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COMPARE BEFORE YOU BUY

We believe that it important to be as informed as possible when making a decision regarding your future. Growth of massage programs has been explosive in the last ten years. While this gives potential students more opportunities, it is important to understand that not all massage schools and programs are equal. Over the 2 decades that we have been in business, we have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what massage students need to thrive.

Great therapists seamlessly combine the art and science of massage and bodywork. Some of the newer schools focus on the science, but ignore the "heart" in their training
Most massage school students are kinesthetic, meaning that they are "touchy/feely." They are artists at heart who use their instincts and feelings to learn and grow. Schools that do not honor this talent in these students will often discourage their potential.
Teachers must be passionate. Teachers who don't care or don't practice in the field that they teach won't inspire you. HAI has teachers who are practicing therapists and have been with us for almost 20 years.
HAI is a different type of school. We teach you more than just the tools. We teach you the subtle nuances a successful practitioner needs to recognize such as how people embody their stress. Your future clients will be amazed at how you instinctively are able to find their aches and pains and how quickly you are able to provide relief.

Questions you should ask and consider when comparing schools.
What should I consider when choosing a school?

Graduates are respected and sought after by employers.
Have good a "Word of Mouth." One that locals and employers recommend.
Students and Graduates feel good about their experience.
Focuses on building your confidence and self-promotion skills. This field offers endless opportunity for the entrepreneurial person to develop a great lifestyle.
Fits your budget. School loans are great but they need to be paid off. The greater the debt, the longer you will carry the burden.

Is the school dedicated to this profession and to teaching students the skills they need to be successful, or does it focus on quickly producing as many graduates in as many career areas as possible?

A good massage school's mission is to develop the best programming and methods to ensure their graduates success. To do so, it takes a deep understanding by ownership of the field, a willingness to take the time and effort to develop a team of dedicated teachers who practice professionally, and a program that is well thought out, integrated, and produces results. We've learned that it is necessary to honor each of our students with respect and guidance because this is the model they will need to take into the professional world. HAI's owners have over 30 years of experience in delivering this mission.

Types of schools and programs to be concerned about:
Unfortunately, there are schools today that see massage as only a money making venture. You can tell these types of schools because they:

Offer vague or misleading information about their school, or force you to commit before they tell you all you want to know.
Pressure you into making a decision.
Offer you loans without disclosing the full price of the program, won't disclose how much you will have to pay per month and how long you it will take you to pay off the debt.

Medical career schools and community colleges
- Massage is one of many career tracks. There is a good chance that it is not the school's passion and lacks knowledgeable direction from above.
- Classes may be can be thrown together without any real understanding of the field.
- You may find yourself placed in classes with students from various career tracks that have no interest in massage. The subjects taught often lack the integration that a massage student needs to understand the profession.
- Massage therapists teach a small percentage of the courses. It is difficult to learn about a field when many of your teachers have no experience.
Online Education
- Can you REALLY TEACH hands-on instruction without observing and experiencing the students touch skills?
- Can you REALLY LEARN hands-on instruction without supervised instruction?
- Bad body mechanics are the #1 reason for quitting the profession. Poor training leads to all kinds of repetitive stress problems
- Bad habits will develop when you do not have supervised guidance at the beginning of your training. Intensives offered at the end of your online training are often too late to correct poor body mechanics that have already become habits.
- Not all of on-line programs are approved by the state you live in. You may end up with a worthless piece of paper. Make sure you verify with your state that the education qualifies.
Associates Degree Programs
- CREDITS FROM MANY VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE NOT ACCEPTED BY MANY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES!
- Transfer of credit is at the discretion of the university you are applying to. Unless the program is very sound and the school has reciprocity with a reputable university, most schools do not perceive an associates degree from a business school as synonymous with their education. Your degree may not be used for a step up to a higher degree. Some schools will only accept in a small percentage of your credits.
- Students and parents are ADVISED to do yourself a favor and call local universities and find out if they transfer in credit from the program you are considering. It is very frustrating to waste time and money.
- When choosing a school, know what the state requirements for practice. The national average is 500 CONTACT HOURS. Associates degree programs can take up to two years to complete and require you to attend thousands of contact hours. These programs require you to study topics that have no relevance to practicing massage.

Why do some schools and programs cost so much?
HAI's owners have worked since 1991 to keep tuition costs fair and reasonable. We've offered flexible payment plans, no interest loans that have not raised the prices for the rest of the student body. Many schools offering federal guaranteed loans charge much higher tuition.

Why don't we require more than 600 hours?
We feel the space fills the time allotted. Many graduates are well prepared at this level. We let you choose and focus on the continuing education you want rather than sitting through classes that may or may not be of interest. HAI lets you focus now on what you want. Bottom line is that there's no wasted time or money.

Does the school treat you like a number, or does it provide caring support and individualized attention?

HAI goes to great lengths to welcome and acclimate new students into our programs. Each course builds on the previous ones to smoothly integrate your experience. They are designed to help you to efficiently embody the skills so you can succeed in school and in the profession. We offer counseling while you are in school and classes that help you:

Learn how you naturally learn
Get results
Grow personally
Develop your people skills
Develop you as a professional therapist
Manage stress and stay resourceful

Are the teachers experienced, professional and dedicated practitioners of massage therapy?
At HAI, all of our teachers have their own private practices or work in clinical settings. They are graduates of HAI and are comfortable within the system. They share the unique experience of what you are not only going through, but also what you will experience when you start your profession.

Comments from HAI students:

Will the school empower you to be an exceptional practitioner with skills that are above and beyond the ordinary?
HAI is unique. Our Massage Therapy Program includes Body Insight™, a breakthrough deep tissue approach you simply cannot get at other schools. This unique neuromuscular method is focused on the relationship of the mind and body by exploring how stress is internalized in the muscles and how to target these muscles to release stress. You'll be able to utilize movement during the corrective manipulation to help re-educate the client about correct movement and posture, returning proper function faster than classic corrective therapy. Once you master Body Insight™, you'll have a distinct advantage over many other therapists because you'll create real, lasting results with your clients.

Don't Be Rushed Into a Decision!

You might regret it.
Find a school that feels right. If you don't feel good in the environment or you dread going to school.
High tuition does not necessarily mean a better school
Quality is a function of the people running the school. If it feels supportive, it probably is. If it feels corporate and you feel pressured to sign on the dotted line, it tells you what the school really cares about.
Make the choice for yourself. While well-meaning friends and family can be supportive, they can also apply pressure. Stand up for what feels right for you. After all, it is your career.
Does it offer a philosophy that is more than just getting you a job? Is it focused on helping you to be a better person? Does it care about you?

Does the school offer a well designed, integrated program?

We start your education by integrating movement awareness with massage skills. The quicker you learn proper habits, the less chance you will experience pain or injury. Beginning classes focus you on clarifying and setting goals for success in the program and for your future therapeutic and business practice. We help you discover your learning style to best use it to master the material and access resources inside of you that you may have not been aware of to help you relieve test and performance anxiety. Your confidence builds as we teach you techniques such as Body Insight™, Sports Massage, and Hydrotherapy, that quickly relieve pain and promote healing. The student clinic is the place where you put it all together. In this supervised setting, you receive personal coaching and real client feedback. The techniques you have learned in the program become integrated in such a way that they become second nature. The whole package of people skills, therapeutic techniques, client education health education plans combine in a way that surprises many at the ease of mastery they have experienced. In addition you are trained to be flexible and responsive to your clients' needs, whether it is a relaxation massage, a corrective bodywork session, or a combination massage that is so popular at many spas today.

HEALING ARTS INSTITUTE, FORT COLLINS SCHOOL OF MASSAGE is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and is approved and regulated by the Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools, Department of Higher Education for MASSAGE THERAPY SCHOOLS COLORADO PROGRAMS.

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