For the professional massage therapist, developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships with clients is not only key to a successful massage therapist and his or her business, but is critical to a client’s overall ability to benefit from massage.
At Cortiva Institute – Seattle, School of Massage Therapy, students learn the importance of professional ethics and communication by developing self-awareness, empathy, compassion and interpersonal communication skills. Students learn to utilize these skills to build rapport with clients, manage conflict and develop a clear awareness of boundaries related to professional touch and sensual or sexual touch. Students are also introduced to concepts and applications of various learning styles to support their academic success in school.
As students advance to the next phase of this coursework, they will continue to explore the therapeutic relationship and boundaries introduced in earlier classroom work and learn to critical thinking skills and use role-play activities to improve their ability to manage client relationships in a professional manner and respond effectively to challenging client situations. Students will also explore professional boundaries and communication skills as they relate to interacting with other healthcare professionals.
