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NHI Sacramento Graduate Lauren Hirsch

NHI Sacramento proudly boasts yet another alumnus, Lauren Hirsch, who is a member of the Massage Therapy Foundation’s 2022 #RunningForReasearch Team. Lauren will be running at the 2022 Boston Marathon® to support research into the benefits of massage, education for  therapists and community service projects that bring massage to the underserved.

Continue reading to learn more about Lauren and how you can support Team MTF.

I Didn’t Start Out as a Massage Therapist or a Runner

I didn’t start out as a massage therapist or a runner. I was a theatre student. I received a BFA in Theatre Arts Performance, studied in Moscow, Russia for a month, and did a yearlong apprenticeship with a professional company.

One day, I heard on the radio about a doctor making a difference in a third-world country and the impact she had on children’s lives there. I started to wonder about the impact I had on people’s lives.

Was what I was doing actually significant and world-changing? Was there another way to interact with the world?

These questions would fill my head until I immersed myself in another play…until December 2017 when my roommates and I experienced a house fire that upturned our lives.

I Woke Up and Decided I was Going to Run a Half Marathon

We moved around quite a bit during the following months as we waited for the repairs to be completed. Then one morning I woke up in the hotel bed and decided I was going to run a half marathon. I had barely thought about running before, so this was a big out-of-the-blue choice for me.

Running became my stable point during this time and inspired me to try pushing myself in other ways such as becoming an au pair in France for a year and applying for massage school when I returned in 2019.

Running Gave Me Courage and Massage Changed My Life

The fire cleared a path for me to make new choices, running gave me the courage to make them, and massage…well massage has changed my life. I feel like I am making a difference in my world now. I use science and imagination to help improve people’s quality of life.

2022 Team MTF | #RunningForResearch

I support the Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) because I believe that scientific research and education help improve the quality of massage therapy leading to improved quality of life for clients and therapists. MTF’s community service projects, the heart of the organization, bring this aid to communities who lack access and desperately need healing touch.

Now I am reaching another turning point in my life. On April 12 I will be turning 30 and I thought it would be a great celebration to end my 20s by running my first marathon for the Massage Therapy Foundation. Please support me as I work to reach my fundraising goal—any help is deeply appreciated!

Donate to MTF’s 2022 # RunningForResearch Team

Get the details on how you can pursue a career in massage therapy with National Holistic Institute. Complete this form to connect with an admissions representative today.