Sedona School of Massage is a full-service Arizona massage school nestled in the beauty of the Sedona, Arizona red rocks. Our 700-hour, five-month Intensive satisfies the requirements for Arizona state licensure and prepares students to sit for the National Certification Exam. The program is wholistic and awareness based, focusing on deeper, more effective modalities.

At our Arizona Massage School, we offer a fully-comprehensive massage education including instruction in Swedish massage, myofascial techniques, shiatsu, polarity, structural bodywork, cranial sacral therapy, anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, hydrotherapy and ethics and communication. Sedona School of Massage also offers advanced certification programs in structural integration and polarity therapy.

Nancy Matthews, NCTMB
Nancy is the founder and director of the Sedona School of Massage. She received her certifications in Massage and Hydrotherapy and Structural Integration at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida, where she worked as an administrator and teacher for nine years. In 1996, she came to Arizona where she was co-owner/director of the Arizona School of Integrated Studies until 2001.

Nancy teaches the Communication Skills, Introduction to Homeopathy and Structural Integration classes, and she also teaches part of the Anatomy and Physiology course. Her teaching is dynamic, weaving together the art and science of bodywork. Her life’s journey has been one of inquiry, a looking into the very nature of our beingness and human potential.

Cheryl Brenman, LMT
Cheryl is a 1981 graduate of the Mueller College of Holistic Studies, San Deigo, CA. She has had a private massage practice in Sedona since 1984. With a strong foundation in Swedish Massage, she also draws upon her academic and intuitive knowledge in the following modalities to create a powerful healing session: Shiatsu, Connective Tissue, Jin Shin Juytsu, Cranial-Sacral, Sound and Hot Stone Therapy. With a degree in education and former school teacher, she has taught massage for the lay person, infant massage classes, self help classes in Jin Shin Jyutsu and movement/yoga classes. Her love of teaching and willingness to share her knowledge is tangible and a gift to her students. Cheryl teaches the Swedish Massage portion of the program.

Feather Jones
Feather is a Clinical Herbalist and Educator. She recently moved to Sedona from Boulder, Colorado, where she founded and directed the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies for 11 years. She has graduated over 400 students in 1 to 3 year clinical programs in Western Herbalism. Feather has been a Land Journey Guide throughout the Rocky Mountains and Southwestern deserts, for over 20 years. With a background in Mandan Tribal Teachings, Earth Centered Herbalism infuses her teaching style. Feather teaches an introduction to herbalogy at the Sedona School of Massage.

Cate Miller, BA, LMT, NCTMB
Cate has been a therapist and teacher in the massage profession since 1982 and a teacher at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, FL since 1986. Her specialty combines Neuromuscular Therapy with communication and perceptual awareness skills. She encourages her students to excel in both technical and intuitive aspect of bodywork. Cate lives on a 20 acre ranch where she facilitates groups and individuals to develop leadership and teamwork skills through the Challenge of Excellence ropes course. She travels throughout the United States offering advanced training workshops for Massage Therapists.

Delisa Myles, MFA
Delisa Myles holds a Masters of Fine Art in dance, performance and choreography from the University of Colorado. She is currently on the Performing Arts Faculty at Prescott College, where she has been central in developing the dance curriculum over the past ten years. She completed a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2002 in which she focused on creating connections between yoga and dance. For Delisa, dance is a pathway for developing awareness of the expressive capacities of the integrated body, mind and spirit. She has a special interest in bringing together intergenerational groups of people. Her recent choreography, Mothership: Dances of the fluid feminine, involved seven woman between the ages of 25 and 83, in a collaborative dance and photography project performed throughout AZ., and was funded by the AZ. Commission on the Arts.

Deban Piper, LMT
Deban received her training at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, FL. She is certified as a massage teacher and has taught at the Southwest School of Massage in Durango, CO and at the Arizona School of Integrative Studies in Clarkdale, AZ. She currently enjoys a thriving private practice in Gallup, NM. Her work is an eclectic combination of Connective Tissue Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy and Hydrotherapy. With a deep respect and appreciation of the body/mind innate healing capacities, Deban’s presence and skills combine to facilitate her clients in their healing journey. Humor, compassion and interest informs her work and life.

Kavi Quintero, LMT
Kavi is a licensed therapist in New York and studied at the Ohashi Institute. He was also trained at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida and at the Essence Training Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. Through many years of personal inner work and the study of the inner sciences and Eastern and Western Body Therapies, Kavi has developed a very powerful and personal form of healing which he calls consciousness therapy. This is a synthesis of psychology, meditation and body and energy field work. His profound effects stem from the perception and understanding of the human system as a complex, multidimensional phenomena.

Veronica Veda, MA
Veronica combines her rich experience with an MA in CounselingPsycology/ Expressive Art Therapy, that allows Veronica to bring depth, insight, compassion and creativity to her work with individuals and groups. She was a midwife and childbirth educator in the 70’s and early 80’s, and a Certified Montessorie teacher, working with children for 18 years. Veronica offers a weekly support group within the class, and is available for individual counseling at a reduced rate. Veronica integrates her counseling and art therapy skills with her love for ceremonial rituals and her knowledge of astrology.

Matthew Williams, NCBTMB, LMT, CSI
Matthew Williams is a Certified KMI Structural Integration Practitioner and a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. He received his basic training in Seattle Washington, at the Brian Utting School of Massage and completed a 500 hour KMI Training with Tom Meyers. Matthew shares a deep sense of the connected nature of our structure, spirit and intelligence that comes through in his teaching style. He teaches Kinesiology and some of the Anatomy and Physiology classes. He is a lover of the outdoors and can often be found on the Sedona trails, hiking or mountain biking.

It is our belief that to be in the business of touching people, it is essential that the therapist be in touch with him or her self. At Sedona School of Massage, we integrate simple awareness practices and communication exercises to help students cultivate skills for working with themselves and others. In our full-immersion awareness-oriented program, students have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become excellent therapists while also becoming more fully present in their own lives.

If becoming part of a rewarding and growing profession inspires you, we invite you to explore what our Sedona, Arizona massage school has to offer.

Massage Therapy Certification Program

This five month, 700 hour program is divided into three areas of study: Massage, Conjunctive Studies and Additional Requirements.

Class time is Monday through Friday, with Conjunctive Studies in session from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, and Massage in session from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Supervised Clinic practicum will be scheduled for Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5pm.

Please be aware that the course offerings and hours listed below are estimates based on the current program at the time of this printing and are subject to change.

Massage 350 Hours

(40 hours of pathology and 25 hours of kinesiology are included in the following classes)

Swedish Massage 60 hours

In this modality, students will learn the basic theory and strokes of Swedish Massage, which promote relaxation and the free flow of fluids through the circulatory system. We will also be focusing on basic body mechanics, body draping and learning to communicate and touch in a safe way.

Myofascial Techniques 60 hours

This class will be an introduction to working with the myofascial system. We will cultivate the skills for greater presence and sensitivity in working with and affecting the connective tissue or fascia of the body.

Shiatsu 30 hours

This Japanese form of bodywork is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and works with balancing the vital flow of energy (Ki) in the body. Through the application of pressure on specific energy points (Tsubos) along the meridians of the body, we can influence and improve the body’s energetic state. Students will become familiar with basic oriental theory, the 12 meridians, the five elements and many of the Tsubos that promote healing by reinstating the free flow of energy.

Polarity 20 hours

Polarity Therapy is a healing art developed by Dr. Randolph Stone, which works with balancing the flow of life energy in the human body. This work includes an exploration into the five element and seven chakra theories, what Dr. Stone referred to as our “wireless anatomy.” Within the class, the students will learn basic theory and techniques for working with this life pulse, as well as a look into the polarity diet, yoga postures, awareness practices and communication skills.

Connective Tissue Therapy 60 hours

In this portion of the program, students will learn very specific techniques for working with the muscles and their fascial components. This work is very satisfying to receive, and very effective for freeing up areas of chronic holding and congestion, and facilitating greater function, vitality and freedom in the body/mind. The art of body reading will be taught and the students understanding of kinesiology will deepen throughout this class. This is a very good introduction to Structural Integration.

Introduction to Cranial Sacral Therapy 40 hours

This course is a hands on, gentle touch approach to the deepest level of the physiology of the human being. We work with the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. We will cultivate the skills of deep listening through touch and awareness. Through this type of contact the cranial sacral system is a largely self-corrective mechanism that can affect any number of sensory, motor or neurological situations.

Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) 40 hours

NMT uses a combination approach to dealing with painful trigger points in the body, addressing both the physical and energetic components of soft tissue dysfunction. This deep tissue therapy does not require “painful” pressure in order to achieve deep therapeutic values.

Integrative Massage 40 hours

Within this class, students will have the opportunity to integrate all of the skills gained throughout the program. We will be focusing on the interconnectedness of the cranial sacral system, the myfascial system and the energy systems of the body. There will be time for working creatively with each other and receiving individual feedback from instructors. Chair Massage, Hot Stones and an introduction to Ortho-Bionomy will also be presented within this class.

Conjunctive Studies 192 Hours

Anatomy and Physiology 60 hours

Within this class, we will look into the basic structure and function of all the major systems of the body. We will be looking wholistically, seeing the interconnectedness of all the systems and focusing on what the implications are as they apply to bodywork. We have found this course to be very empowering. We live in these bodies and the more knowledgable we are in regard to how the body works, the better equipped we are to make choices that support health.

Kinesiology 60 hours

Kinesiology is the study of muscles. In this class, students will learn the origin, insertion and action of all the major muscles of the body. Within the massage portion of the program, the students’ understanding of the musculature will deepen as they learn techniques for working very specifically with these muscles.

Hydrotherapy 6 hours

In this portion of the program, students will learn the theories and have the opportunity to practice hydrotherapy treatments that can easily be integrated into their massage practice. The therapeutic use of water has been dated back to ancient times and is practiced today by health care practitioners in many fields.

The remainder of the Conjunctive Studies courses consists of working with communication skills, ethics, awareness and movement, along with an introduction to homeopathy and herbalogy and nutrition. First aid, CPR and AIDS/HIV education will also be included in this portion of the program.

Communication Skills and Ethics 20 hours

Business and Law 6 hours

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, First Aid and AIDS/HIV 8 hours

Introduction to Homeopathy 6 hours

Introduction to Herbalogy and Nutrition 6 hours

Movement 20 hours

Additional Requirements 158 Hours

Orientation 18 hours

The first three days of class will be orientation. This will be an opportunity for students to begin to get comfortable with themselves and each other. We will be introducing basic body mechanics, awareness practices, movement, personal hygiene and simple exercises to get students used to touching and being touched in a safe way.

Clinical Practicum 60 hours

During the course of the program, students will be required to do 30 supervised practice massages. The supervised student clinic will be set up for Mon and Wed evenings at 5:00 pm. Students will also be required to give one instructor massage before graduating. This will serve as an opportunity for feedback and a personal tutorial.

Personal Journal 50 hours

Students will be required to keep a personal journal during the months they are in school. We have found journaling to be an effective tool for self-reflection and gaining greater self-awareness. There will be instruction in journal writing, and students will be required to write a brief summary of what was gained from the experience.

Throughout the 5 month course, we also integrate 4 fabulous hikes throughout the semester!!