Balance Massage School is now offering continuing education! Check out our offerings:

—> Webinars - TBA

—> Workshops: Shoulder, Spine, & Hip. Next series TBA. Learn more…

—> Musculoskeletal Anatomy Certificate. Learn more…

—> Trauma-Informed Care Training Certificate. TBA

Professional Training Program

Our innovative massage therapy certification program represents a groundbreaking approach to therapeutic bodywork. By integrating foundational massage therapy training approaches with trauma-informed care education, we prepare practitioners for a deeper understanding of the healing potential of therapeutic touch.

Touch is our first sensory experience, developing before all others in the womb. This profound connection makes therapeutic touch a powerful gateway to healing. Our program recognizes that lived experiences reside within the body's tissues and nervous system, influencing how we move through the world, relate to others, and experience health or dis-ease.

Our Unique Approach

The foundation of our program rests on understanding the intricate relationship between touch, relational development, neuroscience, and healing/integration. Students learn to create safe, nurturing environments where clients can experience authentic connection through therapeutic touch. Our curriculum seamlessly integrates anatomical knowledge with cutting-edge neuroscience and trauma-informed approaches.

As Body Therapists, we connect with a person's inner world through touch - the first sense developed in utero. When humans encounter developmental adversity (including complex trauma, rejection, neglect, abuse, mis-attunement, and cultural trauma), the nervous system creates survival patterns for protection.

Massage Therapists are uniquely positioned to cultivate a secure therapeutic environment where clients can experience safety, trust, co-regulation, and compassion - sometimes for the first time. Through skilled therapeutic touch, clients develop greater self-agency as their brains form new neural pathways. This neuroplasticity demonstrates the brain's remarkable ability to adapt and heal by creating new neural connections, even after experiencing significant trauma or stress. This capacity for "rewiring" enables recovery and the development of healthy coping mechanisms throughout life.

Professional Development

The program emphasizes the development of strong therapeutic relationships through understanding co-regulation, cultural competency, and effective client communication. Students learn to create and maintain appropriate professional boundaries while providing compassionate care. This includes understanding when and how to make appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers.

Coursework explores the principles of developmental trauma, neuroplasticity, and attachment theory within the context of bodywork. Students gain practical experience in applying these concepts while maintaining appropriate scope of practice.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of our program are prepared to work in diverse settings, from private practice to integrated healthcare environments. They develop the skills to provide transformative care while honoring the profound responsibility of therapeutic touch. The program's unique integration of trauma-informed education with bodywork techniques positions our graduates as skilled facilitators of healing and regulation.

Join us in discovering the transformative power of trauma-informed, neurobiologically-based therapeutic touch. Together, we can create new possibilities for healing and growth in the field of massage therapy.

Program Details

Program Hours: 700

Class size: limited to 12 students per class (Anatomy & Physiology, fall semester, is slightly larger as a few extra students join us for a refresher)

Tuition: TBA (funding options below - *up to full tuition)

VSAC Grants and Scholarships Available: The VT Student Assistance Corporation offers grants, scholarships, and forgivable loans. Our students are getting 75-100% of their tuition covered by various funds. Apply early!

Licensure: MBLEX-approved curriculum, students may sit for the national licensure exam upon completion of the program.

Payment Options: (A) Lump sum up front or (B) customized payment plan.