Course of Instruction: The Orange County School of Massage offers a pragmatic and well-rounded course with a curriculum covering massage techniques that give our students the tools they need to have a successful career in massage therapy.

 


 

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:  (Updated: 1/1/2025)

Massage Therapist: 500 Clock Hours.

The Sebastopol Massage Center offers a well-rounded 500-hour Massage Therapist Program with curriculum covering several different modalities. Our emphasis in the Core Curriculum is Swedish massage. Our core curriculum is an intense and comprehensive course that insures that our graduates will be skilled in the Swedish Massage technique while maintaining proper body mechanics. The additional 400 hours of instruction offered will prepare the student and give the student a wide variety of techniques that they will need for a successful career in the massage industry.

The Massage Therapy course stresses professional ethics, working within a spa environment and becoming part of the professional community. The Massage Therapist program offers students an opportunity to enhance their skills with additional techniques and experience in the workplace. The program stresses exceptional and systematic learning systems to produce talented students with consistent skill sets. All instruction is provided in English.

This institutions massage program shall prepare its graduates for careers as massage therapists. The US Department of Labor defines this as:

31-9011 Massage Therapists

Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.

Illustrative examples: Swedish Masseuse, Licensed Massage Therapist, Deep Tissue Massage Therapist

Broad Occupation: 31-9010 Massage Therapists
Minor Group: 31-9000 Other Healthcare Support Occupations
Major Group: 31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations

 

CLASS DESCRIPTION                                                                         HOURS             COST

Core Curriculum / Swedish Massage                                                        100                      $2,400 Anatomy                                                                                 100                    $2,400
Spa Services                                                                                            100                      $2,400
Advanced 1 (Deep Tissue)                                                                        100                      $2,400
Advanced 2 (Sports, Advanced Anatomy, Physiology)                    50                        $1,200
Business: (Essentials, Professional, Health and Ethic                                 50                        $1,200
                                                                                                Total        500                    $12,000

Enrollment Fee and Deposit: $500
Estimate of Total Charges: $12,560

 

COURSE OUTLINE

Core Curriculum/ Swedish massage (100 supervised clock hours): Prerequisite- None

 In this course, the student will be introduced to the history, development, and evolution of massage therapy and learn the basic principles of proper body mechanics and proper draping techniques. The student will learn how to conduct an intake interview with the client, basic documentation skills, as well as how to communicate effectively during the massage. The student will learn the basic principles and strokes of Swedish massage, and apply those techniques to sports massage, pregnancy massage, massage for special populations (medically frail, pediatric, geriatric clients) and contraindications for massage.

 Anatomy (100 supervised clock hours): Prerequisite- None
This course introduces students to anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology. This course teaching student about the anatomy and physiology so that students can develop session strategies for their clients. Student will have a strong foundation of the human body that they can continue to use as reference points as they continue with their education.

Spa Services: (100 supervised clock hours) Prerequisite- (Core Curriculum, or Anatomy and Advanced 1)

In this course, the student will learn and practice several enhanced therapy treatments commonly used in spa settings including scrubs, deep tissue enhancement and aromatherapy while recognizing any contraindications from these treatments. Student will also learn proper etiquette of working in a spa setting and how to best promote themselves in that environment. You will gain practical experience through clinic and lab exercises.

Advanced 1 (100 supervised clock hours): Prerequisite- None
In this course, students will learn deep tissue massage. It is the use of different massage styles and techniques that are directed toward the deeper tissues of the muscles and fascia.  Student will learn how to work with various client needs, understanding contraindications, varying techniques to apply appropriate pressure, proper body mechanics, deep tissue techniques.

Advanced 2:  (50 supervised clock hours) Prerequisite: Core or Deep Tissue 
Students will learn how to recognize and treat sport related injuries as well as repetitive stress injuries, general injuries. Students will learn pain management techniques along with advanced anatomy and physiology. Students will learn how to apply different techniques to treat joints and muscles. They will learn stretching protocols as well as how to use tools to increase client mobility.

Business: Business, Professional, Essentials, Health and Ethics: (50 supervised clock hours) Prerequisite- None

In this course, the student will learn the intricacies of the therapeutic relationship, with a heavy focus on the roles and boundaries of therapist and client. This course is heavily focused on interactive discussion and activities designed to reinforce concepts of professional ethical behavior, including the framework and dynamics of client/therapist communication, handling ambiguous situations, sexual boundaries, financial boundaries, dual relationships, and taking advantage of peer support and supervision.

 

DOWNLOAD THE pdf vERSION OF THE 2025 mASSAGE CATALOG heRE
 

Testimonials

Bri Y.


I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend this school, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The admin and instructors did a fantastic job in preparing their students on how to become great massage therapists. Plus I felt lucky to be in the class I was in with fire driven students. After completing 500 hrs, I felt prepared to embark on this career in massage therapy. If you are passionate about helping others this is a great place to learn from!

Maibelline M.

I’m not sure where to start off with how amazing this experience was at this school. I’ve learned so much about the benefits of massage and how I can apply it to better peoples lives. The team that created this school is absolutely amazing. They’ve created a system that allows you to actually retain the information with feeling so overwhelmed. Learning anatomy, physiology, and business has never felt so easy. I’m truly grateful to have been able to have the opportunity to attend a school that felt like a family outside of home. Thank you for everything OCSM!!

Carlos S.

This is a great school for anyone looking to become a massage therapist, the teachers are very passionate about teaching massage, they primarily teach Swedish, deep tissue and sports massage. We went over multiple massage techniques until it’s became second nature to us. They care about all their students and are willing to work one on one with students even on non school days to make sure no student falls behind. I highly recommend this school.

Sissy O.

Great experience! Instructors were all great. I was able to learn so much from all courses. Well structured, they taught me many different massage techniques that has helped me achieve great skills!

Karen Y.

The instructors are highly knowledgeable, experienced, and approachable. They create a supportive learning environment and are dedicated to helping students succeed both in and out of the classroom. The school provides hands on training that combines practical techniques with theoretical knowledge. Thank you to our amazing instructors Amber and Jamie.

 Megan M.

I had such a great experience at Orange County School of Massage! The program was super hands on and that really helped me learn and gain confidence fast. I loved learning everything from massage techniques, anatomy, physiology, business, and spa. The teachers have so much experience and you can tell they genuinely care about their students and students' success. They were always there to answer questions and support us every step of the way. Thanks to Orange County School of Massage, I feel prepared and confident to start my career in massage therapy. I’d definitely recommend Orange County School of Massage to anyone who wants solid training and a supportive environment. I’m truly grateful for the experience and excited to carry what I learned into my new career.

“The BEST schooling out there!!!! most schools don’t typically go one on one with you to get you to your best potential however this school has multiple teachers to work with I personally want to thank Amber, David, and Jamie for making me the best massage therapist I can be”
— Shaina B.