Healing Arts Institute

Even though I was a bit late due to car work, these ladies were awesome and got me in for my swedish massage. My masseuse used lavender oils and cocoa butter, which were awesome! Best $ 19 message ever since I used Groupon. They also have a $ 19 per month unlimited massage deal which I will definitely take advantage of come payday. 5 stars!!! And it’s down the street from my house.

Yesterday was my third time visiting Healing Arts Institute. I was given an Amazon Local gift for three massages, and so far, the first two were really very nice. The massage therapists (unfortunately, I cannot remember their names) were very professional and qualified. The environment was quiet, warm, and had little to no distraction. I left both times happy and willing to come back.
As for yesterday… I’m still laughing/​cringing over my experience and how opposite it was of ANY massage I’ve EVER had.
When I booked my appointment a few days before, the receptionist asked if I had a gender preference. I said female. She informed me the wait would be very long. Since I wanted to get in quickly, I agreed to a male.
I arrived ten minutes early and the receptionist informed me that she had been trying forever to get a hold of me. It turns out they had my number wrong in their computer. I asked if there was a problem. She asked if I had a female or male preference (Um, we already went over this…). I said female, but reminded her that she said only a male was available today. She then agreed. I asked why she called and if there was a problem or if my massage therapist couldn’t be here today. She said that no, he was here today and could still massage me. Soooo, what was the problem?
(I should mention that I’m 5 months pregnant and all three of these massages have been scheduled as prenatal massages.)
Within a minute or two, my massage therapist came out to introduce himself and bring me back to the room.
It turns out, this was his very first prenatal massage. As this is a school, I am aware that there is a first time for everything and I don’t mind being a guinea pig. What was so bewildering was the fact that he knew almost nothing about giving a massage. We spent the first 5 minutes standing there in the room as nervously he asked me if I had ever had a massage anywhere else and what they did. I then began to realize that he was probably uncomfortable with the idea of doing a massage on a pregnant woman (the only difference is that you lay on your side for part of the time instead of your stomach). I offered to reschedule and this began the back and forth game of «no, I’m okay if you’re okay,» «no, i’m okay to reschedule if you’re NOT okay.»
He finally left the room to let me dress down. When he came back in, he again asked me what they did at other massages. I said they usually massaged my back, arms, legs, shoulders, and neck/​head region. To be honest, I felt so sorry for him. He was clearly unprepared by his teachers and classes in the art of confidence and professionalism. I’m not a massage therapist and even I know exactly what questions to ask, what to massage, how to start, etc.
When he began, he just sort of grabbed my arm and began «massaging.» It was so bad. I was trying not to laugh, but it felt like just random rubbing. He must have realized this was not right and he gave up quickly.
I mentioned that my mid and lower back were bothering me, so he had me turn to my side to work on my back. What I love about all other massages is that the therapist knows where to put pressure and where to be softer. They also know that you need to continually move your hands around. He didn’t seem to know this. If you’ve ever had a child try to get your attention by poking you in the same spot for 30 minutes, then you know how absolutely ANNOYING it is. When someone rubs/​scratches your back in the SAME SPOT for that long, it’ll make you crazy. This was his way of massaging. Instead of melting into the bed, I was praying that several minutes had passed and I was closer to being able to leave.
Let’s pause as I’ve forgotten to describe the bed. In the past, I’ve always had a nice fluffy pillow for my head, a pillow for my ankles and then some sort of a pillow between my knees (either a pregnancy pillow, fluffy pillow, or cylindrical leather pillow). There was none of that this time. I had to ask for a pillow and he took the face pillow (that you use when lying face down) off the bed and gave it to me to use. I then mentioned the pillow between the knees and he put the cold cylindrical pillow between my knees (not the sheets). Not ideal.
I offered to try and lay on my stomach if that would be easier (just get this over with!), which I did while he massaged my legs. Why I had to be on my stomach for that, I have no idea. He then did both sides of my legs, which wasn’t too terrible. Again, he didn’t have any idea about where to put pressure and where to be softer. He never made it to my left arm or my hands before our time ran out.
He told me he was going to bring me some water, but when I came out of the massage room, he was nowehere to be found. I’ve never had that happen before.
1 star for this massage, 2 overall for HAI because the other therapists were great!

I was scepticle about such a good deal for a hour and a half massage $ 39.00.
I had the pleasure to be greeted by one of Healing Arts blossoming students Kelsie. What a beautiful young lady, not only was it a super relaxing massage but Kelsie has this genuine personality that is gentle and relaxing… Not to be fooled Kelsie can deliver a strong deep tissue massage. Either way deep tissue or relaxing Kelsie was able to make 90 minutes way to short. I wish her the best in her future ventures in the field of massage therapy…
It was great and I’m signed up for unlimited massage sessions, be crazy not to… hope I continue to have such aspiring students as Kelsie.
Thank you

I had the pleasure of using a Groupon for the student swedish massage from Beau and WOW, I was impressed with the quality.
I received a student massage before from another HAI clinic and the student who worked on me seemed not to know the difference between light pressure and firm, half the time she was reading an instruction print out during the 1 hour long tui nai massage. But I’m sure she was a good student.
Anyways, Beau displayed a very professional manner, had good firm techniques, and overall he knew what to do during the massage. Beau checked on me twice during the massage and kept conversation to a minimum. After the massage, he waited outside the door with a cup of water for me.
Outside and inside the building is clean and tastefully decorated.
When you drive here just stay on interstate 80 (business 80 is ok to take too) until you see the Auburn blvd exit. Make that exit and 2 blocks down you will see the HAI building to your right. Walk in the middle of the Scandanavian architectural building and you’ll see suite 160 to your right.
Between the two HAI clinics, I found the auburn blvd one to have the most value for your Groupon.

Hi there!!! I was student at Healing Art Institute and all what I want to say is a big THANKS for everyone who is working there. I’m from Moldova and it was my first school in USA. I decided to go there because I was in a situation to choose what to do with my life… HAI is not just a school teaching strokes and massage… this school is more than that. The people who is working there have big heart which is coming through their touch. Studying there part of my life change, that means they put in me courage for saying NO and to be praud for respecting, first of all myself… and others. I don’t know what my future holds for me… Maybe I will not work like CMT… but I know for sure I will be a respectful person. I was almost… almost… To lose my reputation like girl… like person, till I got at HAI and I decide… TO SAY NO FOR PEOPLE WHO IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND IS OFFER YOU ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE EASY MONEY IN JUST 30MIN-​1 HR. I HOPE EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND ME WHAT I MEAN, EVEN ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE. HEALING ART INSTITUTE IS WORTH TO GO TO STUDYING THERE. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOU.

I’m starting off this review by saying the teachers here are amazing! They really do give their all and try to aim what you’re learning towards useful information that you will need in the industry. Now time for my review. I went to healing arts because I loved the small classroom set up and the personal feel. I had a meeting with one of the staff members to talk about how the program works and what to expect. That meeting was 100% miss leading. I did the intensive program which meant I was there all day from 9 to 6. The first half of the classes were fine. We were learning the basics and getting comfortable, it wasn’t until the second half «deep tissue» module that things weren’t what they were suppose to be. The curriculum had just changed so often the teachers were on different pages as to what we should be learning and the new curriculum was all reading out of the text book we had purchased, for a hefty fee, and then going over irrelevant things like the parts of the heart or what a cell is made of (no joke! that was like a whole week and a half) then we would massage for maybe two hours split between two or three people. Not really learning deep tissue, how to put a massage together, what to expect when we finish the program. We didn’t even get the deep tissue dvd with the program (it was an extra fee) so that we could try and teach our self some deep tissue modalities. We were told that during the clinic we would have lots of time to hone in on our skills. This is where it gets worse. The clinic hours. This was hardly talked about through any of the program or before when I signed up. But you have to do 35 hours at their clinic, for free (and they hardly ever tip). Fine… okay… I’ll pay you an extreme amount of money to give me half the education I expected and no information on all that comes after graduation and then I’ll work for you for free for 35 hours… fine. But then they had the audacity to suddenly move their clinic location from downtown to citrus hights school. This was never told to us, was done for seemingly no reason, and is incredibly taxing on those of us already skimping to make ends meet just to finish our hours to get a job. I am beyond upset that I have been duped like this. I want a refund or some compensation because it has really cost me an arm and a leg paying all these extra expenses just to get my most basic certification. I was asked the other day where I went to massage school and if I would recommend it and even though I really do love the instructors and think of them as great resources I could not in good faith recommend healing arts for their cmt/​cmp program.

I’m currently attending the new Tui Na Massage class at the extended campus location on 6680 Stockton Blvd in Sacramento. It’s a 250 Hour class of instruction in Tui Na massage techniques.
Tui Na is an Ancient Chinese Medical Massage that is over 4500 years old. It is believed to be the first modality of Massage that all other modalities are derived from. A combination of massage, acupressure and other forms of body manipulation, Tui Na works by applying pressure to acupoints, meridians and groups of muscles or nerves to remove blockages that prevent the free flow of Qi (pronounced «Chee», it is the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things). Removing these blockages restores the balance of Qi in the body, leading to improved health and vitality.
Tui Na is the oldest known system of massage. Originating in China, it is recorded in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine since 2300 B.C. as one of the five major therapies of the time and has remained an organized and systematically developed system of massage since that time. Currently in China Tui Na is taught as a separate, but equal field of study in the major traditional Chinese medical colleges. Tui Na doctors receive the same demanding training as acupuncturists and herbalists and enjoy the same level of professional respect. The World Health Organization, or WHO, recognizes Tui Na as a Medical therapy needed throughout the globe and began promoting its use in the early 1970’s.
Tui Na is best suited for rectifying chronic pain, musculoskeletal conditions and stress-​related disorders that affect the digestive and/​or respiratory systems. Among the ailments Tui Na treats best are neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, sciatica and tennis elbow. However, because Tui Na is designed to improve and restore the flow of Qi, treatment often ends up causing improvements to the whole body, not just a specific area. There is anecdotal evidence that headaches, constipation, premenstrual symptoms and some emotional problems may also be effectively treated through Tui Na.
So, with that being said, I have found this class to be very interesting, informative, and an exciting journey into the Chinese Medical modality of massage. The instructors are very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. I am the only non-​Asian student so far, however I graduated from a 750 hour Massage Therapy class with another Veteran who will be attending next week. One of the two instructors speaks very passable English and the other, although non-​English speaking, is still able to communicate effectively through the other English speaking students, (there are 7 of them) as well as excellent non-​verbal communication techniques. (He has a hand-​held translator, too!)
This class is an excellent choice for continuing your education into the «healing» aspect of Therapeutic Massage. I have found the hands-​on approach of the instructors educationally rewarding, and look forward to attending class daily.
The class schedule is also more accommodating as it is primarily up to the student to work through the 250 hours at his/​her desired pace… But who knows how long that will last, right? We lovingly joke that it is scheduled around Chinese time, not American time! ;)
Even though 250 hours is not nearly enough time to become as proficient as I would like, it is a great start! (There are an unlimited number of therapeutic, goal-​oriented manipulations that can be «mastered», however it would take a lifetime to master even a handful of them!). There is a 500 hour class that is now being offered, too!
Overall, this is an excellent choice for beginners and novice Therapists! The 250 hour course is recognized by the State of California for the Massage Practitioners license, and the 500 hour course is eligible for the full Massage Therapists license. It is fun, upbeat, and educational. I hope to see more students in our class soon!
ATTN: Keep in mind that next year the State of California plans to increase the number of hours required to receive/​earn the practitioner and Therapist license to 500 hours and 1000 hours respectively, so you’d better be quick to get enrolled now to forgo these upcoming requirements! Remember, once you get certified, you’re on your way!!! Good luck, and may your future in Massage bring you peace and happiness! You deserve it!

I’m a fan and a graduate! Since graduating, I have experienced working around many other massage therapists, that were schooled at different schools. I have been very impressed with the knowledge I have in comparison to what I see others utilize that attended other schools.
Funny thing is, that when I find another therapist that I really like, they always seem to have graduated from here! lol

I took a certification program from Healing Arts last year, and I could not have been happier with the entire experience. The management, wonderful staff, and instructors are all quite invested in the school and the students. I can’t imagine a better place for massage therapy instruction — i don’t think you would find another school that has the positive spirit and personal warmth that this place has. They also have a wonderfully diverse selection of classes aside from the basic programs — — on all ends of the spectrum from very academic anatomy and sports massage to the more spiritual stuff. On top of all that, their costs seem to be very reasonable and they will work with you on a payment plan for the programs. This is a fabulous school and we are lucky to have them in our area.

I LOVE HEALING ARTS.
I’ve wanted to do massage therapy since I was a little girl. I know that sounds strange, but it’s true. My mom used to have me massage her after she got home from work. She told me I had strong hands and that I was intuitively gifted this way. That always stuck with me. My plan in high school was to do massage therapy after graduation, and then practice massage to pay my way through college! Why didn’t I do this? A big reason was because I didn’t find a school that seemed to make sense to me!
Just a few months ago, I dropped all of my «traditional» classes at college when I found Healing Arts online. Wow. I went to the free intro class and NEVER LOOKED BACK. I was SO happy the whole class, I had a crazy smile plastered to my face. This place amazed me… It was so humble. It seemed to attract like-​minded people. And I definitely felt like they didn’t want me just for my money. Because I didn’t have any at the time haha…
I didn’t have much money to sign up for the courses. Thank goodness for HAI’s payment plans!!! The office staff was soooooo helpful in getting me signed up for my course. *COUGH* BOBBY I LOVE YOU *COUGH* :) Everything with this school was magnetizing, powerful, inspiring, and life-​changing. This is truly a place of learning, and HEALING, for the students… the healing just passes itself on and on!!!
Since graduating from the Fall 2011 Swedish Course, I have literally had so many doors open for me. The Universe said, YES!!!, to me in so many ways!!! I’ve received job offers without even seeking them. I only graduated on Dec. 8^th 2011 and literally have friends/​family/​friends of friends coming to me to book massages.
Prior to Healing Arts, I knew I liked giving massages… Now that I’ve begun on this path with the school, I now understand how VITAL massage is, for myself and for my clients. I don’t even mean in receiving a massage… I LOVE massaging my clients. I feel so grounded after working on them… I feel connected… Ahhhhh…
Ok I have to stop, because I’ve become a walking advertisement for this place (proud of it!!!)…if you have annnnyyy hesitation about this path, take that chance. Just GO to the intro class and your life will be changed forever!!!

The Healing Arts Institute is not only one of the most affordable ways to get started in the wonderful career of massage therapy but it’s also the BEST. I know there are other larger schools that have huge campuses and teach everything from auto mechanics to court stenography… oh yeah, and massage therapy. Why would you want to go to a school like that?
The staff and director at Healing Arts Institute are what really make the school special. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. They make it VERY clear that they are not just trying to get as much money from the public and students as they can. They offer FREE classes once a month that are very well attended and a great way to network with fellow massage practitioners and therapists. The school also recently started up a low-​cost massage clinic that is open to the public. They even ENCOURAGE students who are working in the clinic to promote their own massage business and steal the clinic customers away. This is the kind of massage therapy school that all others should base their standards on.
Thank you, Healing Arts!