She’s done it again!  Cynthia Ribeiro is giving away all of the secrets of massage therapy!  To read the full article, “DIY Face Massage” in the Chicago Tribune, click the logo:

At first, it may seem counter-intuitive to teach your clients self-massage techniques that they can do without the therapist there to assist them.  You might be scared that they will become satisfied with the techniques that they can practice themselves.   Any great massage therapist understands that their mission is to create the greatest change and sense of wellbeing in their patients and this in turn will keep them coming back. 

Self-Massage techniques can not possibly provide the same benefits as a full massage session, but they are a great way for clients to relieve temporary headaches, stress and pain, and for them to maintain a holistic sense of well-being.  After all, graduates of National Holistic Institute are not only massage therapists, but also health educators! 

If you or someone you know is struggling with headaches, sinus allergies, or stress and tension throughout the body, here are some simple self-massage techniques from AMTA presiden-elect and NHI Advanced Program Instructor, Cynthia Ribiero that will provide fast acting relief until that next massage is booked…

During all of the following techniques, apply light to moderate pressure to avoid aggravating any issue. You should feel a “good” pain; if it hurts too much, back off.
 

For temporal headaches: Press four fingers against the temporal muscle and move them back and forth, up and down or in a circular motion.
 

For frontal and sinus headaches: Put three fingers of each hand above the eyebrow line and press left to right, to the hairline, without gliding.

For tension headaches, tired eyes and sinuses: Press your thumbs up against the underside of the brow bone in the eye socket.

For stress and tension throughout the body (if you have time for only one exercise, this is the one to do): Using your three middle fingers arranged in a triangle, apply pressure just above the bridge of your nose, known as the “third eye.”

For sinus headaches and allergies: With your index and middle fingers, press along, above and below your cheekbones.

For more on Cynthia’s endless log of massage therapy knowlege, check out our post about her work formulating the Massage Therapy Book of Knowlege (MTBOK) here.

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.

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

What makes a massage school successful?  National Holistic Institute panelists shared many secrets for success at last week’s American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) School Summit.  San Jose Campus Manager Beth McNeil moderated a spirited discussion among audience members and Vice-President of Education Linda Rikli, Petaluma Campus Manager Tiahna Skye, Vice-President of Admissions Jennifer Jhanda, Admissions Manager Raquel Rodriguez, and Dean of Students Ron Peat.  NHI President Tim Veitzer cheered on from the audience.  Hot topics included student retention methods, admissions policies for special circumstances, faculty training, and maintaining consistency across multiple campuses.

Left to Right: Beth McNeill, Linda Rikli, Tiahna Skye, Jen Jhanda, Raquel Rodriguez and Ron Peat. AMTA Schools Summit NHI Panel

Several audience members expressed difficulties trying to place graduates while dealing with often slow state licensing processes.  NHI representative and California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) Board Member Joe Bob Smith explained how this wasn’t a problem in California since [Read more →]

We are pleased to announce that NHI‘s very own Cynthia Ribeiro has been voted President-Elect of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).

“I am very excited and honored to have been elected as President-Elect of AMTA! Thanks to everyone who participated in our election process, including everyone who voted and all of the candidates. It’s a very important commitment. I appreciate your kind wishes and hope to serve you well.”

As she moves ahead in this new role, we want to thank her for her dedication to the massage therapy industry. Her extensive [Read more →]

National Holistic Institute Advanced Program Developer and Instructor Cynthia Ribeiro is currently running for President-Elect of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).  We encourage all NHI family, friends, and supporters who are AMTA professional members to vote for her.

In her candidate statement, Cynthia writes, “The immediate needs of AMTA, our growth and success, relate directly to the immediate needs of our members. It is important for us to help our members succeed by opening doors to a variety of opportunities as the economy, technology and profession change.”  She believes this can be done by looking “at different ways of supporting those needs through services such as social networking and internet-based business practices.”

Before joining NHI about a year ago, [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 →]

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!