Improving Therapy Outcomes Using Current Research Findings
2019-04-13 09:00 - 2019-04-14 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Date: Saturday – Sunday, April 13-14, 2019
Time: 9 AM – 6 PM
Workshop Price: $325 ($275 before March 29)
Location: Florida School of Massage
6421 SW 13th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608
CE Hours: 18
FL Provider 50-1587
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge at 772-979-5828 or email bluemoonies@juno.com

Questions? Just ask Pete Whitridge justaskpete@mac.com or by calling 772-332-6116
[Download workshop flyer]
Description

Improve your therapy outcomes using current research findings
Deepen your knowledge of anatomical and fascial structures
Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort

This workshop will update you on current research evidence to inform and refine your therapeutic skills. The class will focus on research topics such as affective outcomes, inflammatory response, pain science, and trauma and resiliency. Proper use of thermal therapies, the reeducation of post-traumatic injury response in wound repair, and functional movement patterning will also be covered. Help your clients become self reliant by teaching them to fully engage their own self awareness and interoception. Strengthen your practice and deepen your massage skills with all client populations.
Every time I study with Pete, I learn so much! He always brings new, updated info to class. Love Pete!
– Anon., Sarasota School of Massage Therapy
Outstanding [knowledge of the subject]; explains and conveys information at a good pace, concisely and with humor. [Organization of the class] flows naturally and spontaneously. I like the multitude of visuals, auditory, and hands-on. Great presence; sincere. Fantastic; great instructor!
– Anon., Sarasota School of Massage Therapy
About the instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA, and AMTA meetings and conventions.
Pete has served as Chair of the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival.
He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

Resistance/Release Work with Deane Juhan
2019-04-26 09:00 - 2019-04-28 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Deane Juhan
Dates: Friday-Sunday, April 25-27, 2025
Location: Florida School of Massage, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $550 ($500 early registration discount price if registered by March 25, 2025).
CEUs: 24 Florida and National CEU credits
Time: Class will meet from 9-6 each day
To register for the class or to get more information contact Frank Merillat directly at fmerillat@mac.com or call 352 371-0743 or 352 213-4603.
Come join the group and experience time with a talented bodyworker, teacher of the Trager Approach and author of Job’s Body: A Bodyworkers Handbook. This is a great opportunity to explore contact with the body-mind and a deeper understanding of the workings of the movement body. There will be lots of demonstration, hands-on practice and the opportunity to share and discuss insights.
Course Description:
Relaxation and stress relief are certainly two main goals of bodywork. But there is an important addition to your clients’ somatic well-being that more directly addresses the patterns of muscular habituation, posture, compensations due to injury and the restoring of freedom of movement and freedom from pain: the re-education of the overall sensory motor patterns that have accumulated over time.
The work that will be presented in this workshop is an innovative approach developed by Deane Juhan, based in large measure upon the rehabilitative techniques of Dr. Milton Trager.
Functionally, we are really one muscle that is divided up by the connective tissue structures into different compartments in order to provide specific vectors of motion and coordinated groups of motor units. We are not robots with hinges, cables and pulleys, but shape-changers, and any gesture involves the participation of widespread muscular supports and motivators.
Resistance/Release work is designed to re-coordinate our musculature as a whole and to train more efficient and effective recruitments of muscular contraction and lengthening involved in any position or movement, from feet to head and from sleeve to core. The result is dramatically improved muscular coordination, adding both ease and strength to all of our activities. This approach fits well with most modalities practiced by massage therapists.
Deane would like to focus on the role of presence as a key aspect necessary for effective results and client contact. He will also be discussing the neurological underpinnings of habit formation, and the effects of R&R work on breaking up these old patterns and the cultivation of new more functional habits to facilitate letting go of holding and moving in new, ever more exploratory ways of self-development. Slides, lecture and discussion will be utilized to present a clear understanding of the ways in which habitual pathways—together with sensory and contractile systems—forms the basis of all muscular patterning. This understanding dramatically enhances the intentions and effectiveness of virtually any practice that has to do with muscular habits and movement patterns. It is directly applicable to all bodywork modalities that deal with trauma, pain management, rehabilitation, improved range of motion, enhanced performance, and the development of more effective habits of both muscles and mind. Practitioners of yoga, massage, Trager, Cranio-Sacral, Feldenkrais, Rolfing, Alexander Technique, Pilates, Gyrotonics and Physical Therapy will find this useful and applicable to their practice.
About the instructor: Deane Juhan is the author of Job’s Body: A Handbook for Bodywork and Touched by the Goddess: The Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Power of Bodywork. He has been a professional bodyworker, teacher and lecturer for over 40 years, including 18 years on the Esalen Massage Staff and 30 years as a practitioner and instructor of The Trager Approach. He spent years in direct contact with Dr. Milton Trager and this is reflected in his approach to bodywork. He has taught his seminars in anatomy and physiology for bodyworkers in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Oncology Massage Therapy
2019-05-02 - 2019-05-05 | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor(s) Names and Credentials:
Nanci Newton and Erika Slocum
Date(s)/Day(s): Thursday, May 2 – Sunday, May 5, 2019
Time(s):
Day 1: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm
(but please arrive by 8:15 or 8:30 on day 1 to check in and get settled)
Day 2: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm
Day 3: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Day 4: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Workshop Regular Price: $797.00 USD
Early Registration Price and Deadline: $697.00 USD by Friday, March 21
Location: Florida School of Massage 6421 SW 13th Street Gainesville, FL 32608
CEU Hours Offered and Approving Institution:
32.0 CE hours (Including 2.0 CE hrs Prevention of Medical Errors in FL)
Tracy Walton & Associates, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider, provider number 283404-00 and is also sponsored by the NCBTMB to teach New York LMTs continuing education that is accepted by the state of New York for license renewal.
Tracy Walton & Associates, LLC is approved by the state of Florida and state of Georgia Boards of Massage Therapy as a continuing education provider, provider number 50-13512.
Registration Contact Info:
Tracy Walton & Associates, LLC – 617-661-5800; info@tracywalton.com;
Course description at www.tracywalton.com;
Training schedule and details at https://www.tracywalton.com/event-directory/
Workshop Description:
As the role of massage therapy in cancer care expands, it is an exciting time to provide oncology massage. In this intensive course, we combine the art and practice of touch to create safe, effective massage sessions for clients with cancer and cancer histories. In a lively, supportive learning environment, participants learn simple, concrete ways to adapt massage to cancer and cancer treatment.
We look closely at the dynamics of cancer spread, shining new light on the old myth that massage was contraindicated, and we introduce several approaches for educating the public about this common concern. We then modify traditional western massage techniques for common client presentations, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, bone metastasis, vital organ involvement, and lymphedema risk. Unique positioning and bolstering techniques are introduced for pain relief, sleep support, and overall comfort.
We introduce guidelines for a range of client presentations, from robust to medically frail. These guidelines may be used effectively in a variety of massage settings, including the hospital, private practice, spa or retreat center, franchise, and hospice.
A balanced approach to learning blends lecture, spirited discussion, and hands-on work. In-depth homework is assigned prior to the course (instructional videos, 2-3 hrs. total view time) and during the course (about 1 hr. of evening homework on days 1, 2, and 3).
Massage therapists leave with essential oncology massage therapy tools: sample protocols, a client intake form, follow-up intake questions, a visual decision tree, clearly described pressure guidelines, supervised hands-on practice experiences, and an extensive training manual.
What Participants Need to Bring to Class:
Upon registration, a Student Packet will be emailed to students. The packet will include a list of supplies to bring along with links to required preparation activities to complete in advance of the course.
Biography of the Instructors: Nanci Newton and Erika Slocum
Nanci Newton is a 1998 graduate of the Muscular Therapy Institute and taught as an adjunct faculty member at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has taught with Tracy Walton & Associates since 2005.
Nanci has maintained a full-time practice since 1998 with her team of therapists at her award-winning company, The Healing ZONE Therapeutic Massage in Hadley, Massachusetts. They provide oncology massage therapy for caregivers and patients through the Cancer Connection in Northampton, Massachusetts.
In 2014, Nanci was named one of “The 100” honored by Massachusetts General Hospital who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the fight against cancer. Her oncology massage therapy work was featured in Thrive magazine. She was an invited speaker at the 2016 and 2018 Oncology Massage Healing Summits in Minneapolis.
Annually, Nanci organizes oncology massage therapy volunteers for the annual Pan Mass Challenge fundraiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is a musician, juggler and dedicated just-for-fun runner in many annual fundraising events, from 5K races to half marathons.
Erika Slocum is a graduate of the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, MA (2005). She completed the Boston Medical Center oncology massage therapy internship in 2011, when she also began teaching with Tracy Walton & Associates.
Erika works part-time as a massage therapist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She also maintains a private practice in Somerville, Massachusetts, where she and her business partner employ four other massage therapists. Their specialties are oncology massage, prenatal massage, and orthopedic techniques. A dedicated massage therapist and former event planner, she organized, recruited, and supported students and staff in our oncology massage workshops and clinics for nearly five years. She has been an invited speaker at the 2016 and 2018 Oncology Massage Healing Summits in Minneapolis. Read more about Erika’s work in our blog interview.
Erika brings a bachelor’s degree in communications, a long history as a dancer, and a passion for massage and massage education to her teaching and her hands-on work. When she is not working, she loves traveling and caring for her growing family.

Maahaah-Rooh Medical Qi Gong & Mindfulness (Meditation) for Restorative Health & Energy
2019-05-04 09:00 - 2019-05-05 13:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Professor K. A. Shakoor, D.A.O.M.
Dates: Saturday – Sunday May 4-5, 2019
Time: 9AM-1PM both days
Price: $75 per day/$120 for both days – Walk-ins welcome – cash or check only
To Register: E-mail Dr. K. A. Shakoor at padma.shakoor96@gmail.com. Payment by cash or check at the door, the day of the event.
Open to all medical professionals working in the medical field (LMT’s, AACP’s, Pt’s, etc.)
Workshop Flyer
Workshop Syllabus
Workshop Description
Maahaah Rooh Medical Qi Gong is a highly effective and easily retainable system of Qi Gong designed for massage therapists, acupuncturists, physical therapists and nurses that allows them to restore their energy (Qi) so they can maintain maximum efficacy on a continual basis. Dr. Shakoor has successfully worked with health practitioners in educational and clinical environments over the course of thirty years.
It consists of a set of breathing exercises designed to cultivate life force energy (Qi). The objective of Maahaah Rooh Medical Qi Gong is to teach a step-by-step method of exercise to keep the body and mind in optimal fitness. This is a very low-impact form of exercise that includes standing movements (Zhan Zhuang) and slow movements similar in style to Tai Chi Chuan.
Individuals will enhance their fluidity of movement, coordination, and balance, resulting in greater flexibility and stress reduction through the application of deep relaxation, breathing techniques and methods of stillness. The purpose is to detoxify the body’s organs of impurities and toxins, then regenerate and invigorate the body so that one feels refreshed, both physically and mentally.
Dr. Shakoor has instructed the practices of Maahaah Rooh Medical Qi Gong in a variety of settings. In addition to the clinical settings mentioned above, he has also presented them at numerous workshops across the country, institutes of higher learning in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Ohio, and has presented three times at the annual conference of the National Qi Gong Association.
Maahaah Rooh Medical Qi Gong is an excellent introduction to the energetic experience and encompasses both physical and mental aspects. This article will briefly explore Form One of the Heavenly Hands Medical Qi Gong– Seven Palms—which is part of its physical process, and will then explore mindfulness and meditation, and Traditional Chinese Medicine theory.
What Participants Need to Bring to Class: Wear loose comfortable clothing, water and snacks.
See current article in qi-journal.com
Instructor Bio: Shakoor has 50 years’ experience in the fields of energetic and mind/body disciplines and more than 30 as an instructor. He has taught classes and given demonstrations at educational institutions, mental health facilities, and hospitals to government and law enforcement agencies, private groups, clubs, and sports teams. He has designed, planned and promoted health fairs training workshops and health seminars in various communities in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. He is the author of Ghetto Sutras, 2016, and Maahaah Yoga, 2007, both published by Jannah Press, and the upcoming book The Treatment of the Shen in Relation to T.C.M. and Tibetan Medicine.

Playing with the Breath - cancelled
2019-05-11 09:00 - 2019-05-12 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Frank Merillat
Time: Saturday-Sunday, 9AM-6PM
Workshop Price: $350 or ($295 if payment is received by March 10)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 FL CEUs
To Register: This event has been cancelled

Workshop description:

The breath is necessary for the optimum functioning of our body. It is often seen as our connection to spirit or God. The act of breathing is called respiration, refilling us with spirit. Without free and easy breath our quality of life is lessened. Much of our breathing is done unconsciously; we do it without being aware, yet it can be used as a great tool of awareness. Part of the focus of the class will be bringing awareness throughout the bodywork process. The act of breathing is a place in our bodies where our body and our conscious and unconscious mind meets.

Breathing is something most people take for granted. It involves structure and musculature over a much wider area of the body than most of us realize. Many complaints that clients bring such as posture or that involve areas of the body such as the low back, shoulders and neck do have an affect on the ability to breathe well.

The course will focus on the structure, fascial and muscular connections involved in this complex act. We will explore the relationship to posture, as well as the relationship of mental and emotional states to the act of breathing. Specific treatment techniques will focus on the neck, chest, ribs, abdomen, and the upper and lower back. The ability to do this work well can greatly improve and enhance your practice.

In this workshop we will focus on the dynamics of breath.

We will look closely at the relationship between breath and posture.
We will examine the musculature that contributes to the mechanics of breathing.
We will explore the relationship of body and mind to the act of breathing.
We will learn effective, gentle bodywork strategies to enhance the function of breath.
We will learn specific techniques for the neck, chest, abdomen and back including scalene and SCM, rib mobilization, diaphragm and abdominals.
We will do this together in an experiential, fun and enlightening manner.

Manual therapies for Surgeries, Scars, and Burns
2019-06-22 09:00 - 2019-06-23 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Time: Sat/Sun 9AM-6PM
Location: Florida School of Massage
Cost: $350 ($295 if registered before June 16th)
CE Hours: 18 Florida
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com or [Register online here]
Questions? Contact: Pete Whitridge at justaskpete@mac.com
[Download Workshop flyer]
Description:
Want to have fun while getting your CEU’s? Spend two days with Pete Whitridge exploring the physical and emotional aspects of working with clients’ scars. You will learn effective strategies for helping your clients heal.
• Refine your touching skills and deepen your knowledge of anatomy
• Gain confidence working with scar tissue
• Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
• Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
• Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort
This class will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to working with scars, burns, and chronic pain. We will explore myofascial assessments, deep tissue techniques, passive and active stretching, muscle energy techniques, hydrotherapies, cross fiber friction, and self-care.
We will review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress and investigate the unique nature of the connective tissues. Deepen your therapy skills by exploring how manual therapies can affect traumatic/surgical scars and burns. This class is designed to help you pinpoint problem areas quickly, devise strategies to eliminate pain, and work collaboratively with your client. You will receive lots of bodywork, learn new ways to handle clients with chronic pain, and reconnect with fellow massage therapists. You will leave this class with new skills and confidence in helping your clients be pain free!
About the Instructor:
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA and AMTA meetings and conventions. Pete has served on the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

MNRI® Archetype Movement Integration
2019-06-27 08:30 - 2019-06-29 17:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Isabelle Renard-Fontaine, PT
Workshop Price: $585 if registered by 6/1, $645 thereafter
Time: 8:30am – 5pm
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 24 NCBTMB
Registration https://masgutovamethod.com/events#dv.i1299
Description
MNRI® Archetype Movement techniques work to activate and engage archetype movements that, for various reasons, have remained dormant in the body. Archetype movements, less complex in nature than motor reflex patterns or schemes, are among the first reflexive movements to develop and emerge. Once engaged, archetype movements remain present and active in the body, allowing normal range and flexibility of motion while providing support, balance, and stability for the upper and lower, left and right, and front and back parts of the body. Archetype motor movements also play a subordinate role in the maturation and integration of progressively more complex reflexes, including primary motor reflex patterns, motor reflex schemes, and the development of learned motor skills.
If an archetype movement is not appropriately engaged, its impact can be great given the subordinate role it plays in maturation and development. We encourage parents and professionals interested in learning more about the MNRI Method and its various programs to attend this course early on, given the fundamental role it plays in overall development.
The MNRI® Archetype Movement Integration course explores:

The general MNRI Method and the role played by the Archetype Movement Program
The progression of motor movements beginning in utero and continuing through life
Archetype motor movements and how they relate to primary motor reflex patterns and important coordination systems
The role archetype motor movements play in establishing a foundation for motor, communication and cognitive development, and emotional and behavioral regulation
MNRI techniques designed to assess and facilitate the maturation and integration of archetype motor movements
How to create MNRI archetype maturation programs for individual clients
How to incorporate use of the MNRI Archetype Motor Movement course content into daily client and home practice

About the instructor
Isabelle Renard-Fontaine has acquired over 23 years of experience as a physiotherapist working with children and adults with a wide variety of diagnoses. Originally receiving her Master’s in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Belgium, she has been licensed and practicing in Florida since 1996 and has been a Neonatal Intensive Care specialist since 2001. About 10 years ago, Isabelle was introduced to the Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration Method. The discovery of this method brought a whole new dimension to her professional career as well as to her personal life! She has since completed hundreds of hours of MNRI classes and has been accruing close to one thousand of clinical hours of MNRI techniques working directly with Dr. Masgutova and her international team. Isabelle’s enthusiasm for teaching is obvious, and she brings and shares many practical applications and pictures/videos of concrete clinical cases during her classes. Isabelle is a truly passionate and dedicated therapist, and her therapeutic touch and love for her patients is inspiring.

Movement Based Bodywork: Foundations of Breathwork
2019-06-29 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ann Harman
Time: Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM
Workshop Price: $90 (or $80 if paid at least 30 days in advance)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 6 CEUs for LMTs
Description:
This workshop is open to anyone, and is of special interest to athletes, people with health concerns, health-care workers, and anyone who would like to be less stressed and more energetic. Learning in painless, through fascinating investigations of movement. The class includes:

Understanding of anatomy and physiology of breathing mechanism, including rib motion and role of primary and secondary respiratory muscles.
Role of the thoracic inlet, respiratory diaphragm, and pelvic diaphragm in breathing.
Effects of full vs. restricted breathing in cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and lumbar pain as well as general health.
How to affect the autonomic nervous system and decrease stress using breathing..
Relationship of lumbar movement to rib and respiratory diaphragm movement.
Sensory-Motor movement explorations to improve breathing and create a kinesthetic sense of the anatomy, which complements the intellectual knowledge of anatomy.

We will use the gentle movement explorations of the Feldenkrais Method© to explore and enhance our own breathing. We will discuss the anatomy of breath and its relationship to relaxation and stress management. Demonstrations of how to integrate this knowledge into hands-on work will be done,
This class is open to and appropriate for the general public, so you may bring clients who wish to learn self-care.
To Register
Use the correct form below to register

The above buttons for $80 advanced registration (if registering 30 days prior)

The above button is for regular registration
Payment by check
If check payment is preferred please mail the correct amount to:
Ann Harman
15430 SW 75th St, Archer, FL 32618

Explorations in Movement Based Bodywork: Understanding Core Strength
2019-07-07 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Core strengthening has become popular in sports and physical therapy, and many people blame all low back pain on lack of core strength. And indeed, many people with low back pain improve when the core is strengthened.
But does it work? Yes, except when it doesn’t And when it does work, perhaps it doesn’t always work for the reasons you think. And when it doesn’t work, sometimes problems arise from hypertonicity in the psoas, co-contraction of the flexors and extensors, and pelvic floor issues.
This knowledge is important for the massage therapist, both for knowledge of treating injuries, and for client education for clients who have been misinformed or are confused.
Goals for this class include:

Examining the evidence for core strengthening; Does it really work?
Learning alternate reasons why it may work.
Understanding the problems that may arise when this approach is used poorly or inappropriately.
Learning painless hands-on treatment for psoas issues and co-contraction.
Practicing alternative methods of core strengthening, based on the Feldenkrais Method of Movement Education©, and Continuum of Emilie Conrad. These methods provide a multidirectional and more holistic approach to strengthening, and hands-on bodywork methods can be based on these strategies.

This class will be experiential, and will include floor exercise, lecture, discussion, and hands-on practice. This qualifies for 6 hands-on CE units NCBTMB. There is no prerequisite.
Exercises will be done on a carpeted floor; students may wish to bring a mat or towel, and wear comfortable clothes for movement. Students should be able to lie on the floor and come to standing with little or no assistance. Bring sheets; no lotion is required.
Class starts at 10 AM and ends at 5 PM. There will be an hour for lunch, starting at approximately 12:30.
For more information, you may contact Ann Harman at annharman0112358@gmail.com or 352-466-4940.
Instructor: Ann Harman, D.O., LMT
Time: 10 AM-5 PM
Workshop Regular Price: $90
Early Registration Price and Deadline: $80 with 30-day advance registration
Location: Florida School of Massage
CEU Hours: 6 CE, NCBTMB

To Register:
Use the correct PayPal link below to register.

Above buttons are for Early registration $80 (30 days prior to course)

Above button is for regular price Core Strength $90
Payment by check
If check payment is preferred please mail the correct amount to:
Ann Harman
15430 SW 75th St, Archer, FL 32618

Thai Foot Reflexology
2019-07-13 09:00 - 2019-07-14 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Time: 9AM-6PM
Workshop Price: $300 ($250 if registered before June 28th)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 Florida and National
To Register: Contact Ariela at 813-417-6745 or arielagrodner@yahoo.com
In this workshop students will learn to give an hour-long session on the feet alone, while still affecting the whole body through aware stimulation of the sen lines and marma points. Utilizing both dry and wet massage (with and without oil) as well as a Thai foot stick, to glide the lines and press the points with greater accuracy and precision then the hands alone could provide. The style we will be exploring is a method derived from Shivaga Komarpaj of the Chiang Mai school of Thai Massage, and is for everyone, therapists and lay people alike. This is a powerful healing tool that can be implemented on it’s own, or as an addition to the full body massage. No prior massage experience is necessary to be educated in this methodology.
What to bring
Please bring a mat, a vegetarian potluck dish for lunch, trinkets & tools of empowerment to decorate our class altar, and a willingness to learn. We will work on mats on the floor or Massage Tables. You can pick what you prefer. We can provide a massage table if you prefer to work on one.

Medical Errors Prevention
2019-07-14 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Kristen Toth
Workshop Price: $25
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 2 Florida
Registration:
Pay online at http://bit.ly/MedErr_Jul14 or contact Kristen at 352-870-2903 or info@kristentoth.com
Description:
The Florida Board of Massage Therapy requires that, prior to license renewal, all massage therapists attend a 2-hour class in the prevention of medical errors*. Please join us for a fun and informative discussion on this important topic regarding our role in providing safe care to our clients!
The intention of this class is to stimulate thought and discussion regarding the prevention of medical errors in the context of a massage practice. By sharing experiences and ideas about this topic with other Florida LMTs from varying backgrounds, participants have an opportunity to gain awareness of simple ways they might further ensure their own clients’ safety, whether they have been practicing for 5 months or 25 years!
*If you also need to complete your 4-hour requirement in Florida Statutes & Rules and Professional Ethics, you’re in luck! That class will be offered on the same day, and you can find more information here.
About the instructor:
Kristen is a 2003 graduate of The Florida School of Massage, a Certified Hand & Foot Reflexologist since 2008, an instructor at FSM since 2012, and has been teaching Medical Errors Prevention since 2013. She loves the wide variety of LMTs that show up to participate and share their experience in this renewal class, and enjoys making the exploration of medical errors in massage as interesting and useful as possible!

Bones for Life®, Segment I (Day One and Two)
2019-08-03 10:00 - 2019-08-04 17:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor(s): Anne Andrews
Date: August 3 – 4, 2019 Day 1 and 2. Day 3 and 4 is scheduled for June 1st and 2nd.
It is not necessary to sign up for all 4 days to reap the benefits but it is encouraged. Sign up for all 4 days and receive a $15 discount.
Time: Sat and Sun. 10 AM-5 PM, 60 min. for lunch.
Workshop Price:$220 per weekend workshop for early birds (registered by July 13th) or if you are an FSM student or FSMTA member. $249 regular price.
Location: Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St., Gainesville, FL, 32608
CE Hours: 12 Florida and NCBTMB
To Register: For questions contact Anne Andrews anneandrewslmt25@yahoo.com, 386-538-1918 or go online at www.anneandrews.abmp.com
Sign up online now:
https://squareup.com/market/anne-andrews?square_lead=button

Would you like to improve your posture and the quality of your everyday movements?
Would you like to learn new ways to prevent self-injury?
Would you like to expand your knowledge base for working with your clients including those who are experiencing bone loss?

The Bones for Life® program offers a new paradigm of strategies for de-programing painful patterns of posture and movement facilitating options for moving and standing that are pain-free. Based on the concepts of Somatic Integrative Learning also known as the Feldenkrais® Method, the movements awaken the intelligence of movement management while load bearing to promote bone building strength and restore proportional flexibility in the spine. These strategies allow the bodyworker to gain knowledge and experience anatomy from a functional perspective, developing insights and deepening one’s knowledge base of kinesthetic movement, and skeletal and muscular anatomy.
In day one and two of the series you will learn and explore movements to:

Properly align the spine to safely sustain light transmission of pressure to promote bone health and restore an effortless upright posture.
Cultivate proportional flexibility and springiness in the spine, knees and other joints
Stabilize the pelvis and hip joints
Develop a well- functioning springy alignment to stimulate bone strength
Improve the quality of standing, sitting, walking or other daily activities
Release painful patterns of movement and adopt more efficient patterns of posture and locomotion

Although this program is primarily for self-care, some self-massage technique is also practiced. Active and passive assisted range of motion can be applied to clients using kinesthetic cues for self-referencing. Hands-on demonstrations and practice will be provided.
This course is open to the general public. It is also open to anyone interested in the Bones for Life Teacher Certification Program. Participants should be able to lie on the floor and come to standing with little or no assistance.
Materials: Bring a mat or blanket to lay on, a pair of socks or small hand washcloths, pillows to support neck and/or back and wear loose comfortable clothing. A long piece of cotton cloth 23ft. by 36-48 inches wide. This cloth is available at Joann Fabrics. You can contact the Instructor if you wish to reserve a cloth.
Refund Policy: If there is insufficient enrollment in case a class needs to be canceled, a full refund will be given to those who have registered and paid in full. If a student needs to cancel three weeks in advance before the first day of the class, the student may transfer the full amount to another class, or elect to receive a partial refund of 80% of the class fee. An administrative fee of 20% will be charged for cancellations within the last three weeks prior to the course. As a courtesy to the Instructor and other participants please relay your need to cancel in a timely manner.
Instructor(s): Anne Andrews, LMT, MA #38362, MM36872, is a graduate from the Florida School of Massage in 2003 and is a certified Ortho-Bionomy® Practitioner, and a Bones for Life® Trainer. She is also an approved CE credit provider for Florida and NCBTMB CE’s. Having experienced chronic debilitating pain herself, Anne has great empathy for people who are in pain. This gift of pain which initially prevented her from experiencing a “normal life” has taken her on an incredible journey. She discovered her passion for healing and teaching and was introduced to these two wonderful and transformational modalities. In her private practice, Anne combines her knowledge and skills in Ortho-Bionomy® and Bones for Life® to empower individuals to take care of themselves and enhance their well-being. Both of these are gentle non-invasive systems of healing that remind the body of its natural ability to come back into balance. Her passion for teaching the Bones for Life program comes through in her classes providing a fun and engaging learning environment. Anne currently lives in St. Augustine, Fl and travels throughout the State teaching the Bones for Life program.

Getting Specific: The Low-Back and Hip
2019-08-17 09:00 - 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Frank Merillat
Date: August 17, 2019
Time: 9AM-6PM
Workshop Price: $150 ($125 if paid at least three weeks prior)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 9 FL CEU
To Register: Contact Frank Merillat at (352) 371-0743 or by e-mail at fmerillat@mac.com. Please leave a message and he will return your call promptly.

The ability to offer good specific treatment to areas of the body can distinguish a therapist. When a client has the need to have a condition addressed, a thorough knowledge of the anatomical structure and contractile tissue associated can be instrumental in offering effective treatment.
Getting Specific is a series of one or two day workshop experiences that focus on specific areas of the body. Anatomical structures, synergistic muscle groups, and effective techniques associated with the particular area of the body will be covered. Use of audio-visual aids, lecture and hands-on palpation will help the participant get clearer on what they are touching. Demonstrations will address techniques that are useful for the area presented. Lots of hands on time will be available with the opportunity to interact with the instructor. This will be a great way to review and build your skills.
This class will focus on the low back and hip. The pelvis is a transition point in the body. Proper curvature of the lumbar spine is necessary for weight from above to be transitioned to the lower extremity. The hip has to be able to stabilize and mobilize to get functional movement and postural support. This class will focus on the structure and musculature involved in these actions. Psoas, iliacus, quadratus lumborum and the abdominals will be addressed, as well as the musculature attaching to the greater trochanter of the femur and structure of the pelvis. Techniques that address these muscles, plus ways to help your clients keep a functional pelvis will be covered. Come join and play with this important region of the body.
Please bring linens, shea or cocoa butter lubricant, 3 or 4 pillows for support and sideline work, note taking materials if you like to take notes.
To Register for this course please contact Frank Merillat at (352) 371-0743 or by e-mail at fmerillat@mac.com. Please leave a message and he will return your call promptly.

Myofascial Components of Head, Neck, & Shoulder Pain
2019-08-17 09:00 - 2019-08-18 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Date: Saturday – Sunday, August 17-18, 2019
Time: 9AM – 6 PM
Workshop Price: $325 ($275 before Aug 2)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com

Questions? Contact: Pete Whitridge at justaskpete@mac.com
[Download workshop flyer]
Description:
Want to have fun while getting your CEUs? Spend two days with Pete Whitridge exploring deep tissue structures of the upper body that are at the root of most client pain.

Refine your touching skills and gain new confidence
Deepen your knowledge of anatomy and fascial structures
Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort

This workshop explores the Responsibility Center, focusing on the scapulae, shoulder girdle, brachial plexus, cervical ligaments, and mandible. This is a multi-disciplinary approach to chronic pain. We will use orthopedic assessments, passive and active fascial stretching, hydrotherapies, as well as myofascial and muscle energy techniques to help idenitfy and eliminate pain and dysfunction. You will have the opportunity to dialogue about your own specific client needs and learn self-care strategies to help clients maintain pain free movement. We will review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress while exploring the unique nature of the connective tissues!
This class is designed to help you pinpoint problem areas quickly, devise strategies to eliminate pain, and work collaboratively with your client. You will receive lots of bodywork, learn new ways to handle clients with chronic pain, and reconnect with fellow massage therapists. You will leave this class with new skills and confidence in helping your clients be pain free!
About the instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA, and AMTA meetings and conventions.
Pete has served as Chair of the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival.
He lives in Fort Piece, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

Playing with Feeling
2019-08-18 09:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Frank Merillat

Time:
Workshop Price: $125 early discount if received by 7/27, $150 after 7/27
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours:
To Register: Email Frank at fmerillat@mac.com or call 352 371-0743

Workshop description:
When we touch another person we are communicating. The therapist receives sensory feeling information from the client and offers sensory feeling information to the client. This opens the door to possibilities of awareness and change. This class will focus on deepening the ability to both perceive and offer feeling to those we touch. Through the use of touch, inquiry and exploration we will deepen our skill to touch. This will be an experiential class, hands on and with movement, focusing on the interaction and engagement of the nervous system. The focus will be on how touch affects us both as therapist and client. The skills gained will be useful and applicable no matter what type of bodywork is practiced.

Biodynamic Cranial Approach ~ Touch of Presence® Introductory Course
2019-08-23 09:00 - 2019-08-25 18:00 UTC | Gainesville Retreat Center, 1551 SE 51st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32641, United States
Instructor: Giorgia Milne
Time: 9AM-6PM (with 90-minute lunch)
Workshop Price: $600 for new students / $300 to repeat if registered and paid by Dec 31, 2025; $650/$325 starting January 1, 2026
Location: Gainesville Retreat Center
CE Hours: 24 Florida and NCBTMB

Suggested Reading:
An Osteopathic Odyssey by James Jealous
Radical Wholeness: The Embodied Present and the Ordinary Grace of Being by Philip Shepherd
Engaging the Movment of Life by Bonnie Gintis
Interface by R. Paul Lee
Stillness by Charles Ridley
Students will need to bring a massage table, 2 flat sheets, two pillows, and a blanket.
To Register: Visit https://www.touchofpresence.com/courses-schedule-registration
Classes will take place at the Gainesville Retreat Center
This course is an introduction to the Biodynamic Craniosacral Approach, which can be offered as a pure hands-on practice, or incorporated as a primary disposition that integrates and informs any other modality, as well as daily life. It is followed by a deeper dive opportunity in the form the Intensive Course which spans four 4-day weekends over the course of 1 year.
The Biodynamic Cranial Approach Introduction allows students to learn directly through felt-sense-experience by feelingly inhabiting the inner body space. Rather than focusing on an outside-in model of learning (like focusing on craniosacral anatomy or treatment protocols) this course allows students to learn directly via supervised session exchanges and group discussions. Embodiment and centering practices lay the foundation for the work, and the “teaching” comes from the “inside-out” via the students’ direct experiences.
During the Introduction Course students learn to touch from a grounded sense of present awareness in a way that is non-efferent (meaning ‘I don’t leave here to go over there’), non-doing (being practice, not doing practice), and in tonal resonance with primary respiration and the natural inherent Health and Wisdom of the body. Great care and emphasis are made to cease all efferent activity and intervention, encouraging students to stay with the feeling-tone (or felt-sense) of what is, as it is. Without the symptom-treatment overlay, students rest in silence, stillness, and their natural state of presence and being to directly access primary respiration in their inner bodies. This approach & teaching method mirror one of the instructions of Dr. William Sutherland – to “trust the tide”. By allowing the inherent physiological forces within to guide the sessions and the learning, the natural world and the Breath of Life begin to reveal themselves.
This course is Open to anyone wishing to develop personally or to investigate pursuing a committed professional track. The Introductory Course is for all health practitioners, psychotherapists, movement therapists, and bodyworkers new to cranial work. It is required for all craniosacral practitioners or other biodynamic practitioners who wish to learn more about the type of biodynamics we teach before undertaking a committed yearlong study of Biodynamic Cranial Approach ~ Touch of Presence® Intensive.
This Introduction Course is the required prerequisite for the Biodynamic Cranial Approach Intensive — the year long immersion in this approach. For more information, visit the Biodynamic Cranial Approach ~ Touch of Presence® Intensive Certification page.
Go to https://www.touchofpresence.com/courses-schedule-registration to register
Questions? Contact Mary at 352-246-6280 ph/txt or mary@touchofpresence.com
Giorgia Milne founded Touch of Presence® School for Biodynamic Studies in 2021. She embodies well over 35 years of personal and professional development from allopathic skill to the healing energy work of all the major craniosacral and related approaches. She continues to be evolved by her originating transmission impulse, which is at the heart and essence of all her offerings in this Biodynamic Cranial Approach (BCA). Giorgia is a graduate of the Stanford University Physician Assistant Program and former Primary Care Provider. She travels extensively offering Touch of Presence® BCA Introductions, Intensives, Retreats, and numerous other course topics emphasizing biodynamic principles inherent to the perspective of Touch of Presence® BCA. Her teaching style rests in her vast personal and professional embodied experience resulting in the ability to perceive the landscape and teach directly from the dynamic alchemy of the present moment. This is Oral Tradition. She also continues ongoing Graduate, Assistant, and potential new Teacher development.

Myofascial Components of Head, Neck, & Shoulder Pain
2021-06-19 09:00 - 2021-06-20 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Time: 9 am – 6 pm
Workshop Price: $350 ($295 before Feb 10th)
Location:Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com or [Register online here]
Questions? Contact: Pete Whitridge at justaskpete@mac.com
[Download Workshop flyer]
Description:
Want to have fun while getting your CEUs? Spend two days with Pete Whitridge exploring deep tissue structures of the upper body that are at the root of most client pain.

Refine your touching skills and gain new confidence
Deepen your knowledge of anatomy and fascial structures
Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort

This workshop will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to treating chronic pain, targeting the upper body region – the Responsibility Center. We will explore orthopedic assessments, fascial stretching, and hydrotherapies, as well as myofascial and muscle energy techniques to help identify and eliminate pain and dysfunction. You will have the opportunity to dialogue about your own specific client needs and learn self-care strategies to help clients maintain pain free movement. We will investigate the unique nature of connective tissue and review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress. This class is designed to help you pinpoint problem areas quickly, devise strategies to eliminate pain, and work collaboratively with your client. You will receive lots of bodywork, learn new ways to handle clients with chronic pain, and reconnect with fellow massage therapists. You will leave this class with new skills and confidence in helping your clients be pain free!
About the instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA and AMTA meetings and conventions. Pete has served as Chair of the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

Touch of Presence® Intensive ~ Biodynamic Cranial Approach
2021-07-22 - 2021-07-25 | Gainesville Retreat Center, 1551 SE 51st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32641, United States
Immersion in Biodynamic Cranial Approach training presented as 4, 4-day classes. Additional work to be completed outside of class times. Pathway to potentially becoming a BCA practitioner, or purely for personal development and life enhancement. BCA Introductory Course and Teacher approval required. Payment in full required prior to 4th installment of class.
The Intensive develops out of a field of interest to immerse oneself in the work, and often as a response to an uncanny yet inexorable “calling”. Dates are scheduled once there’s critical mass of committed participants. It requires an up-front commitment for the entire 4 x 4-day process, and the tuition is not refundable for any reason.
Each course provides the opportunity and support to progressively cultivate and maintain a living, intimate, ever-deepening, and continuous body-felt connection with the Breath of Life. Consciousness and Presence are discovered to be inseparable and that when one has perceptual experience of Wholeness, health or what we call “healing” (on any level) end up being a sort of byproduct of the process. Biodynamic Cranial Approach Intensives offer a way to practice a non-medical approach that can be applies outright, or integrated with any healing modality such as cranial work, medicine, integral medical work, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, bodywork, movement, somatics, or psychotherapy.
2021/22 BCA Intensive Schedule:

#1: July 22-25, 2021
#2: December 2-5, 2021
#3: February 10-13, 2022
#4: May 5-8, 2022

Contact Mary Reis with any questions regarding the class or to register: maryreis@me.com or 352-246-6280.
Because this work continues to evolve, this course continues to evolve as well. The basic material covered shifts somewhat with each group and many students find great value in repeating the Intensive to deepen their bodily experience and practice of the work. Half price to repeat.
Courses will take place at the Gainesville Retreat Center, located on over 100 acres of conservation land on the eastern edge of Gainesville. Onsite lodging is available. To make lodging reservations, please contact Shana Smith at the Gainesville Retreat Center:
https://gainesvilleretreatcenter.com
352-213-2221
Cost: $4,000; $2,000 to repeat
CE Credits: 120 FL & NCBTMB

Myofascial Components of Low Back and Leg Pain
2021-07-31 09:00 - 2021-08-01 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Time: 9 am – 6 pm
Workshop Price: $350 ($295 before May 12)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com or [Register online here]

Questions? Contact: Pete Whitridge at justaskpete@mac.com
[Download Workshop flyer]
Description:
Want to have fun while getting your CEU’s? Spend two days with Pete Whitridge exploring deep tissue structures of the lower body that are at the root of most client pain.

Refine your touching skills and gain new confidence
Deepen your knowledge of anatomy and fascial structures
Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort

This workshop will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to treating chronic pain, targeting the lower body region – the Foundation. We will explore orthopedic assessments, fascial stretching, and hydrotherapies, as well as myofascial and muscle energy techniques to help identify and eliminate pain and dysfunction. You will have the opportunity to dialogue about your own specific client needs and learn self-care strategies to help clients maintain pain free movement. We will investigate the unique nature of connective tissue and review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress. This class is designed to help you pinpoint problem areas quickly, devise strategies to eliminate pain, and work collaboratively with your client. You will receive lots of bodywork, learn new ways to handle clients with chronic pain, and reconnect with fellow massage therapists. You will leave this class with new skills and confidence in helping your clients be pain free!
About the instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA and AMTA meetings and conventions. Pete has served as Chair of the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

"Big 3" - Ethics, Florida Law, Prevention of Medical Errors
2021-08-02 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Date: August 4, 2025
Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Workshop Price: $50 (two weeks prior) less than two weeks prior: $60
Location:
June: Bodhi Sangha School
Aug: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 6
To Register:
Registration for August 4
Questions? Contact: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com
[Download workshop flyer]
Description:
Have FUN while completing the 6 hours of core requirements for your massage therapy license renewal. Each topic is independent and will cover the issues and changes in our growing profession. You will receive 2 CE’s per topic.
Network with your colleagues, get peer feedback, and enjoy a lively round table discussion focused on the legal, ethical and medical considerations of practicing massage therapy.
Issues covered include: client/therapist relationships, working with the disabled and differently abled populations, appropriate touch and draping issues, filing a complaint against an unethical or dangerous practitioner, and preventing medical errors and injuries to your clients. There will be ample opportunity for questions, as well as sharing personal situations that have occurred in your own practice.
We will cover pertinent changes to Florida law governing Massage Therapy so you will be current on legal issues that could affect you.
SCHEDULE:
Prevention of Medical Errors 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Ethical Considerations in Massage 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Florida Laws and Rules Review 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
“These classes were so much more fun to take with my colleagues than online. Excellent discussions and “food for thought”. RS
“I never realized how much fun these dry subjects could be. Loved all the laughter and interaction with other local therapists while learning useful information.” AH
About the instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA and AMTA meetings and conventions. Pete has served as Chair of the FL Board of Massage Therapy and five years as President of the AFMTE. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

CranioSacral Foundations – I
2021-10-16 09:00 - 2021-10-17 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Date: Sat – Sun, October 16-17, 2021
Time: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Workshop Price: $245 (Early Bird) | $295 (Regular) | $195 (FSM student)
Location:
Florida School of Massage
6421 SW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608
CE Hours: 16 (pending)
For more information and to register: Visit prana-doctor.com
Questions? Contact: Contact Prana Gogia at dr.prana@outlook.com or text at (786) 584-7726
Siddha CranioSacral Workshops:
These intensive workshops are practical introduction to the foundation theory and practice of Craniosacral Work (CSW). CSW is a form of gentle bodywork which grew out of Dr. William G. Sutherland’s work on Cranial Osteopathy, a specialization of Osteopathic Medicine. Many people consider CSW as energy-work or energy-healing.
As a distinct modality it focuses on working with Craniosacral System which is the environment surrounding nervous system (cranium bones, the vertebra and sacrum, the brain, the central nervous system, membranes inside the cranium and spinal column, and the cerebrospinal fluid.) CSW focus on supporting the health and wellness of the whole being.
These intensive workshops integrate craniosacral teachings with energetics of Eastern Medicine and Trika worldviews. All of these traditional practices all are grounded in the common view that our soma or embodied-self has two doors, one leads to the experiences of us as a separate and discrete body with its organs, bones, and functional parts, and the other door leads to the experiences of wholeness, organic unity, and direct perception of innate force-fields or breath-of-life that create and sustain forms.
Students will learn to develop perception skills and hands-on techniques to evaluate and follow the wholeness of Craniosacral System and positively affecting every aspect of the heart-mind, senses, and body. The hands-on work presented can be easily integrated with your own healing and contemplative practices or can be practiced as standalone work.
CranioSacral Foundations – I Description:
This intensive is practical introduction to the foundation theory and practice of Craniosacral Work (CSW). CSW is a form of gentle bodywork which grew out of Dr. William G. Sutherland’s work on Cranial Osteopathy.
We will be use classroom presentations to learn and understand the scope, theory and philosophical aspects of CSW. In-class demonstration and hands-on will follow the classroom presentations.
For more information and to register: Visit prana-doctor.com

Thai Massage: Phase VI -Thai on The Table
2021-12-11 09:30 - 2021-12-12 16:30 UTC | FL
Date: December 11 – 12, 2021
Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Location: Florida School of Massage (ZOOM option available at checkout)
Cost: $250 (payment plan available at checkout)
CEUS: 14
To Register: Register on Ariela’s website.
Description:
Thai Yoga Massage on a table expands your business to a whole new clientele while helping to take even better care of your body.
Performed on a low table with a fully clothed client, Thai Yoga Massage will allow you to reach out to a mainstream audience, including athletes, the elderly, and people who prefer massage on a table. It brings the benefits of Thai Yoga Massage, including customized yoga, profound relaxation, and energy work, to the comfort of your massage table.
Upon completion of this class, you will be able to

Give a 60-minute massage

Apply Thai Foot Reflexology

Practice principles of body alignment specifically adapted for massaging on and around the massage table

Integrate metta (compassion) and meditation into your massage

Learn the techniques from Ariela’s Thai Massage classes

Therapists used to traditional table massage will reduce injuries to hands and wrists by learning to use elbows, forearms, feet, and other parts of the body. Those used to Thai Yoga Massage on a mat will find they can massage in greater comfort.

Embryology: Spirit & Essence
2022-02-05 09:00 - 2022-02-07 18:00 (America/New_York) | Gainesville Retreat Center, 1551 SE 51st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32641, United States
Date: Feb 5th — 7th, 2022
Time: 9am—6pm each day
Instructor: Giorgia Milne
Location: The Gainesville Retreat Center
Cost: $525 / $262.50 to repeat
CEUS: 24 FL & NCBTMB
To Register:
Contact Mary Reis: 352-246-6280 or maryreis@me.com
Or go to Giorgia Milne’s website: https://www.touchofpresence.com/reg-pay-giorgia
Course Description:
“The forces of growth and development are the same as the forces of healing, adaptability, learning, and change.”
—Bonnie Gintis, Osteopath & Continuum Movement Teacher
Touch of Presence® School for Biodynamic Studies presents Embryology: Spirit & Essence with Giorgia Milne
The embryo has much to reveal to us about life… and death… as a life process. Through the exploration and study of the metabolic forces and conditions of coming into being, we open to a vast world of self-discovery and healing potential.
The 3-day workshop covers the basic principles of development of a human embryo from conception to week four. The unfolding of human form in space and time is amazing and can be understood without knowledge of genetics. We will focus on the transmutative changes happening in the early stage of our development and their significance in healing potential.
Through experiential exercises with and without touch, movement explorations, PowerPoint presentations, and discussions, we will open to these mysteries that are present and alive within us; creating us in every moment; maintaining health, balance, and evolving us as an embodied living consciousness. Emphasis is on the body-felt-sense-awareness presence and healing potential of these creative forces.
Prior knowledge of Anatomy and Embryology is not required. This workshop is open to anyone interested in the subject as the implications are far reaching for any bodywork practice modality, as well as everyday life. Particularly applicable to students interested in the Biodynamic Approach to Craniosacral Work.

Therapeutic Strategies for Effective Pain Relief
2022-02-26 09:00 - 2022-02-27 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Pete Whitridge
Time: 9AM-6PM
Workshop Price: $350 ($295 before July 4th)
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 Florida and National
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge at 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com or [register online here]
[Download workshop flyer]
Description: Want to have fun while getting your CEU’s? Spend two days with Pete Whitridge exploring deep tissue structures that are at the root of most client pain.

Refine your touching skills and gain new confidence
Teach your clients to work with you during therapy
Eliminate chronic pain by working below the client’s pain threshold
Slow down, focus your attention, be more effective with less effort

This class will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to chronic pain and will include an interactive forum to dialogue about your own specific client needs. We will explore myofascial assessments, deep tissue techniques, passive and active stretching, muscle energy techniques, hydrotherapies, cross fiber friction, and self-care. We will review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress while exploring the unique nature of the connective tissues.
This class is designed to help you pinpoint problem areas quickly, devise strategies to eliminate pain, and work collaboratively with your client. You will receive lots of bodywork, learn new ways to handle clients with chronic pain, and reconnect with fellow massage therapists. You will leave this class with new skills and confidence in helping your clients be pain free!
“Knowledge of the subject was outstanding. Pete knows his anatomy and never wavered on any questions. Pete held my interest through the weekend, which I cannot say for other classes I have taken. Love the way Pete carries himself and great sense of humor. Will attend more of his classes/workshops. Very superior instructor.”
– Anon. SSMT student
***WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD IN PERSON AND FSM CURRENT COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS WILL BE OBSERVED
About the Instructor
Pete’s been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He is a founder and Past President of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He teaches throughout the US and is a frequent speaker at FSMTA, FCA and AMTA meetings and conventions. Pete has served on the FL Board of Massage Therapy. He received the FSMTA Charles Canfield Award for service to the massage profession in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town.

Resistance/Release Work with Deane Juhan
2022-04-09 09:00 - 2022-04-11 18:00 UTC | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Deane Juhan
Location: Florida School of Massage, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $550 ($500 early registration discount price if registered by March, 13 2024).
Credits: 24 Florida and National CEU credits
To register for the class or to get more information: Contact Frank Merillat directly at fmerillat@mac.com or call 352 371-0743 or 352 213-4603.
Come join the group and experience time with a talented bodyworker, teacher of the Trager Approach and author of Job’s Body: A Bodyworkers Handbook. This is a great opportunity to explore contact with the body-mind and a deeper understanding of the workings of the movement body.
Course Description: Relaxation and stress relief are certainly two main goals of bodywork. But there is an important addition to your clients’ somatic well-being that more directly addresses the patterns of muscular habituation, posture, compensations due to injury and the restoring of freedom of movement and freedom from pain: the re-education of the overall sensory motor patterns that have accumulated over time.
The work that will be presented in this workshop is an innovative approach developed by Deane Juhan, based in large measure upon the rehabilitative techniques of Dr. Milton Trager.
Functionally, we are really one muscle that is divided up by the connective tissue structures into different compartments in order to provide specific vectors of motion and coordinated groups of motor units. We are not robots with hinges, cables and pulleys, but shape-changers, and any gesture involves the participation of widespread muscular supports and motivators.
Resistance/Release work is designed to re-coordinate our musculature as a whole and to train more efficient and effective recruitments of muscular contraction and lengthening involved in any position or movement, from feet to head and from sleeve to core. The result is dramatically improved muscular coordination, adding both ease and strength to all of our activities. This approach fits well with most modalities practiced by massage therapists.
Deane would like to focus on the role of presence as a key aspect necessary for effective results and client contact. He will also be discussing the neurological underpinnings of habit formation, and the effects of R&R work on breaking up these old patterns and the cultivation of new more functional habits to facilitate letting go of holding and moving in new, ever more exploratory ways of self-development. Slides, lecture and discussion will be utilized to present a clear understanding of the ways in which habitual pathways—together with sensory and contractile systems—forms the basis of all muscular patterning. This understanding dramatically enhances the intentions and effectiveness of virtually any practice that has to do with muscular habits and movement patterns. It is directly applicable to all bodywork modalities that deal with trauma, pain management, rehabilitation, improved range of motion, enhanced performance, and the development of more effective habits of both muscles and mind. Practitioners of yoga, massage, Trager, Cranio-Sacral, Feldenkrais, Rolfing, Alexander Technique, Pilates, Gyrotonics and Physical Therapy will find this useful and applicable to their practice.
About the instructor: Deane Juhan is the author of Job’s Body: A Handbook for Bodywork and Touched by the Goddess: The Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Power of Bodywork. He has been a professional bodyworker, teacher and lecturer for over 40 years, including 18 years on the Esalen Massage Staff and 30 years as a practitioner and instructor of The Trager Approach. He spent years in direct contact with Dr. Milton Trager and this is reflected in his approach to bodywork. He has taught his seminars in anatomy and physiology for bodyworkers in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Fulcrum of Being
2022-04-30 09:00 - 2022-05-02 18:00 (America/New_York) | Gainesville Retreat Center, 1551 SE 51st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32641, United States
Date: April 30th — May 2nd, 2022
Time: 9am—6pm each day
Instructor: Giorgia Milne
Location: The Gainesville Retreat Center
Cost: $525 / $262.50 to repeat
CEUS: 24 FL & NCBTMB
To Register:
Contact Mary Reis: 352-246-6280 or maryreis@me.com
Or go to Giorgia Milne’s website: https://www.touchofpresence.com/reg-pay-giorgia
View/Download Course Flyer
Course Description:
Touch of Presence® School for Biodynamic Studies Presents Fulcrum of Being with Georgia Milne.
This course focuses on the depths and dimensions of Fulcrum. We will explore the spirit, matter, and essence of fulcrum beyond its classical description. Through the combination of lecture, experiential exercises, hands-on work, and discussion we’ll take a multifaceted view of the manifold and even fractal nature of fulcrums. This supports the understanding and integration of Wholeness as Health, and its implication for any practice modality, as well as in everyday life.
“You are your most you at the moment of conception.
Everything after that is a differentiation.”
~Erich Blechschmidt, M.D. Embryologist
Embryogenesis and the concept of fulcrums are inherent to one another. Experientially understanding their essence individually and together offers a doorway into the spirit~matter of existence, and the non-separate nature of Being-ness. Directly sensing the power and creative force at the heart of every fulcrum, and of embryogenesis itself, is to be at the transmutative edge of development and evolution. The resulting paradigm shift in our perceptual capacity, disposition, and outlook in turn leads to a more harmonious way of living and being, where we abide as our authentic selves with each other and the world around us.
“The fulcrum of the whole is the Whole.”
~James Jealous, DO
This embodied and integrated paradigm shift, when applied through touch, regardless of the modality, opens the portal to Health as Wholeness. These principles then apply to everyday life.
“A paradigm shift occurred in the Osteopathic profession when Sutherland asked Osteopaths to consider that the power for functioning is at or in the fulcrum,
and not at the ends of the lever.”
~Bonnie Gintis, DO
In the process of alchemy or transmutation, the original form returns to its origin – its fundamental parts – and then reconstitutes or re-forms into a higher form. It becomes something of a higher order.
“One has to see that in any process of paradigm change, arguments and controversy
are inevitable. You can’t change the paradigm without people
seeing how the argument is played out.”
~Unknown
Join us in this exploration of our creative origin, and rest in its inherent health and wellbeing.

Thai Massage 3 Month immersion- Intro mat or table
2022-06-04 09:00 - 2022-06-05 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Date: Nov 9 – 10, 2024
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Workshop Price: $350 a weekend or $900 for all 3 weekends
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 54 CEs for all 3 weekends (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com

Description:
This three month training consists of the fundamentals and basic requirements one would need to offer a beautiful Thai Massage session either on the table or mat.
Ariela has designed a program to inspire bodyworkers in today’s field to learn some of the ancient techniques of India and Thailand in an applicable fashion that is easily navigated on a massage table or Thai Massage mat.
In Thai-Massage the number three is considered auspicious. It is the first number in nature to create a shape and therefore holds a strong foundation. Ariela put together a series of three classes which she believes will create a foundation and inspire students to really thrive in this field.
It is not required to take all of the three classes. Each of the individual weekend standalone. Students will receive a certificate of completion after each weekend for the hours attended. For those completing all three weekends and completing the full training, they will receive a certificate of completion documenting all three classes and a memento of their hard work they may want to hang on the wall of their office space to present their accomplishments.
The first weekend that we meet will be a one hour sequence that can be applied either on the mat or a floor. This will allow students to feel confident to work on their future clients in the art of Thai Massage. After a month we will meet again and look more in depth at the artistry of Thai Massage and develop intuition in our work. The last weekend will be a weekend dedicated to the feet, which can also be added to the first two weekends as a session for those wanting a longer massage. Learning the foot sequence makes it very easy to give a one and a half to three hour Thai-Massage if ever needed. It also stands on its own as a full hour treatment for the feet alone.
1-Introduction to Thai Massage :Mat or Table
2-Exploring Heaven and: Earth the Artistry of Thai Massage
3-Thai Foot Reflexology
All classes are both Florida and Nationally approved for by NCBTMB

CranioSacral Foundations - II
2022-06-11 09:00 - 2022-06-12 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Date: Sat – Sun, June 11 – 12, 2022
Time: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Workshop Price: $250 (Early Bird) | $300 (Regular) | $200 (FSM student)
Location:
Florida School of Massage
6421 SW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608
CE Hours: 16 NCBTMB CEU
For more information and to register: Visit prana-doctor.com
Questions? Contact: Contact Prana Gogia at dr.prana@outlook.com or text at (786) 584-7726
Siddha CranioSacral Workshops:
The work is practical introduction to the foundation theory and practice of Craniosacral Work (CSW). CSW is a form of gentle bodywork which grew out of Dr. William G. Sutherland’s work on Cranial Osteopathy.
The focus of foundations modules (I, II and III), is to develop perceptual insight, clarity, and inner awareness of primary respiration which becomes the foundation of our healing work. In each module we work with different set of primary bones to cultivate our awareness and insight of primary respiration and its potency.
We will be use classroom presentations to learn and understand the scope, theory and philosophical aspects of CSW. In-class demonstration and hands-on will follow the classroom presentations.
CranioSacral Foundations – II Description:
This intensive is an invitation to the learn and practice foundation aspects of Craniosacral Work (CSW). CSW is a form of gentle bodywork which grew out of Dr. W.G. Sutherland’s work on Cranial Osteopathy. In this course you will learn:

Definition and scope of CranioSacral work
Anatomy, energetics, and motions of Core Link, Front and Parietal bones in context of CSW and Eastern medicine
Hands-on work of Core Link, Frontal and Parietal bones based on
Three middle channels of Daoist & Yogic Subtle body
Working with Fluid tides and the “Breath of life”, which is the core aspect of this work
Siddha Meditations to deepen our connection with Heart and subtle aspect of our being
The focus is on deeply relaxing in the sacred space and developing perceptual insight, clarity, and inner awareness of primary respiration which becomes the foundation of our healing work

Prerequisites:
Anyone with basic understanding of human anatomy and has completed at least 100 hours of bodywork.
For more information and to register: Visit prana-doctor.com

Thai Massage 3 Month immersion - Exploring Heaven and Earth
2022-07-02 09:00 - 2022-07-03 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Dates: This workshop is available Jan 11 – 12, 2025 and again on June 21 – 22, 2025
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Workshop Price: $350 a weekend or $900 for all 3 weekends
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 54 CEs for all 3 weekends (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com
Description:
This three month training consists of the fundamentals and basic requirements one would need to offer a beautiful Thai Massage session either on the table or mat.
Ariela has designed a program to inspire bodyworkers in today’s field to learn some of the ancient techniques of India and Thailand in an applicable fashion that is easily navigated on a massage table or Thai Massage mat.
In Thai-Massage the number three is considered auspicious. It is the first number in nature to create a shape and therefore holds a strong foundation. Ariela put together a series of three classes which she believes will create a foundation and inspire students to really thrive in this field.
It is not required to take all of the three classes. Each of the individual weekend standalone. Students will receive a certificate of completion after each weekend for the hours attended. For those completing all three weekends and completing the full training, they will receive a certificate of completion documenting all three classes and a memento of their hard work they may want to hang on the wall of their office space to present their accomplishments.
The first weekend that we meet will be a one hour sequence that can be applied either on the mat or a floor. This will allow students to feel confident to work on their future clients in the art of Thai Massage. After a month we will meet again and look more in depth at the artistry of Thai Massage and develop intuition in our work. The last weekend will be a weekend dedicated to the feet, which can also be added to the first two weekends as a session for those wanting a longer massage. Learning the foot sequence makes it very easy to give a one and a half to three hour Thai-Massage if ever needed. It also stands on its own as a full hour treatment for the feet alone.
1-Introduction to Thai Massage :Mat or Table
2-Exploring Heaven and: Earth the Artistry of Thai Massage
3-Thai Foot Reflexology
All classes are both Florida and Nationally approved for by NCBTMB

Thai Massage 3 Month immersion - Thai Foot Reflexology
2022-07-30 09:00 - 2022-07-31 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Date: March 8 and 9, 2025
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Workshop Price: $350 a weekend or $900 for all 3 weekends
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 54 CEs for all 3 weekends (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com

Description:
This three month training consists of the fundamentals and basic requirements one would need to offer a beautiful Thai Massage session either on the table or mat.
Ariela has designed a program to inspire bodyworkers in today’s field to learn some of the ancient techniques of India and Thailand in an applicable fashion that is easily navigated on a massage table or Thai Massage mat.
In Thai-Massage the number three is considered auspicious. It is the first number in nature to create a shape and therefore holds a strong foundation. Ariela put together a series of three classes which she believes will create a foundation and inspire students to really thrive in this field.
The first weekend that we meet will be a one hour sequence that can be applied either on the mat or a floor. This will allow students to feel confident to work on their future clients in the art of Thai Massage. After a month we will meet again and look more in depth at the artistry of Thai Massage and develop intuition in our work. The last weekend will be a weekend dedicated to the feet, which can also be added to the first two weekends as a session for those wanting a longer massage. Learning the foot sequence makes it very easy to give a one and a half to three hour Thai-Massage if ever needed. It also stands on its own as a full hour treatment for the feet alone.
1-Introduction to Thai Massage :Mat or Table
2-Exploring Heaven and: Earth the Artistry of Thai Massage
3-Thai Foot Reflexology
All classes are both Florida and Nationally approved for by NCBTMB
Students will receive a certificate of completion after each weekend for the hours attended. For those completing all three weekends and completing the full training, they will receive a certificate of completion documenting all three classes and a memento of their hard work they may want to hang on the wall of their office space to present their accomplishments.
