New Alpena Institute of Massage enrolling now for fall - Alpena News

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News Photo by Darby Hinkley Rose Nowak, owner and instructor at the new Alpena Institute of Massage, stands by the window of the classroom, located at 1015 U.S.-23 North in Alpena, next to Better Living Massage and Wellness, which she has owned and operated for 13 years. Nowak has been a massage therapist for 24 years.

ALPENA — A new massage school in Alpena is enrolling students now for its fall sessions, with only 12 slots available in the high-demand field of massage therapy.


Alpena Institute of Massage is offering a 625-hour program to prepare students to pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLx). Upon successful completion of that exam, graduates are then qualified to receive a Michigan State massage license, which means they can practice in Michigan.

Rose Nowak, owner and instructor at AIM, saw a need in Northeast Michigan for massage therapy training, and with her 24 years experience, she decided to move forward with the school.

“The idea actually started 24 years ago, when I first went to school and realized that I had finally, at the age of 36, found out what my purpose was, and what I was supposed to be doing on Earth,” Nowak said. “At that time, it just didn’t make sense to open a massage school. Then, over the course of the years, your knowledge grows, and you’re like, ‘I love this profession, and I wish more people did it.'”

Nowak is the owner and founder of Better Living Massage and Wellness, which she opened 13 years ago. AIM is located next to Better Living at 1015 U.S.-23 North in Alpena.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Rose Nowak, owner and instructor at the new Alpena Institute of Massage, poses with a skeleton and skull in the classroom at 1015 U.S.-23 North in Alpena.

She explained that over the COVID-19 pandemic, she really took some time to assess the incredible need for whole-body wellness and how massage factors into that, and she realized the timing was right to start working on opening AIM.

“Fast forward, along came COVID, and unfortunately, it was detrimental to some industries, but it was the boost that our industry needed, I think,” Nowak said.

She said it made people think about their own health and self-care, and how important that is to their overall well-being, especially during times of uncertainty and stress.

While regulations required businesses to shut down for a time in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, once the shutdown was lifted, Nowak said massage therapists were in high-demand across the country.

“With that came all massage therapists being so busy, and a lot of them either stopped during COVID, or a lot of schools shut down during COVID,” Nowak said. “And it just seemed to be the right time to do it.”

She said there is no other massage school in the Alpena area. The nearest one is more than three hours away.

“I found a mentor out in Seattle who has been wonderful,” Nowak added. “She helped me to write the curriculum, to understand pretty much everything about running a school. What she does is she helps people open massage schools, and she has three schools herself.”

She said the whole process, from start to finish, took about three years.

“The industry is growing, and it’s really becoming more accepted by western health care professionals as a viable means of health care,” Nowak said. “It’s seen more and more in clinics and hospitals to help people feel better. It’s a viable solution.”

Employment of massage therapists is projected to grow 20% from 2021 to 2031, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, much faster than the average for all occupations.

“Professional massage therapists are in demand because of the benefits of massage therapy itself,” Nowak explained on the AIM website. “These benefits include holistic health, an alternative to traditional medical solutions to pain, and the ability to relax.”

Nowak added there are numerous benefits of getting regular massages, including: “stress relief, relief from muscle aches, tension, help lower blood pressure, help improve sleep, help reduce pain, help with mental health issues, mental clarity.”

She added that physical touch and connection is a huge part of whole health and well-being that is often overlooked.

She said working as a professional massage therapist allows you flexibility in your choice of work setting, including massage clinics, cruise ships, spas, medical offices, health clubs, and sports medicine centers, or private practice.

Helping people as a massage therapist is rewarding.

“Being able to help people improve physically and mentally can provide rewarding experiences for massage therapists,” Nowak added. “This can help increase their career satisfaction, which may improve their overall quality of life.”

She encourages anyone who may be considering massage therapy to attend an upcoming open house.

“We do have an open house coming up for potential students on July 10th, from 6 to 8 p.m.,” Nowak said.

If you like what you see, you may want to enroll.

The first class will start in early September, Nowak said.

To enroll, visit alpenainstituteofmassage.com or call Nowak at 989-590-1212. The course takes about a year.

Nowak has dedicated AIM to the loving memory of her mother, Mary Ann McWilliams (Nov. 21, 1934 — March 23, 2023).

“The Alpena Institute of Massage is dedicated to the honor and memory of Mary Ann McWilliams. A mother, a friend, a coach, a teacher with a passion for education and a belief that it should be fun and rewarding. She taught that to commit to something was to do it with faith, courage and enthusiasm,” Nowak wrote on the AIM website. “I offer you this same commitment and philosophy.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Rose Nowak, owner and instructor at the new Alpena Institute of Massage, stands by the window of the classroom, located at 1015 U.S.-23 North in Alpena, next to Better Living Massage and Wellness, which she has owned and operated for 13 years. Nowak has been a massage therapist for 24 years.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Rose Nowak, owner and instructor at the new Alpena Institute of Massage, poses with a skeleton and skull in the classroom at 1015 U.S.-23 North in Alpena.


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