About Us

I took the Back, Neck, Shoulders training class here, and it was great! The teacher, Carl, was very knowledgeable, soft-spoken, and patient. By the end of the class, I learned enough to probably be able to do a massage for an hour. This was a great first course for me since I mainly just wanted to do it for interest and not as a career prospect.

Bianca C., San Francisco, CA
[McKinnon] has a family feel, small classes, experienced and warm teachers, affordable prices, and offers an extensive variety of modalities to study. I truly have not found another massage school like McKinnon. I am finishing my 250 CMP program and am excited to continue on to complete the 500 hours to be a CMT. I highly recommend McKinnon!

Gina R., Los Angeles, CA

The instructors are awesome and are all practicing bodyworkers themselves. Classes are team-taught so you’re always getting a fresh perspective. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The school is carpeted and has a really cozy feel… and you may be lucky enough to take a class in the lovely “attic” with its view of the garden. Yay to McKinnon!

Jessy Z., Bay Area, CA

This is a great place to take continued education classes. I drove up here from LA this past weekend to get my Reiki lll certification/attunements. Char was the instructor and was amazing. What a wonderful experience. I wish I had discovered this place when I lived in SF. They offer so many different modalities of bodywork and classes.

Anastasia N., Venice, CA

If you are like me and like to be taught straight to the point but broken down in sections with some hands-on, Lisa is the woman to go to. [Lisa] has seriously taught me a skill that has permitted me to have clients leaving with smiles and asking when can they come back for more… Great school, great teachers, a great investment that lasts a lifetime.

Monica M., Emeryville, CA

Since 1973, McKinnon BTC has offered quality massage training to the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Our certificate programs and courses offer great depth and diversity to those becoming massage therapy professionals – and provide excellent continuing education for Massage Therapists and other health professionals seeking to expand their skills. We also invite those exploring the benefits of massage for personal interest to learn about massage and bodywork through our community workshops. Programs and courses can be chosen to reflect each student’s interests.

We Are Here To Serve You

At McKinnon, we are committed to personalized education. The strength of our approach is the blending of technical expertise and compassion to acknowledge the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.

We take pride in creating a learning atmosphere grounded in technical competence that also fosters intuition, creativity, and individuality. Over 25 highly skilled and experienced practitioners make up our teaching team.

With over 2000 hours of massage courses to choose from, you can customize your path to becoming a Massage Therapist. Our programs are the most affordable around, and we offer several financing and payment options.

Our Mission
Our mission remains to create a positive learning environment for massage therapy so that safe, competent, and caring touch can enrich people’s lives at each stage of life’s journey. Through state of the art training programs, we offer relevant, inspiring education, setting the stage for successful and rewarding practice. McKinnon BTC is a resource for students, the community, and the massage field, offering assistance and information to massage practitioners, employers, and the public.

Individuality
Our programs allow you to design your training and find your niche in the field. Basic coursework is followed by your choice of introductory tracks, and all programs include one-on-one meetings with a senior faculty member/school counselor to support your growth. As a program student, you receive individual feedback on your hands-on work from the senior faculty of your choice.

Flexibility
McKinnon’s programs provide structure without sacrificing choice, and they are designed to fully prepare you for this vibrant, growing field. Once you have completed basic training (generally 500 hours), you may begin working and building your career, completing additional programs as your interests, schedule, and budget permit.

Holistic Learning
In each hands-on class, you will observe the teacher demonstrate techniques; practice these techniques on classmates; and experience these techniques as you receive from a classmate. This process of seeing, doing, and experiencing allows you to learn each technique “inside and out.” As you work, instructors will give feedback on both your technique and your body usage: the latter is essential to help you avoid injury and ensure a long career. Courses are designed along sound, holistic, adult-education principles to help you get the most from your training.

Have questions about our programs and courses? Browse our Programs »

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Our Teachers

All of our Programs are team-taught by skilled and experienced teachers. In addition to being excellent practitioners and successful entrepreneurs, they have spirit, love of service, and genuine passion for therapeutic massage and bodywork.