The massage programs at Spa Tech Institute are designed to give you a wide range of skills with a focus on developing a refined sensitivity to your client's needs. Both the Holistic Massage and Therapeutic Massage programs are well known in Maine for the quality of the graduates.

Massage Graduate and Student Testimonials

Typically Holistic Massage is more appropriate in spas or work with children, the elderly, those trying to access creativity or those seeking personal transformation. The Therapeutic Massage tends to be more appropriate for athletes and physically active people who could suffer from repetitive stress injuries or severe muscle strain or tension.

Both programs prepare you for licensing and the National Certification Exam for Massage Therapy and Bodywork. The massage license does not differentiate between modalities.
The programs can be taken either on a full or part-time basis.

The overview of the content of each program is shown in the chart below. 

Therapeutic Massage Program 600 hours	Holistic Massage Program 600 hours
Module 1- Basics of Swedish Massage 120 hours
Module 2 - Deep Tissue and Trigger Point Release - 120 hours	Module 2 - Polarity Therapy and RYSE (Realizing Your Sublime Energies) - 120 hours
Module 3 - Advanced Massage, Advanced Anatomy and Physiology and Business Skills - 120 hours
Module 4 - Advanced Massage, Advanced Anatomy and Physiology and Business Skills - 120 hours
Instructor Supervised Clinic - (Taken concurrently with last 3 modules) 100 hours
Final Integration and Evaluation - 32 hours

 

 

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Program Content and Course Descriptions

Holistic Massage career program

• Swedish Massage - Covers the basic Swedish massage techniques including all major strokes, contraindications, and how to establish a complete session. Includes focus on the relationship of the client and practitioner in the therapeutic environment.
  
  
• Basic Anatomy & Physiology - Foundational orientation in western anatomy and physiology taught in a highly experiential format to ensure maximum learning. The classes cover basic terminology and movement terms with an introduction to the skeletal and muscular systems.
  
  
• Associate Polarity Practitioner Program - Learn the most powerful and useful polarity techniques that are used in 80% of all sessions. Covers theory and application including aura and chakra crystal work developed by Nancy Risley, the founder of Polarity Realization Institute. You can give complete polarity sessions or integrate the work in with your massage practice. Creates a powerful combination for clients.
  
  
• RYSE®1-4 (included in the Associate Polarity Practitioner Program) - RYSE® is a 16-hour in-depth sophisticated awareness program for burnout prevention, alignment and clarity. The content of RYSE® also gives the student an added business skills knowledge base for the creation of a successful practice.
  
  
• Positional Release - Students learn a simple technique of positioning the body in such a way that the cycle of pain of a trigger point can be interrupted.
  
  
• Foot Reflexology - All areas of the body can be addressed through deep tissue release work on the feet. Understanding the basics of foot reflexology assists in understanding the inter-relatedness of all systems of the body.
  
  
• Range of Motion - Learn proper manipulation techniques to mobilize muscles and joints through assisted stretching techniques.
  
  
• Deep Tissue Therapy - New techniques, including the use of knuckles, forearms and elbows, are taught which help students gain skill and confidence in performing massage strokes at a deeper physical level.
  
  
• Chair Massage - An excellent way to reach new clients where they work or live. Effective techniques that are safe and efficient.
  
  
• Stretching Techniques - Learn how to teach clients proper stretching techniques to support the continued benefits of their sessions.
  
  
• Myofascial Release - The fascia system of the body is the main connecting tissue that holds everything together. Many pains and tensions are stored in the fascia. Myofascial stretching gently relaxes the fascia to release the tension that causes the pain. -Event Sports Massage – Prepares students to do pre and post massage at sporting events. Includes in-depth information about identifying potential hypo and hyper thermic conditions of the athletes.
  
  
• Hydrotherapy - The application of heat and cold is both critical to protect injuries as well as heal injuries. Also adds value to the quality of massage and assists in relaxing tension.
  
  
• Advanced Anatomy & Physiology (Muscles) - Covers the musculoskeletal system in greater detail along with pathologies of these systems. Learning the structure of the body in detail assists in more effective technique, as well as more confidence and understanding of massage. Prepares students for the anatomy and physiology component of the National Certification Exam.
  
  
• Advanced Anatomy & Physiology (Systems) - Covers the systems of the body and their pathologies excluding the skeletal and muscular systems. Prepares students for the anatomy and physiology component of the National Certification Exam.
  
  
• Business Skills - The overall goal is to help students establish the business container that will support a successful professional body worker long-term. The specific goal is to help students define and set up a basic business plan, go over marketing and quality control.
  
  
• Professional Development and Empowerment Training – Bringing professionalism to the next level, the goal is to define the student’s mission and vision, create brochures and offer the student in-depth client empowerment through upholding clear, professional ethics.
  
  
• In Class Clinics - Evaluation of professional skills in an in-class clinical setting are invaluable for learning to hone skills as a therapist.
  
  
• Holistic Integration - Integrates the many techniques into a comprehensive session strategy for best results.
  
  
• Advanced Integration, Evaluation, and Professional Communications - Very detailed evaluation of technique, communications skills and professional demeanor designed to give you the highest levels of success.
  
  

• Student Clinic Experience - Provides an optimal experience for the practice of bodywork, communication, and business skills under supervision at the School clinic. The clinic is open to the public and will provide the student with a diverse practice base.

 

Therapeutic Massage career program

 

• Swedish Massage - Covers the basic Swedish massage techniques including all major strokes, contraindications, and how to establish a complete session. Includes focus on the relationship of the client and practitioner in the therapeutic environment.
  
  
• Basic Anatomy & Physiology - Foundational orientation in western anatomy and physiology taught in a highly experiential format to ensure maximum learning. The classes cover basic terminology and movement terms with an introduction to the skeletal and muscular systems.
  
  
• Intermediate Massage including deep tissue and other techniques - More focus on advanced Swedish technique with additional work with trigger point and deep tissue work. Also includes learning the therapeutic benefits, postural analysis and ways of focusing on a client’s particular needs.
  
  
• Positional Release - Students learn a simple technique of positioning the body in such a way that the cycle of pain of a trigger point can be interrupted.
  
  
• Foot Reflexology - All areas of the body can be addressed through deep tissue release work on the feet. Understanding the basics of foot reflexology assists in understanding the inter-relatedness of all systems of the body.
  
  
• Range of Motion - Learn proper manipulation techniques to mobilize muscles and joints through assisted stretching techniques.
  
  
• Chair Massage - An excellent way to reach new clients where they work or live. Effective techniques that are safe and efficient.
  
  
• Deep Tissue Therapy - New techniques, including the use of knuckles, forearms and elbows, are taught which help students gain skill and confidence in performing massage strokes at a deeper physical level.
  
  
• Stretching Techniques - Learn how to teach clients proper stretching techniques to support the continued benefits of their sessions.
  
  
• Myofascial Release - The fascia system of the body is the main connecting tissue that holds everything together. Many pains and tensions are stored in the fascia. Myofascial stretching gently relaxes the fascia to release the tension that causes the pain.
  
  
• Event Sports Massage - Prepares students to do pre and post massage at sporting events. Includes in-depth information about identifying potential hypo and hyper thermic conditions of the athletes.
  
  
• Hydrotherapy - The application of heat and cold is both critical to protect injuries, as well as heal injuries. Also adds value to the quality of massage and assists in relaxing tension.
  
  
• Advanced Anatomy & Physiology (Muscles) - Covers the musculoskeletal system in greater detail along with pathologies of these systems. Learning the structure of the body in detail assists in more effective technique, as well as more confidence and understanding of massage. --Prepares students for the anatomy and physiology component of the National Certification Exam.
  
  
• Advanced Anatomy & Physiology (Systems) - Covers the systems of the body and their pathologies excluding the skeletal and muscular systems. Prepares students for the anatomy and physiology component of the National Certification Exam.
  
  
• Business Skills- The overall goal is to help students establish the business container that will support a successful professional bodyworker long-term. The specific goal is to help students define and set up a basic business plan, go over marketing and quality control.
  
  
• Professional Development and Empowerment Training - Bringing professionalism to the next level, the goal is to define the student’s mission and vision, create brochures and offer the student in-depth client empowerment through upholding clear, professional ethics.
  
  
• In Class Clinics - Evaluation of professional skills in a clinical setting are invaluable for learning to hone skills as a therapist.
  
  
• Integration - Integrates the many techniques into a comprehensive session strategy for best results.
  
  
• Advanced Integration, Evaluation, and Professional Communications - Very detailed evaluation of technique, communications skills and professional demeanor designed to give you the highest levels of success.
  
  
• Student Clinic Experience - Provides an optimal experience for the practice of bodywork, communication, and business skills under supervision at the School clinic. The clinic is open to the public and will provide the student with a diverse practice base.

 

Consumer Information Required by the US Department of Education

Final regulations published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2010, [75 FR 66665 and FR 66832], by the U.S. Department of Education (the Department), require institutions that participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (the HEA), to report certain information about students who enrolled in Title IV-eligible educational programs that lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation (GE Programs). Those regulations also provide that institutions must disclose to prospective students certain information about their GE Programs. Finally, the new regulations require an institution to notify the U.S. Secretary of Education (the Secretary) if it wishes to add additional GE Programs to its list of Title IV-eligible programs. All of these requirements are effective July 1, 2011.

In order to be eligible for funding under the Title IV programs, an educational program must lead to a degree (associate, bachelor's, graduate, or professional) or prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation." In addition, virtually all programs - degree and nondegree - offered by proprietary institutions must prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation."

CIP and SOC Codes and Links

The CIP Code Descriptions can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/search.aspx?y=55 and the SOC Code Descriptions can be found at http://www.bls.gov/SOC/ if you would like to do additional research into the training and occupational outlook.

Employment Related Links

It’s important as you review the employment information to remember that these occupations have a lot of self-employed individuals and that they are cash businesses that include tips and product sales. The information from the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics may not properly account for the actual income and employment outlook due to these issues. It’s recommended that you talk to people who have been successful in the profession to find out more about these careers.

The following links and information are used as a reference to aid you in your decision around your educational choices. It is grouped by occupational category to assist you in learning more. Go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/  and http://www.onetonline.org/ for additional information on employment and enter the codes listed above.

Completion Rate Information

The completion rate information gives the student an opportunity to understand the expected time for completion of a program. The department of education guidance on completion information includes “On-Time Completion”. The definition of On-Time Completion is not clearly defined by the US DE. In a Dear Colleague Letter http://ifap.ed.gov/fregisters/FR102910Final.html it’s states as follows:

Therefore, to minimize burden on institutions while providing

meaningful information to prospective students, an institution must

calculate an on-time completion rate for each program subject to the

gainful employment provisions by:

    (1) Determining the number of students who completed the program

during the most recently completed award year.

    (2) Determining the number of students in step (1) who completed

the program within normal time, regardless of whether the students

transferred into the program or changed programs at the institution.

For example, the normal time to complete an associate degree is two

years. The two-year timeframe would apply to all students who enroll in

the program. In other words, if a student transfers into the program,

regardless of the number of credits the institution accepts from the

student's attendance at the prior institution, the transfer credits

have no bearing on the two-year timeframe. This student would still

have two years to complete from the date he or she began attending the

two-year program. To be counted as completing on time, a student who

enrolls in the two-year program from another program at the institution

would have to complete the two-year program in normal time beginning

from the date the student started attending the prior program.

    (3) Dividing the number of students who completed within normal

time in step (2) by the total number of completers in step (1) and

multiplying by 100.

    With regard to the commenter who believed that a student could not

miss a single day of classes to complete a program on time, we note

that under Sec.  668.4(e) a student can be excused from attending

classes. Under this section, a student may be excused for an amount of

time that does not exceed the lesser of (1) any thresholds established

by the institution's accrediting agency or State agency, or (2) 10

percent of the clock hours in a payment period. Absent any State or

accrediting agency requirements, for a typical payment period of 450

clock hours a student could miss 45 hours. In the commenter's example

of a 1,500 clock hour program, the student could miss 150 hours and

still complete on time for this requirement. Also, under Sec. 

668.41(a), normal time for a certificate program is the time published

in the institution's catalog and that time may include make-up days.

So, an institution could schedule make-up days, as part of normal time,

to enable students who missed classes to complete the number of hours

required for State licensing purposes.

 

 Institutional Completion, License and Placement Rates

It’s very important to the school that you fully understand the institutional completion, license and placement rates for the school as reported to the US DOE. These figures are updated on an ongoing basis as part of the school’s reporting process so the rates may change depending on the time of the year you look at the rates.

The individual school rates can be found at the following online resource.

Maine

Westbrook Campus: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=spa+tech&;s=ME&id=445629

Please Note: The Westbrook, Maine massage, polarity and aesthetics program information was lost by NCES when the Portland campus was moved to Westbrook and the two entities were combined. We are in the process of getting the combined information restored.

 

Consolidated from NACCAS Annual Report

The following information is part of a specific group of Spa Tech Institute Schools with a Main Campus in Westbrook, ME and Additional Locations in Ipswich, Plymouth and Westboro, MA. Differences in tuition are noted by campus and program where applicable. The completion and placement rates are based on the NACCAS annual report.

Completion, License and Placement Rates for 1/1/09-12/31/09 taken from NACCAS annual report calculation:
Completion Rate: 79.07,    Licensure Rate: 98.45        Placement Rate: 83.25

 

Listed below is the Tuition and Fee Schedule as of 6/1/2012. Changes in tuition, fees, books and supplies will be posted as they occur. The changes will only apply to programs that start after the effective date of the new pricing and will not affect currently enrolled students. These charts reflect all approved Title IV eligible programs offered by Spa Tech Institute campuses in the states of Maine and Massachusetts.

 

Program	Clock Hours	Tuition	Fees*	Books & Supplies Kit	Total
Maine Prices
Massage Career Programs	600	$11,750	$50	$880	$12,680

 

*Fees: The only fee is the non-refundable application fee which covers the administrative costs of processing an application and doing preliminary Financial Aid processing.

Median Debt by Program

"Median Loan Debt" reflects the median loan debt incurred by students who completed the program, between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, including Title IV program loans, private educational loans and institutional financing plans.

Program	Title IV Loans	Private Loans	Institutional Financing
Maine
Massage Career Programs	$6,303	$0	$0

Net Price Calculators for various campuses.

The Net Price Calculators are rough calculations of the total cost of your education, including factors such as if you are living at home or on your own, cost of transportation and other expenses. These calculations are based on a computation supplied by the Department of Education. These calculations are based on the largest program at the campus. Your actual cost may vary depending on the program you attend as well as the schedule you choose. The calculators can be found by going to the following links:

Westbrook Massage Programs (Holistic and Therapeutic)

 

Employment Related Links

The following links and information is used as a reference to aid you in your decision around your educational choices. It is grouped by occupational category to assist you in learning more. Go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/  and http://www.onetonline.org/ for additional information on employment and enter the codes listed above.

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