THAI MASSAGE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Studying Thai massage expands your skill set by introducing techniques like assisted stretching, rhythmic compression, joint mobilization, and mat-based work. This gives you more tools beyond traditional Swedish or deep tissue massage, allowing for greater versatility in your treatments. It also improves your body mechanics and supports career longevity. Instead of relying heavily on your hands and thumbs, Thai massage uses leverage, body weight, and positioning. This reduces physical strain and lowers the risk of repetitive-use injuries over time. From a results standpoint, Thai massage helps improve flexibility, mobility, circulation, and deep muscular tension. This allows you to effectively treat a wider range of clients and physical conditions. Another major advantage is market differentiation. Thai massage is less commonly practiced than standard Western massage styles, helping you stand out in spas, wellness centers, or private practice. The modality also emphasizes a more holistic approach. It incorporates full-body flow and traditional energy line concepts (sen lines), encouraging you to think in a more integrated, whole-body way rather than treating isolated areas. In terms of work flexibility, Thai massage doesn’t require a table or oils. It’s performed on a mat with the client fully clothed, making it easier to offer mobile services or work in settings like retreats, studios, or yoga environments. Finally, Thai massage has strong client appeal. It’s especially popular with athletes, yoga practitioners, and clients looking for deeper stretching, helping you attract niche clientele and create more opportunities for demand.

Yes. You must have a license to practice massage therapy in order to study with us and to practice Thai Massage as a massage service for compensation. Our curriculum is designed to build upon the principles of professional touch that are taught in massage school and we ONLY train licensed massage therapists. Having this prerequisite allows us to place a strong focus on technique application during our classes. You will be asked to provide your license number and state when you register for any class. *Students who are currently enrolled in massage school and have completed at least 50% of their program are allowed to attend our intro courses by contacting us and receiving permission prior to signing up..

As an LMT practicing legally within the scope of practice in your state you may use anything you learn in our CE classes with your clients as indicated at any time. Our CE courses are designed to provide you with usable techniques that can be added to your menu of services once you have practiced enough for feedback and feel confident that you will be helping and not hurting any of your clients or yourself! We make time to discuss marketing and how to showcase your new techniques and service offerings at the end of each CE class. Ready for more than just a CE course? Our three month certificate track will prepare you for the Elevate Thai Massage Endorsement and set you apart as a distinguished Thai Massage Practitioner.

Providing that you have a massage therapy license in the area where you practice you may legally integrate anything you learn in our classes into your current treatments or service menu at any time after class. Ethically, you will want to schedule some practice first to make sure you are as confident with your Thai Massage techniques as you are with your current skillset. Ready for more than just a CE course? Our three month certificate track will prepare you for the Elevate Thai Massage Endorsement and set you apart as a distinguished Thai Massage Practitioner.

Most of our Thai Massage and Table Thai CE immersion courses are ALL LEVELS and beginner-friendly (unless otherwise specified) so you may take any course at any time in any order. If you are enrolling in our Thai Massage Certificate Track then you are required to start with either Thai Massage Sequence A or Thai Massage Sequence B and complete at least A or B before enrolling in Thai Massage Therapeutics.

If you are confident in your ability to sit, kneel, lunge and move around on the floor then we recommend starting with any one of our weekend immersions, power weekends and one day courses on the mat. These courses provide CE credit for licensure renewal and a great introduction to mat-based bodywork while giving LMTs usable techniques that can be practiced and used right away. For a deeper, Thailand-style learning experience on the mat you can start by signing up for our Thai Massage Certificate Track. If you are not confident in your ability to move around on the floor, do not want to work on the floor or do not have clients able to receive on the floor then we recommend starting with any of our Table Thai CE courses. All Table Thai courses are beginner-friendly unless otherwise specified and can be taken at any time, in any order. Table Thai courses provide CE credit and new techniques that can be integrated in to your current table massage practice.

The general rule we follow is that students will need to practice the same amount of hours AFTER class as the amount of time spent IN class. So if the CE Weekend Immersion course you take is 21CE then you'll need at least 21 hours of practice after class to really polish up your new skills.

The Thai Massage Certification Track is a learning pathway for serious LMTs who want to move beyond the weekend CE immersion courses into a deeper learning experience. When you sign up for the certification track you are committing to three, three day trainings along with all practice requirements and treatment room set up procedures. The techniques and course material are essentially the same as what you would learn in all of our weekend immersion courses combined however the course structure and technique sequences are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback. Thai Massage Certificate Track Courses Thai Massage Sequence A (24 hours) Thai Massage Sequence B (24 hours) Thai Massage Therapeutics (24 hours) Thai Massage Certificate Track Practice Requirements • complete and document twenty (20) ninety minute (90min) Thai Massage sessions on the mat - 10 must be completed after Sequence A and 10 must be completed after Sequence B • perform a 90min session on your instructor or an approved Thai Massage practitioner for feedback Thai Massage Certificate Track Additional Requirements • have a fully functional treatment area with a Thai Massage mat ready and available to practice in based on Elevate Massage Training guidelines • receive and review a professional Thai Massage session from an approved Thai Massage practitioner • complete online class components that includes quizzes/exams, case studies and session design After completing all requirements for the Thai Massage Certification Track LMTs receive the Elevate Certificate of Endorsement as an Thai Massage Practitioner.

No. As an LMT practicing legally within the scope of practice in your state you may use anything you learn in our classes with your clients as indicated at any time. Our CE weekend immersions, power CE weekends, one day CE courses and table CE courses are designed to provide you with usable techniques that can be added to your menu of services once you have practiced and feel confident with the material you've learned. The Certification Track is an optional learning pathway for LMTs who want to make a deeper, more formal commitment to learning and receive Elevate Thai Massage Endorsement. The techniques and course material are essentially the same as what you would learn in all of our weekend immersion courses combined however the course structure and technique sequences are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback in the Certification Track courses.

Yes. While some of the basic techniques may be similar to the ones you already know, the certification track is structured for a deeper learning experience. The course structure and technique sequences in the Certificate Track courses are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback.

You might experience mobility restrictions with yourself, your classmates and your practice clients during training and practice. Sometimes students get frustrated with this because they want to master every move right away. This is not the reality of learning Thai massage. We encourage you to remember that not every technique is for every body yet often times those seemingly impossible moves become simple once you learn how to use your body in the correct way. There are also modifications and variations of every technique that you can develop, but these are skills that happen over time with training and practice. Your flexibility and your client's flexibility can improve over time with practice and consistency. It's also important to realize that Thai Massage is not ALL about stretching anyway. Releasing restrictions along the major sen lines of the body using direct pressure from the palm, thumb, forearm/elbow, knee and foot is often a necessary first step toward overall flexibility improvement as well.

There is quite a bit of sitting and kneeling that takes place while giving mat-based bodywork. It IS possible to find modifications for many of the positions yet sometimes these modifications compromise the effectiveness of the technique. Practitioners, especially in the beginning stages, must make a commitment to creating and maintaining a body that is capable of kneeling. A daily, personal movement and mobilization routine goes a long way. You may also practice sitting on the floor more often at home to watch a movie or to eat dinner, for example. Mat courses are taught completely on the floor. This means that you will spend each training day on the floor listening to lectures, participating in discussions and, of course, sharing Thai massage. If you do not sit on the floor often in your daily life then the first few training sessions might challenge you. Bring a pillow or sit up against the wall to compensate and know that it DOES get easier over time. Especially if you start and keep a regular practice from the beginning. Remember that there is a lot of stopping and starting of technique application in class as you learn. An actual session should flow seamlessly from one move to the next - requiring less time in each position than what is typically experienced in class while learning.

It's difficult to treat the table exactly the same as the mat because it is not level with the ground. Many of the giving positions in traditional Thai massage revolve around kneeling and using the floor as a counter to the joint movements and pressure. It's not impossible to translate the work to the massage table. It just takes knowledge of what each technique is supposed to accomplish so that the adaptation for the table gets that same result without compromising client or practitioner safety. The Table Thai techniques we teach in our classes have been meticulously reviewed for effectiveness and to make sure they are producing the desired results. For serious Table Thai students we recommend a wide and sturdy table that has a a greater working weight capacity than a standard, portable massage table. The Earthlite Spirit is an excellent choice for a portable table. The Earthlite Ellora Vista Lift is our top choice for electric.

Thai massage INCLUDES stretching but it's oh so much more! Practitioners use their elbows, thumbs, knees, feet and entire body to apply compression, rocking, stretching and joint mobilization techniques to open energy lines and treat acupressure points. Plus, all of the techniques you already know, such as percussion, friction and kneading, can be added in, too!

Thai massage is related to the Thai Yoga self-care system called Reusi Dat Ton. This is a non-Indian form of hatha yoga that includes self-massage, acupressure, poses, exercises, mantras, visualizations and breathwork.

No. You may continue to practice religion you want or be non-religious and still become a competent Thai massage practitioner. We would like for you to be aware that we discuss healing concepts/philosophies related to the practice of Thai massage in class and further remind you that many of these concepts are, by the nature of their development in SE Asia, inherently Buddhist and Animistic principles. We believe that acknowledgement of our teachers and their traditions is an important part of our healing work, even if we don't always agree with or fully understand them. We encourage you to find your own meaning and hope that our sharing of the knowledge passed on to us from our teachers can help you become a better therapist, whatever that means to you.

All Elevate Massage Training curriculum has been developed by Charlene Gaffney. Charlene's initial Thai Massage training started in 2008 in Evanston, IL with Chuck Duff followed by additional training with Tanya Boigenzhan in Minneapolis, MN. From 2012 - 2014 Charlene studied with the Vedic Conservatory where she also trained and worked as a Thai Massage instructor under the guidance of Michael Buck. She has also studied Thai Massage and Thai Medicine Theory with Nephyr Jacobsen and Pierce Salguero and Reusi Dat Ton/Thai Yoga with David Wells. In 2017 Charlene began writing and teaching NCTMB approved Thai Massage classes for Elevate Massage Training based on her frequent study trips to Thailand she has taken since 2014 plus nearly two decades of teaching experience in both the massage school and continuing education sectors of the industry, her many years offering Thai Massage services in private practice and ongoing training with respected Thai Massage teachers from around the world. Charlene is a licensed massage therapist, professional massage instructor and certified yoga instructor. She holds a bachelor degree in psychology and another in Spanish language and a masters degree in English/ESL. She is a registered therapist and instructor with the Thai Healing Alliance International, Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator with the AFMTE and the founder and curriculum specialist of Elevate Massage Training. She takes frequent trips to SE Asia since 2014 to continue her studies while immersed in culture and organizes Thailand Study Tours for licensed massage therapists. Lineage/Teachers USA : Chuck Duff, Tanya Boigenzhan, Michael Buck, Nephyr Jacobsen, Pierce Salguero, David Wells, Bob Haddad Thailand : Suriyan Punyafoo, Sunshine School, Pichest Boonthumme, Loi Kroh School Chiang Mai, Therdchai Chumphoopong at The Fine Art of Thai Massage School, Ong's Thai Massage School, Old Medicine Hospital

No. Some experience with Thai Massage is preferred but not required to participant in Thailand classes. You must, however, be a licensed massage therapist. We do give application preference to LMTs who have taken one or more Elevate Massage Training courses, though previous training with us is not a requirement to apply for the Thailand Study Trip.

There are so many options for cushioning during a Thai massage that it is really up to the practitioner and their specific situation as to what is best to use. Your equipment should meet your needs as a practitioner. For example, if you primarily practice mobile Thai massage then you need a mat that is portable and easy to transport. If you have a dedicated office space then you might consider a heavier, more stationary mat. If your mat and your massage table must share space then a mat that is more narrow and smaller might be the best fit. Our favorite is the poly foam Thai Massage mat from Sun and Moon Originals.