When I was in massage school up in the mountains of North Carolina, I spent some time working on an organic farm. The work was fun, active, outdoors, and I often came home with a bag of fresh veggies too. Wielding shovel and hoe, I did battle with weeds and insects. Naturally, I deeply appreciated my newfound circle of massage therapists-in-training. But what really surprised me was the difference that was made by learning to move efficiently… in other words, using good body mechanics. When I brought my massage therapist’s Lunge and Weight Transfer out to the spinach field it was nothing short of a revelation. … Read More

To become grounded is to let go of the stresses of life & to be present in the moment with the client. Taking precautions to operate within the moment & clarify the goals of the session are absolutely crucial when one considers how much massage is affected by intentions. The method to ground oneself can … Read More

Ten students from the National Holistic Institute San Francisco Campus volunteered time providing 20-min chair massages at Hospitality Lounge of the 2012 San Francisco International Film Festival. By the end of the two-week span of the festival, student massage therapists had performed over a hundred massages for featured local and international film industry professionals as … Read More

Nicole Vandehurst has been a member of the AMTA since 2004 and was recently elected President of the Redwood Empire Unit. She brings a rich background of experience as a massage therapist along with a dedication to education and advancement of the field. In addition to her new role as President of the Redwood Empire … Read More

The forecast called for a very wet and cold day across L.A. Although strong winds were not in the forecast, we definitely had some of that. The dark morning started with threatening clouds but that was all we saw of them. Thankfully, Santa Monica was blessed with a sunny day, but the winds picked up … Read More

Waking up before dawn isn’t always the easiest thing to do… but when it’s for a Sports Team Event like the Oakland Running Festival, you can be sure that the day ahead will be full of excitement. Some National Holistic Institute students were so eager that they beat the instructors to the site. While dark … Read More

Springtime is just around the corner, and with it comes the natural inclination for a fresh, clean start! While this year’s lack-of-a-winter in most of California is an exception, generally spring means an end to the cold, dark part of the year and a rebirth of new life and activity. This means it’s also a … Read More

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, and 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 More

National Holistic Institute is proud to announce our partnership with the San Jose Sabercats Arena Football Team! NHI sports massage students will be connecting with the athletes on the Sabercats team to provide post-game sports massage! According to a recent article in the New York Times, post-exercise massage provides real medical benefits to athletes by reducing inflammation … Read More

Students used authentic, handmade herbal compresses from Thailand which were purchased at Bua Thai Wellness Center in San Mateo. Each cotton muslin sachet contained indigenous Thai herbs such as Siamese ginger, tamarind leaves, lemongrass, and kaffir lime peel, along with generous portions of camphor, borneol, sea salt, and turmeric. The combination of moist heat and compression was not only therapeutic, but also highly relaxing for the client. … Read More