National Holistic Institute – Massage School

DONT go to school there, i did, almost all of my group are not doing massage anymore. market is flooded. they are lying to you if they say there is jobs. 6000 dollars wasted… not worth it !!!

Big problem! I attempted to take massage therapy classes @ National Holistic Institute (NHI) a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed going to class, the environmental location was perfect for what I was trying to accomplish. This was supposed to be a professional and successful place. It did not turn out that way! Maybe, I gave to much credit to people that did not deserve my respect and loyalty! The students were very rude, cruel and mean. This caused a lot of unnecessary complications and problems.
The National Holistic Institution learning curriculum is approximately 9 months. From day one, I could tell something was fishy, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Because I never thought that I would not finish a 9 month program. I only got to three months and they kicked me out! Yeah. They were jealous! I’m extremely ignited about this whole incident. It turned out to be a waste of my time and a waste of my money! I filed a civil claims law suit against this organization; that was settled out of court. To this day. I am still a little pissed off because the problem is I’m still out about over a thousand bucks and I want my money back, pronto! Not tomorrow, not yesterday, not next week; but NOW! Its pay back time. That’s why I rated your institution @ a 1! You were unsuccessful and you did not finish, so you deserve anything!
**** The good thing is that I got to keep all my assessments and evaluations from my clients in reference to my work. Which I will use when I become a professional massage therapist. On top of that I got injured from this place because of not enough communication and practices!
**** I cannot understand HOW a place that was supposed to have top notch instructors, a nice facility, good practical and clinical techniques could awesomely let something like this happened. I mean I will say that everything else was fine; except for the students. Soooo. I trusted you guys and you let me down. I thought they would of had my back on something as important as this! Oh well. Alls well that ends well! I will never forgive you NHI. I should go in front of their establishment now and demand a refund. A revolution protest. I want my money back now. Ahhhh… Just came up with an idea! See you NHI !

If you’re looking for the best massage school coupled by the highest caliber faculty and administration it’s equal, NHI is it. Having been in massage education for several years, I can say shy from any doubt, the school, curriculum to teaching standards far exceeds anything I’ve experienced in the industry. Something magical happens when you combine 30 years of commitment, 1 part faculty superb and their continual drive for further improvements. It was no surprise when I heard NHI was awarded massage school of the year. If you’re thinking about massage education, invest a bit of time at on campus, talk to the teachers and definitely sit in on a class.

I’m an NHI graduate that has also spent some time as a Teachers Assistant, and if there’s one thing I can say about NHI to put some perspective on things is it’s more a vocational school than a massage school.
Whether you’re talking about the quality of instruction or the student clinic, one of the main problems is the student to teacher ratio is too big. What this translates to is an inevitable loss of quality in both the classroom as well as in the clinic.
With regards to the school, it tends to attract a lot of young people, some fresh out of high school. Nothing against anyone in particular but you tend to have a general lack of maturity and the seriousness is lacking. (that, no doubt is why one other reviewer got a student therapist that was TEXTING during a massage!) There are conscientious students of course, some admittedly more so than myself but they are there in spite of the school not because of it, and I am sure they would do well without me or NHI.
With regards to the student clinic, last I checked about a year ago it was still being run the same way: The students enter clinic right after receiving instruction in either the Eastern or Western segment and practice the corresponding style, (Shiatsu or Swedish) BUT the thing is the senior students will have already completed half their training (including the other main modality as well as advanced therapeutic work) and have been in clinic before, the juniors have no other training besides the modality they just learned. There is obviously a BIG difference in the quality as a result of the training and YET, NHI does not charge a different rate for senior and junior students, (at least one other school does) and of course you cannot choose. My suggestion to this effect was basically ignored.
As others have pointed out it’s always a mix especially when it comes to the student clinic, but I cannot really recommend the school or the clinic if there are other options. The school is too expensive, and the clinic while inexpensive has unpredictable quality AT BEST.

This review is regarding the school, not the student-​run clinic.
I’ve had plenty of massages. And I mean PLENTY! As in, regularly for about 20 years now. I really can’t review the clinic at NHI from an unbiased viewpoint because I am also a student at NHI. Until the end of October, 2009 when I will be unleashed on the Bay Area as both a massage therapist and health educator. The last 20 years of regular therapeutic massage therapy have really set me up to learn quickly and I like to learn from the best. I’ll admit; NHI was my second choice when I was looking for an institute of higher learning. Boulder College of Massage Therapy in Boulder, CO was my first. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, namely being addicted to the Bay Area and being unable to consider being landlocked in Colorado for ANY amount of time, NHI became my new first choice as soon as I spent time with Lupita in the admissions office. Needless to say, my time at NHI has been VERY well spent. As has my money. This education ain’t cheap, folks. It does pay for itself quickly though considering how much bodywork we get in class. Of course, like my mentor, and one of my favorite teachers, at NHI says about massage therapists, «Some are good; some are, um, er, different.» ;-) I like to think that my education at NHI has helped to make me one of the good ones. At any rate, I know without a doubt that I will always have work I love. :-)
PS: Minus one star because I had to deal with a lot of drama surrounding my financial aid package. The communication of the administration of the school with the students could definitely stand to be improved upon. They can’t let the experience be ALL perfect, though, or I wouldn’t need a massage! ;-)