The Body Therapy Center and School of Massage, Ltd
Four Executive Woods Court, Swansea, Il 62226
Welcomes back
Esalen®
Massage Professional Practitioner
2026 Training
With Dean Marson & Deborah Anne Medow
May 22-24
June 19-21
August 7-9
September 18-20
December 4-6
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 9:30-6
Esalen Massage is a diverse and unique style of bodywork developed at the Esalen
Institute in Big Sur, California in the mid 1960’s. For over fifty years, Esalen
Massage has continued to grow and evolve, reflecting its continued quest to
integrate body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Using the ‘trademark’ Esalen long
strokes that provide a sense of wholeness, integration, and deep relaxation, Esalen
practitioners approach with the idea of ‘being with’ instead of ‘working on’ the
client. As the quality of contact and touch increases, the spirit of Esalen massage
both inspires and fuses with each practitioner’s personal style of being with the
body, resulting in a specialized session, creating an atmosphere of peace and
harmony, an inner space where natural healing can more easily occur.
This course offers a comprehensive training for certified massage and bodywork
practitioners who wish to add the Esalen philosophy and signature approach to
their professional repertoire.
Cost:
$525 per weekend session. Sessions meet every 4-10 weeks. To enroll, levels 1 and 5
payments of $1050, non-refundable will be due by April 1, 2026.
The training includes:
Basic principles of Esalen® Massage
Developing the skills of centering, presence, and awareness
Deepening the art of sensing, while both giving and receiving
Attention to connections and addressing the whole Being
Passive movement and three-dimensional touch
Tools and principles for specific areas, e.g., back, shoulders, neck
Energy awareness and interacting with the energy layer of contact
Self-help exercises for practitioners and their clients
Sessions will include one or more of the following:
Shared exercises on and off the massage tables
Paired exercises of hands-on practice
Exercises designed to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others
Body dynamics with written documentation of specified sessions
Cost:
$525 per weekend session. Sessions meet every 4-8 weeks. To enroll, the first and last
payment of $1050, non-refundable will be due by April 1, 2026. To register, contact
Tammy at: tamara.bivin@swic.edu.
After completing the course of instruction, participants will have received complete
instructions and practice in giving an effective Esalen® Massage. To receive an EMBA
Esalen® Massage certificate, each student must complete one full Esalen® Massage
evaluation session on a specific Esalen® Massage Teacher and document 15 additional
non-paid Esalen® Massages, after the course of instruction. In addition, a $150
certification fee must be paid to the Esalen® Massage and Bodywork Association.
This training is for practitioners certified in a massage/bodywork modality by a state-
approved accredited school.
Instructors:
Dean Marson is a Senior Instructor of Esalen® Massage who has been teaching
workshops and trainings at Esalen® Institute and internationally for over 40 years. He
incorporates a variety of somatic methods as well as the essence of yoga and meditation
practices into his eclectic approach to teaching the art of massage.
Deborah Anne Medow is a Senior Instructor of Esalen® Massage and has been practicing
and teaching massage, meditation, movement, yoga, and related healing disciplines at the
Esalen® Institute and internationally since 1969. She enjoys infusing her massage classes
and trainings with a bit of humor, while integrating her varied trainings in and
experiences with bodywork, yoga, dance, and life.
Over the years, both Dean and Deborah have been deeply involved with the development
and evolution of Esalen® Massage and the Esalen® Massage School.
• Suggested viewing:
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