Upledger Institute International

What Upledger Institute International does

Upledger Institute International (UII) is a private healthcare education company headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, founded in 1983 by Dr. John E. Upledger following his 1975-1983 clinical research at Michigan State University. The company develops and delivers continuing education, certification, and clinical training in CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and SomatoEmotional Release (SER), targeting licensed healthcare professionals including physical therapists, massage therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, registered nurses, and athletic trainers across all 50 US states and 60+ countries. The product portfolio spans 25+ courses organized from foundational (CS1, CS2, SER1) through advanced certifications (CST Techniques Certification, Diplomate Certification) and specialty tracks in pediatrics, immune response, neuroscience, cranial nerves, longevity, concussion, and acupuncture-integration (Unwinding Meridians).

Beyond education, UII operates the Upledger Clinic, offering intensive group and individual therapy programs (five-day group program priced at $4,320), and supports affiliated clinical research through the Dr. John E. Upledger Foundation, including concussion treatment pilots with former NFL players and PTSD relief programs for military veterans. Business model is multi-stream: course tuition and certification fees, intensive therapy program revenue, and e-commerce product sales (textbooks, anatomical models, the proprietary Still Point Inducer device) through shop.iahe.com. Distribution is hybrid, combining direct e-commerce and phone sales with a decentralized network of 70 International Affiliates that deliver courses locally and conduct regional marketing across dozens of countries. The organization operates within the International Alliance of Healthcare Educators (IAHE) umbrella alongside the Barral Institute, and alumni are listed in the International Association of Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP) referral directory at iahp.com.

Name

Upledger Institute International

Legal name

Upledger Institute International

Website

https://upledger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Upledger Institute International is a private healthcare education company founded in 1983 that provides continuing education, certification, and clinical training in CranioSacral Therapy to licensed healthcare professionals across 60+ countries through 70 international affiliates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Continuing Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Craniosacral Therapy (HSADAHAH)

Keywords

• CranioSacral therapy education
• Manual therapy training
• Healthcare certification programs
• Continuing education therapists
• Somatic therapy courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Beach Gardens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Continuing Education Course Fees: UII generates primary revenue through CST and SER continuing education courses. Students pay course fees to attend in-person or online workshops, with pricing varying by course level and format. Courses range from introductory workshops to advanced certification programs.
2. Intensive Therapy Programs: The five-day Group Intensive Therapy Program costs $4,320.00, with a minimum $500 deposit required. This high-touch therapeutic experience provides significant revenue per participant while delivering concentrated treatment outcomes.
3. Product Sales: UII operates an e-commerce store (shop.iahe.com) selling textbooks, reference charts, audio and video programs, anatomical models, and other CST-related educational materials. Many products are published by UII to support course curriculum.
4. Certification Programs: CST certification programs provide a structured pathway for practitioners to achieve diplomate or advanced certifications, with associated application and certification fees.
5. Online Workshop/Tuition Fees: Virtual educational series such as The Trauma Conversation ($245 early registration) generate revenue from continuing education participants accessing content remotely.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Upledger Institute International is a healthcare education and training organization that develops and delivers certification-level instruction in CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and SomatoEmotional Release (SER). It runs multi-level coursework and intensive therapy programs for healthcare professionals and sells related textbooks and therapy tools.

Product overview

Upledger Institute International (UII) is an educational organization offering training and certification in CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and SomatoEmotional Release (SER). The core offering is a structured curriculum of courses ranging from foundational (CS1, CS2, Introduction to CST, SER1) to advanced levels (Advanced CST, Diplomate Certification, specialized tracks). Specialized course series include Pediatrics, Immune Response, Brain/Neuroscience (The Brain Speaks, Touching the Brain), Cranial Nerves, Longevity, Concussion, and Unwinding Meridians. Beyond education, UII offers therapy programs including intensive group/individual therapy, dolphin-assisted therapy, and specialized programs for PTSD and concussion (primarily through Upledger Foundation). The organization also publishes textbooks and sells therapeutic tools like the Still Point Inducer. UII operates through 70+ international affiliates and is a member of the International Alliance of Healthcare Educators (IAHE), alongside Barral Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CranioSacral Therapy (CST) Certification Programs
• SomatoEmotional Release (SER) Training
• Intensive Therapy Programs
• Textbooks and Educational Materials
• Therapy Devices and Tools

Quantifiable outcome

• Published research demonstrating existence of third rhythmic movement distinct from arterial and respiratory rhythms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• International Alliance of Healthcare Educators (IAHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUII is a member of IAHE, a network of healthcare educational programs offering training in evidence-informed and evidence-based disciplines including CST, SomatoEmotional Release, Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation, Total Body Balancing, Lymphatic Balancing, and more. IAHE provides the umbrella organization for curriculum development, standards, and cross-brand collaboration.
• International Association of Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAHP is the global referral network for alumni of IAHE courses including UII graduates. Certified practitioners are listed in the IAHP directory for patient/client referrals. The relationship connects UII's educational mission with career support for graduates.
• Barral InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth Upledger Institute and Barral Institute operate under the IAHE umbrella, offering complementary manual therapy disciplines. They share marketing platforms, course registration systems (shop.iahe.com), and co-promote educational offerings for a comprehensive manual therapy education portfolio.
• Dr. John E. Upledger FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation conducts research and intensive therapy programs including concussion treatment for former NFL players and PTSD relief programs for military veterans. Foundation programs complement UII's educational mission with clinical research initiatives.
• International Affiliates (70+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor70 International Affiliates across dozens of countries deliver UII courses locally, handle regional marketing, and provide in-language support for students. Affiliates include organizations in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and many more.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MedBridge: Digital-first continuing education platform for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals with accredited online courses. Represents the digital delivery model threatening traditional seminar-based CE providers like UII.
• PESI (Provider Education Services Inc.): Large-scale continuing education provider offering thousands of live and online seminars across healthcare disciplines including manual therapy. Competes for the same discretionary CE budget of PTs, OTs, and nurses with broader catalog and lower per-course pricing.

Emerging players

• International Myopain Society / Myopain Seminars: Focused continuing education provider in myofascial trigger point therapy and dry needling, serving overlapping practitioner segments (PTs, MTs, DCs) with specialty certification tracks. Adjacent therapeutic philosophy targeting similar chronic pain conditions.
• Academy of Lymphatic Studies: Specialty continuing education and certification provider in lymphatic therapy, also part of the broader IAHE network ecosystem, serving similar healthcare practitioner audiences with seminar-based manual therapy training.

Direct peers

• Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute: Continuing education provider delivering specialty manual therapy courses (pelvic floor rehabilitation) to licensed practitioners via in-person seminars and online formats, with similar practitioner target customers and certification/credentialing structure.
• Rolf Institute of Structural Integration: Leading continuing-education provider in a competing manual therapy modality (Rolfing/Structural Integration) targeting similar licensed practitioner segments (MTs, PTs, OTs). Comparable model of certification-based, multi-tier practitioner training.
• Barnes Institute / Myofascial Release Treatment Centers: John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release organization offers competing hands-on continuing education courses to the same healthcare practitioner audience (PTs, MTs, OTs) with similar seminar-based, multi-tier certification pathways.
• International Alliance of Healthcare Educators (IAHE): Umbrella organization co-owned with Barral Institute that sets curriculum standards and provides shared marketing/registration infrastructure for UII's courses. Functions as both an operational partner and a closely aligned peer business model.
• Barral Institute: Sister organization under the IAHE umbrella offering complementary manual therapy education (Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation). Operates on shared shop.iahe.com infrastructure and shares the IAHP practitioner referral network, making it the closest operating peer to UII.
• Great Lakes Seminars: Provider of in-person continuing education seminars in manual therapy techniques targeting physical therapists and occupational therapists, with a similar practitioner-attendee model and tiered curriculum approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upledger_inst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSIFELbP6Jsp55cb9puZigQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/upledger.institute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-upledger-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/upledger_institute_intl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upledger Institute International