Cortiva Launches New Public-Education Campaign

In a drive to educate consumers, Cortiva Institute has launched the release of The Massage Therapy Little Book, an educational tool to help potential students identify quality massage-therapy schools and make decisions about where to invest in their education.

Cortiva is an education company with massage schools in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Colorado and Washington.

The booklet will be distributed nationally in MASSAGE Magazine's August 2007 issue, in 200 retail stores throughout the healing arts/lifestyle marketplace, and at Cortiva's schools. Students and the public will also be able to download a free electronic copy of the book at www.cortiva.com/littlebook.

The availability of massage classes has exploded in recent years and it is projected to be a $6 to $11 billion industry, according to a survey released in 2006 by the American Massage Therapy Association. With that growth, many trade and vocational schools have added massage therapy to their menu of program offerings. The Little Book outlines how to assess whether a school provides the right fit for the student.

“In cooperation with MASSAGE Magazine, we’re releasing the Little Book to raise public awareness about the importance of accreditation, faculty preparedness, curriculum depth, and standards of professionalism in the training of bodywork therapists," said Jan Schwartz, Cortiva's vice president of education." Now people who are researching massage therapy schools can get some basic questions answered—without pressure.”