Welcome to McKinnon

Since 1973, the McKinnon Institute has been offering the highest quality in massage training. Our seven certificate programs offer great depth and diversity for the professional massage therapist, for continuing education, and can also be tailored to the interests of those who are learning massage to enrich their lives and the lives of the people around them. Classes can be taken on a weekday, weekend, evening, or intensive basis, and most classes can be taken individually in any order once a basic certificate is finished. Our flexibility comes as a result of Judith McKinnon's founding mission, which we intend to carry into the future. We want to bring touchwork to everyone, creating a positive climate for massage therapy, so that safe, competent, caring touch can return to people's lives at each stage of life's journey.

Our classes are taught by highly skilled and experienced instructors. Excellent practitioners and successful entrepreneurs, they have spirit and love of service. In each class you will observe the instructor demonstrate techniques, you will practice them on a partner, and receive a massage from a classmate. This process of seeing, doing, and experiencing allows you to learn each technique "inside and out". We take pride in creating a learning atmosphere grounded in the firm foundation of technical competence while still inspiring intuition, creativity, and individuality.

We are located in downtown Oakland, and we are accessible by public transportation. Our office staff will be glad to meet with you to answer any questions or to give you a tour of the school. We also have orientation evenings in the first week of each month. We look forward to meeting all who are interested in taking this journey into the world of massage, and welcome you to the McKinnon community.