Cortiva Institute

MassageNet, a new practice- based research network for the massage therapy and body work professions was recently developed to address the increasing need for research in the massage therapy profession. MassageNet uses data gathered from massage therapists and their clients in real world settings. This differs from the majority of research studies available in that the research gathered actually occurs within therapists’ practices, rather than in a research laboratory. The research conducted by MassageNet is aimed at increasing recognition of the massage therapy profession and at recognizing the invaluable role therapists play in the health and wellness field. …read more

(ARA) – As unemployment rises, many Americans are realizing the importance of having a career that’s fulfilling as well as lucrative. When layoffs are announced, many people feel they have nothing left to lose, and take the opportunity to pursue what they love. This has fueled a growth in the number of people going back to school to become massage therapists — a career with strong job security and great potential.

Employment for massage therapists is expected to increase up to 20 percent by 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In mid 2008, according to the American Massage Therapy Association, at least 45 percent of women and 21 percent of men reported having a massage during the past five years. And as economic stress increases, consumer demand for relaxing and revitalizing services such as massage therapy rises. Eighty-eight percent of adults agree that massage can be effective in reducing pain and 87 percent think that massage is beneficial to health and wellness.

Ron Maslovsky of Chicago, Ill., spent 23 years in corporate sales and, in 2007, began to feel unfulfilled. In 2008, he reevaluated his priorities and realized what would make him truly happy was enhancing the health and wellness of his community through massage therapy.

“Americans are overworked, stressed and ignoring the most important thing in life, their personal health,” says Maslovsky. “Massage therapy is not just a treat you give yourself or a loved one on a special occasion, it is designed to extend our lives and comfort us through ailments and injuries — emotionally, physically and psychologically.”

Maslovsky says that since he’s started working toward his diploma in massage therapy at Cortiva Institute, he is happier and experiences less stress, despite the fact that he’s using some of his retirement savings to go back to school full time. Upon graduation, he plans to open his own massage therapy practice as well as another company to promote corporate massages. He also plans to volunteer his services to the elderly at local nursing homes.

“I have never regretted my decision and I have never looked back,” Maslovsky says. “It is by far the smartest thing I have ever done in my life.”

According to the AMTA, the average massage therapist is most likely to enter the profession as a second career and is in their early 40s, making massage therapy classes and programs a comfortable place for people changing paths mid career.

If you’re considering going back to school to work towards a career in massage therapy, there are several things to consider, according to Dina Boon, president, Cortiva Institute – Seattle. Do your research and look for an accredited massage school, find out how comprehensive the program is and about faculty background and specialization. “Talk to or, even better, receive a massage from one of the graduates of the program,” she says.

“School is a new and refreshing adventure that brings a lot of happiness to my day-to-day life,” says Russell Morgan, a Cortiva student from Chicago, Ill. “I have an attainable goal in sight and have made the decision to start telling myself ‘yes’ as opposed to constantly only doing for others.”

For more information on a career in massage therapy and to learn more about Cortiva Institute, visit www.Cortiva.com.

The beginning, middle and end of Deep Marketing is centering yourself. Without being centered you can’t do anything well! It is the precondition for all success in the practice and in the business of bodywork. For instance, we all know that if your heart is not in what you are doing, there is little satisfaction. The same holds true for the rest of the body!

Marketing with your body means attending to the following with respect to being centered. Often when I sit down at work, I will center myself before I initiate any other work. And I connect with these seven levels of body/mind.

1. Are you grounded? Do you feel literally and figuratively supported by the earth underneath you? Realize that however high our aspirations, we are each just another animal inhabiting the earth. Feel supported by your legs, your feet, and the earth underneath you.
2. Are you excited? If you can’t contact your excitement for growing your business, you will not mobilize the energy required. This is associated with the so-called second chakra. Awkward to say, but the successful therapist cultivates an irresistible attraction to his or her massage practice. Get excited!
3. Do you use your gut to help you make decisions? Freud said all important decisions are based on insufficient information – the mind alone is an insufficient tool. It is your gut, the feeling in the pit of your stomach that you also must listen to. And we have to have “guts”. To be successful and to maintain that success over time, takes courage, takes guts, and inner resolve. Do you support yourself through your lumbar vertebrae and through sufficient breath to give you the energy and determination you need to succeed?
4. Is your heart into what you are doing? Is your heart passionately connected to where you are working and to the clients that you have? Let your heart do the talking and listen to what you truly love and want to do. There is nothing more lovely than seeing someone and being someone whose heart is totally into their work and business. The person who loves their work is an irresistible force.
5. Do you feel confident in what you say about your work? When people ask you what you do, do you have words that you feel great and honest about? Word-of-mouth is most important in business-building and most importantly, your mouth, your words! I like to think that the best marketing is like a song sung because you really mean it. Take the time to let your mind and your heart participate in the co-creation of statements you make about your work that optimize people becoming and staying your clients.
6. For all the time we spending thinking, the mind is often under appreciated. Use your incredible mind, both the logical and imaginative sides, to slow down and make well-considered decisions about how you want to grow your business. And, as the previous five points have indicated, don’t let your mind try to run the show in isolation. Make all decisions by asking yourself these questions: Am I grounded? Am I excited about this? Does my gut tell me it’s right? Does my heart say yes? Do the words ring true?
7. Be open to inspirations from beyond your usual self. The best ideas seem to come out of nowhere or from “on high”. Cultivate your openness to your “higher self”. Sometimes, facing a difficult decision, I will just sit with the problem, being receptive, until a solution just appears in my mind that is perfect. Some of the greatest successes and satisfactions arise from an amazing place of inspiration. All great art and science tells us this.Massage and bodywork have their power through practitioners never forgetting to honor the role the body plays in lives well lived. So your success as a massage professional must arise from this same grounded place. Take refuge in the wisdom of your body and watch your great work grow and grow!

(ARA) – The recession is turning out to be a great equalizer, rearranging our priorities so that recent college graduates and seasoned professionals now share a single top concern – job security. Many of them will likely find what they’re looking for in the health care industry, where overall employment is expected to rise 21 percent by 2016.

Many paths can lead to a career in health and wellness. Some emerging careers, such as massage therapy or home health aide, require less than four years of college to achieve professional status, and will experience high growth over the next few years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These health care fields provide ample opportunity for quick entry and job security. The bureau predicts top growing health and wellness jobs will include massage therapy, personal and home care aides, home health aides and medical assistants – all of which are expected to increase by double-digit percentages by 2016.

Some, like massage therapy, offer greater flexibility and variety in career opportunities. A massage therapist can achieve certification in approximately one year and work in a wide range of settings, from a chiropractor’s office to an upscale hotel or day spa. Growing consumer awareness of the benefits of massage, increased acceptance by the medical community, and Americans’ perception of massage as a health maintenance tool, rather than a luxury, are driving demand for therapists.

“One of the major aspects that attracted me to the profession is its flexibility,” says Jeff Mann, president of the Cortiva Institute – Pennsylvania massage school. “Massage provided me with a career at a time in my life where flexibility of schedule was really important. It allowed me to travel, pursue other interests and be very involved with raising my daughter.”

Massage therapy careers can span many related industries. Traditionally, massage therapists have worked in settings that include:

• High-end spas or resorts
• Solo business or independent business
• Chiropractor’s clinic
• Athletic club

New opportunities are emerging, however, thanks to the increasing demand. Dina Boon, president of Cortiva Institute – Seattle massage school, cites a few:

“We have graduates working as preferred providers within an insurance network, or as a corporate account vendor contracted to provide therapy within a corporate office setting on a regular basis,” she says. “Some of our grads have worked in hospice care, providing therapy to both patients and their caregivers, while others work in hospital oncology, maternity or post-natal care departments.”

“We’ve even had graduates who traveled to Antarctica on contract to provide massage therapy at scientific outposts for the ‘summer’ months in Antarctica,” Boon says.

Students at Cortiva Institute, a network of massage therapy schools across the country, cite common reasons for pursuing massage therapy careers, and growing demand is just one of them. Many like the range of options for a working environment. Achieving professional status following a relatively short education and training time is also a benefit, Boon says.

And the ability to pursue “meaningful work in the world” that both helps others and allows therapists to support themselves is a key attraction.

“I once had a client who had suffered a severe trauma at a young age and developed an eating disorder because of it,” Mann says. After working with Mann, the client also worked with a personal trainer, dietitian and psychotherapist, and the patient was able to drop more than 300 pounds in a little over two years and achieve a more normal life. “She told me massage therapy gave her the acceptance and courage to live within her own body. Where else can you help people like that?”

Anyone considering a career in massage therapy should look for a school that also provides students with hands-on experience. “Getting real experience in a safe, managed environment builds confidence,” Mann says. “Many times the only difference between a good therapist and a great one is confidence.”

Evaluate schools based on their accreditation and what the program covers, Boon advises. “Also, consider how long the school has been open, what texts are required, the background and specializations of faculty members, the size of the student body and the school’s job placement rate for graduates,” she says. “Last but not least, talk to or get a massage from one of the graduates of the program.”

Massage instructor Kate Ivane Henrioulle has been named executive director of the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), the commission announced this week.

COMTA is a national accrediting organization for massage therapy and bodywork schools and programs.

Henrioulle recently served as dean of education for the International Professional School of Bodywork (IPSB) in San Diego, California. She supervised 80 faculty members and 3 administrative staff members, working with more than 200 students. Prior to being named Dean of Education, Henrioulle was an IPSB massage instructor and clinic supervisor. Before joining IPSB, Henrioulle was a massage therapist for the SK Sanctuary in La Jolla, California.

“In her new role, Kate will continue to enhance COMTA’s reputation and image as it relates to massage therapy and bodywork accreditation,” said Melissa Wade, chair of COMTA’s 12-member board of commissioners. “She will immediately be involved in the new electronic submission processes recently implemented for COMTA accreditation.”

Wade’s long-term goals and objectives will be directly related to the expansion of scope to include distance education under COMTA and the proposed expansion to include aesthetics, Wade added.

There are approximately 100 COMTA accredited schools and programs in the United States, Canada and the West Indies.