Guest Instructors
Gloria Coppola-Gaber - LMBT #6902 N.C.
Gloria has been in the healing arts for over 20 years. The former owner of a holistic center and massage school in New Jersey she has also contributed to the curriculum development for massage schools across the U.S. Gloria has always sought out quality education during her career. She was extremely successful in her massage practice for many years. Now her mission is to provide quality, exciting, informational hands on classes for you while keeping classes small and affordable.
Mary Ellen Derwis-Balaz Lmt., Cht.
Is a nationally certified NCBTMB provider (#451057-09 ), Chi Nei Tsang Institute Instructor, and Universal Healing Tao practitioner. She has been a Licensed MT for 17 years and practices in Ohio and Hawaii. Mary Ellen has a broad perspective in body work having studied with John Upledger, John Barnes, Paul St. John as well as a 3 year mentorship with Kahuna Kimo Kamauna in Hawaii. This experience has provided her with the ability to integrate eastern and western views in the practice of massotherapy. Thus she provides a truly holistic approach to bodywork for the practitioner. www.beinthetao.com
Robin Fann
Robin has been living in Big Sur, CA, and working at the Esalen Institute since 1992 as an Esalen® massage crew member, Esalen massage instructor, and registered yoga instructor. Robin has been teaching at the Esalen Institute and internationally since 1996. She has served on the Esalen massage programming committee, teacher curriculum committee, ethics committee, the Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association and helped create the Esalen Teacher Training program. Robin also is featured in the Esalen massage video. Robin also has extensive training in craniosacral therapy, somatoemotional release, gestalt therapy, life coaching and 5-rhythms dance.
Janet Blevins - LMBT#2835
Janet began her studies in therapeutic massage at Guilford Technical Community College. She later attended Mueller College, where she completed 2000 hours in western and oriental holistic practices including acupressure and was an instructor there for 3 years. In 2000, Janet worked with the US Summer Olympic Team. Janet has worked with major resort spas in NC, TN and was the director of The Grandover. She was the Executive Director of Natural Touch=2 0Schools of Massage and Esthetics for 4 years and is now the Spa Director of Light as a Feather. But her favorite thing is conducting workshops.
Felicia Brown
Felicia Brown is the owner of Spalutions!, a firm that provides training, continuing education, business consulting and marketing solutions for massage and spa professionals. She is a sought-after public speaker with appearances at many state, national and international conferences and conventions in the massage and spa industries. Felicia is also a licensed massage therapist and NCBTMB Approved Provider.
Andrea Claire Caplan, B.A., C.M.T. NCBTMB Approved Provider # 450745-08
Andrea has been a massage therapist, bodyworker and massage instructor since 1994. She received her certification as a massage therapist from the Baltimore school of massage, as well as her national certification, in 1995. She went on to train in Thai massage under Ananda Apfelbaum at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York in 1998, and Rose Griscom of the institute of Thai massage in west palm beach, Florida in 2000. She taught herself to walk on clients and developed her own form of ‘backwalking’ in 2000/2001, and established the body politic. In 2004, Andrea began her study of Ashiatsu oriental bar therapy (ashi), completing the advanced studies in early 2005. She has since combined her various skills and experience to create ‘my thai’, her unique form of Thai-style stretching that fuses massage and bodywork.
Brett Pace, NCBTMB Approved Provider # 306876-00
Brett Pace, C.M.T. taught physiology and Medical Massage for over seven years at the CORE Institute School of Massage Therapy located in Tallahassee, FL. He is the president of the local chapter of the Florida State Massage Therapy Association (FSMTA), and has been involved in the development of the National Certification Exam. Brett studied massage therapy at the Swedish Institute in New York City. He currently owns and operates his own practice in a Rheumatology office in Tallahassee where his primary focus is utilizing Medical Massage protocols.
