About CNWSMT
Our masterfully designed curriculum strives to enrich the lives of our students through a comprehensive program of study that intentionally balances both the art and science of therapeutic massage.
CNW graduates through their vast knowledge and understanding of the human body, are able to speak intelligently and professionally with clients and other health care practitioners about the importance of massage therapy in preventive and palliative care.
An important aspect of being a compassionate massage therapist is self-awareness.
Our program provides students with the opportunity to grow personally. Students are guided to examine their relationship to self as well as, to others in a supportive environment.
The balancing of body, mind and spirit naturally allows health and wellness to arise.
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Our highly trained faculty is deeply committed to creating a safe, nurturing and intimate learning environment. This is accomplished through honoring the diversity and uniqueness of each individual student.
We believe that human beings excel when encouraged to be fully who they are.
The process of becoming a massage therapist is a life enriching experience that allows individuals to bring their hearts more openly and fully to their work.
Additionally, our staff and faculty is committed to maintain high standards of integrity, character, and ethics - while cultivating these qualities in each one of our students.
History of the Massage School
In 1995, the Center for Natural Wellness was created to provide surrounding communities with quality alternatives to medical treatment through massage therapy, acupuncture, and natural medicine.
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The Center for Natural Wellness recognized that there was a growing need for competent, caring professional massage therapists.
In1998 the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy (CNWSMT) was created. The School has provided a high standard of education for students seeking a career in therapeutic massage and bodywork for over 25 years.
Serving a Growing Community of Massage Therapists
In January of 2021, the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy relocated to a new, 10,000 square foot facility to better serve the needs of its increasing student body and clinic services.
This location is centrally located in the Capital Region of New York (Albany, NY), convenient to major highways, and offered a wide variety of student amenities.
The rest is massage school history
We currently have graduated and trained hundreds of successful licensed massage therapists. They are located in the Capital Region, greater New York State, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and beyond.
In fact, many of our trained and licensed massage therapists work all over the United States!
Faculty & Staff
Teacher/Student Ratio​
The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy is fortunate to have an excellent student/faculty ratio.
The foundational massage technique courses have one instructor assigned to a maximum of eight tables. This provides an optimal hands-on learning experience.
Science lecture classes typically consist of one instructor to a maximum of 25 students.
Our faculty understands and is completely aware that student’s learn and retain information in different ways.
The curriculum is specifically designed to address various learning styles. Instructors will work with each student to ensure his or her success throughout the program.
Desirae Carosi, BS, LMT, PhD
Director of Education
A dedicated licensed massage therapist and educator, Desirae Carosi, BSN, LMT has built a career pursuing her passion for elevating massage therapy while bringing the benefits of massage to the wider community. She is the Director of Education and owner of the Center for Natural Wellness School of Message Therapy (CNWSMT) where she develops and teaches courses for therapists at all stages of their careers. In addition to her role as a school owner, Desirae serves as secretary for the New York State Society of Medical Massage Therapists and as a member of the New York State Council of Massage Therapy Educators (NYSCMTE). As part of these organizations, she uses her knowledge and industry influence to spread greater awareness of massage's role in healthcare, especially within underserved communities. To date, Desirae has been instrumental in several outreach efforts, as well as work with NYSED, the Office of the Professions, and NYSSMMT. During the pandemic, Desirae provided a much-needed lifeline for massage therapy schools by staying closely connected with the NYSCMTE to help ensure compliance with DOH and NYSED.
Desirae is a graduate from CNWSMT. Her professional experience includes time as a college instructor teaching microbiology, pharmacology, medical billing/coding, and insurance. She was recognized as Teacher of the Year several times and credits this experience along with her massage therapy background for setting the groundwork for her next role as Director of Education at CNWSMT. Desirae holds a bachelor’s degree in science and a diploma in Massage Therapy. She has recently completed her PhD.
Today, Desirae welcomes opportunities to connect with fellow professionals to make massage therapy more accessible to everyone.
Sara Young, BA, LMT
Bursar/Registrar & Placement Representative
Sara is a 2009 graduate from The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Plattsburgh where she majored in Communications and minored in English. In addition to being a CNW Alumni and Licensed Massage Therapist, Sara has had an extensive career working for well-known national and global brands in business, reporting, recruiting, marketing and customer service.
When Sara isn’t at CNW helping prepare students for their future careers as LMTs, she enjoys cookie decorating, reading, going for walks and spending time with her husband and their three boys.
Brian Kavanaugh, LMT, CBR, CIREC, REALTOR
Director of Admissions
Brian graduated from CNW in 2005 and since has been practicing Integrative Therapeutic Massage and Medical Massage. Brian started working at CNW in 2006 and has instructed in a variety of classes including Foundations of Massage, A&P, Myology, Applied Techniques, Sports Massage, Chair Massage, NMT and Assessment Skills in addition to being appointed Director of Career Development and Alumni Services from January 2015-2019. In 2023 Brian returned to CNW and is now Director of Admissions. Brian hopes his students find massage and attending CNW as life transforming as he has.
Brian has been practicing the art of Bonsai trees for over 15 years. He finds the time spent working on his trees to be beautifully therapeutic and feels it is essential to his mental wellbeing. It is his way to “keep his well full” to better his work for his clients and to keep connected to his loved ones. Reading, listening to vinyl records and nutrition are among his other passions.
Julia Koopman
Continuing Education Director
Julia is a 2013 graduate of CNWSMT but originally majored in Architecture/Building Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a minor in Psychology and concentration in English.
Prior to working full time at CNW, she worked for the City School District of Albany (AIC, NAMS, DCS, EON) as well as the SUNY Systems Administration (RRC, SLSC) and Higher Education Services Corporation (Office of Student Loan Collection/Bureau of Default Management).
Her varied professional and personal background also include: journalism, credit negotiation, auditing, concrete design, charcoal and ink drawing, administrative wage garnishment and culinary adventures.
In addition to being a Reiki Master, Julia studied Loku Lomi, Lomi Lomi and trained through the Upledger Institute in CranioSacral Therapy.
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She credits the start of positive change in her health and healing to the massage program at CNW.
Library
The library contains over 1000 volumes of massage-related books, including anatomical and orthopedic textbooks, text on various bodywork modalities, books on the mind-body connection, as well as many others. The late charge for overdue library books is $.50 per day.
Student Lounge
Refrigerators, sinks and microwaves are adjacent to the lounge in the kitchen and allow students to prepare meals during lunch and dinner breaks.
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The student lounge is an informal area for students and faculty.
Our Facility
The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy includes more than 10,000 square feet of space for classrooms, student lounge, student clinic, kitchen and administrative offices.
The Student Clinic is fully equipped with 11 massage booths, and a separate reception area. The building also offers ample off-street parking for its students and the massage schools faculty and staff.
Classrooms
All of the classrooms are clean and quiet and can be tailored for large lectures or compartmentalized for private one-on-one practice. Each of our spacious classrooms can accommodate as many as 34 students and instructors at the same time.