Heart, Humanity, Health
Your New Career Awaits
Transform your life while providing a healing touch for others!
You have a heart for healing...
but how do you turn that into a career?
Knowing you’re meant for more is easy. There are whole songs and books written about that feeling. But believing in yourself enough to invest in yourself? That takes courage and heart. Maybe you’d love a career in massage therapy, but you just can’t see past the roadblocks. Does this describe you?
You're looking to be uplifted and inspired by your career.
You want to feel worthy and valuable through your work.
You want to know exactly where you're going if you leave your current situation.
You want a job where you can use your excellent listening and caring skills.
Every time you get a massage you think about what a great career that would be.
Some have already started their journey
These Students LOVE Their New Lives!
Touch is the most prominent language in the caregiving relationship. Every act of caregiving involves touch. It is an action that validates life and gives hope to both the giver and the receiver. The healing of touch is reciprocal. – Irene Smith
At first, I thought it was a near-death experience...
At first, I thought it was a near-death experience, tumbling hundreds of feet in an avalanche far out in the Alaska Range, that brought me to reconsider my career as a mountain guide. When I turned 27, someone told me that my change of heart added up and I was just going through my “Saturn return”. Once the global pandemic hit, I was a little confused about why I had chosen the service of physical touch when literally no one was touching anyone. But now, on the other side of my 15-month program at the Port Townsend School of Massage, I know it was never a single event or coincidence that brought me to where I am on my path. With the help of my school community and all the challenges and evolutions of the process, today I announce that I am a Healer; officially an LMT! I am so proud to accept who I am, and what I am continuously becoming. My healing touch is the embodiment of my heart’s song; intuitive, rhythmic, and encouraging of one’s own participation in the process. I have found my first platform working under another mountain woman for Bodywork Wellness Studio in the quaint Fairhaven district of Bellingham, WA. I look forward to supporting my community of outdoor-nature folks in feeling more alive and at ease in their homebodies.
Katlynne S.
Graduate
I chose PTSM for the passion the staff...
I chose PTSM for the passion the staff showed towards this career and towards the students. Our situation was unique, I only had a specific time frame to complete a training program (Navy family). I knew I wanted to do something in healing but was particularly set on massage after getting a great massage from a PTSM graduate. My favorite class was anatomy with Kay Darlington. Although some of the material can be challenging, Kay always helped us center and prepared us with realistic expectations. She's just a real inspiration at life. I have had my own business, gone into treatment work, worked as an employee doing relaxation work and am pleased to now be part time with Kitsap Healing Space. Massage will always be a part of my personal and professional life and I'm very grateful for my experience with PTSM.
Amber P.
Graduate
Inn 2016, I was in a bad accident.
In 2016, I was in a bad accident. I was a police officer and was struck by a DUI driver while I was outside my patrol car. I had various injuries throughout my body. Some of them had healed but I was left with limited range of motion in my neck. I saw a massage therapist for a year who did deep tissue and clinical treatment work. I now have approximately 90% range of motion back because of the work she did with me. Originally, I was going to go back into law enforcement because my drive to help people is strong. After seeing the help I could give someone through massage, which could be life changing, I decided to become a massage therapist. Even though I am still currently in school, I will graduate at the end of June 2022, I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I love the healing energy of massage, and how we can make such a difference in people’s lives. Even my practice clients look forward to my homework assignments! I also truly appreciate Lizzz and the teachers at Port Townsend School of Massage! Everyone here, at the school, wants us to exceed and is here to support us! It is an amazing family, and I love being a part of it!
Sheila K.
Current Student
The best part of PTSM is the human element...
The best part of Port Townsend School of Massage is the human element to their teaching. They treat everyone as an individual and focus on each person's needs. Unlike many programs which are competitive, money driven or just checked out completely, PTSM really cares about their students and creates a nurturing and communal environment where everyone helps each other learn and grow. Two months into the program, I was hit by a truck while crossing the street and with a broken wrist and jaw could no longer attend classes. Lizzz helped me work through options to figure out how I was going to attend. I eventually decided to join the next cohort and was supported the entire time. Both with my decision and throughout the program. I've never felt as cared for at any school I had been to before. I felt like I learned everything I needed to become an amazing massage therapist and so much more. Many people want the school to teach for the text, so they can pass the MBLEx exam. While PTSM gives you everything you need to pass the MBLEx it also gives you so much more, such as what you'll need to be an a great massage therapist, in a way that works for you in particular because we all have our own styles and our own touch. My one advice for current students is to "trust the process". Lizzz said this a lot at the beginning but sometimes it can seem like different teachers are giving conflicting information or maybe more than is necessary is being taught and the trust can get lost in the confusion. Learning different view points and the not black and white thinking taught at PTSM is incredibly valuable, and at the end makes working through issues on the MBLEx and with actual clients much easier than just memorizing one shallow answer that isn't the whole truth. I am incredibly grateful for the depth and breadth of knowledge taught at PTSM.
Loki W.
Graduate
Yes to
PTSM!
After retiring from the US Navy in 2012, I bounced around job to job, including college classes, for years not really sure of what I wanted to do or where my next career was going to be. Well by 2017 I figured it out and calling PTSM and getting the info about classes and courses involved with Massage, I made my decision. “Massage Therapist” would be my next career path. Plus the fact of continuing helping others. The assistance, hands on and courses were well rounded and very instructive, especially with hands on. Lizzz definitely knows her Anatomy and Kinesiology. It’s more than classes, it’s like a second family! As a Veteran, they worked along with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, as well as other Veteran programs. I did struggle some in certain areas but with the tutoring and total help from ALL the instructors and volunteers, gave me the will power and strength to see me succeed and graduate, June 2018! I have my own Mobile business now, plus working also with An Esthetician. I’ve learned much, and much more after graduating by working with Chiropractic and Medical issues as well. In June I will complete my Medical Massage Certification (MMP) through LMT Success Group. I’m so happy to tell people I’m a graduate of Port Townsend School of Massage! What truly amazing school and Awesome Family Institution!
Michael B.
Graduate
I was pretty new to the role of massage...
I was pretty new to the role of massage in healthcare when I enrolled in PTSM. My first experience with massage was a few years ago when I needed to seek out various forms of care to help me heal after a car collision. I’m a patient care professional working in healthcare for many years and became interested in learning massage when I personally experienced the enhanced healing, recovery, and wellness benefits of an integrated healthcare approach. "We need folks who will let us try on new ways of being without judging us." - Brene Brown This is what I experienced and received as a student at PTSM. There are some parts of massage therapy that are similar to my patient care experiences and some parts of massage therapy that are very different from the patient care I am used to. Beyond what I could have ever anticipated when I first enrolled, the staff and my classmates at PTSM encouraged and graciously supported my development while honoring my individuality. I was in the weekend program. I can honestly say that each class weekend was a more brilliant experience than the class weekend before. Connecting with fellow learners in a safe, supportive space guided by caring and helpful staff became a treasured experience that I miss since graduating. The personal and professional growth and development PTSM facilitated for me has changed my life. PTSM is a wonderful community that I’m extremely grateful to be part of.
Kimberly B.
Graduate
If you are ready to move into a career that brings you deep, spiritual rewards
Port Townsend School of Massage Can Help!
A Career In Massage Therapy... YOUR WAY
Weekday Programs
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Weekend Programs
Transition Into a Career You Will Love
Continuing Education Programs
Increase Your Knowledge, Save Your Hands, Help Bring in New Clients
Student Clinics
Get a Massage While Supporting Our Talented Students
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Learn more about Port Townsend School of Massage programs, curriculum, tuition & fees.
Talk personally with the owner or an instructor with any questions you might have.
Enhance your skills through one of our innovative Continuing Education Courses.
Get to know our facilities by scheduling a massage at one of our Student Clinics.
Located In Beautiful
PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON
Port Townsend has long been known for its transformative energies, drawing body workers and natural therapists from all parts of the country. Port Townsend is a well known place for growth and healing. It is at a crossroads where the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound converge and is surrounded by the majesty of the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascades to the east.