Placement Coordinator Jan Takeshita & Teaching Assistant Suzanne Bose outside Bliss Spa.

A fortunate group of National Holistic Institute graduates and students got an exclusive VIP tour of Hollywood’s hottest new spa during a recent career night.

Since opening in January, Bliss Spa at the new W Hotel Hollywood has quickly become the go-to destination for the rich and famous looking to be pampered like a rock star.  In addition to the long list of celebrity clientele frequenting its legendary Hollywood & Vine location, Bliss has brought its unique “Spa-llywood” touches to over 40 high-profile events in just 6 months – awards shows, magazine fêtes, and movie premieres like Alice in Wonderland and Sex in the City.

NHI began its relationship with Bliss back in December.  While waiting for its fabulous new digs to be finished, Bliss used NHI’s Los Angeles facilities to train employees on its unique custom products and menu of services.

Additionally, Bliss broke its long-standing tradition of hiring experienced massaged therapists by employing 3 NHI graduates right out of school.  One of those, Michael Scola, joined us on our tour.  Having graduated NHI in January, Michael is one of Bliss’s top-ranked and most requested massage therapists.

Graduates & Students attend NHI's Bliss Spa Career Night at the W Hotel Hollywood.

Because of the professional success of our alumni, Bliss invited this latest group of NHI students and graduates to view their beautiful space, learn more about the company, and apply for a job.  On our tour we saw Bliss’s ground-level retail shop (they have their own complete product line); the 4^th floor spa complete with a luxe nail lounge, treatment rooms, and men’s and women’s lounges; behind-the-scenes areas where all the magic happens; and we even got to visit Drai’s private rooftop pool where many therapists go to give on-site massages.

We thank Bliss for rolling out the red carpet for us and look forward to sending many more of our graduates their way.

Bliss Spa Trainer Heather Moelter, Campus Manager Joe Bob Smith, and NHI graduates at Drai's rooftop pool where many on-site massages are given.

Waking up at 3:00am to be ready for this year’s 25^th Anniversary Los Angeles Marathon seemed impossible.  However, over 30 student and graduate therapists from National Holistic Institute were pumped up and ready to go!  A few arrived earlier than staff!

This was the inaugural year of the Marathon’s route starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica Pier.  Massaging runners at the beach – how cool!  It was optimally temperate marathon-running weather, with the fog never quite dissipating at the beach.  We warmed up quickly though as the runners started finishing and the line lengthened.  Despite what seemed like a never-ending queue, the NHI therapists worked tirelessly and with few breaks so that no runner had to wait longer than 15 minutes to receive our much needed touch.

As in years past, our students were chosen to work on the elite runners and Road Runners official training group.  Because the runners gave their all to complete the 26.2 miles to finish the marathon, our therapists dedicated themselves to providing bodywork until the last runner came through the line.  NHI Encino Student Life Coordinator Jan Takeshita reports, “Although tired and sore at the end, many commented that they were still exhilarated by the amazing experience and new friendships born.”

Having participated in the L.A. Marathon as a runner, massage therapist and student coordinator many times over the years, I was very impressed with the professionalism, skill, and dedication our students put into making this 25^th Anniversary L.A. Marathon as special as its title.

Many thanks to L.A. Marathon Massage Coordinator Steve Jackson as well as NHI staff Jan Takeshita & Jen Moore for their participation at the Marathon and John Gorman & Craig Arakaki for providing the necessary training to the students before hand.  Now we get to rest up to do it all again next year!

Dan Magro of Current TV’s Dan About Town recently visited the National Holistic Institute Encino Campus to find out what it takes to become a massage therapist.

After getting basic chair massage tips from yours truly, Dan joined a class where he received muscular realignment work from student Amber Mathieu and instructor Jan Takeshita.  By the end of his stay, Dan began to realize just how much training goes into making a professional massage treatment so therapeutic.

Enough voters mistook Leisha & Craig’s pumpkin for an Obama look-alike giving them 4^th Place with 10%…

The talents of John & Jen overcame the subject matter (yes, that’s my face on a pumpkin) to achieve 18% and 3^rd Place…

Jan & pinch-hitter Joe Bob drove Nancy’s idea home with 30% and a very close 2^nd Place…

And in 1^st Place…

(drum roll, please…)

With the help of props…

(drum roll, continues…)

And electric lighting…

(drum roll, a little more intense…)

Denise and Vanessa claim a 1^st Place victory with 33%!!

Congratulations to everyone!!

I’m aiming to set an NHI record for the most visits to BodyWorlds 3!  Last Friday, I attended this amazing exhibit for the third time when I took a few students from Group 56, my mentor group, and one escapee from Group 51.  We all had a great time exploring with the occasional “Oooh” and “Aaah” and comments like “Hey…there’s the sternocleidomastoid!”  I never tired of the students’ request, “Hey Jan, what’s that?!”

Personally, it’s like watching a well-crafted mystery movie.  I learn something new each time I go.  Viewing the bodies and seeing the muscles we work on was the most intriguing the first time.  Seeing an actual hip or knee replacement was amazing!  My second visit (with all the NHI teachers) was a review of the posing bodies.  Also, I paid more attention to the organs.  Viewing the organs with various pathologies was sobering (cirrhosis of the liver, smoker’s lung, cancerous breast, hardening of the arteries).  This time I paid special attention to the nervous system.

The body is so fascinating and, while it’s complex enough to always be somewhat mysterious, it has become less and less mystifying each time I go.

Some Group 56 students at BodyWorlds 3.

Lastly, I feel compelled to comment about the concern that many of these bodies might have been from individuals who didn’t give consent to be plastinated.  I, too, have read these news reports.  Speaking only for myself, I visited the exhibit on all occasions with a tuned sensitivity to the energy that might come from a lost spirit.  I have never “felt” that something was amiss.  Whoever these people were, they have given me and many others the amazing gift of insight and information…and I thank them all.

When I last blogged about BodyWorlds, I mentioned a related, if unflattering, German movie called Anatomie.  Well, it so happens that Monday I saw yet another movie featuring the actual BodyWorlds exhibit – Casino Royale, the latest James Bond movie.  It doesn’t have much to do with the plot (what plot?), but it looks good while Bond runs through.  Talk about product placement.