About Scottish Massage Schools

Scotland's leading provider of Complementary Therapies training

The Grampian School of Massage was founded in 1992 by Maggie Brooks-Carter (DO RGN SMTO) and Nick Carter (DO MBRA FSMTO) to be a centre of excellence in the training of all levels of Massage Therapy – a science that has been used throughout time.

Massage is now a growth industry thanks to its success in treating many common disorders as well as playing an important part in health maintenance.

Despite there being very little publicity for Complementary Therapies in 1992, there was lots of interest in the first course - and it started in the teaching facilities at the Royal Infirmary at Foresterhill, Aberdeen. In 1994, Grampian School of Massage moved to
Aberdeen University.
 
Back in 1992, very few students had experienced massage and it was thanks to the efforts of Maggie and Nick encouraging promotional activities that the word spread. Students and graduates would assist Maggie and Nick in Old Folks Homes with their TOFS programme (Treat Old Folks Specially). They also attended sports events, health shows, gave talks at schools across Scotland, offered Awareness Days - Migraine Awareness, Back Pain Awareness and Stress Awareness......
 
Maggie and Nick attended many Health Shows to promote Grampian School of Massage. At each venue, there would be requests for courses to be offered in those areas. The biggest event, the Massage-a-thon in 1996, had therapists across Scotland massaging on the same day - 23 venues from Shetland to the Borders. This was in aid of Cystic Fibrosis and raised several thousand pounds.

Remedial & Sports Massage, Clinical Aromatherapy, Reflexology and On-site Chair Massage Diploma courses were added to the career progression, due to requests and the passion that Maggie and Nick had in these therapies. 
 
The Highland School of Massage was born in 1994 offering courses in Inverness, and Lothian School of Massage in 1995 offering the full career progression in Edinburgh. Since then the Fife School of Massage, Borders School of Massage and Falkirk Massage School also joined forces to offer the Swedish Massage, Remedial and Sports Massage and the On-Site Chair Massage courses.
 
Scottish Massage Schools was formed in 2000 to look after all the Schools in the different areas. Students have found this extremely convenient as missed weekends can be made up at other venues.

Sadly, Nick died in September 2001.

Over the years, many, many graduates have successfully set up in practice, and many former students are still involved with the Schools. Some work in clinics, off-shore, hospices, from home, others offer a mobile service, doing home visits. 

Maggie sold Scottish Massage Schools to Lorna Forrester in 2009. Lorna is a fully trained Remedial Massage Therapist, Reflexologist and Aromatherapist, and brings a wealth of business experience from working in the finance industry for 15 years. She also runs a  company which delivers on-site massage, and health & wellbeing seminars in the Corporate sector. She has also lectured at Scottish Massage Schools in Edinburgh since 2004.

Since taking over Lorna has added a Diploma in Sports Event Therapy and most recently the Diploma in Manipulative Therapy, plus loads and loads of Introductory and CPD workshops. She has also set up the Perth School of Massage in 2011.

In February 2019 Scottish Massage Schools became as SQA Approved Centre. Currently the Diploma in Swedish Massage is accredited by SQA and contains a Higher National unit in Anatomy and Physiology at Level 7.  More units and courses are currently seeking accreditation.

Maggie is delighted that Lorna is continuing the good work of Scottish Massage Schools, and will continue to support on a consultancy basis. With over 25 years in the business, she has a lot to share.