Massage diploma courses in Scotland?

[bcvgmofk]

I am considering doing a massage diploma course and have information on two courses in Edinburgh. One is an ITEC course run by Edinburgh Therapy Academy and the other is with Scottish Massage Schools/Scottish Massage Therapists Organisation.

As far as I can tell, the first one is a good option because it is validated by an internationally recognised body, but the second seems to be good locally and offers discounted insurance to work in Scotland after completing the course, and as I plan to be based in the north of Scotland, this could be particularly helpful for me.

Does anyone know anything about either of these courses? How well they are run? How important it is to have the ITEC seal? How much insurance discount and help the Scottish Massage Therapists Organisations gives you in Scotland after their course?

Or can anyone recommend any other courses in the Edinburgh area?

I have no previous experience in this field, and am looking to do the main massage course that would enable me to work part time self employed, to supplement my current income running my own marketing business. I would also be interested in gaining more skills such as Indian Head Massage and Aromatherapy further down the line.

Thanks!

 

[Pitbull]

Hi Lesley,

I'm doing the SMS remedial and Sports massage course. I did my Swedish with VTCT. I'm really enjoying the SMS course and I think the quality of the teaching is very high.

The ITEC v VTCT debate goes on. Internationally recognised is different to internationally accepted (see earlier threads aabout the USA)- but really its up to you and the lecturer/tutor as to whether you are a a good therapist and if you are good you will get clients and referrals.

Sorry I can't be of anymore help.

LOL

FBX

 

[BRODY]

Just realised how old the post is so won't comment !!

 

[jqjdntjy]

But you did?

LOL

FBx

 

[ellen degenitals]

Hi Funnybunny,

I typed a long and detailed reply ~ only to realise it was an ancient post !!!

Deleted it and typed the above ~ was having a senior moment ~ only problem is i'm only 34 !!!!

Meridianmoon x

 

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Aaaahhhh! I recognise those moments I have them all the time & I won't mention how old I am

LOL

FBx

 

[Morgan :[]]

I think you should have posted it anyway - I have a friend that was wanting to know about courses in Edinburgh - and when I saw this I thought - Oh, I'll point her here - some more up to date info would be most welcome! (I know nothing about courses in Edinburgh)

 

[AdmiplepRaida]

Hi there,
Haven't looked on this site since I started this topic before I did my course, so was quite weird to see that it is still going now that I have finished!
So I thought I would pass on some info about how I got on-
I ended up going with the Edinburgh Therapy Academy for my A&P and Massage. Generally speaking I would recommend them - if you can afford it. I particularly liked their attention to detail regarding using towels, client modesty etc. I have had treatments since where I have noticed that others pay less attention to this and I have even felt a little self conscious.
I did get a bit messed around however when the confirmed course and exam dates were given to us on the first day. I booked a holiday after this, to be back in time for the exam, then the date was changed (by ITEC.. apparently no fault of the school but I couldn't help wondering if they should have warned us that this might happen, or if the date was actually confirmed in the first place?) Either way, I had to wait until 4 months after the course finished to take my exam. I didn't feel that they did enough to help me with my situation as between the course ending and the exam, I struggled to get any feedback on my case studies and the only help I was offered was private tuition at an additional £25 an hour, which I just didn't have after paying out about £900 for around 6 days teaching in the first place. The only feedback I did get was an email (from the main tutor/owner of the school) a week or two before the exam saying that she had reservations about whether I was ready to take the exam - even though she hadn't looked at any of my case studies or seen me for 4 months. I felt that they could have been a bit more supportive and encouraging if nothing else. Also on the day that I took the exam, I was scheduled to be there at 11.15am, but she telephoned me at 9.45am and asked if I could come in and take the exam at 10am instead as it had turned out that I would be on my own with the examiner at 11.15am and I would be better off taking it with the 10am group. In hindsight, I should have said I couldn't do it and just taken the exam at the original time, on my own. Instead I panicked, dropped everything, and dashed over there, with no time to prepare my paperwork, dry my hair or have any breakfast or coffee! Not the best of mornings.
Anyway, I do think I was unlucky and that generally speaking it is a good course and a good school.
The other thing though, is unless you are SERIOUSLY self motivated and hugely interested in anatomy and physiology with some prior knowledge, DON'T opt for the part-tuition. I am self employed and running a business from home and a very motivated person generally so thought I would be fine with this, but it was much harder than I anticipated and I really struggled to take the information in without any support. I literally scraped by with the A&P exam but it could easily have gone the other way.
By the way - I passed the other theory papers and the practical with credits, so the stupid last minute time change, dash across town, and lack of coffee probably didn't affect me as much as I though it was at the time!
Anyway, hope this info is useful!
Lesley

 

[omaerando]

Hi,

Funny that Lesley ~ I took my ITEC Reflexology and ITEC A&P diplomas with the same school and whilst my Reflexology tutor was great and I learnt a lot from her ~ the A&P tutor was awful and frankly paying for the tuition was a waste of money ~ I'd have been better staying at home and saving a couple of hundred of pounds. We spent the A&P days parrot fashion copying stuff off an overhead projector while the tutor read it out - just to be given a printout at the end of the day. I was getting so stessed out just tring to keep up with what was being read out that I took in no info at all. I eventualy spoke up and was told that "we are trying to facilite everyones learning" I told her "that's fine but you aint facilitating mine"

It's a well know fact that most of us don't learn well that way ~ there was virtually no discussion or visual tools used. Really pants teaching !!! Several of the girls on my course felt the same way!!!

I've done other courses where at the end I've walked away from the course feeling like I really knew what I was doing ~ it's made me realise how awful the teaching was and whilst I alsopassed the A&P, like you it was off my own back !!

Not once was I contacted by any of the staff/tutorsduring the 10 month course to see how I was progressing or did I need any help ~ I really would have expected after paying £1200 to have received at least one courtesy call !!!!

One of my pals failed her A&P first time round and not onestaff member or the principlecalled her to see if she needed any help!!!!?????

Anyhow rant over

Meridianmoon xxx

 

[Some Slack]

Well that's interesting to hear! Maybe I made the right choice with the part tuition then after all. I think it was really the change of exam date that screwed me up because I had originally thought I would have at least SOME support because of the revision days that the students on part-tuition were invited to attend, but they ended up being far too early on for me because my exam was 4 months after everyone else's.

To be honest I can imagine that the A&P lessons may not have been much cop, because the small bits of theory we did on the massage days - like learning about contra-indications etc. - all seemed a bit elementary. Writing things on the board and repeating parrot fashion and being given a handout at the end saying the same thing, except usually with at least one contradiction, where the notes from the lesson say one thing was correct and the texts say another! I know I couldn't get to grips with anything that we were learning until I read the textbook cover to cover in my own time. then everything started to make sense.

So maybe with both massage and reflexology the school are particularly good for the main practical learning but particularly bad for everything else like theory, support, communication and organisation?

I guess we can't have everything, but I have to admit I do expect a lot when forking out that much cash!

Lesley

 

[R P Cat]

Just wondered what the different phases are in getting qualified. I live just outside Edinburgh but work away frequently and don't have the time to commit to regularlyattending a course. I've sort of gathered that you have to do anatomy and physiology is this a pre-requisite of all courses ie do you have to get this before you move onto a massage course. Any help would be much appreciated