Northern Arizona Massage Therapy Institute, better known as NAMTI, is one of the leading educational institutes in massage. As a school for extensive massage and bodywork trainiing, NAMT boasts accreditations and endorsements from numerous state, national and international organizations like the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) and the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), among others. According to Jeff McGrath, Director of NAMTI, accreditation from these massage and bodywork organizations is critical to the school's success. "It ensures our graduates have the specialized set of skills that inherent them as a therapist. It's quality control, ensuring high quality certified instructors, and the student's ability to get the most out of the program. It differentiates [our graduates] from other practitioners."

Located in Northern Arizona, NAMTI provides extensive massage and bodywork training to students seeking unique careers in the healing arts. For example, one of the many career-training programs is NAMTI's 840-hour Massage Practitioner Program,* which is all-inclusive when it comes to massage diversity. In this particular program, students gain fundamentals in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and pathology, in addition to hands-on training in Swedish massage, deep tissue techniques, reflexology, hydrotherapy and SoulStones (hot stones), Shiatsu, Tuina, Myofascial techniques, craniosacral therapy, ProprioSomatic Therapy (similar to Trigger Point therapy), traditional Thai massage, Tai Chi, Qigong, and more. Completion of this comprehensive course gives graduates eligibility for National Certification and State licensure. (Individual State licensing requirements may vary.) "(Students) receive quality vocational training to do this legally, but (the program) is also a transformational and growth opportunity for personal growth, personal health and wellbeing, in conjunction with training," remarked McGrath.

If you are interested in pursuing Asian bodywork as a career, then NAMTI offers its 500-hour Advanced Asian Bodywork Certification program, which permits graduates to earn Practitioner Level Certification through the American Organization for Body Therapies of Asia (AOBTA); in addition to National Certification. This in-depth massage course involves education and training in anatomy and physiology, with an emphasis on TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine); including bodywork instruction in Shiatsu (Namakoshi style), traditional Thai massage, Tuina (Chinese medical massage), Tai Chi and Qigong, among other essential business studies.

If you like foot massage, NAMTI has the right program for you as well. The 200-hour Professional Reflexology Certification program at NAMTI offers students practical training and academics in the foundations of reflexology, practice and documentation (i.e., research project and 40 documented sessions), and case studies, among other subject matter. Successful completion of this program allows graduates to take the ARCB (American Reflexology Certification Board) exam.

Consider continuing education at either one of NAMTI's campus locations in Sedona or Prescott. In addition to foundational continuing education courses in anatomy, physiology, or pathology, both students and professional massage therapists have several alternative educational options from which to choose, including supplementary , ProprioSomatic Therapy, Shiatsu, and TCM Theory, among many others. NAMTI further supports its students and graduates with online courses in anatomy, physiology and kinesiology.

If you are pining for travel, NAMTI invites its students to travel abroad to Thailand to gain an even more enriching environment. Students opting to tour to Thailand with NAMTI not only get to experience the unique sites and sounds of this ancient land, but will acquire skills from Thai massage and Thai masters from the area! Currently, plans are in development for student travel to China, as well.

In addition to Veterans Education Benefits, NAMTI participates in a variety of financial aid programs and offers a job placement program to its graduates. If you've never been excited about a career in massage, then now is the time to get motivated and aggressively . "You're not going to find another program in the country that gives you this much high-quality attention. Such a comprehensive blend of all these leading massage modalities demonstrates that NAMTI is one step ahead of the curve, and that will define the future of the successful therapist."

*Upcoming 840-hour program starts in January, 2008 in both Prescott and Sedona campus locations.

Featured School the Week: NAMTI-Northern Arizona Massage Therapy Institute

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