500 hour Massage Therapy Certification (CMT): Healing Arts Institute

The state of Colorado requires 500 hours of training to become a Certified Massage Therapist.

Why spend more time in school when you could be earning money?

At the Healing Arts Institute, our practically developed program provides the 500 hours of education, the appropriate amount of training to put you in the field, earning money as quickly as possible. You can then continue to develop your skills with several additional continuing education and advanced programs, so you can specialize your practice while simultaneously putting your skills to work and gaining much needed hands-on experience.

To support this practical training theory, several of our programs are offered in the evening, including the standard 500-hour CMT, so you can continue to work while in training. In fact, you can earn your CMT in the evenings in only eight months!

The CMT Program prepares you to be adept at providing relaxation and corrective massage techniques, giving you a competitive advantage in your new career by being flexible and adaptable enough to work in various environments as you discover your own niche in the industry. Our program combines Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Sports Massage with a BodyMind® approach that helps you communicate therapeutically.

The 500 hour Program meets and exceeds the guidelines of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) if you wish to receive national certification.

Click here to view detailed course information.

Course Title	Hours

Healing Arts Program Orientation	0
We want to introduce you to the exciting field of massage therapy and body work. The seminar gives an overview of our program and what to expect as a student. It helps you focus and clarify your goals by asking essential questions that are specific to this field. *Required before the start of the program.*
Therapeutic Development	16
This course offers special learning tools that help you do your best while you are in school. We teach you how to recognize and best use your unique learning style, reduce test anxiety, stay upbeat and positive under pressure, and increase your performance. The sooner you have a career plan, the better off you will be. By clarifying goals and recognizing and removing obstacles to success, we help you understand how to create a therapeutic practice that mutually benefits yourself and your future clients. Customer service and rapport building exercises help you develop skills that encourage open communication and trust in a therapeutic relationship. This is one of the secrets of success in this field. When you graduate and become a professional therapist, you will find that recognizing and tracking client's learning styles and creating comfortable rapport will help you to match the right therapy to the situation. Must be taken in the first semester of classes. "I learned how I can learn easily and help others to learn. I let go of a lot of fears that have stopped me for the majority of my life." - J. St. John, CMT
Movement & Body Awareness	36
Movement Therapy techniques are blended into our program so you'll know how to apply pressure without putting strain on your own body. Our instructors work with you to adjust your posture, so you have a better understanding and "felt sense" of what correct posture is. HAI takes it a step further by teaching you how to apply these techniques for the benefit of you and your clients. You'll find that performing massage therapy with the correct mechanics reduces the chance of injury. It takes less energy and provides you with the foundation for a long and rewarding career in massage. Course also covers the scientific principles of movement kinesiology, the physiology of breathing, proper mechanics for On-Site (chair) massage and patient transfer from wheelchair to table. *Prerequisite: Massage 1 or Concurrent Attendance.*
Professional Massage 1	50
This is the introduction to the field of massage. You will quickly develop the quality of your touch by focusing on texture, tone, tightness and the temperature of the people you work on. By the end of class, you will understand what it is like to be a massage therapist and be able to perform a complete full body Swedish massage. Other topics covered: anatomy, movement theory, body mechanics, contra-indications, physiological benefits of massage, sanitation, hygiene, draping, oils/lotions and professional ethics. *Prerequisite: Healing Arts Program Orientation.*
Professional Massage 2	54
This course teaches you advanced integrative techniques. Students will learn how to apply the proper use of contact, rhythm, and pressure, along with assessment skills to assist in choosing the type of massage a client needs in the moment. You will learn acupressure, pregnancy massage, explore client therapist relationships, more anatomy, stretching, energy work and integrative massage. *Prerequisite: Massage 1, Movement & Body Awareness or Concurrent Attendance.*
Professional Massage 3	40
In this class you will learn cross fiber manipulation, hydrotherapy, ice massage, vascular flushing, and more anatomy and pathology. In addition, we will teach you how to develop therapeutic regimens, present case studies, and help you focus on clinical outcomes so you are more comfortable working with doctors, chiropractors and other medical professionals. *Prerequisite: Sports Massage, Anatomy 2, Body Insight 3.*
Sports Massage	35
Knowledge of preventative techniques for potential sports injuries gives you a competitive advantage in the field. You will learn the importance of pre and post event massage, flushing, and deep tissue neuromuscular techniques in the promotion of quick recovery from injuries. Additional topics covered: anatomical and pathological syndromes and conditions, multidirectional cross fiber muscle work, deep fascial release, and treatment protocols. *Prerequisites: Massage 2*
Anatomy 1	25
We teach Anatomy from a functional viewpoint, helping you understand how tissues work together to support the body's performance and what happens when disease or injury creates dysfunction. This course gives the student an understanding of human musculoskeletal anatomy in a fun and experiential way using hands-on tools like Maniken® clay models and involves palpation of muscles and bony landmarks. It is designed in easy understandable sections that directly relate to our massage and bodywork classes. "A very understandable and enjoyable method as far as introducing (Anatomy). Totally non threatening method of learning." - J. Vukodinovich, CMT
Anatomy 2	25
This course will build on the learning's received in the introductory Anatomy 1 course to assist you in mastering the field of massage and bodywork. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the structure, function, movement, & mechanical relationships of muscles, bones & connective tissue, and the pathology of common neuromuscular conditions. *Prerequisite: Anatomy 1*
Physiology 1	25
This class covers the functions of four of the primary tissues of the body: skin, nervous, muscle, and connective. Massage therapists need to understand the physiology of touch and what is happening in the client's body when it is being massaged and manipulated. Students will explore how the nervous system responds to touch and the effects of stress and stress relief. In addition, you will learn how muscles contract and relax, the role connective tissue plays in every area of the body, and why massage is indicated or contraindicated in certain conditions.
Physiology 2	25
Study of the systems of the body in both health and disease is the basis of this course. Systems focused on: skeletal, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive. Students will build on the functional understanding they gained in Physiology 1 and work on detailed presentations of chosen pathologies. This will enable them to make informed judgments about the most appropriate course of bodywork treatment for each client and enhance their confidence when speaking with health care professionals when the need arises. *Prerequisite: Physiology 1*
Business Development	24
Whether you plan to develop a private practice or to work for others, we help you discover how to create a successful massage or bodywork business that fits your life. You will learn how to market the benefits of your work, develop a business plan, keep proper books, receipts and tax records, tax deduction advantages of being self-employed, how to bill insurance companies, and an array of advertising, presentation, and self-promotion techniques. In addition, we teach the skills and techniques necessary to gain employment. *Prerequisite: Therapeutic Development*
Body Insight® Level 1	35
Only the Healing Arts Institute offers this unique method. The deep soft tissue manipulation of the Body Insight® Method releases long held patterns of tension, trauma, and emotion. It is a style designed to effect change within postural imbalance, injury, and coordination difficulties. Its integrated BodyMind® approach demonstrates how symptoms often mask the underlying reasons for pain and disease. This course focuses on neuromuscular soft tissue manipulation, physiology and pathologies of the upper body. Included are assessment techniques, postural observation and proper manipulation to rebalance the body and reorganize muscle function. *Prerequisites: Massage 1, Anatomy 2; or Concurrent Attendance.* "Body Insight® brings a whole new understanding to your body. When I share this with my clients, it's like a light bulb turns on in their heads" - A. Euresti, CMT
Body Insight® Level 2	35
This course continues to build on the basic skills offered in Body Insight® 1. Students will learn neuromuscular soft-tissue bodywork that focuses on the lower body and develop sessions that integrate massage with the breakthrough Body Insight® method. *Prerequisite: Body Insight® 1*
Body Insight® Level 3	30
This course offers advanced session formats using the Body Insight® method to help you clarify and focus on client needs. Specific anatomy, physiology, pathology and intervention techniques are taught to correct common musculoskeletal postural dysfunction. It combines communication skills and bodywork, improving your ability to understand the underlying pathological factors that are involved in health and disease. Methods demonstrated help you create treatment plans utilizing a systematic approach of assessment, manipulation, stretching and exercise. *Prerequisite: Body Insight® 2* "I'm very interested in the Body Insight® work, especially the excellent dialogue techniques." - P. Curtis, CMT
Student Clinic	45
Students receive supervised guidance and practice in a clinical setting working with the general public. Instruction will be given on charting, intake, clinical procedures and client therapist relationships. Enhances confidence levels in dealing with the varied types of situations that arise in a massage practice. *Prerequisite: HAI Orientation, Massage 1&2, Movement and Body Awareness, Anatomy 1&2, Body Insight® 1&2, Physiology 1, Therapeutic Development, Business Development & Student Clinic Orientation.*

Total:	500