Courses leading to Certification: An Overview

At the School of Shiatsu and Massage, you can earn 100-, 300-, 500- and 1000-hour Certificates.

A minimum of 100 hours of training is required for a Practitioner certificate in the land modalities. Our courses introduce concepts and skills that provide a foundation fundamental to all other forms of bodywork, and which are expanded upon in other classes. To become a proficient bodyworker, it is reasonable to estimate 500 to 1000 hours of training and a year’s worth of practice.

After completing 500 hours of training and demonstrating proficiency, you receive a Bodywork Therapist certificate, as a certified Massage Therapist, Shiatsu Therapist or Watsu Therapist. When you have completed 1000 hours, you receive an Advanced Bodywork Therapist Certificate or an Aquatic Bodyworker Certificate.

Prior to registering for classes with the School, students are encouraged to check with their local state, city and/or county ordinances for licensing requirements and the number of hours they require in bodywork training in order to set up practice within these areas.

Certificate Requirements
You can tailor most of our certificate courses to suit your interests, as long as you participate in all required classes and choose from our wide range of land and water electives. Note also that you can take a water class as an elective in some of our land certificate courses. To jump directly to the requirements for each certification course, you may click on the course names in the summary list above. To see descriptions of each course, you may click on the course name.

Individual Classes
Many of the classes offered by the School of Shiatsu and Massage can be taken individually for personal growth, enrichment, to further enhance your career and to receive CE contact hours. All that is required of you is to observe the prerequisites that are listed under each specific class description as you “dive in” to the individual classes of your choice!

Tuition for most courses includes indoor/outdoor camping and all meals. Class materials and applicable taxes are additional.

Land Certification Courses

Bodywork Practitioner Certificates (100 hours)

Massage Practitioner
Choose one of the following 100-hour combinations:
• Massage Intensive
• Massage 100
• Therapeutic Massage 1 and Therapeutic Massage 2*

Shiatsu Practitioner
• Shiatsu 1
• Shiatsu 2

Deep Tissue Practitioner*
• Deep Tissue 1
• Deep Tissue 2

* Prerequisites required

Advanced Bodywork Practitioner Certificate (300 hours)

The Advanced Bodywork Practitioner certificate course was developed for practitioners who seek to integrate a variety of modalities in their work. It provides a thorough foundation in massage techniques incorporating Swedish Esalen-style, Deep Tissue, and applied Anatomy.

Required Massage Classes: 150 hours
Choose either of the following 100-hour combinations:
• Massage Intensive
• Massage 100
• Therapeutic Massage 1 and Therapeutic Massage 2 *

Required Anatomy: 50 hours

Electives: 150 hours
Respecting prerequisites and required course work, choose 150 land hours from the list of electives below.

* Prerequisites required

Bodywork Therapist Certificates (500 hours)

Cost: between $8,000* plus class materials and applicable taxes: includes all meals and indoor or outdoor camping.

While each state and even each city has the right to set the minimum number of hours from a certified school required to practice massage, the standard for entry level in the massage profession has become the 500-hour certificate. In order to apply for National Certification, 500 hours of documented training is required.

We offer two distinct paths: the Western approach with the Massage Therapist certificate, and the Eastern approach with the Shiatsu Therapist certificate. The 500-hour course also is a great way to supplement whatever basic training you may have already received and in many cases your previous training can be transferred into this program.

Massage Therapist

Required Massage Classes: 250 hours
Choose either of the following 100-hour combinations:
• Massage Intensive
• Massage 100
• Therapeutic Massage 1 and Therapeutic Massage 2*

Add 150 hours from the following:
• Advanced Therapeutic Massage> • Energy Active Craniosacral 1 & 2
• Deep Tissue 1 and 2
• Lymphatic Massage
• Sports Massage

Required Anatomy: 150 hours                  • Essential Business Skills*
• Living Anatomy 1, Bones and Muscles             • Pathology for Bodyworkers*
• Living Anatomy 2, Body Systems                       • Trust in Touch*
                                                                                      * 16.67 hour Weekend Classes

Electives: 100 hours
Respecting prerequisites and course requirements, choose 100 hours from the list of electives below.

Shiatsu Therapist

Required Classes: 250 hours Eastern Bodywork
• Shiatsu 1, 2, and 3
• Living Anatomy 1, Bones and Muscles
• Living Anatomy 2, Body Systems

Electives: 100 hours
Respecting prerequisites and course requirements, choose 100 hours from the list of electives below.

Advanced Bodywork Therapist (1000 hours)

Cost: between $14,000 and $17,000* plus class materials and applicable taxes: includes all meals and indoor or outdoor camping.

If you wish to increase your specialty with additional advanced bodywork training, then this certification course is for you!

Complete the requirements for the Bodywork Therapist certificate as a Massage or Shiatsu Therapist and then follow it up with an additional 500 hours, choosing freely from the land and water electives.

* Tuition is dependent on your choice of electives. It will be less if you audit some classes and/or transfer in outside credits. Up to 200 hours may be repeated as audits.

Water Certification Courses

Watsu Provider (320 hours) New in 2006!

Holders of this certificate would be authorized to provide Watsu sessions to the clients of spas, clinics and sports clubs. Those being registered as a Watsu Provider acknowledge that their status is that of an intern and requires an annual renewal with 50 hours of continuing education until they complete all requirements to be a Watsu Therapist or to be registered as a Watsu Practitioner through WABA. They would be registered alongside those who are already professionals licensed to work with the body.

Required Watsu Classes: 100 hours
• Watsu 1
• Watsu 2
Required Land Classes: 200 hours
• 50 hours of Shiatsu
• 100 hours of Anatomy (Anatomy 1 and Anatomy 2)
• 50 hours of any other kind of bodywork (including Aquatic)

Required Practicum: 20 hours
• 20 logged practice sessions
• Demonstration of Competence (Mastery)

Those being registered as a Watsu Provider acknowledge that their status is that of an intern and requires an annual renewal with 50 hours of continuing education until they complete all requirements to be registered as a Watsu Therapist.

Tuition and hours may be less if a student audits a class and/or transfers class hours.
Received sessions can range from no fee / trade to $150 per session at high end spas.

Watsu Therapist (530 hours)

The Watsu Therapist course provides you with extensive training in aquatic bodywork, combined with sound knowledge of principles of Shiatsu and Tantsu. It prepares you to combine and choose from different techniques to give professional sessions to your clientele. Please call us for details.

Required Watsu Classes: 150 hours
• Watsu 1
• Watsu 2 with Demonstration of Mastery
• Watsu 3 or Adaptive Watsu 3

Required Land Classes: 250 hours
• 100 hours of Shiatsu
• Living Anatomy 1, Bones and Muscles            • Essential Business Skills*
• Living Anatomy 2, Body Systems                      • Pathology for Bodyworkers*
                                                                                      • Trust in Touch*
                                                                                      * 16.67 hour Weekend Classes

Required Electives: 100 hours
Respecting prerequisites and course requirements, choose 100 hours from the water electives listed below.

Required Practicum: 30 hours
• 10 received sessions from Professional Watsu Practitioners
• 20 practice sessions

Additional Requirements
• CPR Certification

* Tuition and hours may be less if a student audits a class and/or transfers class hours. Up to 100 aquatic class hours may be repeated as audits.
Received sessions can range from no fee / trade to $150 per session at high end spas.

Waterdance Practitioner (150 hours)

This course is recommended if you are already a Watsu professional and wish to offer your clients a session in which they can experience being stretched and moved while their body is gently and repeatedly taken entirely under water.

Prerequisites: Watsu Professional

Required Classes:
• Waterdance 1, 2 and 3
The 150 hours of Waterdance 1, 2 and 3 can be taken as the required electives of the Watsu Therapist Course.

Aquatic Bodyworker (1000 hours)

This extensive program offers the aquatic bodywork student a wide variety of applications to fully experience and integrate profound healing and multi-level therapeutic benefits with confidence and creativity.

Required Water Classes: 350 hours
• Adaptive Watsu: A Clinical Approach
• Basic Healing Dance
• Presence of Being
• Waterdance 1
• Watsu 1
• Watsu 2 with Demonstratin of Mastery
• Watsu 3

Required Land Classes: 250 hours
• Shiatsu 1 and Shiatsu 2
• Living Anatomy 1, Bones and Muscles            • Essential Business Skills*
• Living Anatomy 2, Body Systems                      • Pathology for Bodyworkers*
                                                                                      • Trust in Touch*
                                                                                      * 16.67 hour Weekend Classes

Electives: 400 hours
Respecting prerequisites and course requirements, choose 400 hours from the list of electives below.

*Tuition is dependent on your choice of electives. It will be less if auditing classes.
Up to 200 hours may be audited.

Healing Dance Practitioner (560 hours)

Cost: Betwen $8,700 and $ 12,000*, plus class materials and applicable taxes; includes meals and indoor/outdoor camping. Does not include pool use fee of $70 per water class.

Required Watsu Classes: 250 hours
• Watsu 1
• Watsu 2 with Demonstration of Mastery
• Watsu 3 or Adaptive Watsu 3
• Basic Healing Dance
• Advanced Healing Dance with Demonstration of Mastery

Required Land Classes: 60 hours
• Massage Intensive or Therapeutic Massage 1 & 2
• Living Anatomy 1, Bones and Muscles            • Essential Business Skills*
• Living Anatomy 2, Body Systems                      • Pathology for Bodyworkers*
                                                                                      • Trust in Touch*
                                                                                      * 16.67 hour Weekend Classes

Required Practicum: 60 hours
• 10 received sessions from Professional Watsu Practitioners
• 20 Watsu practice sessions
• 10 Recieved Healing Dance sessions
• 20 Healing Dance practice sessions
Of the 10 received practice sessions:
           • A minimum of 6 must be from Professional Healing Dance Practitioners
           • Up to 4 sessions may be received from peers
           • Up to 2 sessions may be Underwater Healing Dance

Additional Requirements
• CPR Certification

Healing Dance Therapist (180 hours)

Cost: Betwen $2,650 and $ 4,150*, plus class materials and applicable taxes; includes meals and indoor/outdoor camping.

Prerequisites: Healing Dance Practitioner

Required Classes: 150 hours
• Waterdance 1
• Healing Dance Above and Below
• Healing Dace Shape and Space with Demonstration of Mastery

Required Practicum: 30 hours
• 10 received Underwater Healing Dance sessions
• 20 practice Underwater Healing Dance sessions
Of the 10 received practice sessions:
           • A minimum of 6 must be from Professional Healing Dance Practitioners
           • Up to 4 sessions may be received from peers.

Program Electives

All courses at the School of Shiatsu and Massage are 50-clock hours except where noted.

Land Classes

• Advanced Therapeutic Massage
• Anatomy, Bones and Muscles
• Anatomy , Body Systems
• Deep Tissue 1
• Deep Tissue 2
• Energy Active Craniosacral 1
• Energy Active Craniosacral 2
• Fire & Water *
• Lomi - Lomi Massage
• Lymphatic Massage
• Positional Release
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu 1
• Shiatsu 2
• Shiatsu 3
• Sports Massage
• Thai Massage I
• Thai Massage II
• Therapeutic Massage 1
• Therapeutic Massage 2
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Yogassage

Water Classes

• Advanced Healing Dance
• Fire & Water *
• Healing Dance
• Healing Dance Above and Below
• Presence of Being
• Water Breath Dancing
• Waterdance 1
• Waterdance 2
• Waterdance 3
• Watsu 1
• Watsu 2
• Watsu 3
• Watsu 3 Adaptive
• Watsu 4

100-Clock Hour Courses

Land Classes
• Massage 100
• Massage Intensive

16.67-Clock Hour Weekend Courses

Choose any three to fulfill one 50 clock hour elective.

Land Classes
• Core Awareness Training *
• Essential Business Skills *
• Hot Stone Massage
• Pathology for Bodyworkers *
• Shiatsu - Back Care
• Shiatsu - Pain Relief
• Shiatsu - Stress Reduction
• Trust in Touch*

Water Classes
• Basic Watsu
• Trust in Touch*

* May be used as water or land electives.