work

• 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)

• Terms

• Do you have semesters or academic terms?

  Our 900-Hour Program is considered a 48-week program, equal to one academic calendar year.

• Credit Transfer

• Can I transfer hours or credits from prior education?

  Body Wisdom accepts credit transfer from prior education, most commonly the sciences, and other subjects that match our course levels and content as to be established by official transcripts and program or course descriptions. Our Student Counselor can assist you with details as further described with our policies.

• Can I do it?

• 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 Student Counselor to help you in answering your question. Perhaps you may also like to try out a massage at our Student Clinic.

• Career Track & Orientation

• How do I determine my career track? Should I plan working 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 or never. 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 get to map out your dream practice and a plan of action.

• Business & Professional Success

• How will I be able to put my education into a successful career?

  Regardless of your background, track, and career plans, our 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.

• Dress Code

• 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.’

• Student Clinic

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

  Based on over 2 decades 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 and clinic instructors
  • 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!

• Products & Sales

• 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.

• Text Books & Equipment

• 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.

  Some courses require equipment and supplies, such as stones, heater units, essential oils, herbal blends, etc. With student budgets in mind we have the best vendors to provide professional quality at lowest costs and also let you choose on many occasions what to invest in and when.

• Teaching Methods

• 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.

• Study Requirements

• 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.

• Blending Career Tracks

• 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.

• Program Components

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

  The Core Program contains 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 your favorite Career Electives from the entire course menu as part of your massage certification program.

• Elective Choices

• 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 Student Counselor to explain each course in depth and help you build your dream practice by choosing the very best from the seven main Career Tracks and over 1000 Hours of Career Electives. Lots of choices are a good problem to have!

• Program Design

• I don’t know much about massage, and all these choices are overwhelming. How do I decide what’s best for me?

  No problem. You’re in the same boat as most 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 and the appropriate Program Design.

• Modifying a Program

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

  To avoid that you have to modify your program and potentially loose out on viable support and resources, such as Financial Aid benefits, we take our time to make sure we get it right in the first place. Of course there are always exceptions, but over 20 years of allowing students to change their courses without limitation, we noticed that almost everyone ends up where they started after all. Sometimes you may get intrigued by the career track or course choice of a fellow student, but more often than not will it turn out that your Student Counselor advised you well based on the details you discussed and considered. In any case, we always have your best interest at heart and will gladly consider your concerns at any time.

• Adding extra Courses to a Program

• Can I add Career Electives to my program that exceed the standard hours?

  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 the exact amount of program hours, your transcript can show additional courses you would take, plus you receive separate certificates as well.

• 1,000-Hour Program

• My state requires a 1,000 Certification. Why does Body Wisdom offer 900 hours instead?

  In order to serve our students the best possible way, we have opted for the best balance of hours, costs, curriculum, and program length. This is also important to provide Federal Financial Aid to our students and comply with all legal requirements applicable to our school. Nevertheless, you can study here and meet the credentials of your state. We simply modify your education accordingly.

• Related Professions & Certifications

• 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.

• Student Tips

• 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 and legalities.