Thai Massage Certification Phase 1 - Introduction to Thai Massage/Mat or Table
2026-03-14 09:00 - 2026-03-15 18:00 (America/New_York) | Florida School of Massage, 6421 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States
Instructor: Ariela Grodner
Date: March 14 – 15, 2026
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:
I sometimes call the first class the Watercolor class. It reminds me of a watercolor painting where the strokes are broad and soft.
There are lines & points traditionally applied, however in this first class we stick with simplicity. Flow a and Joy. Presents is the foundstion of this art.
Most will be committing for the entire training, so our first weekend is an opportunity for joyful expressions and community shared enthusiasm of diving into this beautiful tradition and artful medicine
We will be observing techniques and exchanging bodywork for the entire weekend.
Sharing food and chocolate and listening is the Thai Massage way. Our intention is to leave the weekend full of enthusiasm for the progression ahead and to also have some wonderful material in which to begin the journey and share in our community.
It’s OK to only take one weekend of the entire program at a time in ones own pace. Ideally though we will commit to the entire program in which case we will become certified in Thai-Massage and have an extensive language of the entire system.
OVER THE COURSE OF THIS FIRST WORKSHOP, STUDENTS WILL LEARN AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG FORM. PRACTICED ON THE FLOOR, THIS FORM ENABLES THE THERAPIST THE USE OF ELBOWS, KNEES, FOREARMS AND FEET IN A COMFORTABLE AND EFFICIENT WAY THAT UTILIZES THE BODY DYNAMIC AND ONES OWN WEIGHT TO DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT REQUIRED FOR THE APPLICATION OF GOOD PRESSURE.
THE RECIPIENT LIES RELAXED AND LOOSELY CLOTHED WHILE THE PRACTITIONER GUIDES THEM THROUGH A SERIES OF YOGIC ASANAS AND APPLIES BALANCING TOUCH TO THE BODY’S MAJOR ENERGY LINES AND POINTS.
Mat or Table
In this first class Ariela office students the opportunity to learn how to give a Thai-Massage either on a mat or on a massage table. The Florida school of massage provides massage tables for all students. If you would like to work on the mat, you will need to bring one. Contact Ariela and she will help you pick one out or learn how to improvise one for this first class to see if you want to make the commitment. It’s Ariela’s preference to work on the ground but she is very flexible and capable of modifying everything for anybody’s needs. She has written a book on Thai-Massage on the table and also has video footage to help students with the transition.
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.
