The School's legacy began in the 1970s when Ben Benjamin, Ph.D., founded the Cortiva Institute - Boston in Cambridge, MA. He developed what became the well-known Benjamin System of Muscular Therapy, a synergy of methods designed to work with the body with the goal of reducing chronic tension and promoting physical health. To this day, the Benjamin System is the basis of the foundational method of massage therapy techniques taught at Cortiva Institute. This comprehensive method includes a variety of area-specific strokes, pressures and rhythms that relax the client and reduce chronic tension and pain. It encompasses other important aspects of wellness that include client education and therapist self-care.

In 2005, the campus moved to Watertown, MA where it currently occupies a building that offers a noteworthy atmosphere of historic charm and warmth. Later in 2005, the school was purchased by Cortiva Institute and then was renamed Cortiva Institute - Boston.