School Considerations
When I last sat down to blog, there was snow on the ground in downtown Waterbury. A lot has happened since then! Back in the snowier part of 2020, the world shifted and begged of us all to shift with it through resilience, self-discovery, and slowing down. Through this whole pandemic experience, I have gained more clarity than ever regarding the vision for BMSVT not only in sharing the art of massage therapy, but also in how it is shared through our program. What is more clear now is just how important the gifts we offer others through massage therapy and the unique way in which we can serve others through touch and connection. There will be such a demand for thoughtful and intuitive massage therapists in the coming months, and because of that we decided to open a second class for the 2020-21 school year. If you’ve ever thought about a career in massage therapy, there may be no better time than now to give it another look. We have a couple of spots left in the 2020-2021 program, and we are looking for the right souls to join our community!
I thought it might be helpful to those looking into massage school if I shared some nuggets about what I wish I had known to consider when I was checking out programs to get certified in massage therapy. At the time, I was mostly concerned with things like cost, schedule and/or timing, and location. These were all valid factors to weigh, of course, but they are not the bread and butter of an adult learning experience – far from it! I did not fully understand how much a program could impact my subsequent professional experience until I attended the massage teacher training program at The Body Therapy Institute in North Carolina. The timing wasn’t right – we had a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old at the time. The location wasn’t right – I had to fly to NC five times, each time for a week over the course of ten months. The cost wasn’t right – it all went on my Chase card! But something in my gut or my heart knew it was the right move. What I gained from that learning environment was immeasurable, irreplaceable, and valuable beyond words. Through this program, I dusted off some long-buried courage and bold wholeheartedness and carried forth, unapologetically, with my mission for the massage school I dreamed of opening. Without this program, I don’t think – in fact I know – that the BMSVT experience for students would not be the same. Because of what I learned from that massage teacher training course down in NC – because of what I learned about myself – the mission and philosophy of BMSVT is true to my heart and what I believe the field of massage therapy needs most of all right now. It is my hope for all of those researching massage education programs to find the right one that resonates deeply for them.
When researching massage schools, there are a multitude of factors to consider. Important questions to ask that are integral to your educational experience, in addition to schedule and cost, include things like class size, school philosophy, in-person/online classes, clinic experience, and school culture. Your massage education will serve as the foundation of your career and set the stage for the way in which you interact and work as a massage therapist. Each school has its own focus and its own philosophy…there is truly something for everyone! We are lucky to have such high caliber massage schools in Vermont, and it is important to choose the one that resonates most with you. At BMSVT, we offer a unique approach to massage education. Our program is not the right fit for all students, but for those with whom our philosophy resonates, it can be the perfect fit to begin a fulfilling career!
School Culture
BMSVT lives and breathes a culture of authenticity, heart-centeredness, non-judgement, support, and trust. The work of massage therapists begins with a rooting into self, grounding in authenticity, presence, and unconditional positive regard for our clients. We are working with people that are trusting us with their bodies, and they may feel vulnerable while receiving bodywork on the table. This deserves immeasurable amounts of respect, graciousness, and non-judgement. We take a deep dive into self-awareness and understanding of who we are as individuals; what is driving our desire to pursue the healing profession; and what unique and personal gifts we bring to this work. And I have to add, we often don’t know the answers to these questions right at first, or maybe we think we know but then realize the depths of the answers as we dive deeper.
We begin each school year by creating what we call the ‘safe container’ in which we will study, learn, and grow; a place of safety, trust, and love in which we, as a small group of budding healers (often in need of healing ourselves), discover or renew self-awareness and acceptance. A place where we can grow stronger and more grounded in our commitment to becoming authentic, present, caring and intuitive facilitators of healing. (You can read more about this concept of a safe container here).
Upon graduation, students receive their certificate and embark on their professional journey. Even though they have completed their entry-level coursework, they remain a part of the BMSVT community. We host annual events where past and present students get to know one another, connect, and support each other (ex. job connections, guidance and feedback, rental opportunities, collaborative events, and general support). We are all about community!
School Philosophy & Curriculum
At BMSVT, we take a decidedly different approach to massage therapy - that shared connection with one another and the human experience, serving as the basis of our school philosophy. At first glance, our curriculum looks fairly similar to most other massage schools. We cover all of the course material pertinent to the MBLEx exam and professional certification as massage therapists. However, based on our school philosophy, we take these courses a number of steps further in order to experience that “deep dive” that is such an integral part of our learning. For example, our curriculum design offers fewer modalities to study than might be typical. We believe this allows students time and space to sink into the work – honing technique and getting more comfortable and experienced working with the tissue in the human body. We emphasize tuning into the tissue and its response to our contact, and trusting our own inner guidance while working with someone’s body, rather than through it. We can also take our time perfecting body mechanics to support career longevity, injury prevention, and the overall health of the practitioner.
In Anatomy and Physiology, we might learn about four different muscles in one class and we do this by teaching to a number of different learning styles. We’ll start by reading about those muscles in our textbook; then we’ll watch a video on how those muscles actually function, and how to palpate them on our partner. Then we’ll (literally) color the muscles in our anatomy coloring books; we’ll use modeling clay to build replicas of those muscles and attach them to a practice skeleton at their origin and insertion points. Through reading, watching, practicing, replication, and real-life application, we gain a thorough understanding of the body’s anatomy and physiology and how it all works together.
In Ethics, we role play specific topics such as what to do if a client makes an inappropriate comment or sexual advance. We learn about setting boundaries within the therapeutic relationship, personal boundaries to maintain our own wellness, and the importance of self-awareness and courage in staying true to those boundaries. We also come to see that it’s the very boundaries we set that allow our clients to fully trust in the work, the contact, and the healing that is taking place. Nothing within our curriculum is ever “just a lecture” or a repetitive focus on technique. It is learned, integrated, experienced, and applied in real life scenarios.
As we grow in our understanding of the human body and as we gain experience from applying the skills we are learning, we begin to discover - and develop - an inner wisdom, an intuition that helps us sense what is going on inside of the person lying on our table. While some educational programs may focus primarily on teaching technique, we combine technique with connection in order to learn how to reach clients on a deeper level. In fact, one of the most impactful components of massage therapy is the connections we form with the people who come to see us, be it for physical, spiritual, or even emotional release. Touch is so deeply a part of the human experience, and it is so much more than simply forcing an elbow or thumb or knuckle deeper into fascia or muscle tissue. Technique is incredibly important, but just as important is the connection that is formed between the client and the therapist. This is how we approach our learning, and this is the foundation upon which our curriculum is based.
Class Size & In-Person Learning
The BMSVT program is an immersive experience built on connection and trust fostered in the classroom. This is accomplished through in-person, face to face learning and being present with one another throughout the learning experience. Class size is small to maintain a low teacher to student ratio. It also provides an apprentice-style approach to learning the hands-on skills of massage therapy and allows for optimal support and a unique flow for each class. With fewer students, there is an openness and spaciousness that elicits an individualized experience in which learners can ask questions, contemplate topics, and get plenty of one-on-one attention and help with massage application skills.
Clinic Experience
BMSVT offers a community massage/student clinic program at Balance Massage Center that is both safe and fully supported. A supervisor is always present so that students can ask questions and receive one on one guidance. Here is where the real experiential part of the program begins as students gain invaluable training with intake procedures, treatment planning, assessment, and documentation protocols. Students come out of student clinic with 100 hours of experience working with the public and massaging different body types. They know how to address specific questions from clients, and how to think critically about the treatment session. Some students are invited to enter our 6-month post-graduate ‘Bridge Program’, where they begin building their own practices right at Balance Massage Center. All BMSVT students graduate extremely well prepared and experienced as they enter their chosen paths in the broad field of massage therapy.
BMSVT is an intense, 10-month program offering students so much more than simply a certification in Massage Therapy. By the time they are ready to graduate, students have become an integral part of the BMSVT community. In our growing community, students, past and present, deepen their connections with one another. As a graduate of BMSVT, you will be part of a community of caring healers and massage therapists who are committed to uplifting and supporting each other.
COVID-19 will not last forever, and when it passes, the need for caring, grounded, and intuitive massage therapists will be profound. BMSVT provides an apprentice-style professional massage therapy education with a strong foundation in "heart-centered approach". We offer small class sizes for deeper learning and integration, in-person (and online classes if needed with COVID), creative and fun activities for all learning styles, and a rich philosophy upon which the curriculum and culture are built. It is our belief that “soft” skills (or as I prefer to call them “courage” skills) like authenticity, non-judgement, boundaries, the whole-person treatment model, and self-awareness are at the root of the work we do as massage therapists and through which we facilitate healing; physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. If you’d like to learn more about our program and what a career in massage therapy might look like for you - please give me a call or drop me an email. I am also happy to answer questions about how we are exceeding COVID safety and health requirements.