IMPORTANT: DSM Announces
the Addition of a New Concentration

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The Downeast School of Massage was established in 1981 for the purpose of training individuals in the health professional career field of Massage Therapy. DSM began with the founder-director, Nancy Dail, and four determined students. As the years passed, the school has grown with its graduates and the profession. Although the program began with a strong core curriculum of Swedish Massage and related courses, additional courses and program shifts gradually developed, as the vision of the profession became reality. DSM became committed to giving students a quality personal education that included more choice in diverse selections of Shiatsu, Sports Massage, or Body/Mind Courses.

The class of 1993 was the first to graduate from the new facility. Built with growth in mind, the passive solar building offers a spacious learning environment, as well as a library, the DSM Store, student lounge, spa, and sauna. Students are able to stroll around the campus trails during breaks and off-hours, seasonally utilizing sneakers or skis. They even enjoy skating on the 30-acre pond.

January 1994 launched a new program start: students are now able to start in either September or January. The September program has the widest variety of schedules, including part-time. The January program allows us to run through the summer months and comprises mostly day classes. Excluding guest speakers, currently there are 18 instructors who teach a wide variety of courses and schedules to over 50 students.

Fall 2007 ushered in the 41th class to begin their journey toward mastering the art and science of massage therapy. The year 2007 began with changes in our concentrations. The Body/Mind content has been absorbed into the core curriculum, and a new Energy Quest concentration was born, embracing Polarity, Quantum Touch, and CranioSacral. Pathology hours have increased and we have added more hours to Clinic. Sports Massage was updated to include assessment and treatment of chronic injuries. A Reflexology Certification can be taken for continuing education.

In 1995, our program received accreditation from COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation) and was newly reaccredited in 2007. The status of COMTA institutional accreditation assures the student that the school carries a quality program; one that has been tested, inspected, and found credible. Our graduates are enabled to become licensed in the state of Maine without further testing. For those who seek National Certification, continuing education at DSM has been approved by the National Certification Board for recertifying purposes.