Founded as the Chicago School of Massage Therapy (CSMT) in 1981, CSMT has grown into a nationally-respected center for massage therapy education.

Bob King, one of the original co-founders, has been practicing massage therapy for over 28 years. In 1977, he became the National President of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), serving for four years. During that time, he identified a need for consistently high standards in massage therapy education and decided to start his own school. Inspired by a holistic approach to massage therapy, Bob and the school's faculty have developed a comprehensive curriculum integrating both the science and the art of massage.

Bob puts it this way, "Grounded in science, applied with the hands, and coming from the heart, this profession is rapidly emerging into the mainstream of health care, wellness and prevention. My goal was to embody these ideals at CSMT."

Over the years, the school has evolved into a dynamic urban campus located in the heart of Chicago's downtown Loop. CSMT has over 80 professional instructors/staff members and 3000 graduates. In addition to the Massage Therapy Diploma Program, CSMT has expanded to offer continuing education and certificate programs for graduates and other massage therapy professionals.

In March of 2005, the CSMT joined the Cortiva network. Like Bob, Cortiva's vision honors the human dimension at every step in our program. We offer professional education with the human touch. Together, we aim to provide the highest standard in massage therapy education, now and into the future.