Our School History

In 2001, the Connecticut School of Integrative Manual Therapy became authorized as a private occupational school in the state of CT. The three-year diploma program trains health care and non-health care professionals to be proficient in the field of diagnostics and treatment using IMT. Following completion of the CSIMT diploma program, graduates are eligible to sit for certification to become a Certified IMT practitioner. This certification program is affiliated with Westbrook University.



DCR, which is now known as IMT Wellness Center, was created by Mary Fiorentino, OT, to bring continued education in manual therapy to health care practitioners. In 1986, DCR was passed on to Sharon Giammatteo, and has subsequently focused on IMT education.

Research and development at the Institute of IMT is constant. New techniques and protocols are created on a regular basis, based on clinical research and patient care. Currently, there are many IMT practitioners who are focusing their doctoral research on the field of IMT. This research is focused across all patient populations and includes research into the fields of autism, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s.

In August 2003, the IMT professional community initiated the Integrative Manual Therapy Association (IMTA). The IMTA is a professional association for IMT practitioners independent of the Institute of IMT. It supports individual practitioners and promotes IMT as a health care profession. 

As IMT continues to evolve and gain acceptance it aims to extend its reach globally and to other health care disciplines. True to its multi-disciplinary origins, IMT will continue to communicate, learn from and train professionals from all health disciplines in order to ultimately provide patients with optimal care.

Editor’s Comment: Please note that the following terms are trademarked: Integrative Manual Therapy, IMT Wellness Center, Integrative Diagnostics, Integrative Manual Therapist-Certified, Biophysiography.