“Today, NHI is one of the most respected and largest schools of massage therapy in the world. Their history and network of relationships in the field continue to help graduates have success and help keep their fingers on the pulse of the dynamic field of massage therapy.” – Massage Magazine

When you go to work every day and you love what you do, it’s surprising and humbling to receive recognition for it.  That’s how all of us at NHI felt when we heard that the World Massage Festival had chosen us as the Massage Therapy School of the Year.  For several years, this well-established festival has been home to the Massage Hall of Fame, complete with a who’s who of massage profession inductees.  To now be permanently acknowledged alongside those industry luminaries is an incomparable privilege.  For all the staff and students who have and will come through the NHI doors over the decades, we look forward to accepting this honor on their behalf.

More than three decades of hard work and commitment to the massage field has led to this recognition. Carol Carpenter, founder of NHI, had a vision of what massage education could be. Carol built a school whose roots still feed and support the organization today.  The foundation she built was made of knowledge, professionalism, and a deep dedication to excellence. In 2003, Carol Carpenter retired and Mason Myers and Tim Veitzer stepped in and continue to lead in the tradition of excellence.

Tim and Mason have grown NHI to be a statewide massage school with six (soon to be seven) thriving campuses. Today NHI offers the most current state of the art education available in massage therapy. Over the years, we have continued to refine our curriculum in order stay current with the growth of the massage industry and ensure that our graduates are ready to be successful in any area of the massage field they choose.

Our graduates work in a wide variety of industry specialization including the allied medical professions, spa industry, private practice, sports and fitness. Today the possibilities are virtually endless. The massage industry has grown tremendously and more and more job opportunities open up every day. It is a very exciting time to be a massage therapist!

NHI is growing along with the field. In addition to a foundational education in massage therapy, NHI now offers a 400-hour Advanced Neuromuscular Massage Therapy Program for massage therapists wishing to specialize in therapeutic massage. We also have robust sport massage and professional on-site teams that provide massage at events and locations around the state. We have had as many as 120 massage therapists gathered together to offer massage to the runners of the Nike Women’s Marathon, and participate in many more events year round.

We are proud of our growth and achievements, but our biggest accomplishment is our students. They go out into the field and bring professional, positive and healing touch to so many. We are proud to know that we have sent thousands of massage professionals into the field, and they in turn have enriched the lives of thousands and thousands more whom they’ve touched. Our graduates have helped those suffering from long-term and sometimes debilitating pain, supported women as they go through pregnancy and childbirth, provided comfort and care to those who need it,  helped professional athletes improve their performance, and generally have helped to decrease the stress levels of all with whom they come in contact.  You might even say our graduates are changing the world one touch at a time.
 

To read Massage Magazine’s article about the prestigious award bestowed on NHI, click the following link.
http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=12079

“NHI isn’t just a place to get a world-class education as a massage therapist – it’s also an incubator for new entrepreneurs.  As graduates we all have our dreams of how we might use our new skills – maybe a thriving private practice, working in an elegant spa, or following a sports team. There are lots of options!  As a marketing exec and “serial entrepreneur”, I’ve always liked the challenge of building a business from the ground up.  A massage practice has lots of moving parts and the process seemed nearly impossible at the beginning and I quickly realized that several heads were way better than one.  I didn’t have to look far – two other really talented therapists were sitting right next to me in class!  So, on 11/1/11, three NHI-San Jose students, Mayke Weiber, Javier Nikaido and I, launched the Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group.

So, it’s official.  We’re a “Silicon Valley startup” with big dreams.  We quickly expanded the team to include fellow NHI student Sharon Lee whose amazing skills, positive energy and administrative talents helped us stay grounded and organized.  We found an amazing location and worked through the process of licensing and getting the space ready. Then, as we each became CAMTC certified, we picked up more NHI students and alumni as therapists or to help with reception work.  All of us continue to learn about the business of massage therapy. Luckily, we’ve got the support of classmates, our NHI instructors, friends, family and a whole bunch of people who appreciate our skills.

Now we’re all focused on attracting clients and building the practice. It’s so good to put into action the things we learned at NHI – from business and marketing to great bodywork, we all feel very prepared to move ahead with our dreams of a successful practice. We invite you to book a session with us online at www.svmassagetherapy.com or give us a call at (408) 260–CALM (2256), or contact us about employment opportunities at info@svmassagetherapy.com. Mention this blog post and we’ll give you a nice discount.”

 

This year marked the eighth year for the event that draws over 22,000 runners from around the world to the half and full marathon.  The course is filled with steep climbs and beautiful views of the city and the Bay.  The finishers of the race are rewarded with Tiffany necklaces and post-race massages.  Kaiser Permanente, a major sponsor of the Nike Women’s Marathon, contracted The NHI Sports Team to provide these post-race massages.

By 9:00, the massage tables are littered with runners and student therapists working to relax and stretch strained muscles. When the last runner was escorted off of her massage table at 2:15, the NHI Sports Team had performed collectively over 1700 massages.

The students were joined by seven instructors from the various campus, Beth McNeill (SJ), Kristine TenBrink (SJ), Curtis Hisao (SJ), Mark Nielson (PE/EM), Lucas Nevarez (SAC), Phil Okazaki (SJ), and Gabriel Posner (SF/EM) and 15 Teaching Assistants who supported the students by coaching bodywork, issuing and managing breaks and injuries.  The San Jose Campus Student Services and Career Life Coordinator, Chris Pavao acted as Master of Ceremonies directing the line and finding open massage tables for the athletes.  The average wait time was a mere 15 minutes.

The NHI Sports Massage Team prepped for this event by holding sports-specific training sessions where students learned about the marathon, athlete training plans, common injuries and massage techniques.  While it was a mild morning in the city, the team was equipped with skills to combat thermal injuries.

The calm before the storm

The student therapists had fun, worked hard and finished the day with a sense of accomplishment.  They each provided at least 15 massages through out the day, more clients than they see in a regular week.  Emily Luckett from On Board, who is the event planner for the Nike Women’s Marathon, “Thanks for all of your hard work, NHI!  Everything seemed to be managed very smoothly.  We appreciate your efforts!”

In response from the post-event report given by NHI Staff lead, Beth McNeill, Curshanda Woods from Kaiser Permanente had this to say, “Thank you, NHI.  Great job, Beth!  Everything looked great.”  The NHI Sports Massage Team ended the day taking a group picture and a group WHOOSH!  Kudos to NHI and to the students participating in the Sports Team.

We want to help you make the best decision when it comes to choosing the right school and the right career path. We want you to have the chance to experience NHI before you decide become a student.

You keep hearing that it is an amazing journey from beginning to end and the testimonials give you a sense of how this program impacts a student’s life, but what is it really like to be a student at NHI?  After all, going to school is a big commitment and an investment in your future. Well, what if you could attend a class for the day with no commitment?  Could you imagine yourself as a massage therapist?

Well, this is your turn to experience it. We are giving you the opportunity to observe and participate in a class at a campus near you. We know you will love what you see. After all, we want to help you have work you love.

There are many ways to find out when the next Class Observation will be!

-Tell our Admissions Team that you are interested in learning more about classes at NHI!

-Like our NHI Facebook Page and your campus Facebook Page to receive invites in your news feed!

-Keep an eye on our Campus Events Calendar!

Pediatric Massage Master Teacher Tina Allen rolled into NHI’s San Jose campus recently to talk about the value of massage for infants and children.  Allen, the founder of Liddle Kidz Foundation travels North America with her husband and young son in a customized tour bus giving workshops and presentations about the benefits of touch therapy for the youngest among us.  Although massage is often still seen by the general public as an annual luxury or first aid for a sore back after a weeketnd of cleaning up the yard, it can also support healthy, well children in the normal process of growth and development, as well little ones who are struggling with complex medical conditions.  And Tina Allen should know: She managed the United States’ first comprehensive pediatric massage program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and recently consulted on the development of a comprehensive pediatric massage therapy program at The Mayo Clinic.

A fun way Tina shared of introducing massage to children is through massage stories.  Using a combination of light strokes such as hand glides, palm circles, finger taps, and cupping, she guided the group of 30+ San Jose students, staff, and faculty through a familiar story: the change of weather from a bright sunny day to one with lots of snow.  It even included a guest appearance by a pair of cats on the top of a chimney!  Ms. Allen encouraged NHI students to develop their own massage stories and to try them out on the children in their lives.  Whether it’s a massage story about making a pizza, planting a garden or taking a swim in the ocean, it’s Tina Allen’s conviction that children who have a positive experience with healthy touch early on in their lives will grow up to be peaceful leaders in the world.  Tina feels so strongly about this vision that she organizes, trains, and leads volunteers on trips to orphanages abroad.  Previous sites included Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand, with Ghana slated for later this year.  She is also a certified trainer of Peaceful Touch.

I am always pleased to see the reaction on people’s faces when you offer them FREE massage. There tends to be a moment of disbelief followed by complete gratitude. It is amazing how 15 minutes of compassionate skilled touch can completely change a person’s outlook for the day. It is a privilege to be a part of that.

The new Whole Foods in Santa Rosa has been designed to support public awareness and health education. The experience of offering massage there has been phenomenal on so many different levels. One of the most exciting aspects for all involved has been the opportunity to connect with a lovely community of individuals, be it the customers or Whole Foods staff. As a massage therapist it has been wonderful to make connections with individuals that are interested in health and well being from a holistic perspective, including nutrition, supplementation, energy healing, massage, stress management, etc..

As an instructor it is so fulfilling to see the students and graduates of NHI at work. While we are there we get to talk to people about massage and share our passion for therapeutic touch. One student stated as she arrived for the day that she was very nervous about talking to people and “marketing” herself. By the end of the day she had networked with several customers and even booked a massage for her private practice!

Next we will be offering a workshop at Whole Foods on the value of infant massage. Imagine what this world would be like if we all started off getting massage on a regular basis! I wonder if we could change the world one massage at a time…

~ Breanna G.
Mentor, NHI Petaluma

In 2010, we were active in 40 Outreach Events throughout California.  Over 300 students and graduates were trained in sport-specific sports massage and volunteered their time and skills at these events to perform over 8,000 complimentary massages!  We are proud to have developed relationships with amazing organizations such as Diabetes Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Team In Training, MS Society, Best Buddy International, and the American Heart Association.  We would like to thank them for their support and all of the positive work that they do.

In 2010, the team also touched smaller populations such the Native American Indian population at an annual Pow-Wow; a family whose daughter was critically injured in a car accident and a local rotary club who was raising money to fight diabetes.   Our program has been extremely successful and this has shown through high praise that students have received from event coordinators like Tri-Cal, Finishline Productions, Avanti Sports, LA Marathon and Kaiser Permanente, to name a few.  The students developed a supportive, proactive team and succeed in promoting the benefits of massage.

The Sports Massage Team not only benefits the public, but the students who volunteer are exposed to new and exciting situations that are only possible in real-life experiences.  They are exposed to a high volume of clients for an extended period of time and learn how to work together in a setting that many students have never been a part of.  Many students took it as a chance to look at their own fitness and began training for similar events and becoming involved in some of the charities that they had been benefitting. They also gained an understanding of how their participation in sporting and charity events can help them develop their careers as Massage Therapists and how important community outreach work is to their personal as well as professional lives.  We hope to be even more active and work with more wonderful organizations in 2011!

To learn more about the NHI Sports Massage Team visit our Facebook pages:
NHI San Jose Sports Massage Team
NHI North Bay Sports Massage Team

The San Francisco Holistic Health Examiner recently featured National Holistic Institute San Jose student Anna Sallas and her personal quest to become certified in oncology massage.  Way to go, Anna!

Read the entire article here.

San Jose became the first National Holistic Institute campus to hold a Haiti Disaster Relief Fundraiser this past Saturday.   With massages booked every available session and donations still coming in, the San Jose Campus has already raised over $1200!

Campus Manager Beth McNeill massaged alongside 10 student therapists, 2 graduates and 3 teachers for donations to go to Haiti victims.  Beth wasn’t looking to massage all three sessions when she came in to lend a hand, “but was excited just like [NHI teachers] Phil, Gena, and Darlene to help out where needed.”

Thanks to the staff and students of National Holistic Institute who are donating their time, skills and supplies so that all the proceeds of our special clinics can go to the people who need them.

Want to participate in one of our Haiti Disaster Relief Fundraiser Clinics?  You still have 4 more opportunities.

Click on your preferred campus below to book an appointment.  If your campus appears unavailable at the moment, please try again at a later date.  Additional massage volunteers will allow more sessions to come available.   

• Encino                   Wed, January 27        6:15p, 7:30p, 8:45p
• San Francisco   Thu, January 28         1:30p, 2:45p, 4:00p
• Emeryville          Thu, January 28         6:15p, 7:30p, 8:45p
• Petaluma              Wed, February 10     1:30p, 2:45p, 4:00p

Simply book and attend a designated massage clinic at one of our campuses and pay at least the minimum massage fee*.  You’ll receive a 50-minute student massage and your entire fee plus any contribution will be donated to USAid.

With your help, we can touch the world!

*Massage fees vary from $20-$35 depending on campus.  No gift cards accepted.  Cash only.

With 15 events and counting in 2009, the National Holistic Institute’s San Jose Sports Massage Team looks forward to 2010 with 7 events already planned.

A whopping 140 students participated in a wide range of events including the AFM motorcycle endurance ride, I Care Classic cycling tour, Forest of Nisene Marks Trail Run, Tour de Cure cycling tour, Relay for Life Los Gatos, Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon, Women’s Trail Half Marathon, and the Silicon Valley Marathon and Half Marathon to name a few.

A big thanks to all the NHI staffers who worked to make these events happen – Beth, Gena, Benita, Conrad, Lucas, Mark, Patrick, and many more support crew.

Participating in local sporting and charity events is a proud custom at all NHI campuses.  We look forward to building on that tradition in 2010!