VSBM offers both full-time and part-time programs in bodywork, massage, and yoga for those wishing…read moreto become certified in these industries. For prospective students or those wishing to explore massage for personal use, a 12-hour introductory program is offered several times during the year. This review is for the weekend massage workshop. I participated in the course this past weekend as I have been considering a career change. The class contained 12 students of varying ages and interests. The school is located in a historic building in Gastown overlooking the steam clock. The instructor was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, making it comfortable for everyone. Over the two days we practiced swedish massage techniques and learned the basics in order to perform a full body massage. The course is very hands-on and you immediately begin practicing massage on other students. After finishing the class, it made me decide to enroll in the full-time 18 week spa therapy program beginning next week. For all my fellow yelpers seeking a free massage in the coming months, make sure to friend me so I can let you know when I need a body to train on!

My review is for the Introduction to Massage Weekend workshop…read more I had a Groupon, so the value was fantastic. Even at regular price, I felt the workshop had good value. This is for the serious participant who is interested in learning massage techniques to comfortably and effectively give a simple, Swedish style massage. The course is pleasant and relaxed - my co-students and I were all the eager to learn and share their skills. The instructor and assistant were both welcoming, easy to follow and they kept everything right in schedule. Our class was oddly numbered, so there would have to be a group of three. The instructors rotated the students so that no one would always work in a group of three. In fact, we changed partners regularly, as this is helpful in learning as participant feedback helps build practical skill. My only quibble - I felt the class had too many participants for the space. Maybe cap the class at 4 less people. Otherwise, I highly recommend the Introductory workshop.

This review is for The Mend, the student-run massage clinic at the VCMT. I found out about their…read morereasonably priced offerings on a thread in r/Vancouver and decided to give them a try. They offer 75 min long massages for $35 and $45, depending on if you go with an intermediate or advanced student respectively. I sprung for the $45 and really enjoyed my experience with Stella. She was super professional and addressed my concerns about my recurring shoulder and lower back pain adequately. The massage includes a 10-15 minute assessment at the beginning, as well as a reassessment at the end to gauge the scope of your concerns. You end up with about 50-60 mins of actual massage time, which is pretty solid for $35/$45. I'd recommend The Mend to anyone looking for a solid massage, especially if you're running low on coverage and have to pay out of pocket.

A month ago, an article or ad popped up on my Facebook feed about this massage college downtown and…read morehow one can book inexpensive massages with the students there. I was immediately intrigued, as I am plagued by back pains and other aches and pains associated with getting old. (As I always say, getting old sure ain't for sissies! lol). Since first learning of this place, I've booked weekly massages, and I've been there four times, with appointments on the books for a few more in the next few weeks. Needless to say, I am a fan. Here's the scoop: there are few levels of students you can choose from (beginner or advanced). The beginners stick to relaxation or Swedish massages, whereas the advanced can focus on deep tissue techniques, or do sports or pregnancy massages, or other specialty techniques. Beginners cost $35; advanced, $45. The actual session includes 10 minutes of initial consultation where the student goes over your history, evaluates your preferences and the condition you are in, and figures out a massage plan with you. (They then will leave the room to briefly go over their findings and recommendations with their supervisor outside, who will approve or tweak their plans. This is when you ready for the massage and undress to the level you are comfortable with. I should add that the rooms are small but immaculate, primarily occupied by the massage table. There are no windows, and the walls are painted a cool grey, with a small, circular mural on one wall. I liked how they always have a heating pad - I love heat! - and they alway put pads under my shoulders, which I've never had done before but it makes a difference. I am always super comfortable there and could honestly fall asleep!). The massages themself last 50-55 minutes. Of course, each practitioner is different. I've seen three now and like them all. They all helped me a lot, and my back was better after each massage. And, bonus, they each helped my headaches too! After each massage, the student then goes over some home-care recommendations for you (i.e., stretches and exercises they think will help you), and some practitioners will give you a discount card for 15% off your next massage with them. (I like that!). One of the students I saw did not give me the discount card for a future visit, nor did she hand me a paper with her recommended exercises and stretches (as the other students had done). two students emailed me a few days post-massage to see how I was doing; the other did not. One student emailed me a booklet about pain and stressors and how to effectively deal with them (including various exercises and stretches). I say this to let you know that all the students are VERY different in how they operate. The only consistency I see, in my experience, is that they all gave me a good massage. And, in my experience here, the beginner student gave me as good a massage as the advanced students. So... go know. It is easy to book massages online on their website, and the receptionist is a sweetheart. And they are always prompt, like, to the minute. For someone like me, with chronic issues, it's really been a godsend to find a place like this.

The therapy would be rated higher, but the environment brings it down to 3. If I was going for a…read more"relaxing massage", the same ambience would bring it closer to a 1, because it's hard to relax with so many things going on. But I don't know where else I can get shiatsu for so cheap. Shiatsu ('finger pressure') is a therapy widely accepted in Japan, just as much as Acupuncture. Here, I've heard it described as Acupressure, which is a pretty good explanation: it's based on the same pressure point system, but they are pushed, not punctured. This practitioner has decided to brand it "Shiatsupractor", which would be a good name, once they get enough people here to be aware that it's actual therapy, just as much as Chiropractors (not just a "relaxing massage"). Unfortunately, MSP and insurance companies don't subsidize it yet (I think). Their website makes me think that the North Van location is the main school, and this is the satellite practicum location for their students. I was happy to get a 80-minute session with a student (about 50% off a graduated Practitioner price), and she seemed to know what she was doing. I think a large part of the student being so much cheaper is the room. It's not actually a room, just partitioned off from the entryway and the reception. During your session, you can't see the people there, but can definitely hear them. There is an actual room with a door for full-price-paying patients, but I could hear them talking in there. So I wouldn't count on silence there, either. Maybe the North Van location is better... but it's less convenient for me, so I doubt I will go there. Those two seem to be the official school locations, but they have affiliated locations operated by graduates (in Lansdowne Mall, for example).

I've had many competent shiatsu treatments in Japan. If you want decent shiatsu don't go to…read morestudents and stay away from highly commercialized clinics. Not just anyone can give a good shiatsu treatment, even after training. Post-grad shiatsu employees get $20/hr before taxes for their labour. That is basically a slave wage for giving a treatment that requires great physical effort and years of training and practice. Students provide a free labor force. If you want a good treatment get it from a talented practitioner who runs their own business, who learned in Japan and has been giving treatments for at least ten years.

Based on my and my husbands experiences today, I highly recommend this clinic for those wanting an…read moreRMT. We initially booked for an appointment for May but I messed that up - the clinic was so thorough and transparent and helped us through the process. To cut the long story short, they were professional, understanding and non-judgemental. And I sincerely thank them for that experience. I had Isabelle as my therapist - she was kind, gentle and professional. I told her where I needed help and she focused on those areas. We had a lovely conversation and I felt very relaxed. I almost fell off to sleep - for me, this is when I know my body is relaxed and is being healed. My husband felt the same with his therapist. We are both very content and will be going back very soon. I also want to say a big thank you to Chris and his excellent leadership. I think the team are in very good hands and fortunate to have him as their Manager. He greets you with a smile and sends you away with an even bigger one!

Excellent Kyrill is amazing, professional and knowledgeable…read more They do direct billing which is a plus Five Stars

My daughter had a terrible experience at Blanche Macdonald. She was dealing with mental health…read morechallenges and received NO real support from the school. When she reached out for help and understanding the response from Pamela was consistently dismissive, lacking both empathy and any practical solutions. After being rushed through the admission process without properly being informed about the timing and processing of student loans all during a period of disrupted mail service my daughter was left financially unprepared and this added unnecessary pressure. She made several attempts to connect with financial department however went weeks before any sort of reply. Despite being very upfront about commuting from Vancouver Island we were reassured that this wouldn't be an issue, Blanche claimed other students had done it before. However when ferries were shut down or delays occurred- things entirely out of her control there was zero understanding or flexibility. No accommodations were made and attendance policies were rigid to the point of being punitive. This school and program operates as if students don't have lives or challenges outside of the classroom. The serious lack of compassion, poor communication, and inflexible structure make it a deeply flawed and poorly managed institution. I would NEVER recommend Blanche Macdonald to anyone - especially students who may need even the slightest amount of support.

My review is purely for the Facial service here by the students that I had last month in January…read more It's going to have both good and bad highlights, but overall I was very happy and I would return. Just a quick note: if you are very shy about being in groups of people, or want a private room to yourself with an esthetician, then this environment may not be for you. PS, I am in no way affiliated with Blanche, nor do I study at Blanche. I don't even work in beauty. My best beauty routine is putting on lipstick and running out the door with uncombed hair. Anyway, I was searching on the internet for "cheap facials" because I like to be very frugral, and when I asked around on Facebook where I could find cheap facials, people told me to search up beauty schools for student facials. Since these are students, you're going to have realize they do make mistakes and are learning. For example, while I was getting my facial done, other estheticians (and maybe mine too) were dropping stuff. It kind of breaks the peaceful atmosphere, but I'm not going to fault anyone for it. They're training on the job and maybe they're a little nervous. We were all once students too. The Good: * $30 for a 90 minute facial, total comes to $31.50 after tax. I left a $5 tip for the student, although I don't know if other clients tipped. * professional receptionists at the front, left me phone reminders for the appointment * had a polite and friendly esthetician student The Not-So-Good: * you are led into a shared room full of other women (not your own room) for your facial. These other women are getting facials and massages. Anyway it was a bit of a surprise to see this, but not a big deal for me * no real changing room, you change in the washroom and they give you a shallow small basket to put your clothes into. Summary: Overall, don't be so picky here when you're paying $30 for a facial. Professional spas out there are charging $70 - $120 for 90 minutes. So you're getting an excellent deal and you're aware that these are students in training. The esthetician student was excellent and very nice, so I would say I would definitely return. As for body massages, maybe when I feel more confident about my body before I enter the group room for that. :)

I had a haircut on 11/30/18 by Matt and since then I have only received great compliments on the…read morecut. Matt gave a great cut and checked in with the instructor entire time to make sure that I was going to be happy with the cut and look. It did take longer than my usual haircut time but I knew that seeing a student it would be a learning experience and of course it would take some extra time. I have double crowns and it was a first for Matt to work with & double crowns will even stump seasoned barbers. I'd go back to see Matt at the school and to his future locations.

I took the Nail Technology course here 7/8 years ago, and thought the staff were fantastic!…read moreThey took the time to help me if I was having a problem with a certain section of the course, and made me feel like they cared if I actually succeeded or not, which was a nice change. I had taken a makeup course in a different school and had left there feeling like I had just been a cash grab for them. Great vibe in this place.

A very nice massage but they leave you outside a very large office building (not in a great area)…read moreuntil appt time. It was raining and cold as usual with no place to wait. You have to use an intercom system to enter which I had to try several times to only receive a phone message.

If you are looking for a registered massage therapist in order to get medical insurance coverage…read moreand reimbursement Oceana has limited options. Of their 7 therapists, only 1 is an RMT. Their certified bodyworkers charge the same rates as register massage therapist - $150 for 75 mins, $125 for 60 min massage. Normally certified bodyworkers at other establishments charge $80-$100 an hour. Example: Barefoot Oasis Spa 1 block away only charges $80 an hour. So while they are clean and professional, my qualm is that they are way over priced for bodywork service they provide. Tip: Make sure you shop around on price and quality.

This was my second visit and I gave it a couple of weeks before I wrote this. The haircut I…read morereceived sort of wrecked my hair. I wanted to keep some length and when the instructor was there we agreed upon a length for the back and to angle the sides down. I was told there would be no layering in the front, a bit in the back. Needless to say it is very layered and wayyy shorter than agreed upon. They knew I wasn't happy and did nothing about it. What an unpleasant experience that I will get to remember for a long time as it will take awhile before I can do anything with my hair, I will be asking where the hairdressers are trained the next time I go to any salon. The person doing the cut was supposed to be graduating soon?? Very annoyed and disappointed.

Keep in mind, this is a SCHOOL!. If you are the impatient type or in a hurry, plan to be here at…read moreleast 2 hours. I booked an appointment based on the reviews on Yelp! Luckily, I got in as there was a cancellation. I am trying to grow out my hair so I just wanted a trim and layer to add body to my flat Asian hair. I was also apprehensive about getting my bangs trimmed as I did not want it to look like a 'Bowl' bang. I wanted bangs like Zooey Deschanel's. My student stylist, Melanie, was very friendly and took the time to understand my concerns. She took her time to trim, layer, and blow dry my hair. Every step, she checked with Ryan (the instructor) before proceeding. When it was time to cut the bangs, Ryan stepped in and did a 'Bang' Up job. The students don't get paid so if you are happy with them, tip generously.

The person in charge of enrollment into the program coerced me into the program. She knew I wasn't…read moresure. Very dishonest, sly, tricky and manipulative. Once i had signed the agreement, it was too late to withdraw. They told me i owed them thousands of dollars. I believe all the bad reviews. The responses from the school are not accurate.Also , one guy in my program totally regretted enrolling. Said it was false advertisement. I would stay far away from this place.

This is not a good place and they are very shady. Read the fine print on the contract! They will…read morezap your money and they are an agency---they are not for those who are serious about learning acting. Again, they are not the studio---and you have to pay through the nose for their course, will be zapped with a cancellation fee even though they say it is ok to pay for every class. They are no good

Kristine is an amazing massage therapist…read more.. This women went above and beyond any expectations for me and has totally helped my husband... Hubby came home today saying that lady is AMAZING... Last year my back was so sore I couldn't walk. I called every single massage therapist in the area and either got a message or no answer. Because I was in so much pain I needed an appointment ASAP...which in New West is very difficult to find. I connected with Kristine and told her what was going on for me.. This woman OMG blew my mind. She was fully booked for the day but she kept giving me numbers of other massage therapists I could call to try and get an appointment... most of them I had already called...but some I had not and when I did got no answer or voice mail Knowing how much pain I was in and hearing the desperation in my voice... Kristine moved one of her appointments around to fit me in. Not only was her customer service mind blowing...her massage was amazing... Now she is not an RMT but still so worth checking out...

From the owner: Momentum offers a client-customized approach to massage, combining therapeutic bodywork with utter…read morerelaxation. Sessions can include Deep tissue and Relaxation techniques, Yoga, Energy Work, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and more. A variety of services are available to suit your needs for the day. Our Yoga Classes are limited to 5 students, ensuring participants receive personalized feedback from the instructor. New clients receive 15 extra minutes added to their first session At Momentum we believe that bodywork is important to overall health and should be accessible to everyone. Monthly promotions offer our best rates to clients who may not be able to afford expensive Spas and clinics. Momentum Mobile is available for those who wish to receive treatment at home. Momentum Bodywork and Massage invites you to take the time to relax and let go of your day so you can rebuild your body, mind and spirit.