The faculty of the National Holistic Institute Encino Campus recently donated 18 1-hour professional massage sessions to raise money and awareness for the Massage Therapy Foundation.

Students, graduates, and clinic clients alike enjoyed a “professional” version of our regular student-run teaching clinic.  Clients for the evening had the option of buying a limited number of massages outright, winning massages through a raffle, or correctly answering a quiz about the Massage Therapy Foundation.  The faculty and students teamed together to raise $500.

WHY Support the Massage Therapy Foundation?  Research funded by the MTF…

• Provides therapists and clients with statistical evidence as to the benefits of massage therapy.
• Improves the quality and focus of massage therapy education for students.
• Raises the credibility of the massage therapy profession among the medical and insurance communities as well as the general public.

NHI also looks forward to supporting the Massage Therapy Foundation through the participation of some of our students in their Student Case Report Contest.

Since it may be a while until another faculty massage fundraiser occurs, please feel free to book online for our student massage clinic anytime by CLICKING HERE.

On Saturday, August 1^st, eight students from National Holistic Institute’s San Jose Campus provided massage for adults and children alike at the 14^th Annual UCSF Pediatric Transplant Picnic at McNear Beach in San Rafael. This year the picnic had a circus theme.  Children and adults alike had their face painted and balloons in hand as they came to the massage tables.  Event coordinator Chris Mudge paid the student therapists high compliments.  One young boy came back three times throughout the day to get a massage!

After attending a training session on pediatric massage, our student therapists felt confident providing massage for both children and parents.  They performed over 100 massages throughout the day and donated their tip money back to the event.  In listening to the students stories, they touched and were touched greatly by this event. 

This three-peat client qualified for both pediatric and feline massage.

Last Thursday, National Holistic Institute enjoyed educating 50 exceptional high school students from all over the nation about the benefits of massage therapy.  These students came to us as part of the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF).

As a group, they unite annually to hear from inspirational speakers, listen to lectures from college professors, and take tours of prestigious colleges.  We’re honored that these 50 health-care minded students elected to visit NHI as one of their top choices over the many other Bay Area schools.

John Caguin led the day with a presentation about what NHI teaches.  Lisa Mendiola-Flores followed with a lesson in shiatsu.  “It’s a great sight to see 26 shiatsu mats lined up and occupied by youth leaders from all across the country,” Caguin witnessed.   

This was day 5 of 10 for NYLF visitations to colleges all over the Bay Area.  One student summed up the experience by declaring, “This is the best place we’ve been so far!”  Let’s hope we hold that position!

The Daily Breeze, a Los Angeles South Bay news source, interviewed National Holistic Institute teacher Nancy Gouge for an article published this week about the health benefits of massage therapy.

Researchers think massage may stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers the body to release stress, said Nancy Gouge, an instructor at the National Holistic Institute massage therapy school in Encino. Once relieved of stress, the heart rate slows, blood vessels dilate and normal activity resumes throughout the body.

To read the article in its entirety, Click Here.