East West College of the Healing Arts

I bought an alumni 5 X 60 minute package. I went to my first massage and I was very happy. I had a wonderful masseuse for 20+ years that I left when I moved to Portland. For the last 6 years I’ve been searching for someone that can even compare. I am relieved to say that Abby might be just the person I’ve been looking for! Great technique and found my trouble spots on her own. I’m pretty sure I will breeze through my 5 massages with her and want more!
I work close to the school so I didn’t have parking issues. The street car and MAX lines run very close to the school, so that is a great option. The facility is clean and new. The massage beds are curtained around like hospital beds… very nice curtains! I felt perfectly secure in the space. The space is private but, for those that are tense about shedding clothes in an area without a door, be prepared.

This is, as far as I can tell, the only option for cheap massage in town. They upped the prices to $ 30. The old price of $ 25 is more in line with the roulette game you play finding a good match. The students do public hands-​on for only one term so if you find someone you really like you better hurry and get their number before they disappear into the general populace.
The only thing they seem to be able to do for you as far as matching is concerned is gender. So if you feel strongly about what gender will be rubbing you, you’re in luck. But modalities, skills and strength you can’t request and expect a matching result.
There is no free parking. It’s all pay street parking, so allow time and $$ for that. Although they say 45 min for the appointment, put enough money in the meter for 90 mins.
I’ve only had one massage I felt was terrible, and that was because it was so far away from what I wanted/​needed. I also had one massage which was possibly one of the best I’ve ever gotten in my life. So it really runs the gamut, but is very low risk. The students are overall good. The best part of it. there’s NO TIPPING. Tipping LMTs is offensive. They should be treated as the medical professionals they’ve been trained to be. And in this teaching environment you give feedback as a tip, which is valuable and enjoyable because if you have a complaint, you know you’ll be heard.
I’m not sure what building is being depicted in the photos here, because that’s not what the building I’ve been to looks like.

I’ve had countless student massages here and they’re a great bang for your buck. For 45 minutes you pay $ 30, in a beautiful facility that is professional and warm. The students are really there to learn and you’ll get your best experience by being honest with them and voicing what you like and what you don’t like. You can choose whether you’d like a male or female masseuse and when school is in session, they have a wide variety of appointment times available. It’s a quiet environment and the school is very much based in anatomy so the level of skills the students have is quite high. I’ve always had good experiences and you really can’t beat a $ 30 massage that benefits both you and the student. The school is centrally located and there’s a parking garage directly across from it as well!

I am fairly new to this place… I had two massages by two different students earlier this week. Overall both were good experiences, but don’t ever be late to your appointment. The parking situation is not ideal and and thus I was late to my first massage there. My appointment was for 4:30pm and by the time I had re-​parked my car and came back to the front desk it was 4:35. After filling out paperwork and meeting my student and discussing my concerns, I was not on the table until 5pm. I only received 30 minutes instead of 45! So please BE AWARE you need to be 15 minutes EARLY for get your full time paid for.
Everything else was pleasant, including both students. The front desk girls are great. Both masseuses were receptive and used good technique.
I am feeling relaxed and overall better… I will continue to come and get my massages here.

I go here all the time for a CE LMT class. The school has been so nice about it every time and haven’t ever had issues there. Such a clean school too. Very impressed.

Don’t come here, because it will get too busy and I’ll never be able to book the dates I want. This place is awesome. I’ve had waaay better massages here than some professionals give for much more $$. Keep in mind that you are helping them learn, and you’ll have a much better experience. They want you to communicate and speak up if you like/don’t like pressure level, oil vs. lotion, etc.
I love that they check in with their instructor before beginning every massage and a few of these people helped me get relief from chronic plantar fasciitis that plagued me for a year.
I was even here once last December when the power went out in most of the building and the block, and they handled it very professionally. I left and drove across town through the worst traffic of the year feeling calm and relaxed… ahhh…

What a nice massage with Sam (student). I feel lucky to have had him. He is in his last week of his program so he has had all his training already. He was very conscientious in soliciting pressure feedback and asked if I wanted oil or lotion. He put a wonderful heat pack on my back where there was tightness and it felt wonderful. The place is divided by curtains and it is darkened with nice spa music playing.
When I got there, there wasn’t an indication where to go. I went up two flights of stairs, exploring each floor, until I found the massage clinic. So I was a bit late for the filling out of paper work even though I had gotten there early.
I agree that it helps the students with your feedback. He tried some techniques on me that were very effective and hit points that no one has ever gotten before. He even played me a short video during the feedback session about the benefits of epsom salts and I came home and took a bath with the salts!
So, it was a wonderful experience. I recommend giving it a try.

This is the best deal in town! I had an outstanding experience. My student (Sam) was incredible. I had TERRIBLE back pain and he worked through it with precision. Extremely professional — for $ 30 you can’t beat this.

What a phenomenal experience! A place where students act like professionals and you feel bad for paying so little. Everything was real personal once you walked through that door. The student massage that I participated in, was only $ 30 and the student truly tried to figure out how to improve your health and work with your trouble spots. They are very open to communication and will tailor the massage to your needs and preferences.
Will definitely be going again. Thanks Jana!

For $ 30, you can get a student massage at East West. These are students in their final term of an 800 hour program. Many are already fantastic and some are still catching on. It’s a great way to get bodywork AND support a student in their learning process. Students check in with their instructor about their ‘game plan’ for the massage and go over any concerns/​precautions. Be patient about timing and techniques! You may get an excellent massage, you may get a mediocre one– but the feedback you provide will help the student become a professional.
As a school, I cannot speak more highly of the instructors. All are knowledgeable, experienced and supportive of the students. It’s a great learning environment and a solid program. I am proud to be an EW alumni!

I received a Fantastic relaxation massage from a Senior level student, and could not be happier with the service there! Very inviting, unbeatable price, and as a feel good perk — you also get to help a graduating student with much needed practical experience for getting into the field professionally. I felt safe, and respected and walked away feeling much better than when I came in. I highly recommend this Clinic!

The price seems to have gone up to $ 30, but still a great bargain. The student I was assigned was very attentive and customized the massage to my needs. It also seemed like she went over the scheduled time.

$ 25 for a 50 min massage? Say whhaaaatttt?! You really can’t beat the price. Was it the best massage I’ve ever had? No. But have I paid way more for inferior massages in the past? Absolutely. The masseuse was great and very friendly and I felt completely relaxed afterwards. The only thing that some people may want to know prior to going is that there are no private rooms. There is one very large room that has thick curtains dividing each individual massage area. I felt I had total privacy, but you can hear the other clients and masseuses speaking to one another. That didn’t really bother me, I can tune it out, but my boyfriend had a hard time relaxing whilst listening to another patrons health issues. All in all, I’m giving 5 stars for the price/​quality. I’ll definitely be going back.

$ 25 for a 50 minute massage. I have never had a bad massage here and I have been going for 3 years now. The massage space feels like a spa. I highly recommend! I have never had an issue finding parking either.

Got a great massage for $ 25!

I didn’t listen to my instincts and am paying the price for that.
I’m going to write a long review to be fair to the entire school, so here’s a shorter one sentence summary: The majority of the students here seem good, but if you feel like you’ve gotten a ‘dud,’ don’t be afraid to stop the massage mid-​way and walk out to avoid injury.
I wanted to pay for a massage and found East West by searching Unilocal reviews. The reviews were wonderful, and I felt like I had nothing to lose. I mean, it’s not like you’re going to get hurt from a massage, right?
WRONG.
Here’s what’s good about East West:
— The building is easy to get to and is nicely appointed
— The check-​in process is easy and the waiting room is nice
— The majority of the students seem passionate about their future careers and all of the other people in the waiting room seemed much happier than me walking out after their massages
When I checked in, I was a little hesitant about the waiver I had to sign. It covered a lot of serious complications, ones that you might sue over and you waive the right to sue. But I signed it and waited patiently as the massage students came out to meet their clients. They all seemed so lovely and bubbly and helpful. I was excited to meet the person who would help me. She was very late – that was bad sign one. When she came out, she was extremely inarticulate. I explained my symptoms: standard tight neck and shoulders from being a desk jockey staring at a computer all day. We talked about deep tissue massage (I’ve had that before) and she mentioned pressure points, which I said I guess was okay.
During the massage, I felt like she was not working on my *muscles* at all. I kept waiting for the «massage» part to start, wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt since she was a student, but everything she did was awful. There were no long strokes helping my muscles. She would stay in one spot just kind of pushing, which didn’t make me feel relaxed or good.
It’s been four days since my massage and I’m still feeling VERY specific tingling and numbness in two spots – my elbow and my index finger– that I’ve never felt before. It’s driving me crazy enough that I’m going to my doctor to see if it’s related to my ulnar nerve.
In short, I would never recommend the horrible student I worked with. Saving $ 50 is NOT worth risking permanent nerve damage, something I never even imagined a massage could cause.

I went for a massage on my birthday with one of the alumni. I had never had a massage by someone of the opposite sex, and it was great! He was very conscientious of my pain level and where I wanted to focus. So pleased I found out about this place!

This was a fantastic massage for how much you pay. It’s very professional and the students are there to learn and I think it’s fun to help them. Going back next month for sure!

East West College offers massages at the student clinic. For the most part, the students do a pretty good job. You get to be a guinea pig while getting some relaxation and hopefully some relief of muscle tension.
They first interview you and then go over with the instructor on how best to address your needs. After a 45 minutes of massage, you get to evaluate the student and give them feedback. No tipping is allowed because your feedback is valuable enough
The area is communal meaning you can hear each other but they are divided by curtains. So you get to keep your modesty; just don’t be too chatty if you don’t want your neighbors to hear your life story.
I have been here enough times to experience wonderful and strange things. It just depends on your luck wether you are going to have a good massage or not. I think it offers mutual benefits for the client and the student.

Their professional masseuses are good, but if you’re on a budget & feel philanthropic enough to let students practice on your raw loins, it’s an even better deal!
Great for anyone who worked out too hard at the gym, or who pulled a muscle hiking, biking, swimming, kayaking, or whatever it is an Oregonian does on weekends :)
Given that they are students, be ready to offer honest feedback both during and after the session
And yes, as Oliva said, it’s a large room with curtains, so if you need super-​privacy, it’s probably not for you. But for a guy that doesn’t need all the fluffy scented flower pedals and oil, and who just is sore after hiking or the gym, I think it’s fantastic ^_^