Massage Therapy Education for the Career–and Life–You Want to Build
Our program is being designed to prepare students completely: for licensure, for meaningful client relationships and for the realities of creating a sustainable career in massage therapy.
Becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Becoming a licensed massage therapist may feel like a big leap, but the path forward is clear—and Sunflower will be here to help you prepare for each step.
Start by completing your massage therapy education. All Sunflower School of Massage courses are TDLR-approved and designed to meet Texas licensing requirements. Your program includes 450 hours of classroom-based learning and 50 hours of hands-on clinic experience.
The classroom portion takes approximately 24 weeks, while your clinic hours offer more flexibility—you can complete them at a pace that works with your life and schedule.
Once your program is complete, it’s time to put what you’ve learned to work.
In Texas, you can choose between the Texas Massage Therapist Exam or the MBLEx, a multi-state licensing exam accepted by Texas and many other states.
Whichever path you choose, we’ll help you understand what comes next and make sure you’re prepared.
You passed—now it’s time to celebrate and make it official!
Complete the remaining TDLR licensing requirements, and you’ll be ready to receive your license as a Texas Licensed Massage Therapist.
And you won’t have to figure it out alone. We’ll walk you through the process every step of the way.
Support That Continues After Licensure
Becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist is only the beginning. As your career grows, there will be new skills to build, decisions to make, and questions that come with finding your path.
Sunflower School of Massage offers ongoing support through Continuing Education, career coaching, and mentorship. In Texas, LMTs are required to complete 12 continuing education hours every two years, and we offer a variety of CE classes both online and in person.
For graduates building their careers—especially those pursuing self-employment—we also provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to help navigate the business side of the profession.
And for those who want to stay connected, our Alumni Association offers continued access to education, career support, and the Sunflower School community long after graduation.
A thoughtful path from foundational knowledge to confident practice.
Your education begins with the science behind the body, progresses into hands-on technique and concludes with integrated learning and real-world student clinic experience.
Professional communication, boundaries and career development are incorporated throughout the program rather than saved for a single class at the end.
MORE THAN TECHNIQUE
The Program
PHASE ONE
Technical Foundations
Build your understanding of anatomy, physiology, health, hygiene, and pathology at a pace that allows the information to truly settle.
This phase provides the scientific groundwork for the hands-on education that follows.
PHASE TWO
Hands-on Foundations
Move into the classroom to develop Swedish massage and foundational techniques through instruction, demonstration, and supervised practice.
You will also begin learning The Artful Intake, Rachel’s approach to having thoughtful, professional conversations with clients from the very beginning.
PHASE THREE
Integration & Internship
Bring your knowledge and technique together through advanced practice, kinesiology, hydrotherapy, business education, and student clinic experience.
This is where the individual parts of your education begin to feel like a professional practice of your own.
LEARNING FOR LIFE
The skills that shape the professional you become.
We developed the ABC framework around lessons many massage professionals are left to learn through experience: Authenticity, Boundaries, and Communication. At Sunflower School of Massage, we teach them intentionally from the start.
Authenticity
Learn how to develop a professional identity that feels honest and aligned with your own values rather than copying someone else’s version of success.
Boundaries
Learn how to create clear, healthy expectations that protect you, support your clients and make a lasting career more possible.
Communication
Learn how to listen carefully, explain your work confidently and navigate client conversations with clarity and professionalism.
ONE PROGRAM. THREE PATHS.
Choose the path that fits your life.
Every Sunflower School of Massage student completes the same core massage therapy coursework.
What changes is the balance between internship hours and tuition. Students with more time available can choose a path that includes more internship hours and a lower tuition investment. Students with less time available can choose fewer internship hours and make a greater financial investment instead.
There is no better or lesser version of the program—only the path that makes the most sense for your life, resources, and current season.
Tuition: $3,500
Internship Commitment: 250 hours
Best For: Students who have more time available and want to make the lowest financial investment.
The Immersive Path allows you to invest more of your time in the internship portion of the program in exchange for lower tuition.
This path may be the right fit if you have greater flexibility in your schedule, value additional internship experience, or need to keep the financial cost of your education as accessible as possible.
Tuition: $5,500
Internship Commitment: 150 hours
Best For: Students looking for a middle ground between time commitment and tuition.
The Balanced Path provides an intentional midpoint between the other two options.
It reduces the internship-hour commitment while keeping the tuition investment more moderate, making it a strong fit for students who need flexibility in both their schedules and their finances.
Tuition: $7,500
Internship Commitment: 50 hours
Best For: Students with limited time who want the most direct route through the internship.
The Direct Path includes the standard 50 internship hours required to complete the program.
This path may be the right fit if you are balancing work, family, or other responsibilities and need to minimize your internship time. You will complete the same core coursework as every student while making a greater financial investment in exchange for a lower internship-hour commitment.
The coursework remains the same.
Whichever path you choose, you will complete the same core coursework and receive the same foundational massage therapy education required to take the Texas state or national licensing exam.
Your selected path only determines:
- Your tuition
- The number of internship hours included
- How you choose to balance your available time and financial investment
Your interest is worth exploring.
You do not need to have every part of your future figured out before taking the first step.
Tell us what is drawing you toward massage therapy, and learn whether Sunflower School of Advanced Massage & Bodywork may be the right place to begin.