• January 22 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• February 12 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• March 12 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• April 9 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• May 7 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• June 11 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• July 9 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• August 6 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• September 10 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• October 8 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm
• November 12 (Saturday) 11am - 5pm

The following is a list of currently scheduled classes.  This class is a two-day class worth 12 CE hours.  Each class (unless otherwise marked) currently has a status of 'Scheduled'.  This means that a date has been set, but no one has signed up for it yet.  Once a deposit has been received for a class, the status will be 'Confirmed'.  The current schedule is as follows:

• May 14th - May 15th  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)   

• August 13th - August 14th  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm) 

Note: Check with the hotel for special room rates.

Body Mechanics and Advanced Techniques for Massage Therapists is designed to reconnect the massage therapist with proper body mechanics and techniques showing how to work without hurting oneself and how to apply deep pressure with little effort.  The class being part lecture, part hands-on practice uses theory, stances, centering, and the proper use of body strength from martial arts and applies them to the art of massage therapy.  Students will learn how to focus their energies and use their body to do deep work with less effort and not get hurt.  This class will help anyone to work deeply with less effort no matter if one is 90 pounds or 250 pounds.  This class is for both the seasoned therapist and the new therapist.  It will show moves everyone is familiar with, but in a new light as well as moves many people may not have seen before (which have been taken from Lomi Lomi, Esalen, and other styles).  The idea is not to dictate how to practice, but to show better body mechanics which the therapist can adapt to what they do.  This is true whether they adapt all of it or just part of it.

Empath.  Being an empath.  What is it?  What should it be?  Here's something that will surprise you.  Empathy is just a diagnostic tool. 

First off, let's cover some basics.  An empath is a person that can sense other's emotions.  Think Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation...  "Captain, I feel fear.  I feel anger.  I feel... bad script writing." 

Now while science fiction writers like to imbue their characters with mega-power, in real life it usually doesn't happen that way.  Most empaths can feel other's emotions, but not to this level.  Ever walk into a room where everyone was upset?  How long did you stay there before you were upset, or had a headache?  Ever walk into a room where everyone was happy.  Felt good, didn't it?

All too many empaths feel these emotions, but do not know if they are their emotions, or someone else's.  It is like looking at everything you are feeling and asking if there is a reason to feel this way.  I do it way more than I like to, as do many others I know.  So while it may sound sexy, it is a real pain in the backside.  We don't necessarily know if we are taking on someone else's emotions and reacting to them like they are our own.  In fact, it is a real issue for therapists not to take on their client's problems. 

Many people that are empaths get into the holistic healing modalities.  They become massage therapists, counselors, and more.  But here is what I was told...

Empathy is there to know what someone is feeling, but so you can act from a point of strength.  It does no good for an empath to take on someone else's emotions and wallow in what they are feeling (to wallow in their pain or sadness).  It is there so you can help them and be strong for them.  Being an empath is like doing a diagnostic test.  You see what is going on, learn from it, and treat with this information in mind.  The person that takes your blood, a phlebotomist (and I'm sure you're surprised I know that) does not take on the blood. 

Think about it.  Empaths all too often take on their client's problems.  Instead, they should be looking at what they are picking up, letting it go, and then treating based on what they learned.  It is a hard thing, but it is where we need to be. 

As I sit here on New Year's Day, I wonder about the promise of the year to come.  And right now, the year is full of promise, and more importantly... hope. 

At the stroke of midnight, I looked at the last year, all the things that happened right, and all the things that went wrong.  I started the year, as I am starting this year, as we all do.  We make promises we call resolutions.  We look forward to what is to come.  But as the year goes on, we lose our promises, and our outlook changes.  Things change.  We saw changes last year, and will again this year.

But right now, things are fresh and new.  I say goodbye to the problems of the previous year.  I welcome the new year and the promise it brings.  I feel the energies that this day brings, and I file them away, knowing I will be bringing them out from time to time to remember their feel.  This way I can keep the promise with me as the year changes.  This way, the promise will continue throughout the year. 

I sit here and look at the challenges of the year to come, knowing that they will be faced and overcome.  This year will be one of growth, personally, professionally, and spiritually.  I look forward to it, and hope everyone else does as well. 

Here's wishing everyone a happy new year and hoping that you keep the promise of this day with you throughout the year.

At Caring Palms, we pledge to do the best work we can at every session.  We not only do this to continue to earn your business, but because we believe that you deserve the best care possible every time you are here.  This is true whether it is massage, or energy work, or classes.  This is our promise.  This is what we will continue to do.