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

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!

Before sunrise on a crisp San Francisco morning, 109 students representing all six campuses of the National Holistic Institute were busy setting up the massage tent with 80 massage tables at the Finish Line Village at the Nike Women’s Marathon.

This year marked the eighth year for the event that draws over 22,000 runners from around the world to the half and full marathon.  The course is filled with steep climbs and beautiful views of the city and the Bay.  The finishers of the race are rewarded with Tiffany necklaces and post-race massages.  Kaiser Permanente, a major sponsor of the Nike Women’s Marathon, contracted The NHI Sports Team to provide these post-race massages.

By 9:00, the massage tables are littered with runners and student therapists working to relax and stretch strained muscles. When the last runner was escorted off of her massage table at 2:15, the NHI Sports Team had performed collectively over 1700 massages.

The students were joined by seven instructors from the various campus, Beth McNeill (SJ), Kristine TenBrink (SJ), Curtis Hisao (SJ), Mark Nielson (PE/EM), Lucas Nevarez (SAC), Phil Okazaki (SJ), and Gabriel Posner (SF/EM) and 15 Teaching Assistants who supported the students by coaching bodywork, issuing and managing breaks and injuries.  The San Jose Campus Student Services and Career Life Coordinator, Chris Pavao acted as Master of Ceremonies directing the line and finding open massage tables for the athletes.  The average wait time was a mere 15 minutes.

The NHI Sports Massage Team prepped for this event by holding sports-specific training sessions where students learned about the marathon, athlete training plans, common injuries and massage techniques.  While it was a mild morning in the city, the team was equipped with skills to combat thermal injuries.

The calm before the storm

The student therapists had fun, worked hard and finished the day with a sense of accomplishment.  They each provided at least 15 massages through out the day, more clients than they see in a regular week.  Emily Luckett from On Board, who is the event planner for the Nike Women’s Marathon, “Thanks for all of your hard work, NHI!  Everything seemed to be managed very smoothly.  We appreciate your efforts!”

In response from the post-event report given by NHI Staff lead, Beth McNeill, Curshanda Woods from Kaiser Permanente had this to say, “Thank you, NHI.  Great job, Beth!  Everything looked great.”  The NHI Sports Massage Team ended the day taking a group picture and a group WHOOSH!  Kudos to NHI and to the students participating in the Sports Team.

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Desiree Pooley and Laura Trumble from the National Holistic Institute of Petaluma recently devoted their massage therapy skillset to provide complimentary chair massage at the Redwood Empire School Insurance Group in Windsor, CA.   Despite some unexpected twists, the experience was beneficial for all parties involved.  Desiree provides a summary of the event:

On site massage was awesome!  Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely some challenges but they made it all the more rewarding.  The adventure began with some confusing directions… actually they were so simple, we were the ones to complicate them Once we arrived, we unloaded the car and made sure we were presentable; NHI shirts tucked in, name tags on, no lunch stuck in our teeth, you know… the basics.  We were all prepared to give our introductions but didn’t have a chance.  As soon as we walked in the door we were greeted with big smiles and sighs of “Oh thank goodness you’re here!”  We set up our chairs, which was a challenge all on its own, set up the table area with all the NHI goodies, tried to play our lovely cd on a broken cd player which we fixed and checked the time to find out all 4 clocks in the room were waaaaayyyy wrong!  Now some may think this is a bad start, but it was great!  Maybe we’re just crazy but either way it gave us some real life experience on all the things to be prepared for and taught us how to adapt in any situation.  Bottom line - we were there, our clients were there, and that’s all we needed to provide some relaxing chair massage :) Each client was so excited to see us and bummed to get out of that chair!  So many thank you’s and smiles, meeting many different people and hearing their stories about their health, job and life in general… it was so amazing to be a part of the on site massage team that day.  I am very excited to do as much on site massage as possible and learn from every site, every client, every time.

The group was so pleased with the work that our two wonderful therapists did that they asked us back on contract for regular visits as part of their Wellness Program!

Desiree Pooley is a student at NHI Petaluma and is a therapist at Tranquility Massage and Wellness.

Over the weekend of August 20th, National Holistic Institute’s own Julie Porter and Esko Homsi assisted new AMTA President Elect Cynthia Ribeiro with a class on shoulder rehabilitation and massage at the Prescott Resort and Conference Center in Prescott Arizona.

The event was an AMTA sponsored, 10 hour, continuing education class offered to the AMTA’s Arizona chapter members. The class consisted of trigger point work, several muscles involved with shoulder anatomy, assessment, and ample bodywork time.

Cynthia shined, as usual, commanding instant respect upon a room of 80 or so members. She was very animated going over a broad range of information in a matter of hours. Julie and Esko were there assisting with both body mechanics and clearing up questions on the comprehensive knowledge for students needing some more clarity on the information.

“A lot of the students had a plethora of knowledge reflected in their work this weekend, but at the same time it made me realize how advantageous our program is to most programs around the country. The overall quality of work from body mechanics, to understanding the anatomy, to application of techniques is really put into a complete picture for the students here at NHI. It’s clear that they receive a more complete puzzle than some throughout the country.” ~Esko

“Cynthia, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your expert teaching this weekend in Prescott. You are the most fun and well versed instructor I have ever had. Even though you had to go quickly to cover the information you had two excellent assistants to help answer my questions and to help the two day class go smoothly.” ~AMTA member

Though the workshop was an AMTA event, the Advanced Program and NHI was well represented, by both Cynthia and her assistants. Overall, it was a huge success and will lead to more opportunities for NHI to appear at national massage therapy events for NHI in the years to come.

The Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon was last weekend, and NHI was there to support the runners, have a good time and get some great experience doing sports massage. Due to lots of traveling lately I didn’t get a good of a jump start on recruiting for this event, and I was afraid that the event might be a struggle, or be unsuccessful, but as it turned out everything & everyone associated with being there was just superb!

The Team Challenge organization that we were there to serve was offered quick 10 minute massages, but they really made a difference and the team was so thankful. There were 500 runners at this event, and we worked on more then 300 of them! 13 massage therapists and three hundred clients. WOW!

It was a great day, but the best part was listening to students who had their table set up closest to me. They talked about how excited they were to be in school learning so much. It recharged my battery, my hope, my excitement about teaching & confidence that things will work out.

From time to time I noticed one or two other students copying exactly what I was doing; techniques that they had not yet been taught in class. They were clearly in learning mode despite the circumstances of working  non-stop on sweaty tired bodies; the athletes lined up for 20 or more minutes to get 10 minutes of free massage. Just 10 minutes of massage can make such a difference!

These events are so inspiring! We get to put our knowledge into action and help athletes. We work together as a team and the bond that results is tremendous. Students learn new techniques, build their confidence and make connections that are invaluable as they begin their careers as professional massage therapists.

But most of all, I get to help people have work they love through doing work that I love! Wow!

~Mark Nielsen

For updates on where our Sports Massage Team will be healing next, check out our NHI Sports Massage Facebook Page!

Massage therapy is well-known for decreasing stress on the body. Stress can inflict our bodies in many different ways physically and emotionally. Sometimes we are able to easily take away the stress in our lives. It could be as simple as changing jobs, putting on another coat for warmth, or changing your diet. But, what happens when something in life occurs beyond what we can change or control?

The last thing that any parent wants to imagine is what would happen if their child is seriously sick or injured. Thankfully, there are resources and charities to help families during these kinds of situations. Enter, The Ronald McDonald House, a non-profit charity that provides housing and meals for families who are travelling in need of healthcare for seriously ill and injured children.

We have a brave group of students from our Sacramento Campus who travel to do on-site massage at the local Ronald McDonald House as a part of their externship hours. They are providing massage for stress relief to families who, most likely, are in the most stressful situation in their life.

“Providing massage for these families and individuals not only helps me grow as a professional massage therapist, but also as a person,” says one student. “I cannot imagine going through what they have to, but helping them relax for even one minute gives them that extra boost in helping them to keep going.”

In this world situations arise that deplete our energy. Massage Therapy can play an important roll of returning us to a state of peace.

Being a massage therapist is certainly a practice of nobility. There are people all around us that are in desperate need of assistance towards relieving the stress in their bodies. By allowing ourselves to show compassion through nurturing massage, we can assist to break the cycle of pain not only of the physical, but of the emotional as well.

Now that our volunteers have dried out from the record rain fall, here’s a student’s first-hand account of this year’s L.A. Marathon…

On March 20th, over 50 current and former NHI students braved the cold, wet, and windy conditions at the 2011 LA Marathon. As predicted, the weather bombarded runners and volunteers, who had to deal with the elements from mother earth.

For both new and veteran volunteers, we were in for one wild ride. The many surprises which we encountered did not deter us from ultimately giving the gift of massage to the thousands of participants who sweated out the 26.2 mile endeavor from Los Angeles to Santa Monica Pier. A number of runners tumbled towards our massage tent, hungry and tired, but mostly elated that they had finished and looked forward to a massage provided by us. We were positioned into teams of 2-3 massage therapists at each table, assisting runners in drying off and warming up. Many runners experienced hypothermia-like symptoms, but with the experience of the faculty who were present, led by Joe Bob Smith, Jan Takeshita, and Marianna Anderson, and the quick hands of the massage therapists, the runners were able to get back on their feet and into some dry clothes.

Although we were blasted with random gusts of wind blowing through the tent, a river of water that flowed ankle deep, and even a little bit of hail, the day turned out to be a huge success. Runners were extremely appreciative of the support provided by the massage volunteers, and we were happy to provide a little bit of warmth and care to each runner that passed through. Despite harsh conditions that started the day off as a challenge, we ended with plenty of smiles, laughter, and many memories. Here’s to another successful volunteer event at the LA Marathon. Until next year…

Because the record rainfall disrupted marathon operations, our volunteers this year didn’t receive the usual volunteer shirt or even lunch. To thank everyone for their hard work, NHI hosted a pizza and movie night on April 15 as a sign of gratitude. L.A. Marathon Coordinator, Steve Jackson, showed up with a stash of marathon shirts he had scored for everyone, thank you letters, and prizes commemorating marathons past. Everyone had a great time reminiscing about the rain, the runners, and the hypothermia!

Health and well being are some of our most valuable resources. Without them it is difficult to enjoy life, to be productive and to flourish as individuals and communities. Yet often self care takes the back burner as we prioritize everything else in our busy lives.

National Holistic Institute, Petaluma Campus is offering a free monthly Community Education night. Our goal is to contribute positively to this wonderful community we work in, and to offer a respite from this busy hectic world we live in. Come and join us to learn about: [Read more →]

During the entire month of April, 2011, the National Holistic Institute will donate $1 to Doctors Without Borders every time somebody ‘likes’ our page, “National Holistic Institute,” on Facebook.

NHI’s history of responding to crises dates back to the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989.  The work that Jim Charlesworth and others did at that time laid the foundation for what would become the Massage Emergency Response Teams (MERT) (see our previous blog remembering Jim).

Since that time we have massaged the victims and emergency workers of numerous disasters around California and the nation.  Unfortunately, many disasters occur beyond the reach of our hands.  But that doesn’t lessen our desire to help; it just forces us to be more creative in raising funds and supplies.  For example, last year through donation clinics, NHI gave over $7,000 to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

With a devastating series of events in Japan, from a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, to a tsunami which took hundreds of lives, to uncertain conditions of multiple nuclear reactors, Doctors Without Borders is contributing greatly to the relief of the people affected. While the country of Japan is not struggling for funds like Haiti and many other countries have during times of crisis, there are still countless people who were affected by the disaster and have not been able to receive care.  Doctors Without Borders has been providing personal attention and medical assistance to individuals in Japan, but will use funds to provide care all around the world; wherever it is most needed.

All you have to do to help is to join a growing community of healers and helpers by clicking ‘like’ on the National Holistic Institute Facebook page. From injured and helpless families to power plant workers risking their lives and their health, your contribution will go toward a good cause.

We know there is a huge population of people whose passion is helping others in need and creating a positive change in our world.  The National Holistic Institute is constantly striving to connect those individuals and create a dialogue that will support people in times of crisis.  We hope our Facebook page can serve as such a meeting place.

National Holistic Institute is putting up the money; all you have to do is click ‘like.’ Already like us, or want to see us give even more? Share this with anyone who may be interested in helping those in need.  You can link to our page on your Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or any other social network that you are a part of.  Thank you for being a part of our helping and healing community!

You can also help us donate by receiving a massage during our donation clinic days!

Do you like feeling good from receiving a massage… AND feeling good about giving to others through massage?  Then you will want to hear this news.  NHI is hosting two massage clinics focused on raising funds for those affected by the earthquake in Japan.  All funds raised through these clinics will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.  Student and staff volunteers form NHI will be providing the massage sessions.  Clinics occur on 4/03 at the Emeryville campus, and on 4/10 at the San Francisco campus.  Appointment times are 2:00, 3:15 and 4:30pm.  Click HERE to schedule an appointment in Emeryville, and click HERE to schedule an appointment in San Francisco.

About Doctors Without Borders  (MSF)

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. MSF’s work is based on the humanitarian principles of medical ethics and impartiality. The organization is committed to bringing quality medical care to people caught in crisis regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF will be using funds all over the world; wherever they are needed most. Click HERE to learn more about MSF

Disclaimer:

The National Holistic Institute (NHI) will donate $1 for every new ‘like’ we receive on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NHImassageschool between 4/1/11 and 4/30/11.  Users who already like the page will not raise funds by un-liking and liking again, but may instead share the page with their friends and followers.  NHI will donate funds upon the close of the promotion up to a maximum donation of $1000.