Marie graduated in 2005 from the Bodywork Therapy Program at VSOHA (formerly VSBM). Marie always remained involved with the school and feels very fortunate to be the lead instructor in Swedish Techniques, Integrative Bodywork, Joint Release and Hot Stone Massage.
Marie started her massage career in luxury spa and heli-skiing operations. In 2008 she bought the Sacred Stone Spa in Tofino, BC which she operated until 2013, when she sold her interest. Marie relocated back to Vancouver and to work with Sense Spa, a 5-Star Spa at the Hotel Georgia and to pursue work with private clients.
Marie has continued her training by studying Advanced Shiatsu, Thai, Deep Tissue, Pregnancy Massage and Restorative Yoga. In particular, Marie has become increasingly involved with Deep Flow and is now one of their lead instructors.
As Program Director of the Bodywork Therapy Program Marie wants to ensure the Bodywork Therapy Program continues evolving and meeting demands from an ever-changing spa industry. Her goal is a program that is highly focused and effectively delivered. Read more about Marie at mariesalton.com.
Fernando is a Registered Shiatsu Therapist and a member of the Shiatsu Therapy Association of B.C. As one of Vancouver’s preeminent therapists, he began his practice of Zen Shiatsu (Masunaga style) in 1992. Fernando formerly taught Shiatsu Therapy at Source Point and Langara College. He is a long-standing faculty member at VSOHA teaching Shiatsu level I in the Bodywork Therapy Program, the Weekend Introductory to Shiatsu as well as acting as Program Director and primary instructor of VSOHA‘s 150-hour Shiatsu Program.
Fernando’s unique style combines techniques drawn from traditional Thai Massage and Chi Nei Tsang (international organ massage). After 20+ years, he passionately maintains a thriving practice in Kitsilano where he treats his loyal fan-base of shiatsu converts.
Glynnis is a passionate teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner and published author specializing in the healing arts of Ayurveda, aromatherapy and aromanutrition.
Glynnis has partnered with a women’s herbal collective in Nepal co-creating authentic Ayurvedic self-care products. Her love for natural beauty and the aromatic herbs, spices, and plant essences led Glynnis to create thespicelife.com, offering online learning experiences and products in the arts of aromatic Ayurveda.
Glynnis created the curriculum for and is teaching aromatherapy, Indian head massage and Ayurvedic self-care. She is recently on faculty at Langara College teaching Ayurvedic self-care in the YTT Program.
Nancy began her training in 2001 at the Wellington School of Massage Therapy in New Zealand and continued her education at Touch Therapy Institute in Encino, California where she graduated in 2003. During her massage education, she fell in love with Anatomy and Kinesiology. In her private practice she specialized in Swedish and Deep Tissue massage.
She began teaching both Swedish massage and Kinesiology at Touch Therapy Institute in 2004. For the last 12 years, Nancy has worked in California at the National Holistic Institute, A College of Massage Therapy – one of the top massage schools in the United States. She has taught a wide variety of subjects, but her favorite is still Anatomy and Kinesiology. Having taught Middle School in Arizona from 1986-1990, Nancy realized the importance of teaching to the different learning styles of each student. She has spent the last 6 years at NHI sharing her love of teaching through Teacher Training Workshops and has had the pleasure of helping over 100 massage teachers improve their classroom skills.
Hydrotherapy, Prenatal, Breast Massage, Sports Massage
Sheryl brings a diverse background to her students at VSOHA. Since launching her massage-based practice in Alberta in 1995 she has studied a vast array of modalities and had a variety of professional opportunities. Sheryl taught lymphatic drainage, trigger point therapy, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitated techniques and hydrotherapy in the massage program at Grant MacEwan University for 14 years in Edmonton.
She also holds valuable business and professional knowledge from her experience as the sole proprietor of a women’s healing centre and from her tenure as the continuing education and examination chairperson for the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta. Her current practice in downtown Vancouver focuses on womb healing and sexual awareness and intimacy coaching, where she incorporates a multitude of modalities and shamanic techniques. She also leads on-line and in-person workshops. For more information about her work visit https://www.sheryl-dawn.com.
Rebecca brings her passion for reflexology to the classroom, inspiring students to infuse their bodywork sessions with this gently yet powerful modality.
She is a nationally registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist with Reflexology Association of Canada where she trained in foot and facial reflexology. She is the President of the BC Chapter Board of Directors where she has been serving in various roles since 2017. Her priority in this role is to create opportunities for other therapists across BC to come together in community so that they may learn and grow together.
Rebecca is proud to be an alumni of the VSOHA Bodywork Therapy Program. The skills and well rounded knowledge she gained in the program have been integral to building and maintaining her thriving practice in Vancouver. When she is not teaching or putting her healing skills to work, you will most likely find her in a classroom while she continues to add her tool box. Since graduation she has trained in prenatal massage, deep flow massage, craniosacral techniques, facial and orthopedic reflexology.
A second generation bodyworker and 2011 graduate of Vancouver School of Bodywork & Massage, Mel has had the privilege to work in some of the top boutique spas, wellness centres, and resorts in BC, as well as maintaining their own private bodywork practice. Their bodywork experiences inspired them to go deeper into body-mind wisdom, and today they are a successful relationship coach, working with a somatically grounded and trauma-informed lens, focussed on the needs of the LGBTQI+ community (of which they are a proud member).
Mel has been teaching and coaching for over twenty-five years, and has presented around the world, including speaking at the Trauma Super Conference in 2021. With a background that includes both spa management and entrepreneurship, Mel brings an integrated mind-body approach to both Spa Employment and Self Employment skills.
Mel is a mixed race immigrant-settler, of celtic and MENAHT ancestry, and lives on the unceded territories of the K’omoks First Nation with their elderly cat.
The Body Mind Integration Class at VSOHA inspired Stacey to dive into our Bodywork Therapy Program in January 2011. Upon graduation she continued to stay involved with the school as a TA and Skilled Receiver. We brought Stacey on to teach the class that inspired her to train with us in January 2020 making her our Body Mind Integration Instructor. Stacey soon took on more roles at VSOHA as our Applied Shiatsu Instructor, Instructor of the first segment of our Deep Tissue Module and as our Bodywork Therapy Student Clinic Supervisor.
Stacey has ample experience in high end Spas and Lodges including Island Currents Spa at Sonora Resort, Stone Haven Spa at Scott Lake Lodge, The Spa at Nita Lake Lodge and over the years has also maintained her private practice, Stacey Lynn Lifestyles and Bodywork where she specializes in Breathwork, Functional Movement, Myofascial Release, Joint Mobilization, Stress Reduction and Pain Management.
Stacey has a background in Life coaching which supports her students’ and clients’ in shifting habits and behaviours towards optimal health and well being and has continuing education in Shiatsu, Lomilomi, Structural Alignment, Restorative Bodywork, Tensegrity and Biotensegrity and is also a deeply involved teacher of Deep Flow.
Stacey is very enthusiastic about sharing her years of experience with her students and works closely with our Program Director, Marie Salton, to ensure our students receive continuously updated and high quality education. Learn more about Stacey at www.staceylynn.ca.
