Frequently Asked Questions - Courses

Answers to Questions Commonly asked by Students Inquiring about Certification in Pre- & Perinatal Massage Therapy

The course is approximately 85% demonstration and hands-on practice, including a practicum on pregnant women, and 15% lecture and discussion.

32 instructional hours generally from 9:00 a.m. - 6 p.m. each day

Some classes meet Thursday through Sunday, and others are on weekdays.

Tuition: At most locations a $100 non-refundable registration deposit will hold your space. If registration is postmarked one month before the workshop start day, tuition discount usually applies. After that full tuition is due. Depending on location, costs range from $575-$625. Refunds for non-attendance are determined on a case-by-case basis, minus $100 non-refundable deposit.

Required text: Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy by Carole Osborne-Sheets. Order from sponsoring school or from Body Therapy Associates through our online bookstore that utilizes PayPal systems. If you prefer, you may call our San Diego Office at 858-277-8827 or if you are outside San Diego, call (800) 586-8322 (US) for credit card and payment -by -check orders.

Recommended educational prerequisite: 500 hours. You should be a practicing massage therapist with good anatomical knowledge and with skill and experience in Swedish massage and at least one of the following: deep tissue/myofascial release, structural balancing, trigger point/neuromuscular therapy, or passive movement. Advanced students of massage therapy, nurses, nurse-midwives, midwives, and other healthcare providers should contact instructor/Body Therapy Associates for approval.

Upon registration you will receive a workshop overview schedule and suggested preparation including anatomy review. Advanced study of Carole's book, Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy, and any comprehensive childbirth book is required.

At the class you will receive a student handbook with in-depth procedural instruction in techniques taught. Other materials are included featuring numerous pamphlets, marketing examples, and supplemental articles.

You will receive an exact list of materials after you register. Generally 4-6 pillows of varying sizes and densities are needed (or a Sidelying Support System or Contoured body Cushion and 2 pillows), and bring linens.

Attendance and participation in 32 hours of class, 80% accuracy on the written test, and satisfactory performance on hands-on techniques. Students who do not qualify at the end of the workshop may do additional studies after the workshop to complete requirements. Upon completion you will receive a display quality, professional certificate from the instructor's organization, Body Therapy Associates, San Diego, California.

Carole Osborne-Sheets, her workshops, and all of her primary instructors are approved the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider for 32 CEU’s. CE hours from the State of California Board of Registered Nursing, Doulas of North America (DONA), and for AMTA & ABMP members are available through Body Therapy Associates/Carole Osborne-Sheets. Carole Osborne is also authorized to provide CEUs to massage therapists licensed in the State of Florida.

The course developer, Carole Osborne, teaches many workshops. She has also trained three outstanding instructors, Liz Ellis, Linda Hickey and Jennifer Hicks, who also teach in some locations. Please see detailed biographical data in other areas about each. One or several experienced teaching assistants work with Carole, Linda, or Liz as enrollment grows. Generally a 12:1 student/teacher ratio is maintained, and often lower.

These courses differ in curriculum, length, completion requirements, and types of learning. The four-day Pre- and Perinatal Massage therapy course is a comprehensive training in massage therapy for pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. About 80% of the course is technique focused, and it includes a practicum with pregnant women. Those who attend all 32 hours and who achieve an 80% on written exam and a satisfactory evaluation of their hands-on work receive certification.

The one-day Safety Essentials of Prenatal Massage teaches normal prenatal physiological adaptations and their implications for safe, basic prenatal massage, including positioning, contraindications, and precautions. It is primarily a lecture and discussion class, with a small segment of hands-on work. It does not include labor or postpartum work, high risk or complicated pregnancies, nor is it a certification course. Those who participate in all seven hours receive verification of attendance.

The two-day Prenatal Massage Therapy 101 Introductory Workshop covers similar material as the Safety Essentials; however, this course is about 40% hands-on. In those hands-on practice segments, you will learn to adapt your own protocols and techniques for pregnancy’s normal demands. It does not include labor or postpartum work, high risk or complicated pregnancies, nor is it a certification course. Those who participate in all 14 hours receive verification of attendance.

In 1997 Carole used the class that she developed with her former partner, Kate Jordan, as the foundation for the Pre- & Perinatal Massage Therapy workshop. Since then she continues to refine and update the course for currency with research and clinical developments in the field. Bodywork for the Childbearing Year®, as it was taught from 1984-1996 was the creative expression of that former partnership. The current course titled Bodywork for the Childbearing Year® is intrinsically different from the former course since Carole is no longer involved.