Who We Are
American Institute of Massage Therapy has been a leader in the industry since 1983. Our mission is to promote massage therapy through high quality educational programs and affordable costs. We’ve been recognized for our exceptional programs, low cost tuitions, as well as local community participation.
At AIMT, we are guided by the following principles: respect and compassion, cooperation and mutual support, ethical conduct, active community participation, and personal health.
History
AIMT was founded by Dr. Marquetta K. Hungerford in May 1983, Costa Mesa, California. In more than 30 years, AIMT has expanded its educational programs which adhere to strict medical standards.
The school has been recognized by the quality of its training programs and reputation of being an outstanding leader in the field of sports massage. AIMT programs are based on curriculum developed by Dr. Hungerford, who has had over 40 years of experience in physical and rehabilitation therapy, shiatsu and massage therapy, sports massage therapy, nutrition, and healthology. She was instrumental in getting sports massage accepted at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Olympic athletes continue to benefit from her endeavors, including the 1988 Olympic Games in Canada and the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah.
In 2003, AIMT moved to Santa Ana to expand its operation and to better serve the students. The school, with a dynamic management team, advisory board members, and faculty, who have experience and established reputation in the industry, continues to strengthen its leadership in providing quality education designed to meet the needs of its students.
Faculty & Advisory Board
Our faculty includes instructors with many years of experience in teaching and practicing massage therapy. Most instructors have been teaching at AIMT several years. All faculty members’ qualifications exceed the State of California’s requirements. AIMT works with the instructors closely to ensure that their profession and knowledge in the massage therapy industry benefit students in class and provide advantage for students to start a career.
***Please contact us if you are interested in an instructor position at AIMT. You must have at least 2 years of experience in teaching massage therapy and possess a current CAMTC certificate***
The AIMT Advisory Board assists primarily in program development that is consistent with AIMT’s vision, mission, and strategic directions. Our Advisory Board is composed of members that have established experience, knowledge, leadership, and skills in massage therapy, allied health fields, academic/research experience, corporate board experience, finance expertise, customer contacts, industry contacts, international experience, marketing expertise, mentoring startups, regulatory experience, investment banking contacts, political/lobbying contacts, sales expertise, strategic partner contacts, technical expertise, turnaround experience, and venture capital contacts.
Accreditation, Approval, and Membership
AIMT is licensed to operate by the State of California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).
AIMT is approved by the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC).
AIMT is institutionally accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). AIMT curriculum, adhered to strict medical standards, is approved by the American Medical Massage Association (AMMA).
AIMT is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), International Sports Massage Federation (ISMF), and International Myomassethics Federation (IMF).
AIMT is accredited and approved after going through vigorous reviews by various agencies and associations in which the following areas are examined:
Curriculum content
Instructor credentials, training, experience and performance
Student service (advising, placement, financial aid, etc.)
Graduation and placement rates
School’s financial stability
Overall management
AIMT is dedicated to providing students the means to achieve proficiency in therapeutic skills and to develop the personal awareness necessary for a successful massage therapy practice. To that end, our curricula and teaching methods integrate the medico-scientific with intuitive and subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) techniques. Western and Eastern perspectives and practical skills are intertwined. The overall concept for our program is to prepare our graduates to work in the diversified fields of physical medicine and physical culture.
AIMT has structured its courses to meet licensing requirements of surrounding cities, some of which require 1000 hours of education. AIMT programs also prepare students for membership in a professional association, such as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), and help them to:
Understand the various dimensions of massage therapy
Develop confidence, knowledge and skills in a wide range of massage therapy disciplines and hands-on applications
Develop efficient body mechanics in order to optimize practitioner performance and longevity
Develop a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology as applied to massage theory and practice
Learn fundamental concepts of wellness and the ability to interface with other health care professionals
Develop confidence and practical skills at introductory levels in shiatsu, acupressure, reflexology, neuromuscular, and myofascial techniques
Develop skill in the application of strain and counter-strain
Develop skill in four phases of sports massage: pre-event, post-event, restoration/rehabilitation, and training/conditioning
Learn fundamental palpatory skills