Aveda Institute Minneapolis

My story of Aveda starts as a student. I am simply going to tell my story and you will clearly see how far my opinion has changed about Aveda and who represents the company. I did meet some fantastic people on my journey who helped me develope my interests deeper into the world of healing others. So as I go on please do keep in mind I joined Aveda with many goals and aspirations, not to have to write a story from this point of view.
I came back from Iraq just a few months before heading into the full time Massage Therapy course at Aveda Mpls. I was excited to use my newly earned GI bills and start making some real money in the real world. My mother initially pushed me towards Aveda, she is a poshy woman who enjoys a kushy lifestyle. So putting two and two together I realized having the Aveda name to back me would be a huge advantage in the field. Not knowing much about the Aveda world, or Massage for that matter I booked an appointment and got the full tour.
She blind sides you with her rustic and sturdy beauty as you enter the building. Its an atmosphere of old and new colliding, providing the perfect stomping ground for stylist as they cut, comb, and swing hair through the air. Everything just smells sooo right, and nothing seams out of place. Anyone who has been to Aveda understands the overwhelming feeling it can bring on. I did my meeting, explained my situation, goals, asked planned questions. I really felt like Aveda would be a great place to learn about Massage Therapy. Little did I know I had just joined Aveda.
After starting my program everything was fantastic. People where friendly and out to be the best of who they are. We start learning all these techniques and getting DAILY MASSAGES everything was pretty awesome. Then after all the new energy wore out. People had to work, deal with life, and this GRUELING full time program. (I did chose to attempt school during my reintegration period after my deployment. So Aveda isn’t to blame for what went on at home.) However the fact I became a no longer engaged STRAIGHT male in a mainly young female learning environment, became a great issue. I maintain and will always maintain my professional view towards the healing power of touch. I could never and would never violate or touch another student, client, or human being inappropriately. I know from first hand experience how harmful it is.
So why this became an issue later in the course, I don’t know. It was made clear to me by several females (STAFF) included after a few backroom talks about how I was effecting the classroom. So I changed my classes up, they go night/​day schedule at Aveda. I was welcomed with open arms by the students and had developed some pretty healthy relationships with a few teachers as well. I had become shaken on my path at this point between my struggles at home, and how uncomfortable I now was at and in class. While my drive to want to further my knowledge for Massage never faltered, my attendance did. Aveda attendance is everything in the jam packed courses. So doing everything I could to try to make the situation work. A teacher makes a comment to me in a hall as I come in late one day. «You never belonged here anyways. sigh…» I actually shed a few tears.
The longer and more I thought about the comment I clearly saw how right she was though. The school is almost based around a religious cult following of Aveda and the Aveda Life Style. Twice weekly mass meetings to hand out Aveda products, talk Aveda, plan Aveda, all to help us Sell Aveda. I looked further into my education and realized aside from anatomy, I really only learned Aveda trademarked treatments. I learned basic techniques in various forms of massage, but then they had all been twisted into Aveda treatments. I had attended classes on Studying Aveda products and practiced selling them. As as apart of the Aveda Massage Therapy Program, the students work on the massage level of the Aveda Institute MPLS location. This is a service, YOU pay for and the student provides for free. (Actually we pay THOUSANDS of dollars to massage for Aveda. They then «Aveda», charge you for the Aveda treatments they just spent weeks teaching us.) So yea, I wanted to learn how to truly help people, truly learn in depth about massage therapy and what it can do.
To top this all off I am now paying for loans I wasn’t aware I had taken out. By my mathematical skills I still can’t figure out why my GI bills and Pell grant didn’t cover the cost of the program. Nor do I remember signing, or being informed I was signing to accept a federal loan. Either way I spent the money (SO I WILLINGLY AM PAYING BACK) but still can’t figure out again WHY a check was cut in my name, then sent to me instead of directly back to the government. Especially when I had no knowledge I even had a Federal loan.

I attended the Aveda Institute in 2010 for Massage Therapy. I have been massaging ever since then.
PLEASE take into account that these are STUDENTS performing these services. That if you were to go to an Aveda Concept Salon to have any of these services performed on you it’d be about 3 – 4 times the price than at the institute. Yes, 3 – 4 times.
I have had my horrible experiences with my hair here. I have had great experiences with my hair here. It really depends on the person doing your hair, not even necessarily how far along they are in the schooling process. I have friends that graduated from Aveda for hair years ago and some are amazing at hair and some of them should have chose a different career.
Someone complained in a review of the student massaging them being obviously ill. Let me explain to you how this all works, alright… you can’t miss class if you go to Aveda. Plus when I was a student it was 40 hours a week of class. You get 10 days to miss in the whole time you’re at Aveda (if you’re a massage student) otherwise you lose credit completely. AND for Saturdays it’s different… you can only miss 2 Saturdays the entire time you’re a student. So, if someone was working on you sick, it wasn’t because they were being irresponsible, it’s because the way the school is run that you’re terrified to miss class.
ALSO, JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW NOTHING OF MASSAGE… students start out with a stroke pattern that helps them to apply oil and warm the muscle before applying pressure. That’s why their hands aren’t applying pressure immediately upon touching you, this is how all massages are supposed to be. Another thing, they will not be jabbing their finger into you, if they are that’s horrible for their joints, it’s better for them to use forearms, elbows, palms, etc. being that massage is very wearing on ones body. If you want more pressure, ask for more pressure! I can’t tell you countless times I’d ask clients «how’s the pressure?» and the response would be that it’s just fine then later with a review they’d mention something about the pressure not being to their liking. I personally love tons of pressure and I can see how someone reacts, if they twist and turn when it’s obviously too much… but I can’t always tell if someone needs MORE pressure so be verbal, we appreciate that.
Just realize these students you may get frustrated with are that… they’re students. All they get from you is the tip you give. The service you pay for… all goes to the Aveda empire. So don’t take it out on them. They’re not working for you, they’re working for their grade. Take it up with someone higher up or just try to be understanding of how little you actually paid and that you KNEW the gamble you were taking going in.