About

Demand for massage therapy across life stages, medical conditions, and medical settings is rapidly increasing as evidence of its effectiveness grows. The UCSF Health| Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine offers specialized advanced training for professional massage therapists interested in serving individuals undergoing medical treatments or living with an illness.

Each training session includes didactics, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. The yearlong program offers comprehensive training for massage therapy in hospital settings. Our three-day courses are crafted to the needs of clients experiencing a particular medical issue, such as oncologic or neurologic conditions. Our one-day retreat at the Log Cabin in the Presidio, open to all bodyworkers, is an opportunity for self-care and reflection on the provider-client relationship. Continuing Education credits are available for all trainings.

Our massage therapy instructors bring robust clinical experience, engagement in the latest research, and expertise in innovative teaching methods. Our lead instructor, Carolyn Tague, MA, CMT, has 13 years of hospital-based massage therapy experience from working in four distinguished medical centers and over 10 years of related teaching experience. She serves on the Hospital-Based Massage Therapy Task Force of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health. Ms. Tague co-authored the textbook Hands in Healthcare: Massage Therapy for the Adult Hospital Patient published by Handspring Publishing in 2021. Additionally, she has published in Massage Magazine, the Journal for Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies, and Global Advances in Health & Medicine.

Foundational Courses:

• Oncology Massage Therapy Level I (24 hrs)
• Oncology Massage Therapy Level II (24 hrs)

Find upcoming oncology massage foundational classes in the S4OM Education Calendar 

Supplemental Course:

• Massage Therapy for People Living with Neurological Challenges (24 hrs)
• Hospital-based Massage Therapy Fellowship – 12-month program beginning in September 2024.