Florida School of Massage

Thai Massage Certification Phase 5 - Ayurvedic Applications to Thai Massage
2027-06-12 09:00 - 2027-06-13 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Date: July 25 – 26, 2026 (2026 cycle)
June 12 – 13, 2027 (2027 cycle)
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Course Tuition:
$1800 if registering for all seven levels in advance
$280 if registering for each class individually
$350 for a single drop in.
Students who commit to all 7 class will get a discount, If you miss a class for whatever reason, it can be made up next cycle.
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 126 CEs for all phases (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com
Description:
One day the student asked if Thai-Massage is just a series of memorized sequences. This moved me in the same way it must have moved my teacher, Kam Thy Chow as well.
Of course the sequences give us a foundation but ultimately one must become intuitive and have an understanding of the elemental body. This is how Ayurveda can come to play.
In this class we will break down the winds and how they affect our emotions. How to choose postures to balance different constitutions and how to understand the importance of feeling each of the elements in our own body so we are practicing with Wisdom. In this class we breathe life into the sequence.
We will learn to identify the Doshas, Vayus and Pulse points. A breakdown of some of the Buddhist foundations such as, Sila, Samhadi and Panya. Which of the foundations of all good Thai practitioners.

Ariela Compares this class to the Wizard of Oz when it goes from Black and White to multi color. Its a wonderful weekend of energy work.
When you apply for the course you will see the option for registering for all seven or just one. If you would like the discount since you’re applying for all seven and you missed the first few classes you can apply this tuition toward the next cycle. Either way you can either jump in one weekend at a time or you can commit to all seven and graduate at the next cycle.
About Ariela Grodner
Ariela Grodner is the founder and lead instructor and practitioner at the Bodhi Sangha School of Thai Massage. She began her teaching career in 1992 in the south of India educating prisoners and tribal villagers in the benefits and practice of Shivananda Yoga. Then she spent many years cultivating the Buddhist meditation technique known as Vipassana. Later in following her Tao she discovered the joys of improvisational contact dance. After graduating from Florida School of Massage she discovered Thai Massage the perfect fusion of these techniques and practices. She is a certified Lotus Palm Practitioner (as taught by Kam Thye Chow) and has taught Thai Massage at the Florida School of Massage since 2004.
Ariela has developed over 300 hours of curriculum has published 9 books on this subject and travels nationally and internationally sharing her love of this art.

Dynamics of Breath: Releasing the Core of Pain
2027-07-10 09:30 - 2027-07-11 18:00
Instructor: Pete Whitridge
Date: July 10-11, 2027
Time: 9:30am – 6pm
Workshop Price: $350 ($295 early bird)
Location:Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 17 Florida, 16 NCBTMB
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 the breath and treating clients with breathing dysfunction.

Refine your touching skills and gain greater 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 class will offer a multi-disciplinary approach to working with the Core of Pain: the abdominal muscles, diaphragm, thoracic spine, rib cage, and scalenes. We will explore myofascial assessments, deep tissue techniques, passive and active stretching, muscle energy techniques, hydrotherapies, and self-care. We will also explore pranayama (breath) and relaxation techniques.
We will review current findings from the Fascia Research Congress and investigate the unique nature of the connective tissues.
Deepen your clinical skills by exploring how manual therapies can help clients with asthma, COPD and other breathing dysfunctions. 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.

Thai Massage Certification Phase 6 - Advanced Sideline Postures of Thai Massage
2027-07-17 09:00 - 2027-07-18 18:00
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Date: August 29 – 30, 2026 (2026 cycle)
July 17 – 18, 2027 (2027 cycle)
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Course Tuition:
$1800 if registering for all seven levels in advance
$280 if registering for each class individually
$350 for a single drop in.
Students who commit to all 7 class will get a discount, If you miss a class for whatever reason, it can be made up next cycle.
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 126 CEs for all phases (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com
Description:
Join us for a weekend of Sideline Postures that was taught to Ariela by Laurino Bertelli from the Sunshine Network in Chang Mai, Thailand.
In this weekend you will be able to work more effectively on pregnant clients as well as athletes.
This modified sequence wil give us many more options to address classic Hip and Shoulder Pain in this orthodox Sideline Position and it is a dynamic style that will bring more diversity, beauty and curiosity to your work.
This will be our sixth weekend together. It is a combination of Ayurveda, energy lines and advanced posture is in the sideline position. A lot of the Siddhi postures we’ve learned in phase 3 will be reviewed but in the sideline position. It is a dynamic workshop that offers ways to address the body in such a beautiful and creative way. I am thankful to the Sunshine net work and the teachers who brought this lineage to me in Montreal many years ago shortly after Asokananda passed. It felt like a true gift to my practice and it is a pleasure to share it to serious students of Thai-Massage.

When you apply for the course you will see the option for registering for all seven or just one. If you would like the discount since you’re applying for all seven and you missed the first few classes you can apply this tuition toward the next cycle. Either way you can either jump in one weekend at a time or you can commit to all seven and graduate at the next cycle.

Myofascial Components of Head, Neck, & Shoulder Pain
2027-08-14 09:30 - 2027-08-15 18:00
Instructor: Pete Whitridge
Dates:
August 14 – 15, 2027
Time: 9:30am – 6pm
Workshop Price: $350 ($295 early bird)
Location:Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 17 Florida, 16 NCBTMB
To Register: Contact Lee Whitridge, 772-979-5828 or bluemoonies@juno.com or [Register online here]
Questions? Contact: Pete Whitridge at justaskpete@mac.com
[Myofascial Components of the Neck and Shoulder 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.

Thai Massage Certification Phase 7 - Thai Foot Reflexology
2027-08-28 09:00 - 2027-08-29 18:00
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Dates: Sept 26 – 27, 2026 (2026 cycle)
Aug 28 – 29, 2027 (2027 cycle)
Time: 9AM – 6PM
Course Tuition:
$1800 if registering for all seven levels in advance
$280 if registering for each class individually
$350 for a single drop in.
Students who commit to all 7 class will get a discount, If you miss a class for whatever reason, it can be made up next cycle.
Location: Florida School of Massage
CE Hours: 18 CEs per weekend or 126 CEs for all phases (Florida and NCBTMB)
To Register: Visit Bodhi Sanha’s event page
Questions? Contact: Ariela at arielagrodner@yahoo.com
Description:
This is our seventh class in our long journey together and it will be an honoring of ones walk into the world as Tai Yogis! We will have a celebration and graduation at the end of class. If you would like to attend as a single workshop we absolutely invite you to join us. This class stands alone and no other experience needed except to want to share compassionate loving touch through the feet.
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.
