Primary Certification
Primary Certification is the best choice for students wishing to reach a basic level of comfort and proficiency in Thai massage. Primary Certification consists of 158 training and practice hours, which are dedicated to learning: 2.5 hours of traditional Thai massage postures; an introduction to the body’s energy (sen) pathways; massage techniques using the palms, knuckles, thumbs, forearms, elbows, feet, and knees; the integration of Ayurvedic wellness and assessment skills; and implementing a proven marketing plan to help build and grow your clientele.
- Thai 101
- Prerequisites: None | $600 | 37.5 hours
- This level 1 course teaches the fundamentals of quality touch using a full-body, 90-minute traditional Thai massage flow. Students learn all basic techniques required for more advanced study as well as the basic marketing skills required to find and retain clients. Thai 101 focuses on:
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- The four foundations of Thai massage (meditation, body mechanics, rhythmic rocking, and massage techniques using the hands, forearms, elbows, and feet);
- Unlocking the secrets of universal touch techniques, including: how to massage from light to deep pressure; how to safely and effectively stretch flexible and inflexible clients; and how to safely massage and carry the weight of light and heavy clients;
- Techniques to work the shoulders, neck, head, back, arms, hands, legs, abdomen, and feet;
- Effortless transitions between postures and an introduction to contraindications and safety;
- Essential client and therapist care techniques for before, during, and after the massage; and
- Building client relationships—the key to a successful business.
- Thai 201
- Prerequisites: Thai 101 | $600 | 37.5 hours
- This course adds 60 minutes of new massage techniques, reinforces all Thai 101 material, and introduces students to the fundamentals of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing system and sister science to yoga. Thai 201 bridges Thai massage with its historical roots in Ayurveda teaching students practical, hands-on methods for applying Ayurvedic wisdom to deepen the therapeutic quality of their practice.
- As students learn the fundamentals of Ayurvedic principles and the three mindbody constitutions (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), they will apply these concepts to craft highly customized massages that address physical needs, enhance client relationships, and create a customized, holistic massage experience. Learning how to massage with ones knees at this early point in the training will help to reduce injuries and reliance on ones hands and thumbs and facilitate deep pressure massage. Thai 201 focuses on:
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- Reinforcing and deepening the application of Thai 101 postures;
- Adding 60 minutes of new techniques to treat areas of greater need such as the shoulders, neck, back, and hamstrings;
- Using the knees as a new touch technique and massage tool;
- Understanding the fundamental concepts of Ayurvedic history, philosophy, and healing;
- Determining a client’s Ayurvedic constitution;
- Creating a customized Thai massage wellness program based on a client’s Ayurvedic constitution;
- Working with the body’s subtle energies through Ayurveda; and
- Conceiving and implementing a targeted marketing plan to attract new clients.
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|
Cost |
Classroom Time |
Documented Massages |
Total Hours |
| Thai 101 |
$600 |
37.5 hrs |
20 massages (40 hours) |
67.5 |
| Thai 201 |
$600 |
37.5 hrs |
15 massages (30 hours) |
67.5 |
| Supervision |
$175 |
3 hrs |
|
3 |
| Certificate Application |
$35 |
|
|
|
|
|
91 hrs |
30 practice massages (60 hours) |
137 hrs |
Advanced Certification
Advanced certification consists of eight courses – generally 18 hours each – that can be taken in any order, for a deep immersion in the therapeutic and artistic aspects of Thai Massage. Our advanced course suite covers a wide range of topics, including: an extensive exploration of therapeutic applications, new postures for each part of the body, the 10 energy pathways (sip sen), acupressure (Marma point therapy), techniques for prenatal and elderly clients, and structured guidance to transform your technical skills into an artist’s intuitive flow.
- Thai 301: Side-Lying Postures & Therapeutics
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course teaches students how to give a complete side-lying massage. We will explore 60 minutes of side-lying postures and techniques, as well as client health conditions for which side-lying techniques are appropriate. Students will also explore therapeutic techniques for conditions relating to the shoulders, neck, and back. After completing Thai 302, students will be able to:
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- Give a 60-minute side-lying massage;
- Understand key anatomical concepts for working in side-lying postures;
- Apply therapeutic techniques for the shoulders, neck, and back;
- Review, share and expand the marketing plan for building ones business
- Thai 302: Exploring the Sip Sen
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course teaches all 10 traditional energy lines (the “sip sen”) and how to incorporate them into a powerful Thai massage. These ten energy lines form the backbone of traditional Thai massage theory and practice. Students will learn the detailed running of the lines, their unique properties and correlation to wellness, and how to use them in the context of other Thai massage techniques. After completing Thai 302, students will be able to:
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- Understand the energetic purpose and running of the sip sen, as well as how to incorporate sen line work in the context of other Thai massage techniques;
- Incorporate Ayurveda and the sip sen for a highly customized energetic massage;
- Heighten their sensitivity to the energetic needs of their clients;
- Expand the therapeutic quality of their massage; and
- Work with confidence using their feet, thumbs, hands, knuckles, forearms, elbows and knees as a sen line massage tool.
- Thai 303: Feet, Single Leg Postures & Therapeutics
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course teaches new feet and single leg postures and explores multiple scenarios for incorporating expanded foot and leg techniques into the massage. Students will also explore therapeutic techniques for conditions relating to the hips, legs, and lower back. Finally, we will address working approaches appropriate for athletes. After completing Thai 303, students will be able to:
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- Give an expanded foot and leg massage for all clients;
- Understand when and how to incorporate longer foot and single leg sessions into the massage;
- Understand key anatomical concepts for working the feet and legs;
- Apply therapeutic techniques for the hips, legs, and lower back as well as unique strategies for athletes; and
- Create affordable or free marketing tools, such as websites, content, brochures, and business cards.
- Thai 304: Back and Double Leg Postures & Therapeutics
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course teaches new back and double leg postures and explores multiple scenarios for incorporating expanded back and double leg techniques into the massage. Students will also explore therapeutic techniques for back conditions. After completing Thai 304, students will be able to:
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- Give an expanded back and double leg massage for all manner of clients;
- Understand when and how to incorporate longer back and double leg sessions into the massage;
- Understand key anatomical concepts for working the back and double legs;
- Apply therapeutic techniques for back issues; and
- Add non-profit opportunities to expand your marketing plan.
- Thai 305: Seated Postures & Therapeutics
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course adds new sitting postures and explores multiple scenarios for incorporating an expanded sitting sequence into one’s massage. Students will also explore therapeutic techniques for conditions relating to general stress, anxiety, depression, and spinal disorders. After completing Thai 305, students will be able to:
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- Give an expanded seated massage for more and less flexible clients;
- Understand when and how to incorporate longer seated sessions into the massage;
- Understand key anatomical concepts for working in seated postures;
- Apply therapeutic techniques for general stress issues, anxiety, depression, and spinal disorders; and
- Explore joint venture opportunities as a way to grow business.
- Thai 306: Marma Points, Enhanced Touch & Therapeutics
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $300 | 18 hours
- This advanced course teaches a series of Indian and anatomical vital energy points that bring deep therapeutic relief into Thai Massage. Students will learn to locate and massage highly effective points from head to toe. We will also explore therapeutic techniques for arthritis, joint issues, fibromyalgia, and chronic headaches. After completing Thai 306, students will be able to:
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- Have a working knowledge of the healing properties, locations, and massage techniques for essential marma points and anatomical points (vital energy points) on the body;
- Develop greater touch sensitivity for point massage techniques;
- Incorporate pressure point massage into the global massage form;
- Help prevent and provide therapeutic relief for common ailments characteristic of each constitution;
- Incorporate essential oils into the massage, according to Ayurvedic constitution;
- Apply therapeutic techniques for arthritis, joint issues, fibromyalgia, and chronic headaches; and
- Explore advanced techniques for using social media to build brand awareness.
- Thai 307: Thai Massage for Pregnancy and the Elderly – the Soft Approach
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 | $350 | 22.5 hours
- Thai massage is especially well-suited for women seeking relief from the natural stresses of adapting physically, mentally, and emotionally to pregnancy. Designed with the goal of promoting relaxation and wellness, this course addresses many common concerns of pregnant women, with a focus on the needs and limitations characteristic of each trimester.
- Similarly, working with the elderly is one of the most rewarding ways to give Thai massage and the methods taught in this course are equally effective in serving these members of our community who are both underserved and urgently in need of compassionate touch. Furthermore, this course allows students to refine their skills and deepen awareness when massaging any clients who require a softer approach. After completing Thai 307, students will be able to:
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- Complete a 60-minute, full-body Thai massage session for pregnant or elderly clients, as well as those who require a softer touch;
- Understand the unique needs of these populations and important contraindications for specific massage techniques and postures; and
- Address common ailments and discomforts associated with pregnancy and the aging body.
- Thai 308: The Artistry of Thai Massage
- Prerequisites: Thai 201 plus a minimum of one advanced course, or equivalent. | $300 | 18 hours
- NOTE: Students may retake this course unlimited times at no cost.
- This course sheds light on the true heart of Thai massage mastery: creative instinct. In any massage, the practitioner faces hundreds of choices—between postures, palpation techniques, rhythm, acupressure, and the overall balance of energizing and relaxing techniques—all of which must be optimized for the recipient’s benefit and enjoyment. For the true Thai massage artist, these choices are ultimately expressed as a deeply engrained inner knowingness. But how can students work to achieve the same elegant, effective, and effortless massage without feeling overwhelmed by the options? How do we move beyond the structured format of classroom learning to find personal creative inspiration and a deeper, perhaps limitless potential in our practice?
- Through hands-on practice, case studies, and group discussion, this course helps students to find and cultivate their inner artist by harnessing the powers of deep focus and creativity. Students will gain the ability to:
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- Use careful questioning and listening during the interview process to set a clear therapeutic intention, to settle on a flexible massage plan, and to start the session in the best way possible for the individual client; find the confidence and practical skill to begin the massage in any position the client’s needs may dictate;
- Effectively balance the client’s spoken concerns with their own inner knowingness about that individual’s physical and energetic needs;
- Go beyond their comfort zone, exploring the opportunities, limits, and challenges of alternative sequences—first through guided practice ‘models’ and then through free practice;
- Problem-solve sequencing challenges with fellow students through case study group work;
- Effectively and gracefully distill all of their skills into any length session, from 30 minutes to two hours; and
- Apply their creative instincts in an exciting final massage, addressing a real-world client’s immediate concerns.
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|
Cost |
Classroom Time |
Documented Massages |
Total Hours |
| Thai 301 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Thai 302 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Thai 303 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Thai 304 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Supervision |
$175 |
3 hrs |
|
3 |
| Thai 305 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Thai 306 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Thai 307 |
$350 |
22.5 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
42.5 |
| Thai 308 |
$300 |
18 hrs |
10 massages (20 hours) |
38 |
| Supervision |
$175 |
3 hrs |
|
3 |
| Certificate Application |
$35 |
|
|
|
|
|
148.5 hrs |
80 practice massages (160 hours) |
314.5 hrs |
