Melissa Wheeler addresses her peers at All-Staff Day.

The American Massage Therapy Association has awarded the 2010 Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year Award to Melissa Wheeler, a longtime National Holistic Institute teacher and current teacher trainer.

To the many teachers, staff, and students Melissa has touched in her 19 years at NHI, no one deserves it more.  One of the highlights of this year’s NHI All-Staff Day was Melissa’s address to her peers and receiving of a scrapbook created by co-worker Sharlene Philip, containing numerous memories, congratulations, and accolades.  While Melissa remains as humble as always about this rare honor, here are words of praise from others:

“It has been my pleasure to work with Melissa, whose input always puts the teacher first [Read more →]

New NHI Advanced Program Coordinator Cynthia Ribeiro

National Holistic Institute welcomes Cynthia Ribeiro, a Vice-President of the American Massage Therapy Association, to the NHI family!  The above photo shows Cynthia participating in a lively Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge forum at the recent AMTA National Convention in Orlando.  The MTBOK is “a living, single source for consistent, integrated information” about massage therapy.  This important work, currently in its first draft, will begin to standardize the language, definitions, and scope of the massage therapy profession.  It will benefit and impact the future of all massage therapists, so I encourage you to check it out and provide your input at http://www.mtbok.org/.

In addition to her many years of service with the AMTA, Cynthia is a respected teacher of massage therapy as well as the founder of the Western Institute of Neuromuscular (WIN) Therapy.  Cynthia will use her role of NHI Advanced Program Coordinator to develop – what else? – a new advanced massage therapy curriculum that will expand and build upon NHI’s nationally accredited 720-hour program.  Watch for details on this new course soon!

MTF President-Elect Ruth Werner & NHI San Jose Campus Manager Beth McNeill

It was an honor for National Holistic Institute to be recognized by the Massage Therapy Foundation at this year’s American Massage Therapy Association National Convention in Orlando.

Only a short year ago at the Phoenix convention, I attended the MTF’s reception for the first time.  Watching so many people within the massage community support the MTF inspired me to do something.  I brought that inspiration back to the Encino campus teachers, which resulted in a “faculty clinic” that raised both awareness and money for the MTF.

During this year’s reception, I presented [Read more →]

With the help of National Holistic Institute staff, students, and graduates alike, we were able to make a big contribution to the 2009 California Massage & Bodywork Convention sponsored by the American Massage Therapy Association California chapter.  We provided a total of 27 volunteer massage therapists from all 4 Northern California NHI campuses, over both convention days.

Volunteers had the opportunity to network with other massage therapists, hand out business cards, receive tips, audit classes for free, and experience the exciting atmosphere of a CMTA event!  Our Student Life & Career Coordinator, Aviana Lynn, did a great job coordinating this effort.

NHI Owners Mason Myers & Tim Veitzer

Mason Myers, co-owner of the National Holistic Institute, hopes his new role on the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) will help cut through the governmental red tape that has plagued professional massage therapists in California.

Appointed by the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) to voice massage education issues, Mr. Myers was elected treasurer during the Council’s inaugural meeting on February 19, 2009.  He will work alongside appointees from the California chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, (AMTA-CA); Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP); California counties, cities, colleges, and Department of Consumer Affairs; as well as other affiliated parties.

“State certification will provide California massage therapists a more practical and affordable solution than the current patchwork of local licensing.  Ensuring the same standards for all therapists across the state will further elevate the reputation of the massage profession and improve consumer confidence,” declares Mr. Myers.

The California Massage Therapy Council is a non-profit organization ordained by the State of California to oversee the issuance of state-wide massage therapist certifications.  State certifications will begin being issued sometime after September 1, 2009.  Stay tuned to this blog for more information as that time approaches.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, 44% of consumers over 65 years of age got their last massage for medical reasons.  This age group has tripled its use of massage over the last 10 years.  Massage is fast becoming a vital part of the health needs for seniors.

National Holistic Institute has reached out to seniors for a long time.  NHI Emeryville’s “Senior Center Day” during the recent holidays drew over 40 seniors from the Emeryville Senior Center!  They came to enjoy a free Shiatsu-style massage.

Student Life & Career Coordinator Aviana Lynn writes, ”Many seniors reported that their massages by the junior students were ‘fabulous,’ and they were eager to schedule future massages with the NHI student clinic as well as purchase gift cards for the enjoyment of friends and relatives.”

Holiday eggnog and pastries were provided by NHI, and many of the seniors were seen munching and chatting away long after their massages were over!

NHI President Tim Veitzer with NCBTMB Chair and NHI Graduate Neal Delaporta

Massage and Texas!  Two of my most favorite things together!  It truly was a delight to join NHIPresident Tim Veitzer in representing National Holistic Institute at this year’s American Massage Therapy Association’s Council of Schools (AMTA-COS) Conference in San Antonio.

For three days, we discussed, debated, and dreamed about massage education.  We even ran into some old friends like Neal Delaporta (above with Tim), the new Chair of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) and an NHI graduate.

Ruth Werner, pathology author extraordinaire, dropped by to say hello (below).

Joe Bob Smith, Ruth Werner & Tim Veitzer

And we were privileged to meet AMTA President-Elect Judy Stahl (below).

NHI President Tim Veitzer & AMTA President-Elect Judy Stahl

Of course, what would a trip to San Antonio be without yours truly in front of the Alamo!

Remember the Alamo!

iStockphoto.com

NHI President Tim Veitzer and I just returned from the American Massage Therapy Association Council of Schools (AMTA-COS) in San Antonio.  Here it was announced that roughly 44 million Americans (20% of the adult population) had a total of around 209 million massages in 2008.  The most common factor for getting a massage was stress-relief at 36% followed by medical reasons at 31%.

On the heels of these outstanding numbers, National Public Radio (NPR) reported this morning that massage is faring well in a flagging economy.  It’s part of the ”comfort consumption” that experts say always spikes during stressful times like a recession.  People are cutting out their big expenses like vacation and travel — and spending more on smaller indulgences.  Click here to read the entire NPR article.

Good morning!  I’ll post some convention pictures when I return to the office next week, but so much is happening that I wanted to get some of it down now!  Some highlights…

• Watching Judith Aston dance on a spinning cycle.
• Having lunch at the table with AMTA President M.K. Brennan.
• Meeting pathology expert and textbook author Ruth Werner.
• Learning more about massage therapists’ increasing ability to bill insurance companies for their patients’ treatments.
• Enjoying some spinach & artichoke dip with the magnificent Andrew Biel, author of our textbook Trail Guide for the Body.
• Sharing a spontaneous stroll through downtown Phoenix with Patty Glenn, President of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.

So much more, but I must go do even more today!