Cortiva teaches the powerful healing combination of skilled massage and a positive therapeutic relationship. Understanding the importance of working with hands, mind, and heart, Cortiva has prepared outstanding massage therapists for more than 30 years. Innovative educational leadership keeps Cortiva at the forefront of the growing complementary health care field through ongoing research and program development. Dynamic faculty members, each a professional in his/her own field, enhance their classes with the expertise that comes from first hand experience. Committed students work together from their first day of school to share the transformational process of this training.

Cortiva Institute - MTI's founder, Ben Benjamin, PhD in Education and Sports Medicine, became interested in the field of therapeutic massage in 1958 when he sustained a serious injury. After several frustrating attempts to obtain relief, he was successfully treated by Alfred Kagan, a well-known French practitioner who had developed original techniques for the treatment of muscular tension and injury. Ben became interested in Kagan's method and studied with him after recovering. Observing and analyzing Kagan's complex technique, Ben created a series of muscular manipulations that could be taught to other practitioners.

Three other pioneering individuals informed Ben's work as he continued to study the origins of physical tension and pain and to develop his integrated approach. Through Dr. Wilhelm Reich's groundbreaking observations on the relationship between emotional trauma and physical distress, Ben developed an approach that allowed the practitioner to distinguish between physical and emotional stress manifesting as tension in the body. The principles for establishing and maintaining effective movement habits as described by F. M. Alexander also allowed Ben to create safe and sustainable ways for massage therapists to use their bodies most effectively in a physically demanding profession. Finally, through extensive study with Dr. James Cyriax, a renowned English orthopedist, Ben incorporated concepts of injury evaluation and deep friction treatment appropriate for the scope of the massage therapist's practice. After years of study, training, and practice, Ben founded the Muscular Therapy Institute in 1974 with the vision "to create a school that empowered individuals and trained outstanding massage therapists."

From a local class of eight individuals all taught by Ben in a small house on Windsor Street in Cambridge, Cortiva Institute - MTI now has more than 300 students and thirty-five faculty members. Today Cortiva Institute - MTI's busy Therapy Center provides over 10,000 massages each year to the local community. Working to increase recognition of massage therapy as an allied health profession, Cortiva Institute - MTI's President, Mary Ann DiRoberts, has served on numerous national committees and participated in drafting competency standards for accreditation through COMTA. From participating in research projects affiliated with Harvard Medical School's Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, to helping define national standards for massage therapy education, to organizing skilled volunteer therapists to assist at the Boston Marathon, the Starlight Children's Foundation, and other major events, Cortiva Institute - MTI's leadership in massage therapy education is both local and national.

2005 was a year of historic changes for Cortiva Institute - MTI. In August, we moved to Watertown, MA into a beautifully renovated building, specifically designed for us. In November, 2005 Cortiva Institute - MTI became a member of the Cortiva family, a community of massage therapy schools leading the field into the future. Throughout all these exciting changes, the same core vision continues to guide us as we address the current needs of busy adult students and embrace the emerging opportunities in today's allied healthcare field.

Always striving to be a leader in developing and promoting massage therapy education since 1974, Cortiva Institute - Muscular Therapy Institute ("Cortiva") is committed to supporting the profession at every level. Pursuing innovation and excellence in education, our team of faculty and administrators not only responds to current trends we set them. Our dedication, our contributions as thinkers, practitioners, and teachers, and our collaboration with colleagues nationwide creates a powerful influence in the field.

If you are exploring the idea of professional massage therapy training, it's important to make sure that the schools you're considering have been accredited by one or more of the United States Department of Education approved accrediting agencies.

Accreditation: Cortiva Institute - MTI is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) - a professional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

State Licensure: Cortiva Institute - MTI is licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Education.

Financial Aid Approval: Cortiva Institute - MTI is approved to participate in Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Plus Loans, and Federal Pell Grants.

Veterans Approval: Cortiva Institute - MTI is approved to train veterans and their qualified dependents who are eligible for Veterans Administration Educational benefits.

Continuing Education Approval: Cortiva Institute - MTI is approved to provide Category A Continuing Education Programming by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

Memberships: Cortiva Institute - MTI is member of the American Massage Therapy Association's Council of Schools. The AMTA is the largest national organization of professional massage therapists.

What does this all mean? It means you're in good hands here. We will prepare you for a rewarding career in massage therapy and will be around to offer career support long after you graduate.

The Massage Therapy Center at Cortiva offers you two choices for an affordable therapeutic massage in a soothing professional environment. Each of our massage therapists has a genuine desire to take good care of you and strives to exceed your expectations each visit. Gift certificates are also available.

All massage sessions are by appointment only.

Professional Therapy Center (PTC)

Licensed Cortiva graduates with a variety of advanced specialties offer professional therapeutic massage at rates that make ongoing self-care a real option. These licensed therapists provide an array of methods and specialized therapeutic modalities. Anyone wishing deep tissue work or having a medical condition should choose the PTC.

60-Minute Massage: $60

Tips are not accepted.

Payment accepted by cash, check, or major credit card

Spring 2006 hours - PTC

Monday - Friday: 9:30 am, 10:45, 12:00 noon, 1:15, 2:30, 3:45, 5:00, 6:15, 7:30

Saturday: 9:30 am, 10:45, 12:00 noon, 1:15, 2:30, 3:45, 5:00, 6:15

Sunday: 12:00 noon, 1:15, 2:30, 3:45

To schedule an appointment call 617-668-2000.

Professional Massage Therapists

The professional massage therapists in our Therapy Center offer many different therapeutic modalities and skills. They are highly qualified individuals dedicated to the comfort, health, and well-being of their clients. Please read over the brief biographies of our therapists on this page to get a sense of who might best match your goals. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Therapy Center directly. We will be happy to assist you in choosing a qualified therapist to work with you.