Heida Brenneke began teaching massage therapy in her home in 1974; as the student population grew, her school, the Brenneke School of Massage, needed more space. In 1980, the school moved to its first formal location and, in 1986, the first faculty member, Pat Archer, was hired. In 1990, the school received a grant of accreditation from the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA).

As massage therapy licensing formalized in the state of Washington and the number of hours required for licensure increased, the education programs were modified to meet those new requirements. As the field of massage therapy grew and student populations grew, the school continued to expand and grow, moving several times until it reached its current location at South Lake Union. From its original requirements of 100 hours in 1974, the program content and requirements have grown to its current programs which are 1000 clock hours and 750 clock hours.

In 2005, shortly after celebrating our 30th anniversary, the School was purchased by Cortiva Institute, a nationwide family of health and wellness schools. The School was renamed Cortiva Institute - Brenneke School of Massage.

In 2006, Cortiva Institute purchased a competitor school, the Brian Utting School of Massage, located just blocks away from us. The Utting school has a history and tradition of quality education similar to ours. Although competitors, there remained mutual respect between the two owners, as Brian Utting had once been a student of Ms. Brenneke's.

The Utting school had simple beginnings, opening in Brian Utting's home in 1982, growing in size while expanding the program's content to include deep tissue, hydrotherapy, and other emerging bodywork modalities. In 1984, the school moved out of Mr. Utting's home into its first formal location, and following in a similar path in its growth, it moved several times until it was located just seven blocks away from us. In 1986, the school reached another milestone, hiring teaching assistance and offering continuing education. Over the next few years, faculty members joined the school, many of whom remain active today, including Jonathan Vogel and Pat O'Rourke.

Both Heida Brenneke and Brian Utting helped shape the field and practice of massage therapy in the state of Washington and throughout the industry. From their involvement in the late 1980's helping to define Washington State massage therapy laws to offering cadaver anatomy through partnerships with Bastyr University , Mr. Utting's and Ms. Brenneke's influence in bodywork is well-respected. In February 2006, Mr. Utting sold his school to Cortiva Institute, our parent company, and the school was renamed Cortiva Institute - Brian Utting School of Massage.

In 2007, Cortiva Institute, the parent company to both schools decided to close the Cortiva Institute - Brian Utting School and focus its efforts through only one location in the Seattle market. Cortiva Institute - Brenneke School of Massage changed its name to Cortiva Institute - Seattle and Cortiva drew on the combined 50 plus years of the Brian Utting School and the Brenneke School's operating success, commitment to educational excellence, and community influence to shape its operations in the Seattle area. The result, Cortiva Institute - Seattle, the only COMTA accredited massage school in the state of Washington, with faculty members who have a combined 200 years of experience in the bodywork industry, and who are dedicated to student success.

In October 2007, Cortiva Institute - Seattle introduces its modified Diploma programs: the Professional Massage Therapy program (56 quarter credits, 750 clock hours) and Extended Professional Massage Therapy program (71 quarter credits, 1000 clock hours). This curriculum instructs future massage therapists in the art, science and practice of massage while combining, not only the Brenneke and Utting methods, but also the history and experience of all schools within the Cortiva Institute family of schools.