News & Articles

McKinnon Body Therapy Center Moving to Oakland Campus

June 6, 2008

Dear Body Therapy Center Students,

We are writing to inform you of some necessary changes regarding BTC. At the end of summer it will have been a year since we took over Body Therapy Center. All of you are probably aware that the school was in the midst of hard times and was going to close. We did not want to see that happen, and it has always been our intention to move BTC forward, keeping its programs and location intact. We had hoped to see an upswing in enrollment during this first year, and have devoted much of our financial and administrative resources toward making that happen. Unfortunately we have seen a steady downturn in enrollment over the year, particularly in the fundamentals programs, which are the feeders for all the others. Given the circumstances, and after long consideration of all the factors, we have had to make some hard decisions. While these changes may seem difficult, they are necessary. Most importantly, we will continue to run Body Therapy Center programs for all the students of the Bay Area and beyond.

Starting with the Fall quarter, All McKinnon Body Therapy Center programs will run at our Oakland campus. It is not possible at this point, or in the foreseeable future, for us to support having two locations. There are some distinct advantages to the Oakland location. Oakland is a central hub for the Bay Area. We have always drawn our student body not only from the nearby cities, but also from the furthest reaches of the North, East, and South Bay and beyond. In the past year we have had students come in from as far away as New York, the Virgin Islands, and Alaska. Our roots are deep in this area, making it easier to help students with things like temporary housing if they need it. Our Oakland campus is like a home. There are four classrooms, a clinic room, a kitchen, three bathrooms (that don’t smell bad or need a key), a reception area, bookstore, and a picnic area out back. The space and the class sizes are more intimate, and the fact that we have four classrooms available at all times will allow us to run the programs form both locations at the same time, and under one roof. The more efficient use of one central location will be essential in order for all McKinnon Body Therapy Center programs to flourish and move into the future.

We value each of our students from both of our locations very highly, and regrettably, we understand that some of you may not be able to commute to our Oakland location. We also hope that many of you will be able to make this transition with us. We would be glad to have you come up for a tour. There is always someone here in the office from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. If you have questions or concerns, please call us at 510-465-3488. We will continue to be the custodian of records for BTC and will process all requests for transcripts, certificates, etc. as usual. If you are planning on continuing your courses in Oakland, it would be helpful for us, in terms of scheduling courses, to know what you are planning on taking and what times would be most convenient for you.

The closing of a location always carries some sadness with it. Especially with an institution like BTC, there are many memories of learning, growth, transformation, and relationships with students and teachers. We want to acknowledge your feelings about this change, but this is not an ending. It is the beginning of a new chapter for all of us. Please know that we have always been committed to the highest quality in bodywork education, and that moving forward, we welcome all who share our vision.

With our sincere gratitude and hopes for a bright future,



Carl Johns & Selena Lee
Owners/Directors
McKinnon Body Therapy Center