Types or Modalities of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy school is not a one-size-fits-all career training program. There are several types of massage therapy techniques that an aspiring masseuse can learn, and different massage schools will specialize in all or some of the following techniques. Following is a list of many of the massage therapy techniques that are taught at massage schools.

Acupressure Massage: An ancient Chinese technique, acupressure involves the theory of "meridians", or channels of energy that run through the human body. When the meridians are interrupted, individuals can suffer ailments, and discomfort, which can be cured and restored by acupressure.

Alexander Technique: This technique focuses on gentle guidance to improve balance, posture, and coordination.

AMMA Therapy®: A complex system that uses traditional oriental medical principles to evaluate an individual's energetic system. Using AMMA Therapy, a wide range of medical conditions can be treated by both physical and emotional techniques.

Aromatherapy: Often used in combination with other therapeutic treatments, aromatherapy involves the use of therapeutic scented oils to have a healing affect on a person's mind, body, and soul.

Body-Mind Centering: Re-education of how the body's skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems work together for movement and self-awareness. Body-Mind centering can be used in people of all ages to help improve movement problems.

Body-Oriented Psychotherapy:
This technique utilizes a wide range of massage, bodywork and other movement techniques to help address emotional issues.

Bodywork for Abuse Survivors: 
Working with survivors of sexual abuse to help reestablish the healthy meaning of touch during the recovery process.

Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy©: Fitness expert Bonnie Prudden developed this method using elbows, knuckles, or fingers to apply pressure to irritable muscle "trigger points" that may be causing pain to individuals. This also involves follow-up exercises for the treated muscles.

Chi Nei Tsang: Chinese system that uses massage in the navel area to increase energy flow to specifics organs.

Compression Massage: Mostly used as a precursor to other deeper massage techniques, this involves rhythmic compression into muscles to help soften the tissues.

Craniosacral Therapy Massage: A gentle, hands on method of light touch to the head, spinal column, sacrum, and surrounding areas, to help decrease stress, pain and other conditions like restlessness and poor sleep.

Deep Tissue Bodywork: Used to treat whiplash, low back & neck pain, and some degenerative diseases, by way of slow strokes and deep pressure to contracted muscle tissue. This is a more advanced form of Swedish Massage, not intended for relaxation, but rather used to treat muscles injuries.

Healing Touch: Using gentle touch to help heal wounds, aid in relaxation, and prevent illness. Often practiced by registered nurses.

Infant Massage: Often taught to new parents by trained instructors, this gentle massage can increasing parent/child bonding, as well as help with baby's respiratory, circulatory, and gastrointestinal functions.

Kinesiology: The study of muscles and movement, used by healthcare providers like chiropractors, osteopaths, dentists, and medical doctors.

Manual Lymph Drainage®: Under a physician's referral, certified therapists use this gentle method of full body massage to stimulate the lymphatic system move excess fluid away from tissue.

Myofascial Release Massage Therapy: Targets the fascia, or connective tissue that surrounds muscles. Fascia can become tight or sore with injury, so myofascial massage loosens and stretches the fascia, increases blood supply, and helps improve motion and decrease discomfort.

Ohashiatsu®: A system used to relieve stress & fatigue that involves exercise, meditation and physical techniques to bring about a state of peace. With flowing movments, the practitioner stretches the body while working rhythmically with the person's breathing.

Polarity Therapy: A technique centered on balancing the body's flow of energy; it involves gentle touch, and guidance in diet, exercise, and self-awareness.

Qi Gong Massage (Chi-Kung): Ancient Chinese system that focuses on balance of the qi (chi) along meridians (energy pathways) in the body. This system is also built on the Yin/Yang philosophy of keeping the inner body's energy and outer physical body in balance, thus improving overall recovery and health.

Reflexology Therapy: Originating in ancient Egypt and China, this method is based on the philosophy that specific points in the feet and hands correspond with other organs and tissues in the body. It is believed that massage and stimulation of these trigger points can help treat other ailments in the body.

Reiki Massage: An ancient Tibetan technique that uses light hand placement, transferring positive energy to the recipient, to heal emotional and mental distress in addition other physical problems.

Shiatsu Massage: A modified version of acupressure massage that uses finger pressure to treat specific points along the body's meridians (channels of energy).

Soma Neuromuscular Integration®: A method used to improve posture, joint function, and alignment by deep manipulation of muscles and their connective tissue. Treatment using this method involves ten sessions, and is used to treat various chronic ailments.

Swedish Massage: The most common massage technique in America, Swedish massage involves long strokes, and kneading of upper muscle layers (as opposed to deep tissue massage) to promote increased circulation and relaxation.

Thai-Style Massage: Performed fully clothed on a mat, this technique involves both applied pressure and stretching techniques to create balance of energy, and wholeness of mind, body, and soul.

Trigger Point/Myotherapy: Similar to Shiatsu or acupressure, this technique involves applying specific pressure to tender or contracted muscle points that are causing pain. However, it is based on Western anatomy and physiology science.

Zero Balancing Massage: Combining Western anatomy science with Eastern energy philosophies, zero balancing massage uses hand and finger contact with bony structures to align the body and balance the body's energy