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Introduction
9 Lessons-
StartWelcome to the course
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StartBackground and history of Thai Yoga Massage
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StartHow this section works
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StartWorking positions
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StartBasic techniques
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StartQuality of touch
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StartHow to develop your touch includes cornflour exercise at 4 minutes into the video
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StartEquipment and clothing
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StartReflective logs
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Learn Thai Yoga Massage. Intensive in-person level 3 professional course. Starts 8th September 2025
Become a fully qualified Thai yoga massage therapist. This intensive, immersive course teaches you advanced massage skills that are easy yet effective
Course Summary
Are you a massage therapist or yoga teacher who wants to expand your business and offer an amazing form of treatment that includes fantastic stretches and deep acupressure work?
Or maybe you're a complete beginner and have always fancied changing career and becoming a yoga massage therapist?
This FHT-accredited* course will teach you great techniques from the very start so you can learn how to give a massage that’s easy on your own body but incredibly effective for your clients. FHT is the Federation of Holistic Therapists - one of the leading accrediting bodies for massage in the UK.
This level 3 certificate course combines 5 days of in-person training with comprehensive video training to support you in your learning. Bringing you the best of digital learning (close-ups, rewinds, self-paced learning) with the experience of close teacher supervision combined with the experience of receiving the massage from your fellow students.
Once you’ve successfully completed this course, you will be qualified as a Thai yoga massage practitioner!
* FHT accreditation for existing therapists only (in other forms of massage). Not an existing therapist already but want FHT accreditation? Get in touch with Kathryn on 07967 751158 to find out the quickest and most cost-effective route!
Let's first talk about who this course is for...
This course is designed for a variety of individuals who are interested in expanding their skill set and enhancing their business potential:
- Are you a yoga teacher aiming to diversify your income streams?
This course can show you how to offer a relaxation treatment to help your students unwind and release tension in their bodies. We take a yin approach that is kind, mindful and meditative and shows you how to work with each individual's unique body.
- Are you a certified massage therapist seeking to elevate your practice?
By incorporating new techniques, you can deliver powerful massages with less physical strain. A massage that is incredibly calming and beneficial to both you and your client. Our aim is for you to feel as great at the end of the massage as your client does!
- Are you new to the world of massage therapy and eager to establish your own business?
Learn how to create a fulfilling career that works around your busy schedule, creating the ultimate lifestyle business. A business you'll find immensely rewarding as you help others find a release of discomfort, both physically and mentally.
- Do you wish to integrate stretching seamlessly into your treatments?
This course can show you how to incorporate stretches effectively, catering to clients of all sizes.
- Concerned about physical strain from repetitive massages?
Discover how to apply alternative body mechanics to provide exceptional massages without discomfort.
This course emphasises a holistic approach where you will explore ways to infuse yin yoga, mindful movement, and meditation into your massages.
Offer your clients a unique and relaxing "lazy-person’s yoga" experience by incorporating these elements into your practice!
On successful completion of this course, you will:
Become a fully trained Thai Yoga massage therapist with a recognised, level 3 professional qualification, accredited by FHT* (Federation of Holistic Therapists).
Be able to give a range of authentic Thai Yoga massage treatments to suit each individual client, from a 60 minutes “short” treatment to a 90 minutes “regular” treatment.
Confidently work with your clients in the full-range of positions: in Prone, Supine, and Side-lying positions.
Develop a loyal client base by providing a highly sought-after treatment that is still relatively unknown in the massage world.
Be able to help clients with niggling issues that might have evaded you so far, particularly anyone with shoulder and lower back problems.
Have learned the full traditional routine from one of the UK’s leading Thai Yoga massage teachers who’s been training therapists since 2009.
Course Curriculum
In-Person Training
Our next course starts on 8th September in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. All our in-person training takes place in a specially-built yoga cabin in the front garden. The training is an intensive 5 day course with assessment on Zoom just a few weeks later. It is a full immersive experience where you will be welcomed into a small group of fellow, like-minded students and encouraged to enjoy the homely surroundings.
The schedule is:
Monday 8th - Friday 12th September 2025
Immerse yourself in this incredible form of treatment where you can get away from your daily schedule and truly focus on yourself and your personal and professional development.
This week is followed by 8 weeks of home learning and case-studies to consolidate your learning from your week. You will have access to the whole set of training videos to help and remind you of your learning and how to practise.
The assessment will take place on Zoom at a time to suit the group.
Assuming you've completed the course fully and successfully passed all sections of the course, you will be qualified to become a Thai yoga massage practitioner!
Ongoing support:
Once you've completed your course you will be invited to our monthly get-togethers. These take place in Leamington and all students from Central School of Massage are invited to attend. Each month we will focus on a special area to do with your massage business. It's your chance to keep in touch with your fellow students and to meet like-minded people who are passionate about massage.
Kathryn Ellis
My name is Kathryn Ellis and I've been working as a full-time massage practitioner for almost 20 years. Although I practise many different types of massage, Thai Yoga massage is my first and favourite discipline. I love the way this type of massage helps create a deeper connection between mind and body (for me as well as for my client) and as a result is often a more effective treatment for most types of pain.
I've been teaching massage for over 15 years face-to-face in my beautiful cabin in Leamington Spa and now also teach a number of courses online using video and Zoom. I run full practitioner training (FHT accredited) as well as short courses which act as an introduction to this amazing form of massage treatment.
Course overview - what you get!!
- Course length: The course lasts five days and starts on 8th September 2025
- The course is a mix of 5 days of in-person teaching with over 6 hours of video training and a final assessment call on Zoom.
- This professional qualification has been awarded a level 3 status and is accredited by the Federation of Holistic Therapists* (FHT.org)
- You will need to practise the techniques you learn throughout the course (this works out as 25 hours of logged case-studies)
- The videos are supported by downloadable pdf manuals. All videos will be available for a minimum of 12 months
- Ongoing support: become part of the Central School of Massage community. You'll be invited to our private WhatsApp group where you can keep in touch with me and other students. You'll also be invited to our monthly "Catch-up" get-togethers. You'll be able to ask questions on any situations that might come up when you're out there working on "real clients"!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How much time do I have to set aside each week - will I have time to do everything?
- You need to set aside 3-4 hours each week to do your logged case-studies, plus 1-2 hours a week to study the videos. There is some written work - two assignments across the whole course.
- I'm not very bendy - do I have to be flexible to learn this style of massage?
- Nor was I when I first started learning TYM! However, through regular practice, you will likely become more flexible. I also suggest alternative versions throughout if you're unable to get into some of the positions. There's always another way!!
- If I get stuck, is anyone available and accessible to answer questions?
- We usually set up a private WhatsApp group for each course where you can ask me or your fellow students any questions.
- I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by how much there is to learn. Are you sure I can do this?
- Yes, there's lots to learn but it's very manageable. You'll learn in short sections and each section builds upon the other. I've taught many, many students over the last 12 years and have responded to the feedback with adjustments to the course, so you get the full benefit of a finely-tuned course. If you put in the practice and watch the videos, I promise you'll make good progress and won't get left behind.
- Isn’t TYM difficult to do? It’s such a painful massage that I’m sure it must hurt to apply that much pressure.
- Firstly, TYM shouldn’t be painful! Yes, it can be deep work and your client will feel it, but it’s really important that your client can relax and release into the stretches/compressions. Secondly, like anything, it’s not difficult to do once you know how… As we’re working on the floor, it’s easy to use gravity to create a stronger pressure - you’ll be amazed at how easy it is. In fact, we often have to remind ourselves how strong it can be. And, of course, we get to use our feet which, once we’re in the right position, are incredibly effective and powerful.
- How many case-studies are there?
- You need to complete 25 hours of case-studies. This doesn’t mean 25 different people!! It usually involves giving 2-3 massage treatments (up to 90 minutes) to 5-6 people However, this is a guide only and we’ll discuss this in more detail on the course.
- Will I be fully qualified, insurable and able to work at the end of the course?
- Assuming you’ve attended all the training days, completed all your case-studies, and passed the final assessment, then yes, you’ll be fully qualified as a Thai yoga massage therapist and, most importantly, will be able to charge for your work!
The best of both worlds?
I have to admit, I’d been a sceptic about online massage courses. Surely it’s not possible to learn something as hands-on as massage via video?
Well, my students didn’t agree with me and in 2020, due to Covid, they were so keen to learn TYM that they persuaded (a very reluctant) me to record the course on video. Each week they studied another video or two and then we met up via Zoom. Finally we came to the end of all the video training and we arranged for me to observe them practising their newly-learned techniques…
…I was gobsmacked! All the students were incredible! They’d learned the routine and all the different techniques amazingly well. Every detail was there - even the stuff that can get overlooked or forgotten when students go home to practise after a weekend of learning in-class. And, they loved learning this way. It truly was fantastic to share their journey with them.
So, I wanted to use all those training videos to support my in-person course, to help my students consolidate their learning in-between the face-to-face parts of the course.
I put together all the videos, recorded some more videos in response to the feedback from the students last year and created this fully comprehensive training, to get the best of both worlds (digital and in-person).
I’ve split the whole routine into sections with short videos that can be followed step-by-step. You can watch the videos over and over again, as many times as you like.
I’ve always stressed the importance of regular practice between teaching sessions, believing it to be an integral part of the course. But with online learning as well as in-person, you can now have teaching sessions between your practice sessions.
How perfect is that?!
