Category — Around NHI

National Holistic Institute has been named 2012 Massage Therapy School of the Year at the World Massage Festival to be held in Las Vegas, August 19-22, 2012! 

“Today, NHI is one of the most respected and largest schools of massage therapy in the world. Their history and network of relationships in the field continue to help graduates have success and help keep their fingers on the pulse of the dynamic field of massage therapy.” – Massage Magazine

When you go to work every day and you love what you do, it’s surprising and humbling to receive recognition for it.  That’s how all of us at NHI felt when we heard that the World Massage Festival had chosen us as the Massage Therapy School of the Year.  For several years, this well-established festival has been home to the Massage Hall of Fame, complete with a who’s who of massage profession inductees.  To now be permanently acknowledged alongside those industry luminaries is an incomparable privilege.  For all the staff and students who have and will come through the NHI doors over the decades, we look forward to accepting this honor on their behalf.

More than three decades of hard work and commitment to the massage field has led to this recognition. Carol Carpenter, founder of NHI, had a vision of what massage education could be. Carol built a school whose roots still feed and support the organization today.  The foundation she built was made of knowledge, professionalism, and a deep dedication to excellence. In 2003, Carol Carpenter retired and Mason Myers and Tim Veitzer stepped in and continue to lead in the tradition of excellence.

Tim and Mason have grown NHI to be a statewide massage school with six (soon to be seven) thriving campuses. Today NHI offers the most current state of the art education available in massage therapy. Over the years, we have continued to refine our curriculum in order stay current with the growth of the massage industry and ensure that our graduates are ready to be successful in any area of the massage field they choose.

Our graduates work in a wide variety of industry specialization including the allied medical professions, spa industry, private practice, sports and fitness. Today the possibilities are virtually endless. The massage industry has grown tremendously and more and more job opportunities open up every day. It is a very exciting time to be a massage therapist!

NHI is growing along with the field. In addition to a foundational education in massage therapy, NHI now offers a 400-hour Advanced Neuromuscular Massage Therapy Program for massage therapists wishing to specialize in therapeutic massage. We also have robust sport massage and professional on-site teams that provide massage at events and locations around the state. We have had as many as 120 massage therapists gathered together to offer massage to the runners of the Nike Women’s Marathon, and participate in many more events year round.

We are proud of our growth and achievements, but our biggest accomplishment is our students. They go out into the field and bring professional, positive and healing touch to so many. We are proud to know that we have sent thousands of massage professionals into the field, and they in turn have enriched the lives of thousands and thousands more whom they’ve touched. Our graduates have helped those suffering from long-term and sometimes debilitating pain, supported women as they go through pregnancy and childbirth, provided comfort and care to those who need it,  helped professional athletes improve their performance, and generally have helped to decrease the stress levels of all with whom they come in contact.  You might even say our graduates are changing the world one touch at a time.
 

To read Massage Magazine’s article about the prestigious award bestowed on NHI, click the following link.
http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=12079

At NHI we pride ourselves in making Anatomy fun and easy to learn for everyone.  We are fortunate enough to have a great collaborative relationship with the publishers of our Anatomy book we use, Trail Guide to the Body.  The staff at Trail Guide to the Body is happy to train our faculty on any new learning tools and advances in the field of Anatomy.  The Trail Guide is such a user friendly book, and now we have a companion Student Workbook and on-line tools for students and teachers alike.  Learning anatomy has never been easier and more rewarding!  And it is so much fun to learn about our own bodies work and then the bodies of our future massage clients!

Rhoni Hirst from Trail Guide to the Body recently wrote a warm email to NHI’s President and Vice President, sharing her regard for the devotion that our mentors showed toward the curriculum.

“Hi Mason and Tim,

I am not sure if you are aware but I have been holding some short trainings with your instructors regarding the complimentary online tools we offer for the Trail Guide to the Body text. We have 3 trainings completed and we have 3 more to go.

I spoke with Melissa this morning about how impressed I am with your crew and thought I would share this with you as well. Melissa has expressed how beneficial the trainings have been for the instructors and I told her how inspirational they have been for me… [I am amazed by] the focus, interest and enthusiasm I hear and feel from your instructors. It is very obvious to me that your instructors feel connected and know that they are a part of something bigger than just the classes they teach individually. There is also no doubt that this is filtering directly into your students as well.

I am sure it is not easy to keep such a big program so well connected but I have to tell you that, whatever you are doing over there, is working! Kudos to all of you!”

We feel honored to hear such wonderful words and would like to thank Rhoni for doing such a wonderful job bringing us up to speed on the latest Anatomy learning tools.  We’d also like to congratulate all of our mentors who were in the training sessions with Rhoni for showing their NHI spirit.  Here’s to many years ahead working with the Trail Guide to the Body and to making Anatomy accessible for everyone!

~National Holistic Institute

Love massages?  Love holidays?  How awesome would a massage holiday be?

The State Assembly has declared January 12, 2012, “California Massage Therapy Awareness Day!”

Just over two years ago, state-recognized certification began through the California Massage Therapy Council.  With over 27,000 CAMTC-certified massage professionals to date, the California State Assembly is recognizing the strength of the massage therapy profession by naming a whole day in our honor.

California Assemblyman Bill Berryhill, Vice Chairman of the Assembly Business & Professions Committee, is arranging the resolution (Assemblymembers Hayashi, Ma and Butler signed/co-authored). He will present a framed copy of the resolution to Melissa Colburn, California Chapter President of the American Massage Therapy Association, and Patricia Rusert Gillette, AMTA-CA Greater Sacramento Area Unit President, on the Floor of the Assembly on Thursday, January 12^th, during Assembly Session.

Professional members of the AMTA-CA chapter from the area who are CAMTC-certified will be providing complimentary chair massages to the public.  John Lambert, an NHI teacher and graduate, will be among them.

National Holistic Institute is proud to take part and see our profession officially honored by the State of California!

This week, we bring you a post from a few of our graduates – Gathering all they have learned at NHI, the San Jose campus alumni opened the Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group, LLC.  Their doors opened to the public in November of 2011 and they are on their way to a thriving new business. Their mission? “Exceptional body work, Exceptional results”… and we know they mean what they say. Without further ado, please allow us to introduce NHI grad Bard Williams of SV Massage Therapy Group:

“NHI isn’t just a place to get a world-class education as a massage therapist – it’s also an incubator for new entrepreneurs.  As graduates we all have our dreams of how we might use our new skills – maybe a thriving private practice, working in an elegant spa, or following a sports team. There are lots of options!  As a marketing exec and “serial entrepreneur”, I’ve always liked the challenge of building a business from the ground up.  A massage practice has lots of moving parts and the process seemed nearly impossible at the beginning and I quickly realized that several heads were way better than one.  I didn’t have to look far – two other really talented therapists were sitting right next to me in class!  So, on 11/1/11, three NHI-San Jose students, Mayke Weiber, Javier Nikaido and I, launched the Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group.

So, it’s official.  We’re a “Silicon Valley startup” with big dreams.  We quickly expanded the team to include fellow NHI student Sharon Lee whose amazing skills, positive energy and administrative talents helped us stay grounded and organized.  We found an amazing location and worked through the process of licensing and getting the space ready. Then, as we each became CAMTC certified, we picked up more NHI students and alumni as therapists or to help with reception work.  All of us continue to learn about the business of massage therapy. Luckily, we’ve got the support of classmates, our NHI instructors, friends, family and a whole bunch of people who appreciate our skills.

Now we’re all focused on attracting clients and building the practice. It’s so good to put into action the things we learned at NHI – from business and marketing to great bodywork, we all feel very prepared to move ahead with our dreams of a successful practice. We invite you to book a session with us online at www.svmassagetherapy.com or give us a call at (408) 260–CALM (2256), or contact us about employment opportunities at info@svmassagetherapy.com. Mention this blog post and we’ll give you a nice discount.”

 

This year, National Holistic Institute and Biofreeze awarded their very first AMTA Convention Scholarship to Lya Daggett, a senior student at the NHI Sacramento campus. This scholarship honors Melissa Wheeler, the 2010 AMTA/Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year and NHI faculty member, and pays all registration and travel expenses for an NHI senior or graduate to attend the American Massage Therapy Association National Convention. Read on as Lya shares some amazing insights into the knowledge shared at the convention.  Her summaries will make you feel like you were there getting some free CE massage classes!

L-R: Author Whitney Lower, Massage Therapy Foundation President Ruth Werner, 2010 AMTA Teacher of the Year and NHI faculty Melissa Wheeler, NHI/Biofreeze Scholarship Winner Lya Daggett, Trail Guide to the Body Author Andrew Biel, 2012 AMTA President and NHI faculty Cynthia Ribeiro, and NHI Strategic Development Manager Joe Bob Smith.

Day 1: Wednesday Night, Oct 18th
Upon my arrival, I rode the MAX light rail from the airport through Portland. Entering the Double Tree, there was a large light up sign on the high wall that greeted the AMTA convention attendees. There was a definite buzz in the lobby with all the small scattered groups of people with matching event lanyards and backpacks. I wanted to be an identifiable part of this group, so I checked into my room, grabbed my jacket and headed out towards the Convention Center.  The convention goers were everywhere as I made my way down the streets. Just in time, I got my lanyard, backpack, and bright pink ribbon identifying me as a newbie.
When I got back to the hotel, up to the 14th floor, there was a party going on next door to my room. I was certain that it was an AMTA gathering of some sort. Curiosity got the best of me and so I walked slowly down the hall and casually glanced at the open double doors of the room. The gathering was filled with well dressed MTs who were carrying on like they were at a holiday party/family reunion. As I went back to my room and prepared for bed, I enjoyed the laughter coming through the wall.

Day 2: Thursday, Oct 19th
First thing in the morning I could already hear chatting and laughter in the hallway. Breakfast was at a local café hosted by the California Chapter AMTA. I met up with NHI grad and TA Cheri Keene and walked over to the café. We were greeted into the warm and cozy space by Melissa Colburn, the California Chapter President. NHI teacher Patrick Keehan joined us in line. Here is also where I met Melissa Wheeler and Joe Bob Smith for the first time. I knew instantly that I was in good hands. We huddled around a small table and took a couple photos while we waited for our breakfast. There were at least three NHI Alumni from years past seated around the room who would eventually come say hello to Melissa W. As I sat back in my chair trying to take it all in, I couldn’t help but feel like I was in an exclusive club, sitting at the cool kids table. After a lovely speech by Melissa C., we walked to the Convention Center.
The Opening Session & Awards Presentations were about to begin. The room was filled with many different kinds of people from all over the United States. At that moment I knew that I was a part of something fabulous. The diversity was remarkable. Some MTs had grouped themselves together by State Chapter and many were wearing matching t-shirts. The AMTA President spoke with a genuine smile as though she was greeting all her favorite friends from college. The Keynote Speaker, Kevin Carroll, was incredibly inspiring. Hearing his story gave me the feeling that if I worked hard, I could truly accomplish anything that I put my heart into. The awards were fun to watch. People were getting awards for many different things including how long they had been a part of the AMTA. I can’t imagine what some of the people who have been massaging for thirty-plus years must have had to endure without the current support we now have for Massage Therapy.
Following the Opening Session, Massage Envy sponsored a beautiful lunch for “First-timers.” It was fun sitting at the large round table hearing where the other therapists travelled from. I made quick work of my delicious red quinoa so that I could excuse myself from the table and head to the exhibits.
I began moving through the isles of exhibits a little overwhelmed by all there was to look at. The first place that I stopped at was the Trail Guide to the Body booth. Here I met Andrew Biel who dressed just like someone who would have rock climbed skeletons in his text book. He was very approachable and easygoing. At the booth I learned about some online study resources for students and gained even more of an appreciation for the text that NHI had chosen to use in its program. It was in the Exhibit Hall that I met NHI ANMT creator and incoming 2012 AMTA President Cynthia Ribeiro and received the best hug I’ve had in a long time. I felt her genuine warmth as she urged me to call her if I needed anything. Next, Melissa W. introduced me to Lynda Solien-Wolfe and the other fabulous people of Biofreeze. It is doubtful that they realize how much I appreciate their generosity in funding the scholarship and what an incredible difference they have made in the start of my professional life. After pictures, I wandered around taking in all the excitement and then realized that it was class time.

L-R: NHI Strategic Development Manager Joe Bob Smith, Performance Health CEO Marshall Dahneke, NHI/Biofreeze Scholarship Winner Lya Daggett, 2010 AMTA Teacher of the Year and NHI faculty Melissa Wheeler, Biofreeze Director of Clinical Education and Research Lynda Solien-Wolfe, and 2012 AMTA President and NHI faculty Cynthia Ribeiro.

The classes that I took were led by people who were all very motivational. Some of the classes were very organic without much of an outline, using group discussion to propel it through to different topics.

Transition from Clients to Patients
Elizabeth McIntyre presented this class on different aspects of clinical settings. She starts by suggesting that new MTs spend two to three years working before pursuing work in Health Care settings. Also suggested is to get HIPAA certification. She explained that the Clinical environment is a conservative one. No shorts, cover tattoos, no visible body piercings, hair pulled back, no perfume/aftershave lotion, closed shoes, no sandals and wear security badge at all times. Some of the things that she suggests one going into a healthcare facility to work, be aware of are the special precautions when working with certain groups of people. Also, know about and protect yourself from the different infections that you would be exposed to.
After my first class I met a couple of women from New Hampshire. When they found out that I was a first-timer, they insisted that I join them for a quick trip to the House of Delegates Meeting. During the short time that we were observing, the delegates were expressing opinions on the issue of Fibromyalgia. It was interesting to see how many people were involved in the decision making process of the AMTA.

Smart Marketing with Social Media
This fun and dynamic speaker, Felicia Brown, defined marketing as anything that touches the client and makes them want to (or not to) do business with you or your company. Social media marketing was described as marketing on the web. She suggests using social media to build a relationship with people who want to feel connected. Because it is easy for many of us to lose track of time when online, have a plan before getting on the computer. Set a boundary for time and social media, for example 20 minutes a night. Find out what social media sites your potential clients use. Felicia states her top social media sites as being Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Make each of your sites a little unique and exciting. Facebook is a great way to increase communication with clients. You can thank them for “liking” your page. Always remember HIPAA rules and never write any persons personal information. Felicia also warns against ever putting anything out on the internet that you don’t want the world to see. On Yelp you can create a company profile and ask clients to post on it. Monitor it regularly to make sure that you are aware of any issues that may arise. Use YouTube to link videos to your website or Facebook. Twitter can be used for microblogging, announcing specials and events. She outlines tasks that could help business. Create content by: regular updates, sharing quotes and links, posting videos and pictures. Create and encourage conversations by: writing a blog, participating in groups, asking and answering questions. Create an expert image and persona by: sharing resources about industry, highlighting the services offered, explaining benefits of various modalities. Create connections by: inviting people to connect/become friends, making recommendations, commenting on others’ status or links. Create opportunities for people to take action: links to your website and blog, information about upcoming specials, request reviews. Increase professional knowledge and confidence: watch YouTube videos (www.youtube.com/massagenerd), like or fellow industry experts (www.facebook.com/smartspamarketing), reading and commenting on blogs.

Day 3: Friday, Oct 20th
Five Fast Tracks to Filling Your Practice
In this class taught by Mr. Stephenson, we learned about five things to consider when wanting to better your practice. At the beginning of the class the presenter shared some striking statistics. A Massage Therapists’ career expectancy is 6.3 years. There are 60,000 people a year in MT school. 50,000 people a year exit the massage profession.
1] Make your clients highly satisfied as opposed to simply satisfied. Highly satisfied clients are two times likely to return and three times likely to recommend to a friend.
2] Communication, 80% is non-verbal. Have good intent and an open heart when speaking to a client. Know if you are talking to a feeler or thinker and adjust your language to match them. When getting feedback during a session, don’t ask “How’s the pressure?” Do ask “would you like more pressure?” or “would you like less pressure?” Mirror back what you heard the client say. Pay attention to what the client wants when beginning a session and repeat it back to them. Communicate very clearly what the agreement is so that the expectations of the client are met.
3] The Sacred Three: Give a warm welcome. Find out why they are there, and then deliver. Invite them to return.
4] Media research. Research so that you can educate your client at timely stages off the interaction.
5] Treatment Planning. Make an educated guess on how many sessions it would take to improve a problem area, and then give the client the opportunity to agree to the timeline and pay for the sessions.
The final point that I took away from the class was to make a BHAG – Big Harry Audacious Goal.

Setting and Managing Boundaries
Kirk Nelson begins by listing some different types of boundaries for Massage Therapy. Physical, emotional, professional, sexual, and social. Some common boundary myths include that if I set boundaries, I’m being selfish. Boundaries are a sign of disobedience. If I begin setting boundaries, I will be hurt by others. If I set boundaries, I will hurt others. Boundaries mean that I am angry. Boundaries cause feelings of guilt. Boundaries are permanent and I’m afraid of burning my bridges. Nelson describes Ten Laws of Boundaries.
1] Law of Sowing and Reaping: Understanding cause and effect.
2] Law of Responsibility: Being responsible “to” others, and not “for” others.
3] Law of Power: Honoring the power of change vs. the power of acceptance.
4] Law of Respect: Respecting the boundaries of others earns respect for our own.
5] Law of Motivation: Acting from a place of love instead of fear.
6] Law of Evaluation: Recognizing the difference between “hurt” and “harm”.
7] Law of Proactivity: Moving from showing what you hate to what you love.
8] Law of Envy: Focusing on the boundaries of others.
9] Law of Activity: Creating positive boundaries requires us to be active.
10] Law of Exposure: Communicating your boundaries openly.
After my classes for the day, I was invited to a Massage Envy gathering back at the hotel. There was food presented in the middle of the room and tables of people arranged around it. Here is where I met authors Ruth Werner and Whitney Lowe and the CEO of Biofreeze, Marshall Dahneke, all very inspiring people. As I looked around, Joe Bob identified the other massage professionals in the room. After Massage Envy VP GC Funk gave a speech, as tradition, Joe Bob was invited to the microphone to sing a couple songs. This was an extremely entertaining experience as the crowd cheered and the backup singers gave it their all. I had the opportunity to speak with a few Massage Envy employees who raved about how much they enjoyed working for the company. I took this as a sign to look into possible Massage Envy employment.

Day 4: Saturday, Oct 21st
Navigating the Complex World of Health Care Integration
This was a panel discussion lead by a Massage Therapist, Naturopathic Doctor, Physical Therapist and Medical Doctor. The Power Point presentation is available on the AMTA website under the 2011 National Convention Speaker Handouts, and is definitely worth taking the time to go through and think about. The panel discussed a lot of different ways that MTs are and aren’t a part of integrated health care. The advice that stuck with me was to reframe our professional image as Massage Therapists and “claim what’s ours”. To me, I took it as an invitation to push in creating the kind of work environment I want. If I want to be a respected member of a health care team, then I have to create in myself a respectable, knowledgeable Massage Therapist.
Massage Therapists like to dance. I had heard this a few times in Portland, but didn’t truly understand until the Dinner Dance. I took my sister, Amber, who lives in Portland as my date. A huge conference room beautifully decorated for a semi formal dinner was filled with the people that I had seen throughout the last few days. In the middle of the elegantly arranged dining tables laid a stack of Styrofoam airplanes in honor of next year’s convention to be held North Carolina, birthplace of manned flight. As soon as the band began to play, the tables emptied and the dance floor was overflowing with people dancing like they didn’t have a care in the world. As they danced, a constant flow of fifteen or so Styrofoam airplanes soared over the dance floor. In the back of the room a line began to form at the photo booth. People were decorating themselves with big hats, wigs, giant sunglasses, and boas for their turn in front of the camera. As Lynda and Joe Bob were cuttin’ it up on the dance floor, and Melissa was giving relationship advice to my sister, I again acknowledged the appreciation I had for the whole experience. Not only had I learned things in classes that would help me build a strong career, but I also realized that I am part of an incredible group of individuals and have a choice as to what extent I can be involved in growing and moving the Massage Therapy profession forward. I look forward to my experiences at the 2012 AMTA National Convention.

~Lya Daggett,
NHI Senior Student, Sacramento Campus

Congratulations to Lya and a huge thank you to Biofreeze and AMTA, as well as everyone else involved for making this opportunity possible!

At NHI, we try, whenever possible, to practice what we preach and live lives with awareness around activities that promote a healthy lifestyle and overall well-being.  With the speed of the lives many of us lead these days, the opportunities to really slow down to “smell the roses” and take notice of “one’s self” seem to be fewer and fewer.

This past summer, the Students and Staff at the NHI SF Campus were encouraged to make time to do this through participating in some fun organized activities on and off campus as part of the NHI Summer of Wellness.  It was a great success and was brought to a close with a 5-mile hike, yoga and meditation in Muir Woods.

Here’s a glimpse into the experiences of those who participated:

Izabela:  ”As a child I always loved the great outdoors! Poland is a country of unusual natural beauty. It has majestic mountains, fantastic sea coast, and countless hidden lakes not to mention Bialowieza Forest- the largest remaining part of the immense primeval forest that once covered the European Plain.  There is a connection between Bialowieza and Muir Woods.

Even though those forests look different they bring up similar feelings of peace and awe. Awe of something so beautiful and ancient that once was abundant and then was almost lost. When you are there, you forget about your daily life, you reconnect with your roots and become transformed. It was a true pleasure to share this experience with my NHI community. Thank you to all who came and made it a day to remember forever!”

Kamaljit: “A 7 mile hike through the lovely redwoods, yoga at the half way mark, meditating in a clearing with the sun warming us, feeling blissfully tired at the end and knowing I’d sleep great that night – my idea of heaven. That was the hike through Muir woods, with the good company and the near perfect weather, I couldn’t have hoped for a nicer way to spend my Saturday morning.”

Joan: “We were very lucky because at the start of the day everything was fogged in, but as we ascended into the trees and up the mountain the sky cleared and blue appeared. We enjoyed sharing stories along the way and after the first third of the hike Izabela, the instructor who organized the event, lead us in some group meditation and stretches among the trees. Before we starting our decent back down to the park entrance everyone stopped and pulled out food to satisfy our hungry appetites.

NHI has a great community spirit and organizes wonderful events for the students to participate in outside of the classroom. This was an amazing day and a wonderful experience to meet and talk to fellow students.”

Laura: “The Muir Woods hike was so much fun! It was beautiful and peaceful and it made my body feel great! Thank you for being such a great leader, Izabela! I am so very local, and yet I don’t usually get to do hikes like that; 4 hours and all those stairs. Thanks for all the motivation and inspiration!”

Haven’t you heard??  Wellness is in!!!  You read about it, see it practiced by others, talk about it, and you may even dream about it (“Someday I’ll….”). So, how does one get past the “I’m-too-busy” or “I-don’t-have-time” syndrome and actually put “wellness” into action?                                                                                               

At the National Holistic Institute SF Campus, this past summer was designated “The Summer of Wellness,” a fun, interactive campus experience designed to bring about greater personal awareness and ownership of realistic, healthier habits. 

Everyday at NHI, some level of inspiration is brewing, simply through the daily exchanges of a typical day on campus.  Izabela Rapacz (NHI teacher/mentor) has been known to have inspired more than a few at NHI with her passion for making physical activity enjoyable and attainable, so her idea to integrate one thing that we feel we all do so naturally, “inspiring others,” with some healthy fun couldn’t have been more openly received.

July’s focus was Physical Fitness, August’s-Nutrition, and September’s will be Mindfulness.  With three weekly announced “tips of the week” and one specific exercise/physical movement encouraged be performed at the drop of a weekly “code word” (frog, circles, etc.) it’s safe to say that there’s been greater awareness around this topic.  The inspiration kicked in as students were asked to share their personal new practices at the end of the month.

National Holistic Institute Students in SF have shared the following:

• “I carry around a bag of nutritious snacks prepared for easy snacking (sugar snap peas, carrots, nuts, seaweed, trail mix, etc).  The ‘crunch’ is so gratifying!”
• “I go to bed 30 minutes to one hour earlier.  Since I’ve been doing this, I feel more deeply rested and can focus better.”
• “I contract abdominals while in traffic, sitting at a desk, or while waiting in line.  It’s amazing how my body feels stronger when I engage my core.”
• “When I crave a soda, I just read the Nutrition Facts on the side panel; I quickly choose an alternate.  Easy.
• “I dance, and dance and dance— especially when no one’s looking!”

The buzz of wellness is certainly alive at the NHI San Francisco Campus.  While simply talking about wellness is “cake” (and we do like cake), using a fun, simple, gradual approach to practicing wellness has proven to be as “easy as pie!”  (Pie is good)!

How many times in life do you get a dress rehearsal before you have to do the real thing? They say life is about diving in head first, taking a leap of faith and just doing it. That may work for some people but it doesn’t work for everyone.  After all, you wouldn’t buy a car without getting a feel for how it handles and seeing yourself in the driver’s seat, would you?

We want to help you make the best decision when it comes to choosing the right school and the right career path. We want you to have the chance to experience NHI before you decide become a student.

You keep hearing that it is an amazing journey from beginning to end and the testimonials give you a sense of how this program impacts a student’s life, but what is it really like to be a student at NHI?  After all, going to school is a big commitment and an investment in your future. Well, what if you could attend a class for the day with no commitment?  Could you imagine yourself as a massage therapist?

Well, this is your turn to experience it. We are giving you the opportunity to observe and participate in a class at a campus near you. We know you will love what you see. After all, we want to help you have work you love.

There are many ways to find out when the next Class Observation will be!

-Tell our Admissions Team that you are interested in learning more about classes at NHI!

-Like our NHI Facebook Page and your campus Facebook Page to receive invites in your news feed!

-Keep an eye on our Campus Events Calendar!

National Holistic Institute recently celebrated Pat Troxel’s 20th year at NHI .  It brings a smile to our faces and a tear to our eyes to see how much Pat has contibuted over the years and to think back on all of the warmth that she has shown toward all the students and staff here. 

Pat is an NHI graduate, has managed the financial aid dept, and is currently our compliance rockstar, making sure NHI is always ahead of the massage education standards.  Click the video below to hear Pat’s hearwarming speech from our quarterly staff meeting:

Before her speech, some of our staff shared their memories and thoughts about Pat:

“If it wasnt for Pat I dont know if I’d be working for NHI.  Pat and I have become very good friends over the past years.  When I think of her, I think of warmth and compassion, and also tons of fun!  At work, she’s the one I look to for assistance.  She also always remembers our standards and why we have them.” – Melissa Wheeler

“When she and Carol hired me, there was not a position for what I wanted to be doing, but Pat helped develop my position. Even if we didn’t always meet eye to eye on certain issues, she was always there to help me with standards and guidance.” – Betty Williams

“Pat has been a huge mentor and friend to me over the years.  I really admire her work ethic, but mostly her work hard-play hard type of personality. I think i’ve never laughed as hard as I have with Pat during our lunches and conversations…  I just love her so much.” – Jen Jhanda

THANKS PAT!

Reflecting long-standing traditions in American education, September is the classic time to go back to school.  With classes starting throughout the year at National Holistic Institute, it is never to late to take the next step with your education.

As a long-term teacher at NHI, I have had the experience of watching many, many people re-adjust to being back in an educational environment.
For some students, their last school experience might have been very recent, but for others there might have been years, even decades, since they were a full-time student.

Sometimes the transition is easy, and of course sometimes it is more difficult – but nearly always worth it!

I wanted to understand the factors that might spur someone to set the familiar patterns of their life aside to seek the personal growth, financial success, and emotional satisfaction that learning a new skill set can engender. So I asked around a bit, and here’s some of what I found:

“Show me the money!”

For many, the incentive to re-engage their educational process is based on a financial decision – they need to be able to make money, and fast. As my massage teacher pointed out, you can be in and then out of massage school in less than a year, and in terms of overhead, setting up a massage business is cheaper than running a hotdog stand!

“I hate my boss!”

One massage therapist I know decided to begin her training when she found herself with a young child, and she saw massage therapy as one of the quickest routes to successful self-employment. Another therapist of my acquaintance was retiring from a previous career in his fifties, and knew his pension would only carry him so far. Massage offered him a way to build on his work as a personal trainer and educate his clients about how to take better care of their bodies.

“I want to make a difference!”

Of course, for many people, pursuing an education in massage therapy and health education is about following a dream, or connecting with a career that fuels their passion for life. Massage can be a financially lucrative job, for sure – and the chance to get paid well while helping others feel better really feels better than that previous, less emotionally satisfying career.

Having been out of school for a while, some of my older students sometimes express a worry that they won’t be able to adjust or keep up. And some of my younger students – many straight out of high school – worry about being able to stay focused while their not-in-school friends goof around.  Both of these types of students find their worries quickly alleviated. The NHI curriculum emphasizes hands-on skills, AVK (Audio/Visual/Kinesthetic) learning, and a highly structured environment. This combines with our robust Student Services Department in the form of Labs, Tutors, and Mentors focusing on individual learning styles to provide a solid foundation so that all students, young or old, fresh out of high school or returning after years away, can enjoy coming Back to School.

To find out if National Holistic Institute is the experience you are looking for, go to www.nhi.edu and click “Contact” in the top right.  You can talk to one of our friendly admissions representatives, take a tour of the campus and even sit in on one of our classes with no pressure!