This is such a hidden gem that I don't even want to share. Since this does support the students I…read moreguess I will. This is actually a massage school. The perks to the public is that the students can practice their techniques on people like me. I'm a no frills chick and am always open to a good massage. Don't come here setting high expectations. Come with an open mind and know this is a teaching environment. These graduates soon become those professional masseuse. People always have to start somewhere! It is tough to get an appointment but when you do you won't regret it as you'll have a good relaxing time getting pampered. Parking is available which is always a plus.

*This review pertains to my time at NHI Emeryville as a core program student from October 2022 -…read moreJune 2023* The good: -Most of the instructors / staff here are excellent. -The instructors and students come from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds, lending to a learning environment that offers varied perspectives. -You will learn the basics of the massage industry and how to be professional in the massage world. The bad: -Ridiculously expensive. The $16k 800 hour program will get you your CAMTC certification, which you need to practice in CA. However, you do NOT need 800 hours to certify, you only need 500! -Upper management does not care about students' experiences or health. So many of the following issues were brought up to the school, but it was clear that there is no real interest in listening to students. -Older staff are culturally insensitive, unwilling to adapt, and uneducated in recent societal developments. Racist comments and sexual jokes have been made multiple times by both instructors and upper management, with no apology. No education on gender, and thus students were constantly being misgendered by staff and other students; no education on trans or gender non-conforming individuals, which is such a disservice to those communities and their ability to receive bodywork in a safe space -Instructors are underpaid at $40-45k, coming out to around $20/hr (below the living wage for CA). They often work overtime and it is unclear if they are paid for that. This is probably why there was also such a huge turnover rate. Meanwhile, the owners of the school reside in multi-million dollar homes and have literally stated that they bought NHI as a business investment, seeing a lot of potential revenue from the high tuition -The curriculum is outdated and sparse in information. They withhold info as a way to sell the Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy (ANMT) program which one can take after completing the core program. When a student asked a question about anything more specific than surface anatomy, we were told that we need to sign up for the ANMT program for the answer. -Severe lack of knowledge from the instructors in the Eastern segment. Many questions were met with "I don't know, I never actually learned about this myself." Luckily, I had a classmate who had studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and they were able to educate all of us. I learned more from my classmate than the instructors. -Clinic and externship are exploitative practices. Students perform massages for free while clients still have to pay the school. This practicum concept--performing work for free until one is licensed by an arbitrary powerful entity--exists in many fields, such as social work, medical practices, teaching, and therapy, and is based on an outdated and unjust model that conflates free labor with education. -Too many hours crammed into 8 months. I was lucky to get a week off for the end of December, but other groups don't receive any breaks throughout the entire program. The 8 hour clinic day is mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. -General disorganization. They constantly messed up our attendance hours; once, due to a clerical error, a classmate of mine was almost kicked out for not having enough clinic hours. ---Other classmates experience months of delay in approval of their externship sites, forcing them to make up hours later at their inconvenience. -Online classes were unengaging and made it very difficult to learn kinesiology (the study of movement). Many of my classmates struggled greatly because there was no in-person teaching of the different movements, muscles, and bones. After hearing my feedback, the parting words from the school to me were "We would love to educate you on why we do things the way we do." No signs of actually listening and making change. From what I've heard from others, McKinnon sounds like a great alternative. They don't try to sell you anything and you can sign up for the classes you're interested in, and are not required to complete 800 hours.

I couldn't be happier with my experience at the San Francisco School of Massage (SFSM). After…read moreresearching several programs, I ultimately chose SFSM because of their flexible class schedules, reasonable tuition, and strong emphasis on practical, hands-on education that prepares you to work in a wide range of settings--from sports and spa environments to pain management clinics. Despite commuting from San Jose, the school's location near BART made it surprisingly convenient. The commute was well worth it for the quality of the program. I had the pleasure of learning from a diverse group of experienced, knowledgeable, and genuinely interesting instructors. Each brought something unique to the classroom and helped deepen my understanding of the body, massage techniques, and even myself. The administrative and clinic staff were consistently friendly, supportive, and accommodating throughout the entire journey. I also really appreciated the diversity of my classmates--we came from different age groups, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds, and the shared learning experience was truly enriching. The blend of homework (especially the anatomy coloring book!), in-class lectures, and extensive hands-on practice gave me the confidence and skills I needed to successfully launch a second career as a Certified Massage Therapist. I'm so grateful I chose SFSM--it was the perfect place to begin this new chapter. Highly recommended!

TD;LR You will come out a highly skilled massage therapist after finishing this program…read more If you are reading this, then you are probably wondering If you should take a leap and enroll with SFSM family (it will feel like a family in no time). Even tho talking to charming Gary probably already may have convinced you. 100000000% yes, even if you do not end up being a therapist, the awareness of your body and of other people will change the course of your life towards happier and healthier living, you learn the tools how to be healthy and fit. Enrolling with SFSM was one of the best decisions of my life. I am truly a better person after finishing the school, I am so much healthier, my posture is better, and I gave the power of healing touch to my friends and family, the world around me is a better place. I found the instructors to be highly skilled and professional therapists themselves, the lessons were always highly interactive and I received SOOOO much useful and necessary knowledge, it's for sure a bang for the buck you pay because you will come out a therapist who is ready to go and heal people. Not a single instructor left me unsatisfied, I experienced each person to be on top of their game, each teacher had something very unique to share, so my set skills is a blend of their knowledge. The school also has been my healing sanctuary throughout the difficult times, I would come to the class and feel instantly better, more grounded and at peace. If you care about the energy realm, I also can reassure you that they teach that. I got more attuned with the energetic world and energies of around me through this program. And do not even get me started on the admins. They are pure angels, always making sure you stay on top of your responsibilities, they are basically babysitting you and holding your hand while you go through the program. SFSM I LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH! THE BEST SCHOOL ON EARTH!

Wow. Amazing, healing, restorative massage therapy performed by Suzi. My husband and I have…read morecollectively had over 80 different masseuses from LA to Las Vegas to Tokyo (we both suffer from chronic back issues) and Suzi was by far the most versatile and talented masseuse we have ever come across. The room is quaint but nicely decorated, with sound bowls, a comfortable table, perfect temperature, very cozy. We live quite far from Berkeley but cannot wait to return for our next massage. Great food options nearby as well!!

I've had a lot of massages in the past, but I'd have to say, Suzi has been the best when it comes…read moreto deep tissue! With a recent back injury, I find myself needing a massage more often for pain relief. If you have deep achey muscle knots, I highly recommend giving her a try!

The owner is full of knowledge and baby soft hands to melt your knots away. A repeat customer!read more

From the owner: The School of Healing Touch students learn to be successful massage therapists using techniques…read morebased on safe practices and professional integrity, under the direction of highly qualified staff. Being a massage therapist gives one the opportunity to work closely with people, gaining satisfaction when helping them with gifts of touch. Graduates may have the opportunity to work closely with doctors and others in the Health profession. It is a rewarding profession where one can really help others while growing in a exciting career of one's own. We take the utmost pride in its dedication to teaching. The school is one of the few which offers spa therapy and massage therapy between the students and faculty, and we are an official long-standing member of the American Massage Therapy Association. As of January 2010, the School of Healing Touch is officially approved by the State of California's Employment Development Department as an Eligible Training Provider. We provide customer-focused employment training for adults & dislocated workers.

It was an honor to be in NHI, reflecting on the journey that has brought me to this place and…read moremoment. Becoming a massage therapist is more than just learning techniques - it's about understanding human body and stories it carries, it's a bridge between pain and relief. It's not about muscles - it's about people, trust, and deep connections. As I step forward from here, I am not just graduate, I am healer, torchbearer of care, bringing light to those in need. To my mentors, classmates and everyone who believed and supported in this journey - "Thank you"! I am ready to embrace it with both hands and opened heart. And I want to pass this to the next hands, I do it with trust and gratitude. The flame I carry is not mine alone - it belongs to the healers before us and those who comes after. The real work continues, let's embrace the next chapter.

Currently in massage school at NHI, Redding campus. It's been by far one of the best journey…read more Looking forward to the next 6 months to the finish line and be able to call myself a massage therapist.

had a great session with the BPI student! she's surprisingly skilled and attentive. The foot…read moremassage was incredibly soothing -- perfect after a long day. The chest massage was also well done, helping release a lot of tension I didn't realize I had. She was professional, polite, and made sure I was comfortable throughout. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a relaxing and focused massage!

Got a full body and foot massage by Rose. Rose communicated clearly and was very professional. The…read morepressure was just right since I had some back and shoulder pain. Will definitely come back to her again.

We took a class from the love institute before the pandemic...it was an fun experience. Now, years…read morelater my partner and I decided to revisit the experience.....BETTER the second time around. Excellent care was taken for our safety, caring and fun instruction. We laughed and learned new techniques and more about each other. Will revisit again... too much massage .....no such thing :)

Took the first series of the couples massage class here. We liked it so much we bought the $60…read morevoucher for the next class AND we invested in our own massage tables. The class really left us feeling like these were techniques we could easily continue practicing at home. The value of the class was great since we used a Groupon deal. 2 hour class, guys were on the tables first and then the girls. One of the guys in our class fell asleep while on the table which I guess is a good sign? The slanted roof was a bit bothersome for the part of the class when I had to sit on that side of the table, and I'm pretty short so I can't imagine how tall people manage in this location. That being said, I believe that the SF location has more tables and I do prefer a smaller group for this class. Ladies, you will get topless under your blankets so make sure your partner makes a good blanket tent to cover you up! Another thing I wasn't expecting was that we had to remove our shoes at the door so I wouldn't wear flip flops next time. After the class, our teacher struggled with her Square reader when some of us tried to purchase the second class. A bit of wasted time and eventually she gave up, but luckily the owner was very good about contacting us after and making sure we got our purchase figured out. I'd probably try a new instructor for the second series just to vary our learning experiences even more.

I took Keersha's class over 15 years ago. I'm now a Personal Trainer with several National…read moreCertifications and everyone of them required the knowledge of the body I originally learned at Jupiter Hollow. I am the only trainer at my gym who is also a CMT. It's a valuable skill and I've never regretted the time or cost. Finally i want to commend Keersha on the environment she provided as it was a wonderful, warm and comforting place to learn.

I took the class 20 years ago. Am still a practicing and successful CMT. It's worth it!read more