For Balanced Health Management, Inc., Cortiva Institute School of Massage Therapy Grads Offer Exceptional Skills and Professionalism to Clients

BOSTON, Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For Bill Reece, CEO of Balanced Health Management, Inc., a mind-body healthcare company located in Boston, hiring a professional staff of qualified massage therapists, knowledgeable in all aspects of massage therapy, is one of the most important responsibilities he oversees as head of the company.  

"Our clients come to us with a wide range of needs, and they are looking for their massage therapist to be an active part of their overall healthcare team.  Often times, that means that the massage therapist must work in collaboration with a patient's physician, physical therapist and others.  It is imperative that the massage therapist, as a healthcare professional, have a strong understanding of the science behind massage therapy, not just technique, so that they can effectively communicate with other providers to reach the patients goals," said Reece.  "Cortiva's educational philosophy and curriculum demands the high standards that are imperative to train and place highly professional massage therapists."

Balanced Health Management, formerly altTHERA, offers services that include massage therapy, acupuncture, yoga and meditation as well as other modalities focused on healing the mind and body.  They are the preferred provider of massage therapy and acupuncture for the Boston Ballet and have a wide range of clients from professional athletes to hotel workers that are focused on getting healthy and staying well.

Balanced Health relies heavily on Cortiva Institute School of Massage Therapy graduates for its staff of massage practitioners.  According to Reece, Cortiva grads are fully trained in all aspects of massage therapy and can respond to client requests that encompass everything from stress relief to injury rehabilitation

As a Licensed Massage Therapist at Balanced Health, Deborah Hunter Jones counts among her clients from the Boston Ballet, staff from downtown Boston law and financial services and medical students and patients from local hospitals. Jones says professional massage therapy means "being passionate about health and wellness and using therapeutic massage as a tool to bring healing to those who need it."  As a Cortiva graduate, Jones found the school's intensive 750-hour curriculum well-prepared her for work in the massage therapy field.  "I am a science geek by nature, so I loved the anatomy and physiology coursework, as well as the practicum," she says.

The demand for qualified massage therapists like Jones is on the rise.  According to a recent report in U.S. News and World Report massage therapist careers are one of the "50 Best Careers of 2011," showing strong growth over the next decade.  According to the article, "… employment is expected to grow faster than average—19 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Labor Department."  

"In addition to the fact that massage therapy is a growing career field, the public is becoming better educated to the medical benefits of massage therapy," says Dianne Polseno, president of Cortiva Institute – Boston.  She attributes much of that awareness to positive news about massage therapy research.  For example a recent article in The New York Times  reported on a study demonstrating that even a single session of massage causes biological changes including significant decreases in levels of the stress hormone cortisol and an increase in lymphocytes, white blood cells that are part of the immune system.  

"The skills that Cortiva grads bring to our company have helped us grow our clientele and business.  They are the best ambassadors the massage therapy field has to educate and inform the public about the many positive, long-lasting benefits of massage," says Reece.  

For more information on Balanced Health Management, visit http://www.lifeneedsbalance.com.

About Cortiva Institute

Cortiva Institute is a community of Massage Therapy Schools with 11 locations nationwide, offering full and part-time massage therapy instruction, continuing education courses, student clinics that are open to the public, and career services for graduates.  Cortiva schools take a holistic and integrated approach to ensure that our graduates are prepared to work in clinics, hospitals, health clubs, spas, resorts, sports therapy clinics or start their own private practices.  Go to www.Cortiva.com for more information.

SOURCE Cortiva Institute