The following articles are a true testament to what research means to the massage profession. 10 years ago, much of what I learned in school has changed and it is all due to research; mainly the work done by the Massage Therapy Foundation and its members. NHI‘s own Melissa Wheeler and Beth McNeill have volunteered their time working with the MTF. This work helped to shape our current Research and Development classes that give students the tools to educate themselves and find the answers they need to work with clients in any type of situation.

Read the New York Times and Los Angeles Times articles to learn about the latest scientific research into the physical effects of massage on muscles post-exercise:

The information in these articles also gives credence to our work. It shows that what we do has positive physical effects. When therapists use techniques they learn in NHI’s sports massage series, myofascial therapy series, or deep tissue series it is important to be able to explain and bring up evidence of how what we do works.  Massage therapy has grown to be an increasingly integral field in alternative medicine, with more and more people realizing the medical benefits of massage on top of its perk of relaxation.

For more information on research based massage and the Massage Therapy Foundation, visit their freshly redesigned website at http://www.massagetherapyfoundation.org/

~John Lambert,
NHI Instructor

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!

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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.

National Holistic Institute and Biofreeze proudly announce that Lya Daggett, a senior student at the NHI Sacramento campus, has won the 2011 NHI/Biofreeze AMTA Convention Scholarship, honoring 2010 AMTA/Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year and NHI staffer Melissa Wheeler.

Lya will receive complimentary registration, airfare, and hotel for the 2011 American Massage Therapy Association National Convention in Portland, Oregon, this October compliments of NHI and generous underwriting from Biofreeze. While at the convention, Lya will attend numerous continuing education classes as well as special events as a representative and honoree of NHI and Biofreeze.

Many inspirational and compelling applicants submitted essays and letters of recommendation. The scholarship committee expressed desire to send them all. However, with above 95% attendance, over 3.8 GPA, a creatively written essay, and two glowing letters of recommendation, Lya demonstrated herself as a standout student and massage therapist.

In her scholarship essay she writes, “The dream of Massage Therapist has been with me since I was a child.” Lya is especially excited about attending the AMTA National Convention for the first time. “Attending the AMTA National Convention will enrich my massage career in many ways that I know, and many more that I won’t realize until I’m back in Sacramento sharing what I learned with my NHI student family.”

Lya plans to bring as much of the convention experience back with her for those who cannot make the trip by “providing written and verbal information/discussion to my classmates as well as some hands on demonstration. I would also be delighted to lead a discussion group for any interested students.” Lya graduates as a professional Massage Therapist and Health Educator with 720 hours of training from NHI this November. Her training has also enabled her to become certified by the California Massage Therapy Council.

The NHI/Biofreeze AMTA Convention Scholarship is open to seniors and graduates of all 6 NHI campuses and was the brainchild of NHI veteran teacher Melissa Wheeler. After being named the 2010 AMTA/Jerome Perlinski Teacher of the Year, Melissa envisioned a way others could experience the same sort of inspiration provided to her by attending massage conventions throughout her career. She knew many students and graduates beginning their careers did not have the means to attend and, thus, the idea of a scholarship was born. With a multi-year financial commitment from Biofreeze, NHI and Melissa Wheeler hope this annual scholarship will help Lya Dagget and other future massage therapists have work they love!

Our 400 hour Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy Program has been growing rapidly since Cynthia Ribeiro (AMTA President-Elect) formulated the curriculum with NHI from her own popular Advanced Neuromuscular courses.  The program builds on the skills and knowledge that students who completed a comprehensive massage therapy program have already aquired.  This extra education puts graduates ahead of the competition and prepares them to be confident and knowledgeable in massage positions that require a deeper understanding of the science and anatomy behind massage therapy.

Hear from our graduates and instructors as they give you their personal perspective on how the program can open doors

Graduates of the Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy Program will be able to evaluate and differentiate between myofascial pain or dysfunction, as opposed to injury, and to employ effective techniques to address these issues with significant client results. They will be able to work as Massage Therapists in Pain Management settings such as Hospitals, Doctors’ offices, Physical Therapists’ offices, Rehabilitation Centers, in high-end spas and resorts, with sports teams and Sports Medicine settings, and as private practitioners with independent or referral-based clients.

To learn more about the program or contact an Admissions Representative,
Visit  http://nhi.edu/contact/index.html
or
Call  (800) 315-3552

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 →]

Being a massage therapist can look like a solitary profession at first glance – one therapist, often her own boss, working with one client at a time.  But look again and you see vast networks linking therapist to therapist, creating the rich tapestry we call our profession.

Nathan Luczynski, Ahmos Netanel and Lynda Solien-Wolfe at the NHI Studio City Expert Panel

What’s wrong with simply working alone?  Isn’t that what being your own boss means?  [Read more →]

Cynthia Ribeiro performs a demonstration.

National Holistic Institute has officially (and proudly) launched the largest program expansion in recent history: a 400-hour Advanced Neuromuscular Massage Therapist course.

To spearhead this Herculean effort, NHI partnered with American Massage Therapy Association Vice-President and nationally renowned teacher Cynthia Ribeiro.  She worked hand-in-hand with our own Curriculum Coordinator Jim O’Hara to structure the five 80-hour modules that make up the course.  Teaching alongside Cynthia are NHI’s own Esko Homsi and Advanced Program Manager Al Carbonetti.  Special activities include cadaver lab classes, anatomical modeling, and integral anatomy work.  Click Here for the course flyer.

As a national leader, NHI has always strived to set the standard of professionalism and excellence in the massage therapy field.  “Today NHI took a step towards [Read more →]