Swedish Institute Reviews of Associates in Massage Therapy

"I graduated from the Swedish Institute in 2019 and started my career as a License Massage Therapist in the state of NY right away. Everywhere I go the Swedish institute is recognized and seen in high regards. This is the best massage school in the country and likely the world. You get a sound, robust education and definitely solid preparation for the NYS board exam which is one with the most rigorous standards and requirements and the Swedish Institute raises the standards even higher in their Associate in Massage Therapy program. I have been exposed to therapists and clients from many states and countries and I have noticed how the education I received here has set me apart and open many doors. My employers, colleagues and clients are always very impressed by my training. This is an education that gives a solid foundation to go anywhere, even if you need to move to other states, it makes it so much easier to be already prepared to swiftly take a test and fulfill other states requirements. I feel very fortunate to have learned from their exceptional faculty that have decades of experience in the field and generously shared their knowledge and techniques acquired throughout their career, also keeping active and current in the profession is something very important because they bring current knowledge way beyond the books. You got to put your effort like anything else but they give you the resources and opportunities to build a solid foundation if you apply yourself and massage therapy is your passion and calling this is a great place to start."

"I attended Swedish Institute from 2015-2017. The course work was challenging but exciting and the hands on instructors were the absolute best. The instructors helped prepare me for what it would be like in the real world. I was able to be a part of some great internships through the school. Right after I graduated and took the NYS exam, I moved to Texas. The extensive training I received at Swedish helped me land a job at a super luxurious spa that doesn’t hire newbies. I am grateful for my training and experience at Swedish."

"I am very pleased with the education received the Swedish Institute. As a recent graduate I found myself excelling effortlessly. This school really prepares you and gives the students all knowledge, tools and resources to be a leading successful massage therapist not years after graduating but right after finishing school you are already right at the level of experienced therapists. The clients I am seeing now think I have years of experience from the results and the way my work feels and information I give them when addressing their case or problem areas. My employers are incredibly pleased with my readiness and professionalism which the school really enforces in all classes. This is due in great part to the amazing experienced and active faculty members we are lucky to learn from and the extensive advanced curriculum in combination with an excellent clinic that allows as to get real experience which has come handy in my current practice. So if you take advantage of what this school offers, apply yourself and being a massage therapist is your calling this is the best school to go to."

"I attended SWEDISH and finished in 2 years. I can’t speak highly enough of my experience during my time there. The staff was so professional and armed with knowledge. I met great friends there. SWEDISH isn’t a program for someone who isn’t going to take the plunge and make the commitment. It’s hard work. You have to be committed and in the end, it’s worth it. You’ll have the best massage therapy education you can have and will have the confidence to work anywhere. It was recommended to me from a friend who graduated about a decade before me. I’m so glad I listened to her and took her advice. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you attend an orientation there and see for yourself."

"The Swede has opened my mind to the many layers and approaches to massage work. I didnt realize what an incredible blessing I was in for when signing up for the massage program. The swede did not only teach me how to “rub” a body. It taught me how to creatively think and approach the body, how magical we are as human beings, how much our emotions are really our super power, and how to take your power back. I received an Associates degree in Occupational Studies, which I also didnt realize I would receive when signing up. I confidently recommend the Swedish Institute to anyone looking to begin, or further a career in the health or fitness fields. Going to Swedish is like therapy for your mind, body, AND soul. Plus the faculty and instructors are full of wisdom and passion, which makes learning a lot more enjoyable."

"I graduated Swedish Institute in 2001 and have had a career in therapeutic bodywork ever since. The SI curriculum prepared me for a career, not just a job. The world of massage and bodywork is a wide sea of possibilities, and with the education I received I was able to confer with chiropractors and physicians in their language about clients/patients who benefit from informed, knowledgeable treatment of soft tissue. Being equipped to do basic orthopedic testing allowed me to provide treatments that addressed the source of a client's problem rather than guessing and chasing pain; this, in turn, allowed me to build a private practice where clients trust they will receive knowledgeable care from an educated practitioner. I have more job satisfaction that I could have ever imagined. This school does not teach a cookie-cutter approach — you will learn more than you need to do spa massages; If you want a trade school, keep looking. Swedish Institute will prepare you to be a thinking bodywork professional."

"I graduated in 2009 with an associates in a massage therapy. Since then Ive worked in various massage settings, cities and countries - day spas, chiropractic offices, gyms, luxury spas and private practice. The Swedish gave me a wonderful education in the standard Swedish massage approach as well as advanced Western technique training which gave me a solid foundation to execute skillful techniques in my sessions. Over the years, I continued to enhance my professional training with the continuing education classes the Swedish Institute provides throughout the year. I've also made wonderful personal and professional friends here."

"RUN This school is a profit scheme quite frankly. I came in just to inquire about MAYBE doing a massage program IN THE FUTURE at ANY school but they bullied me into signing up that week, saying school is about to start and if you dont register NOW you will miss classes! I hadn't even been fully sold on the idea of obtaining a 2nd degree. Every year they charge new students $5000 more (they told us this). Once I needed to take a semester off for work and the staff gave me the WRONG drop date, so I was then told I owed Swedish over $1000 during my time off in late drop fees to start the following semester. I said screw them, and went to class anyway, AND THE FEE MAGICALLY DISAPPEARED. (My friend had a similar incident. They make you appeal if you fail a class and some classes require a C+ to pass (oddly enough those irrelevant to massage therapy). Some textbooks are 500 pages and certain teachers are fantastic, but then there are those from other departments who come teach our program and couldn't be bothered less with inquires or adequate teaching. Aside from that, some teachers. I already called my teacher snapping at me mid lecture, to stop talking, when in fact another student was asking ME a question! What a welcome! Many teachers do not have degrees for what they are teaching (Neurology, Soft Tissue Assesmenent, etc) and a select few come from other professions totally (expect massage courses)! Students are given 30 mins to shovel food down their throats in a lunch room with 1-2 working microwaves for 200 students on lunch break at a given time. 30% of the curriculum are classes that are not only contrary to science, but are MANDATORY (not electives) and completely useless in the job world (Eastern modalities). A waste of time, money and intellect. Yet they DO NOT teach you hot stone massage, Indian Head Massage, wraps, scrubs or anything most spas require. Sports massage was literally a TWO DAY LESSON, and chair massage ( the most physically taxing), ONE DAY. If you want to learn in depth about any of the techniques to actually NEED in the spas, they will offer them as continuing education courses for hundreds of dollars per day, up to over a thousand for a few days course. PROFIT SCHEME at the benefit of investors, not students. Historically, the school is responsible for pushing the state legislation requiring 1200 hours of education and a special State licensure. Reason being is so that they can offer a pricey degree program at triple the rate of public colleges in the region. Had I been given more time to think about are schools, absolutely would have chosen a public college because not only are they affordable, but they would have my best interest adequate education and job placement. For 1200 hours of education, you can have an INTERNATIONAL MASSAGE CERTIFICATION (CIDESCO) that includes beauty and spa training. I would have preferred to have that.The best thing about the whole program was oddly enough, the Professional Development classes ( which even still were inadequate). They made gross exaggerations with how much money we can make (against accreditation rules), and should have expanded their classes about massage and business. In fact, a dual degree with spa management (or at least electives) is vastly more useful than any one energetic massage class taught! Alas, there were none offered. Nor did they speak about national and international certifications to expand our horizons. In hindsight, it's probably so that you stay in NYC to take their costly Continuing Education courses! With all the bad reviews about false representation and lack of adequate studies (in Nursing, Massage, etc), I honestly wonder how they are able to keep accreditation, or who they are paying to do so. This school should be reported."

"The Massage Therapy program at the Swedish Institute is hands-down fantastic. I felt incredibly prepared and ready to go out and interview and secure jobs. We were also thoroughly prepared for the state board exam required for licensure (honestly, if you can't pass this, you shouldn't be an LMT). The faculty are amazing and passionate, I never had a bad experience with any instructor and have definitely made some life-long connections with many. I've had really great success so far being a massage therapist and I'm looking forward to many more years to come! Seriously, Swedish sets you up entirely for success, as long as you are dedicated and put in the time and effort that is required to be a knowledgeable and trustworthy LMT. Thank you, Swedish Institute!"

"I loved attending the Swedish Institute for Massage. To be honest, the program was much more intense and thorough than I anticipated and I'm SO glad! I know so much more about neurology, kinesiology, pathology, anatomy and physiology than I ever thought I would. The classes build upon the knowledge that you learn, so make sure to study hard in first semester - because all of that info helps you to get through the rest of the curriculum. I loved my time there, and would recommend to anyone wanting to study massage."

"Am forever grateful for the fair, thorough training, teaching, confidence building experience the Swedish Institute afforded me and many others. Massage was different in 1986. LMT's often traveled to Clients homes with tables..$100.00 x's what was suggested to be the goal of 20 Clients a week..was BIG Bucks~and still is. Rates have gone up^^! During the day I worked at local health clubs, on call at some hotels, Elizabeth Arden, eventually rented space in a ladies gym on Park Ave in NYC..and still had time to be home, walk the dog. Every step was great, inspiring..lead to the next, ~..I followed the path that being a freelance LMT offers. Made turns right and left. At age 58 in 2019..found a good place. The healing, healthy, helpful, lucrative most times choice of living this healing arts reality is not always for the weak or meek..BUT will build you to being a "best you" even if you are an introvert~helps you find yourself~ Go to a solid school..one with history like the Swedish Institute, go the extra mile to attend SI...you'll feel the strength of this potential when you walk the halls~ be a trailblazer..it matters. Education is nurtured at the Swedish Institute~ is so worth it! Best."

"I graduated from Swedish Institute in 2001 with a associates degree for the Massage Therapy program. Honestly, after so many years and still having to sadly pay a school loan I want to give this school 0 stars! For any student that is thinking about attending this school please look elsewhere. Dont waste your time and money in this school! If I knew better I would have gotten a degree in Occupational therapy assisting vs. the c*** degree I got from Swedish Institute. Additionally, not only do they make it expensive they make it super difficult especially the c*** tools of assessment class which I believe Frasier developed. Its a useless class which should be taught to people only considering Physical Therapy not Massage Therapy. I have worked in Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics and can honestly say that a lot of the material taught in that class was not even necessary to learn. A special test is only done by a physical therapist not by a massage therapist so what a crock! I wish so bad I never attended this school what a waste of my time and money! Not only Im I a massage therapist my husband is a physical therapist so I know what Im explaining here. Get a better school and a degree in another school not Swedish Institute!"

"Worst school ever. Administration/Registration/Financial Aid is plagued with incompetence and lack of quality. It is a joke that they are even accredited school. It was like this when I attended in 2001 and apparently is still the same in 2015."

"This school used to be the best massage school. Some of the instructors say that everything changed when it was sold to another company. They let all kinds of people into this school. Some of them are drug addicts, high at school, people with criminal records. I was shocked. It wasn't what I expected. Most of the instructors are good teachers, but can't get their job done properly because of students that are not smart enough, disruptive, equipment that is broken or that they don't have. The school needs an upgrade. I wouldn't go there if I was choosing a school again."