5899 Whitfield Ave.
Sarasota, Fla. 34243

Sarasota School of massage therapy, licensed in 1978, offers a massage therapy program that prepares students to pass the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and be eligible for Florida licensure as a massage therapist. The Massage School is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and the Commission on massage therapy Accreditation. The owners and administrators are all practicing licensed massage therapists.

Sarasota School of Massage Therapy offers a massage therapy program that gives students the knowledge and practice to master the practical skills of a massage therapist. Students get hands-on experience working with the public, gain writing skills, become proficient at keeping client and patient records, and develop business skills.

Sarasota's massage therapy program is a total of 710 hours with study in the areas of massage theory and practice, anatomy, physiology, pathology, allied modalities, Florida masage law, and HIV/AIDS education. Program courses include intro to bodywork with Swedish massage, Swedish massage practicum, student clinic orientation, Swedish massage clinic, advanced clinic, bodywork survey, applied pathology, mycology and neuromuscular therapy, practice management, hydrotherapy, present-centered awareness, ethics, first aid and CPR, and preventing medical errors.

Quick Facts

Sarasota School of Massage Therapy's community outreach is essential to the massage therapy program. The school donates supervisory staff to allow students to participate as volunteers at the Senior Friendship Center, hospice house, and other charitable events. The school also donates more than 10 percent of its annual profits to charitable organizations.

Financial assistance is available through federal assistance programs, Sarasota School of Massage Therapy need-based scholarships, IRS tax credits, and interest-free payment plans. The school has also been approved by the state approving agency for financial assistance for eligible veterans.

Sarasota School of Massage Therapy limits enrollment to 20 students. The Swedish massage, mycology and neuromuscular therapy classes have one instructor for every fourteen students or less. Practical and lecture classes have one instructor for 20 students or less.

The school's library has books and videotapes on massage therapy, bodywork, anatomy and physiology, health sciences, alternative health and fitness, and local and national journals on massage therapy. There are also videos available of Sarasota School of Massage Therapy courses. Students also have access to CD-ROMs and computers to assist them with studying.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.