Massage Therapy Clinics
Participate in a Massage Therapy Clinic
Our curriculum prepares students for careers in massage therapy through comprehensive classroom instruction and hands-on learning in our working clinics. Our clinics form an integral part of refining each student's learning.
Swedish Institute operates on-site and off-site clinics where students can bring the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy to the New York City community.
For more information or if you have any questions, e-mail the Clinic Manager at mtclinic@swedishinstitute.edu.
Learn More About Our Massage Clinics
Unlike a massage experience at a private spa, Swedish Institute's clinics are teaching environments designed to benefit both students and patients. For our students to get the most out of their weekly sessions in our clinics, we request that patients consistently keep appointments.
Swedish emphasizes real-world scenarios, and feedback is crucial to the development of the student's skills. Please feel free to provide quick, constructive feedback to the student. You can also provide feedback to the Clinic Supervisor (the instructor working with the students) or the Clinic Manager.
What You Need to Know About Participating in Our Clinics
- We ask that you please refrain from wearing scents.
- Please dress simply and avoid wearing a lot of jewelry to appointments.
- We love spending time with our clients, but once your session is complete, we kindly ask you to allow our students to prepare the area for the next client.
- Client cases may be used for special projects, presentations, or research. Our director may ask you to please complete outcome surveys or keep a progress journal.
- If you or someone in your household are ill, please contact the Clinic Manager regarding your appointment before you come to the school.
What to Expect at a Swedish Institute Clinic
Every session is unique because the treatment application is based on your individual needs. Although our students are trained equally to meet our high standards, each has their unique style, so your experience can be somewhat different with each student practitioner. Below, we share what you might typically experience.
Medical History Review
Upon your arrival for a massage session, we will ask you about your medical history so that your therapist can create a custom treatment session to provide you with the greatest benefit. All information is confidential and becomes part of your treatment record. Your therapist may also perform a physical assessment to help establish the most appropriate treatment strategy for you.
Preparing for the Session
If you are receiving a Shiatsu massage, this type of massage is traditionally performed through your clothing. For the best results, clothing should be thin cotton, loose, and comfortable. Please bring socks to wear during the session if you are not wearing them to the session.
If you are receiving a Swedish massage, which includes the use of oils, you will disrobe in private, choosing to leave on whatever clothing may make you most comfortable. The therapist will enter the room once you are comfortably lying down on the massage table, covered with a provided towel or sheet. If you have any concerns about the preparation process or anything else about the massage experience, please speak with your therapist about it. As New York State law requires, the therapist will only uncover the part of the body being worked on during the massage. Please refrain from removing clothing until the therapist is out of the station.
What to Expect During the Massage
As previously noted, using oils is essential to the specialized techniques of Swedish massage. The massage typically involves the shoulders, back, legs, feet, arms, hands, neck, and head, but each case is unique, so treatment areas may vary. You can always guide the therapist toward or away from specific areas. You can expect to feel an overall effect of relaxation and easing of tension during the massage.
In some situations, discomfort may be felt during the massage. Discomfort usually occurs in areas that need treatment most. Please communicate your comfort level with the process to your therapist. Our therapists are highly trained to respond to individual differences appropriately. When it is time to turn over, your therapist will guide you so that you remain fully draped.
If you receive a Shiatsu massage, the massage will usually take place on a cushioned mat rather than a table. However, some students require a table to work on for their own needs, and you may also request a table if you need help getting down to and up from the floor. Your therapist will begin the session by evaluating the Hara, or abdominal area. This initial palpation helps the therapist identify which channels, or meridians, they should focus on. Unlike the long, gliding strokes of Swedish massage, Shiatsu massage involves applying gentle pressure using the palms, fingers, forearms, or feet and various gentle stretches. The therapist will adjust the work based on any conditions or preferences you communicate as the session progresses.
How Will a Client Feel After Being Treated?
Every bodywork experience is unique. Clients often fall asleep while receiving treatment because the experience is so relaxing. As a result, some clients may feel sleepy for a short period, while others may feel invigorated or energized. When the session is over, you are encouraged to take your time getting up, and you should always ask for assistance if needed. If the treated area is a sensitive spot, you may feel some slight muscle soreness for up to a day or two after the massage. Mild bruising may also occur in some cases, although this is very rare.
Stress Reduction Clinic
Massage therapy sessions in the Stress Reduction Clinic provide eight (8) one-hour sessions in Shiatsu and Swedish massage, intending to alleviate tension and promote an overall effect of general relaxation. Deep tissue massage is not performed in the Stress Reduction Clinic because of the therapists' training level. If clients require specific work for a complaint or a deep tissue approach, they should apply for the Therapeutic Massage. A different student will provide each session. Individual appointments are unavailable, and clients cannot request a particular modality.
The Stress Reduction Clinic is for generally healthy people. No doctor's diagnosis is required. Anyone with a medical condition or pregnant may apply for treatment in our Therapeutic Massage Clinic.
The cost for the series of eight sessions is $320. Arrangements for payment will be made with the Clinic Manager. The client will receive a refund in the event a client does not receive an appointment.
The Stress Reduction Clinic holds sessions on Saturdays and Sundays during the day and Monday evenings. The Clinic Manager will discuss timing options with you.
We will use a very equitable and fair lottery process to register to give all applicants the most favorable chance to get a space. The thorough completion of an application is an essential factor, so all questions should be answered completely.
If you are interested in participating in our student Massage Therapy Clinic, please e-mail us at mtclinic@swedishinstitute.edu or leave a message at (917) 203-8604.
If you are given an appointment, a sign-in link for our patient management app will be sent to you, as well as a Health Intake Form. Please create your account and submit the intake form promptly.
Please note that we require an updated intake form roughly every four months, though clients should keep us advised of any updates to their health history as changes occur.
Therapeutic Massage Clinic
In their final semester of training, students provide medically oriented sessions in the Therapeutic Massage Clinic. Clients sign up for a series of 11 one-hour sessions. They will work with one or more students throughout the 11 weeks of treatment, in which treatment focuses on the client's specific injury, complaint, or condition. Using the assessment techniques they have learned, students tailor an appropriate treatment protocol for the client's chief complaint, using both Eastern and Western massage techniques. They consult with a clinic supervisor throughout to ensure adequate care is provided.
Each appointment is 75 minutes long, providing time for 10-12 minutes of intake followed by a full 60-minute massage. Students are graded on their ability to perform both tasks of the appointment.
Clients in the Therapeutic Massage Clinic must have a particular condition, injury, or complaint. Some of these conditions may make a client ineligible for the Stress Reduction Clinic, but they can be accommodated in the Therapeutic Clinic because it is more medically focused.
Medical clearance from a physician, chiropractor, or nurse practitioner is required for admission into the Therapeutic Massage Clinic. The letter must be on an official letterhead or prescription pad and state that the client has "no contraindication for massage therapy treatments." Pregnant clients must provide approval from their OB/GYN. The original copy of the health professional's letter must be on file before clinic sessions begin. All clients need to submit a medical clearance with their application for the FALL series of treatment sessions. Returning clients to the WINTER and SPRING series will not require a new clearance as long as the clearance on file is dated after JUNE 15 of the previous year.
The cost for the series of 12 sessions is $480. Arrangements for payment will be made with the Clinic Manager.
The Therapeutic Massage Clinic holds its sessions on Wednesdays. The Clinic Manager will discuss timing options with you.
We will use a very equitable and fair lottery process to register to give all applicants the most favorable chance to get a space. The thorough completion of an application is an essential factor, so all questions should be answered completely. We will select a random sample of applications received on a given date and register clients in batches of 15 at a time. If a client's application is not selected in the sample, their application will be added to the next date and only returned once we have filled all clinic spaces.
If you are interested in participating in our student Massage Therapy Clinic, please e-mail us at mtclinic@swedishinstitute.edu or leave a message at (917) 203-8604.
If you are given an appointment, a sign-in link for our patient management app will be sent to you, as well as a Health Intake Form. Please create your account and submit the intake form promptly.
Please note that we require an updated intake form roughly every four months, though clients should keep us advised of any updates to their health history as changes occur.
Disclaimers, sources & accreditation
Swedish Institute's programs are registered by the New York State Education Department. Accredited by ACCSC. For important information on program costs, completion and placement rates, median debt incurred, etc., please visit: http://www.swedishinstitute.edu/student-consumer-information.
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