In 2008 I launched Oz School of Massage. The school was a labor of love and intended to be short-lived for one session. My son approached me with the desire to follow in my footsteps and pursue a career in massage therapy. I offered to help him find a school in a nearby town in Southern Idaho. He proclaimed that he wanted to learn from me and was very persuasive. Since there were not a lot of options in Southern Idaho for massage school,  I began developing the curriculum to meet the National Certified Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) criteria.

 

The first class had five graduates in 2009. Not long after, other prospective students were requesting enrollment. In order to manage a full massage clientele and teach massage school, I created a new model enabling me and my students to continue their current careers, while training in massage therapy. We met one day a week with a couple of practicum evenings over 18 months, allowing students a work, school, family, and life balance.  

 

In 2015, students from farther away desired to attend OZ School of Massage so the schedule was changed to accommodate. The 3-4 days per month intensive model has become the new school model. My goal continues to be to help students have life balance and achieve their goals and dreams.OZ School of Massage is a unique massage school. We are committed to small class sizes to allow for one-on-one attention and to promote small group hands-on learning with instructor support.

 

In my 2014/2015 class,  I met and graduated Maria Kilgo. Her formal education and decades of experience teaching youth, and adults in industry settings, proved to be a good fit for the school. We have synergy and complementary skills that have enhanced the program. Our passion for massage and energy work, coupled with our desire to support students has evolved into a business partnership that will enhance the school for years to come.

 

I am often asked about the name of the school. It was suggested by a friend from my massage business, Oz Massage.  It was catchy and people remembered the name. The more I thought about all the symbolism of the Wizard of Oz and how that mirrored the world of energy work and massage, I really embraced the name. Oz is also in my last name, Lozier. Oz School of Massage is an extension of that. The rainbow is a great symbol of the chakras. The characters Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion are wonderful representations of the 4 subtle bodies, the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual (PEMS). And of course, the yellow brick road is a depiction of the journey along the path of life. I have always liked the Wizard of Oz story and as I grow older and have begun to seek the deeper meanings of things I see that story is very deep and gives a person much to ruminate on.

 

-Vicki Lozier, founder