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Hellerwork® Training and Therapy

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Learn About Hellerwork® Schools and Structural Integration

Hellerwork® therapy was developed by Joseph Heller, a student of Ida Rolf’s method of Structural Integration.

Practitioners with Hellerwork® training view the body, mind, and spirit as inseparable, and Hellerwork® structural integration combines hands-on deep tissue bodywork with movement education and empowering dialogue to foster deeper physical, mental and emotional awareness. Joseph Heller’s unique blend of techniques is used in an 11-section series of sessions that help restore the body’s natural balance and alignment and relieve tension, pain and stress.

Hellerwork® is based on the inseparability of body, mind, and spirit through a system of somatic education and structural bodywork and helps people reach new physical and emotional awareness.

Career Overview

Professionals with Hellerwork® training are sensitive to the needs of their individual clients. Each session begins with an assessment of the client’s progress, both subjectively and by observing their patterns of movement and body structure. Bodywork and movement exercises may be conducted while the patient is sitting, standing or even walking, although they generally take place while the patient is lying on a massage table. Over time, the client’s body relaxes and realigns itself, and the dialogue aspect of treatment enhances the client’s awareness of the outer and inner changes taking place. Hellerwork® training can enhance the practice of massage therapists, bodywork professionals, nurses and other holistic health care professionals.

Training and Education

What You’ll Study in Hellerwork® School

Hellerwork® training includes a solid foundation in both scientific theory and practical skills. Among the subjects taught at Hellerwork® schools are fundamental principles of structural integration bodywork, assessment of the client’s structural alignment and movement, principles of movement education, anatomy and physiology, somatic psychology, and business and professional skills.

Average Length of Study

Although some generalized programs in bodywork or holistic medicine may include individual courses in Hellerwork® therapy, a complete certificate program in Hellerwork® structural integration requires 1,250 hours of study. This takes place through a combination of intensive classroom study, independent study, and internships.

Average Hellerwork® Training Tuition

The Foundation course in Hellerwork® therapy costs approximately $750 to $1,000, not counting any applicable admission fees. Full Hellerwork® training generally costs between $19,000 and $25,000.

Hellerwork® Certification

Certification is available through various Hellerwork® training programs that have been approved by Hellerwork® International. As a Certified Hellerwork® Structural Integration Practitioner (CHP), you will hold a professional-level credential that indicates your dedication to ethical practice and proficiency in your field, and you’ll be qualified to join a Regional Practitioner Association. Depending on state regulations, your Hellerwork® training may also form part of your massage therapy or bodywork licensing.

Career Outlook

Professionals with Hellerwork® training who enter the fields of massage therapy, nursing, or medicine can expect an optimistic career outlook. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ current Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment in massage therapy is projected to grow 18.3% through 2032—much faster than average, and demand is similarly high for nurses and physicians, including practitioners of complementary therapies.

Hellerwork® Salary

Practitioners with Hellerwork® training generally charge between $125 and $200 for a one-hour session, and around $1,700 to $2,000 for the full 11-section series. You can research massage therapist salaries nationally or by state here:

Massage Therapists

National data

Median Salary: $55,310

Projected job growth: 18.3%

10th Percentile: $32,240

25th Percentile: $41,600

75th Percentile: $74,970

90th Percentile: $95,700

Projected job growth: 18.3%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $41,920 $20,870 $77,930
Alaska $88,830 $51,530 $163,240
Arizona $60,880 $36,000 $101,000
Arkansas $38,070 $23,890 $106,240
California $45,400 $32,240 $101,470
Colorado $56,110 $45,750 $82,070
Connecticut $59,890 $31,200 $89,730
Delaware N/A N/A N/A
District of Columbia $59,900 $50,650 $64,200
Florida $48,940 $32,110 $73,210
Georgia $58,100 $29,040 $104,000
Hawaii N/A N/A N/A
Idaho $68,960 $40,790 $82,250
Illinois $60,670 $29,500 $93,400
Indiana $58,300 $30,470 $80,900
Iowa $63,060 $40,420 $104,000
Kansas $48,120 $29,550 $77,650
Kentucky $63,780 $42,300 $90,150
Louisiana $62,870 $26,010 $77,480
Maine $52,000 $30,160 $90,480
Maryland $56,960 $35,550 $104,010
Massachusetts $61,280 $34,470 $101,170
Michigan $61,950 $34,070 $86,900
Minnesota $62,770 $45,900 $93,190
Mississippi $39,980 $24,980 $118,420
Missouri $52,770 $25,980 $104,000
Montana $59,400 $22,260 $82,840
Nebraska $59,910 $38,300 $91,150
Nevada $44,730 $23,800 $85,020
New Hampshire $72,960 $54,020 $101,370
New Jersey $56,380 $42,300 $124,880
New Mexico $62,470 $24,960 $96,920
New York $50,210 $35,450 $112,720
North Carolina $61,570 $36,720 $93,850
North Dakota $53,450 $28,060 $79,640
Ohio $51,100 $32,360 $74,540
Oklahoma $41,600 $28,410 $58,740
Oregon $82,170 $38,140 $98,880
Pennsylvania $56,780 $40,180 $79,070
Rhode Island $56,160 $45,760 $69,100
South Carolina $47,640 $21,160 $78,230
South Dakota $46,540 $37,100 $61,090
Tennessee $49,480 $25,570 $70,130
Texas $49,550 $27,110 $79,710
Utah $59,780 $32,930 $109,030
Vermont $94,620 $27,410 $119,790
Virginia $52,030 $29,490 $79,680
Washington $79,700 $56,860 $109,320
West Virginia $31,080 $24,950 $77,380
Wisconsin $55,950 $21,840 $88,400
Wyoming N/A N/A N/A

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2023 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

Is a Hellerwork® Career Right for You?

Hellerwork® training emphasizes the whole person, and therefore has the potential for profound transformative power in the individual client. Whether you plan to open a professional Hellerwork® practice or integrate its techniques into your nursing or bodywork career; whether you hope to work with hospital patients, yoga students, athletes or dancers, Hellerwork® can create positive change in the body, mind and spirit. If a holistic approach to wellness appeals to you, you may benefit from attending a Hellerwork® school.

Learn how Hellerwork® is related to myofascial release.

Sources: Hellerwork International, California Hellerwork Institute, Northwest School of Hellerwork, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH, formerly the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM])