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Atlanta Massage Therapy Certification Course Descriptions

Swedish Massage & Deep Tissue Therapy Certification Course

The most widely practiced style of massage therapy in the United States today...

• The style Atlanta School of Massage introduced to Georgia in 1980
• The style we've perfected over the last 25 years
• The style that over 13,000 clinic patrons requested from us last year alone
• ...and the core of our massage therapy certification curriculum.

Introductory classes in Anatomy, Physiology, Touch, and Body Mechanics allow the new student to confidently step into the world of the massage therapist. This strong foundation includes a first look at the terminology commonly used in the profession, prepares you to perform Swedish massage both safely and effectively, and facilitates an enjoyable learning experience. The Classical Swedish Massage technique, incorporating effleurage, petrissage, friction, vibration, tapotement, and joint movements is presented. Students develop a full-body routine specifically designed to increase range of motion, reduce stiffness, and stretch connective tissues in order to help their clients achieve a greater sense of relaxation. The superior Swedish Massage skills you develop enable you to advance to our next level of study, an Integrated Approach To Deep Tissue Therapy, the Signature Style of Bodywork developed at Atlanta School of Massage.

The primary goal of any Deep Tissue style of massage is to restore balance to the body by affecting the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. While techniques may vary, the objective remains the same: to relax and lengthen restricted tissues. By combining superior technique with our Client Centered Approach, Atlanta School of Massage takes Deep Tissue Therapy to another level. The following advanced massage techniques are included in our Integrated Approach to Deep Tissue Therapy:

• Polarity
• Therapeutic Touch
• Cross Fiber
• Deep Transverse Friction
• Assisted Massage (combines massage with movement)
• Deep Tissue (gliding style)
• Connective Tissue

Our experience has shown that you can greatly enhance the results of the Deep Tissue technique by emphasizing the Client Centered Approach. Increased awareness and attention to detail allow the client-centered therapist to detect the subtle changes many therapists miss. Long held tension patterns dissolve when a skilled therapist accesses the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue and identifies the dysfunctional fibers. Clients report increased relaxation, pain reduction, better posture and more flexibility as some of the long lasting benefits provided by this style of massage.

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Spa Therapies Certification Course

Atlanta School of Massage prepares you to enter the fastest growing area of the massage therapy job market. Spa Therapies classes teach you to develop individualized massage and spa treatment sessions. Spa history, theories, and therapeutic benefits will be discussed along with promotion and pricing. You will learn to operate and care for spa equipment, develop treatment plans, and practice creating custom treatments and corresponding spa menus.

This course includes hands-on labs conducted in our teaching clinic and is designed to train students in a comprehensive selection of body treatments. You will review indications, contraindications, therapeutic effectiveness, and treatment protocols for the most popular spa therapies offered in the United States.

• Exfoliation: Body Polish / Salt Glow
• Aromawrap
• Body Masques: Thallasotherapy / Pelotherapy
• Back Treatment

Additional classes in Aromatherapy and Hydrotherapy round out your Spa Therapies training. Aromatherapy classes present the art and science of using natural essential oils to aid health and beauty. You will examine the benefits, effects, and individual healing properties of each essential oil so that you can safely create custom-aromatic blends for calming or energizing effects. Hydrotherapy classes introduce the thermodynamics of heat and cold on body tissues and function. You will learn to appropriately apply water, ice therapies, and moist heat therapies.

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Neuromuscular Therapy Certification Course

Neuromuscular Therapy is a system of soft tissue manipulation that addresses the underlying causes of pain, not just the symptoms. An accomplished neuromuscular therapist interprets the effects of the following internal and external factors, which often create irregular activity in the central nervous system that leads to pain and dysfunction:

• Postural Distortion/Dysfunctional Biomechanics
• Reduced Circulation
• Trigger Points
• Nerve Impingement/Tension
• Somatovisceral/Viscerosomatic Reflexes
• Trauma

In this massage therapy certification course, you will study the physiology of each of the factors on this list. Atlanta School of Massage teaches you to match the physiology of each condition with the physiological effect of your technique. The ability to choose the appropriate massage technique allows our graduates to maximize the effects of their treatment.

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Seated Massage Therapy Certification Course

An American Massage Therapy Association poll of its members revealed that seated massage represents the largest untapped area of the massage market. Atlanta School of Massage has included a comprehensive certification course that teaches you to integrate the skills you learn throughout the program into a seated massage routine. Seated massage is portable and allows you to work in a wide array of public settings:

• Trade Shows
• Salons
• Airports
• Malls
• Outdoor Festivals
• Corporate Offices

Seated massage gives you the opportunity to revisit techniques previously mastered and explores new ways to apply them. It provides you with access to clients who do not receive table massage and expands your ability to earn money. Atlanta School of Massage teaches you how to tap into the corporate market. A seated massage contract with a business, rather than an individual, can provide you with a steady stream of clients to bolster your revenue.

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Reflexology Certification Course

The Reflexology Certification Course introduces you to a 5,000-year-old method of treatment that is becoming increasingly popular with today's massage and spa clients. Skillfully applying thumb and finger pressure to the feet creates reflex effects that stimulate the natural tendency of the body to rebalance and heal itself. Restoring balance to the body can help relieve stress, relax tension and improve circulation. You will learn to perform a comprehensive reflexology routine, an aromatic reflexology treatment and to integrate the skills into full body massage sessions.

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