5 Day Massage Certificate Course

Brandon Raynor has spent over twenty years traveling around the world studying massage and this Massage Certificate course draws on techniques from many of the world's great massage traditions which are merged with techniques created by Brandon Raynor himself. These techniques, which you will learn and practice, combine to achieve the overall goal of the total release of all tension in the muscles of the body. In philosophical terms, drawing from both Chinese and Indian traditions, Raynor massage opens up the channels or meridians through which the chi or prana (life force) flows. People leave this massage with a relaxed body and mind and feeling re-balanced. You will learn how to massage in this holistic and very powerful technique.

This five day intensive massage course is an excellent way to get started with Raynor Massage Therapy. Being taught in a group of no more than 16 you will start massaging on day one of the course! Under the expert guidance of one of our teachers you will learn about, practice and experience Raynor Massage.

This unique form of massage is taught in a unique way. There will be tutor input for 20% of the course, 40% of your time will be spent giving hands on massage and for the remainder of the course you will learn by experiencing the massage. Working with different partners of different body types across the five days you will learn to find tension in the body and then learn how to eliminate it.

Muscles hold tension for all kinds of reasons; the stress of modern living, sports training, injuries, bad posture, hours spent hunched over the keyboard, problems experienced at work or home – all of these things are held in our muscles and lead to problems of tension and pain. Untreated this tension can lead to longer term problems both physically and in our mental wellbeing, as a trained Raynor Massage therapist you can have a positive effect on people and learn to release them from this muscular tension.

This course is only available through the Brandon Raynor School of Natural Therapists and is run in locations throughout the world. All of the teachers have trained under and worked with Brandon Raynor and each bring their own experience and backgrounds to their classes. You cannot get this training at your local college, you cannot do it on-line – this is hands on training taught by people who have developed their art and whose role is to pass it on to you and help you develop you massage. All teachers are appointed directly by Brandon Raynor to ensure that the quality of teaching and training is of the highest standard.

The five days are very intensive and usually run from 9-5pm, however, it is not unusual to find that people are so involved in giving or receiving massage that they will stay until at least 6pm. The teacher is available at all times to guide, coach and answer questions.

Some people come to the course already having massage experience, perhaps in Swedish or Thai massage, some will come with no experience and the course will be their first attempt at massage. Raynor Massage has at its heart the belief that every person you massage will be different and have different needs, there is no one technique that will work for everyone. People taking the course who have massage experience may have the advantage that they have hands on experience and are already confident working with people’s bodies, equally those without any experience have the advantage that they do not have to ‘unlearn’ any techniques as they master the unique form of Raynor Massage. Our experience is that you can do this massage course from either starting point, our teachers work with you from where you start – whether this is your first massage or you have been in the industry for years, by the end of the week we expect you to be able to give an effective Raynor Massage.

What does the week comprise?

During the morning of Day 1 of the Massage Certificate course you will discover and discuss: The history of massage and the different types of massage. What the contraindications to massage are. How to take a case history from clients. Important hygiene issues to do with massage. You will learn how to drape your client to make them feel safe, warm and comfortable. The professional ethics expected by a Raynor Massage therapist will be outlined and we will explore the qualities of a good massage therapist. We will examine the tools of the trade looking at different types of base oils used in massage and the properties of a good massage table.

This will be followed by a demonstration of massage techniques by the teacher on a volunteer from the group and we will begin to explore strategies to loosen up tension and blocked energy in the back, the back of the legs, buttocks, feet, arms and hands. You will also be shown the bands" of tension” that make these areas interconnected.

In the afternoon, students will be asked to pair up and commence working on each other under the close supervision of our teacher, half way through the afternoon you will swap over so that each person in the pair both massaged and is massaged.

On Day 2 of our Massage Certificate course, the massage teacher will cover the release of tension in the front of the body, especially the abdominal area and the head. Many people store emotional tension in their bellies as revealed by common expressions such as "it gave me knots in my stomach" or "I felt that in my guts". Conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcers, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, menstrual problems etc. can be helped by Brandon's techniques of releasing emotional tension stored in the abdominal area, combined with proper breathing techniques.

The teacher will again demonstrate on a (different) volunteer from the group how to massage to get this front of body tension release and in the afternoon you will pair up with a different person from the group to give and to experience this part of the massage. A good massage therapist will learn as much from receiving a massage as they will from giving one, which is why we put emphasis on you receiving massage as well as giving it. You will learn how working to different depths feels and you will experience the powerful release of tension that your future clients will experience.

As you work, revision of the previous days work will also be covered and your teacher will also discuss on the concept of the release of toxins in the body and the natural therapies term “the healing crisis" and what it means to you as you practice Raynor Massage.

On Day 3 of the Massage Certificate course, the teacher will cover a side position that we use to release deep seated tension in the sacral area, which when released can help loosen up higher areas in the back, neck and cranial (head) areas - this same position is also used for pregnancy massage. We also introduce some important stretches that can be combined with massage.

Many massage schools regard pregnancy as a contra-indication to massage, at the BRSNT you will learn how massage in pregnancy is natural and can be highly effective and you will be taught how to do this safely.

By this stage in the course you will be growing in confidence and will be impressed by how effective you can already massage.

Day 4 of the course is spent combining the techniques performed in the last 3 days to perform a complete massage and is spent examining how the tension in the muscles on the front of the body can hold the muscles on the back of the body tight.

On the afternoon of Day 5, the teacher will conduct a practical assessment to make sure that students understand the concepts taught, this will involve assessing your practical massage skills, maybe even giving the tutor a massage so that your massage can be experienced by them! At the end of this day, provided that you have understood and can demonstrate the techniques and satisfy the professional conduct requirements of BRSNT, then you will qualify as a Raynor Massage Therapist at Certificate Level.

The Certificate level is enough to allow you to practice massage professionally in some countries, including most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada some parts of the United States, most of Asia and Africa.

Most students completing the Certificate decide to progress onto the 10 Day Diploma Course so that they can further develop their skills and add treatments such as aromatherapy into their practice. Some people choose to do this straight away and our Diploma courses always run the following week of the Certificate courses, others choose to gain more experience first and then return to do the Diploma Course. We frequently have students who sign up initially for the first week but then, having experienced this massage for themselves, want to continue straight on to the next level.

Costs

The 5 day Raynor Technique of Therapeutic Massage Certificate fee various from location to location due to the costs of venue hire, accommodation for teachers and other factors.
In the UK it is £995. You can secure your place with a £350 non-refundable deposit.
In Ireland and Germany it is 1200 Euros. You can secure your place with a 700 Euro deposit.
In Australia it is AU$1995. You can secure your place with a AU$500 deposit
In Canada it is CDN$1595. You can secure your place with a CDN$500 deposit
In the United States it is US$1495. You can secure a place with a US$500 deposit
In New Zealand its is NZ$1995. You can secure a place with a NZ$500 deposit
In South Africa it is US$1200. You can secure a place for only US$400
For other locations such as India, Mauritius, and Asia please contact us

Demand for course places can be high and numbers for each course are capped at 16 so we recommend early booking to secure your place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have never massaged anyone before – will I really be able to do this after just one week? A: Yes! We have trained hundreds of people with no massage experience who have left the course and become successful and highly effective therapists.

Q: I have been working in the massage industry for years, will I find the Certificate too easy and should I start straight on the Diploma course? A: No! Raynor Massage is so different from any previous massage you will have done that you will be learning a lot of new things from day one. You need to complete the Certificate Course before you can progress to do the Diploma.

Q: I am not 20 and not skinny – won’t I feel too embarrassed being undressed for massage? A: First of all we place great emphasis on professional draping. You will be covered by towels at all times while being massaged with only the part of your body being massaged being uncovered. Belly and side on massage is done through a towel for privacy. While we have trained people from 16-84, the majority of people on our courses have already had some experience of life so you won’t feel out of place. If you are particularly body conscious or for religious / cultural reasons you cannot undress to underwear for massage, then you can be massaged through loose clothing. Remember you will be draped in towels at all times!

Q: Is the course residential? A: No. You will be responsible for your own accommodation, food and travel, we can however offer suggestions for accommodation near to our massage schools. We may in the future offer residential courses and these will be clearly marked and costed as residential courses.

Q: What do I need to bring on a course? A: You will need to bring comfortable clothing, flat shoes and at least four large towels. We provide the massage tables for use during the course and all oils.

Q: I have never heard of Chi or Meridian lines – does that matter? A: No – the course doesn’t assume any prior understanding or knowledge.

Q: I don’t really believe in Chi and people’s energy – can I still do this course? A: Yes, you don’t necessarily need to agree with a particular philosophical point of view to be able to learn Raynor Massage and give an incredibly effective massage. Do try to come to the course with an open mind - many people do go home with a different understanding of the human body and the body-mind interaction and recognise that there is much to learn from these ancient traditions even if their personal belief system does not integrate it.

Q: Do I have to do lots of reading and academic study? A: No. We will provide a detailed course handbook and give you suggestions for further reading should you wish to add to the knowledge gained on the course. You do not need to learn the Latin names of muscles and body parts, we believe it is more important to find and eliminate tension in the body than be able to give it its scientific name. Some of our students go on to read further after the course as part of their ongoing development and we will give guidance for this if its wanted, its not essential to you becoming a good Raynor Therapist.

Q: Can I get insured from this course? A: We work with a number of insurance companies who offer insurance for our students click here to view the full details.

Q: What do people do after the course? A: Some will work full time as a Massage Therapist, others work part time and others massage friends and family. Most who want to work professionally in this field will go on to do the Diploma course either immediately or after gaining more experience of practical massage.

We hold our 5 day Certificate Courses in Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Gold Coast, Tasmania Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Auckland, Christchurch, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montana, Singapore, Dubai and India.