Why Our Massage School Put Down Roots in Springfield Missouri
Since the name of our massage school is A Gathering Place Massage Therapy School in Springfield Missouri, you might be wondering if there are other A Gathering Place massage schools in other cities.
The original location started in St. Louis Missouri in 1998, almost 30 years ago.
Our decision to open a branch campus of our massage school in Springfield, Missouri, began with a shared calling: to train compassionate, well-prepared massage therapists who lead with both skill and heart.
That calling found momentum when one of our own graduates – who is now our Springfield Missouri Branch Administrator – reached out to her teacher and mentor with the same vision that we’ve held since day one: to develop excellent bodyworkers, nurture authentic healers, and “be the love the world needs.”
Meet Our Springfield Missouri Branch Administrator Jaclyn Kohler-Brake
Before Springfield Missouri had its own branch campus, Jaclyn Kohler-Brake completed her massage education at our original St Louis campus and experienced firsthand what makes A Gathering Place Massage Therapy School different.
One of her favorite classes – Related Modalities – still moves Jaclyn whenever she sees what she’d circled in her notebook: “What makes your heart sing?”
It’s that vision of “being the love the world needs”, a phrase written in her card upon graduating that continues to motivate Jaclyn to spread what she learned from Cindy in Springfield.
That question captures the spirit of our curriculum, where technique and anatomy are taught alongside self-development and professional purpose.
When Jaclyn later felt a calling to bring a massage school to Springfield, Missouri and reached out to her mentor, our founder and Director, Cindy Goodnetter, the timing felt divinely aligned.
Cindy had long envisioned extending the school’s reach while planning thoughtfully how to extend her legacy after more than 35 years as a massage therapist and educator.
Jaclyn’s leadership gave that vision a home in Springfield Missouri, and today she serves as our Branch Administrator, stewarding the same standard of excellence and care that shaped her own path.
How We Teach: With Skill, Science, and Heart
Massage therapy is both technical and deeply human. Our curriculum reflects that balance.
Students learn the science—muscle anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, and the physiology of touch—right alongside the art of connection, presence, and client communication.
You’ll explore approaches that range from sports and orthopedic techniques to Eastern traditions, including the Chinese meridians and elemental theory.
This blend builds a well-rounded skill set that helps you alleviate pain, restore function, and support each client’s unique path to balance.
It’s rigorous, hands-on training, woven with the values that make this profession so meaningful.
A Curriculum That Lets You Specialize
Along with comprehensive core training, our program also includes a 75-hour specialization component.
As you discover which styles resonate—whether that’s sports massage, myofascial techniques, or Eastern modalities—you’ll dig deeper with focused practice and mentorship.
By graduation, you won’t just “know a little of everything”. You’ll have the confidence to market your strengths, speak to client needs, and build a practice that reflects who you are as a practitioner.
Results That Matter: Licensure Readiness
Your education is designed with licensure in mind, from day one. We align coursework to the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), build study strategies into your routine, and provide the structure and repetition that reinforce mastery.
Our students have achieved a 100% first-time MBLEx pass rate—an outcome that reflects both the quality of instruction and the culture of accountability and encouragement that surrounds you here.
When you graduate, you’ll feel prepared to test, to work, and to keep learning.
Professional Growth Beyond Technique
Great practitioners are also great professionals. Throughout the program, you’ll practice goal setting, reflective learning, and client-centered communication—the kind of habits that make sustainable careers.
You’ll leave with more than a diploma. You’ll carry a clear story about who you are as a therapist, the outcomes you create, and the values that guide your work.
That’s what helps you thrive in clinics, spas, chiropractic offices, wellness centers, and private practice.
Upcoming Start Dates and How to Enroll
We have one remaining term beginning this year, followed by multiple start dates in 2026.
To make planning simple, here are the dates they occur:
Remaining 2025 Term
Orientation: August 21, 2025
Classes Begin: August 26, 2025
2026 Terms
Orientation: January 15, 2026 — Classes Begin: January 20, 2026
Orientation: April 30, 2026 — Classes Begin: May 5, 2026
Orientation: August 13, 2026 — Classes Begin: August 18, 2026
Because our classes are intentionally small, seats do fill quickly.
If these dates align with your goals, we encourage you to reach out now to discuss the full-time or part-time track, the hybrid learning structure, and which specialization might be the best fit for you.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If the question “What makes your heart sing?” also lights something up in you—and you’re ready to turn that into a profession that helps people feel better in their bodies—we’d be honored to walk with you.
Schedule a tour, talk through the program with our team, and see what’s possible at A Gathering Place Massage Therapy School in Springfield Missouri.
Learn more about our programs by emailing us at AGatheringPlaceSGF@GMail.com or call or text 417-459-2820 and experience the difference firsthand. Your path to wellness begins here.