• Learn massage therapy techniquesmassage & spa image by Solovieva Ekaterina from Fotolia.com
  
  The massage therapy practice uses touch to manipulate soft-tissue muscles to treat painful ailments, relax overworked muscles, rehabilitate sports injuries and to promote general health. Massage therapists in the US may specialize in more than 80 different types of massage, called modalities: Swedish full-body, deep-tissue, and reflexology are a few of the most common practices requiring training in exact techniques. Located just a few minutes north of metro Atlanta, Marietta is one of Atlanta's largest suburbs and a promising place for starting a career in massage. A few miles north of Atlanta and south of the North Georgia Mountains, Marietta provides both a small town and urban environment to students and residents of the area who can enjoy spacious parks, Civil War era streets, old Victorian homes, as well as shopping, schools, hospitals and Atlanta's bustling business center.
  
  

Rising Spirit Institute-Natural Health

• Students may start careers at resorts and spasbeach massage image by paul benefield from Fotolia.com
  
  Founded in 1994 by Drs. Bruce and Martha Costello, Rising Spirit Institute was originally known as the New Life Institute School of Massage Excellence. Drs. Costello wanted a massage therapy institute in the Atlanta area that offered more than a traditional massage program and in 2001 changed the name to reflect the founders vision. The school's curriculum comprises an extensive 750-hour program, increased from the original 500 hours. At Rising Spirit, educators and program administrators look for ways to serve students and the Atlanta area together. Students have the opportunity to work entry-level positions in medical or chiropractic environments and are assisted in finding entry-level work in spas and resorts by completing the school's massage program. Classes start every six weeks.
  
  Rising Spirit Institute-Natural Health
  2275 Northwest Parkway
  Marietta, Georgia 30067
  (770) 956-1550‎; Enrollment (800) 639-7322
  risingspiritinstitute.com
  
  

Everest Institute, Marietta (previously Georgia Medical Institute)

• Learn deep tissue and Swedish massagemassage therapy at the spa image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  The Everest Institute in Marietta is one of more than 90 campuses in the Everest Career Education Network. Students attend Everest by choice, looking to advance or begin careers in one of the schools disciplines. Everest's massage therapy program provides the training needed for graduates to seek professional entry-level employment as massage therapists. The massage therapy curriculum balances clinical skills, technical knowledge, and academic expertise. In addition to training in anatomy and physiology, students learn about seated massage, kinesiology, deep-tissue massage, positioning, and draping. Working with massage therapist professionals, through active classroom discussions and specialized classroom projects with small groups, students train in advanced massage and Swedish full-body massage as well as record keeping and screening techniques. Many graduates of the Everest program look for employment in hospitals, doctors' offices, health spas, fitness centers and rehabilitation centers. Students may complete the program in a year or less. The Everest Institute campus in Marietta comes with fully equipped computer labs, training facilities, and a student lounge and is an accredited institution according to the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Students who need financial assistance may apply for eligibility through Federal Student Aid.
  
  Everest Institute, Marietta (previously Georgia Medical Institute)
  1600 Terrell Mill Road
  Marietta, Georgia 30067
  massageschoolsguide.com/massage_school_marietta_ga.htm
  
  

Sanford-Brown College, Atlanta

• Students study clinical procedures and hands-on techniquesstudent image by Ivanna Buldakova from Fotolia.com
  
  The Advanced Massage Therapy program at Sanford-Brown College-Atlanta (SBC) offers an extensive training and education curriculum for students interested in massage therapy. SBC provides expert instruction in practical and theoretical massage, anatomy, physiology, pathology, ethics, clinical practice and hygiene. The Advance Massage Therapy program considers students' interests in more than traditional massage occupations; the program trains students in therapeutic massage principles, hydrotherapy and allied therapeutic modalities. SBC offers training in massage techniques, the external application of water, heat, cold, topical preparations, and mechanical devices to soothe an injured patient in a hospital or a client massage for sore muscles. The core curriculum is structured to include a lecture component and a clinical component. The final externship portion of the curriculum consists of supervised experiences in a clinical environment, which requires competencies, logs, and evaluations completed by the student. SBC encourages graduates of the program to take the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) certification exam. This nationally recognized certification can enhance employment opportunities and is required in some states for practice.
  
  Sanford-Brown College - Atlanta
  1140 Hammond Drive Suite A-1150
  Atlanta, GA 30328
  sb-atlanta.com