On June 5-7, BTI is honored to again sponsor an Introduction to Traditional Hawaiian Healing Arts with S. Pualani Gillespie. This three-day workshop (open to the public) is a rare opportunity to experience a living tradition that will inform and deeply inspire you.

“Aunty Pua” Gillespie, raised in the Hawaiian culture as a young child, learned the concepts of Hawaiian dance, chant and massage from her family. Her lifelong career as a Registered Nurse Practitioner, and always a student of the healing arts, Aunty Pua was a patient and student of Aunty Margaret Machado (pioneer of Lomilimi massage) since 1989. Following her retirement from the field of Nursing in 1997, Aunty Pua began a full-time massage career and eventually returned to the Big Island of Hawaii in 2001 when she began teaching with the Machado family at their Beach house on Kealakekua Bay.

Since the passing of Aunty Margaret in 2009, Aunty Pua has continued to teach the sacred principles of Aunty Margaret as well as share the Traditional Bodywork principles with students from six continents. She feels it is her gift and mission to keep the traditional healing message alive and share the true meaning of Aloha with her colleagues in the healing arts family. In addition to her work in these traditional realms, she serves as a member of the AMTA National Board of Directors, and is dedicated to the process of bringing massage therapy into the domain of integrative healthcare.

In this unique workshop, you will learn about the teachings of the ancient Hawaiian Healing Arts that date back to the 16th century as Magellan documented them in his ship’s logs as he sailed through Polynesia. It is an opportunity to discover the True Heart of the Hawaiian Spirit of Aloha – the “living water” of unconditional love and acceptance that is the foundation for healing.

These methods have been carried forward in an unbroken chain and are still used today by the Kupuna (elders) from Hawaii Island (also known as the Big Island).

You will experience the flow of healing water – Mana Wai Ola – through Chant, Body Stretching and Lomilomi Massage – techniques that have been carefully handed down through the Hawaiian families and have survived the Western influence of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Traditional Hawaiian Healing Practices are rarely shared outside the Hawaiian Islands – and are not found on DVDs or in social media as they are sacred and respectful of the culture.

The sacred principles of Pule, Ho`oponopono and Aloha as taught by the legendary Aunty Margaret Machado (1916-2009) will be shared with the permission of the Machado family.

This workshop will include ceremony, instruction in bodytherapy, as well as time for reflection and spiritual integration. These experiences will combine to enrich you with a balance of mind-body surrounded by unconditional love and acceptance. You will leave with a new enlightenment and spirit to bring to your practice as well as life-changing principles to use as you walk your daily path.

NOTE: This is the only North American workshop being taught this year by Aunty Pua. The photos shown here were taken at last year’s workshop at BTI.

Contact the BTI Office at 919-663-3111 to register for this workshop, or use the secure Registration Form on this website.

The results are in… 44 of 45 BTI graduates who took the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) in 2013 passed that test! This 98% pass rate compares to a 2013 pass rate of 79% for all North Carolina massage schools, and only 72% for all schools in the country.

Since the inception of the MBLEx in 2008, BTI grads have maintained an amazing 98% pass rate, with 227 out of 232 students passing this important test for state licensure on the first try! What is the secret for this success?

It’s a combination of factors: superbly qualified teachers and academic support staff, a well-designed curriculum that exceeds the scope of the exam, and highly-motivated students. In addition, BTI only admits students into the Massage Therapy Diploma Program who are deemed to have the resources necessary to succeed in the profession.

We are extremely proud of our faculty, staff and students for maintaining such a high level of achievement. It’s all part of our commitment to providing Learning that Changes Lives!

The MBLEx was developed, and is administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards on behalf of the state massage boards which comprise that organization. It is the only examination accepted for licensure by the NC Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy.

BTI is excited to collaborate with leading clinicians and researchers from Duke Integrative Medicine to help members of the massage therapy community gain the knowledge and skills to participate in research. You’ll also learn strategies for collaborating with doctors and other health care providers in a wide range of treatment environments.

Right use of power and influence is at the very heart of ethics. This approach focuses on the relational dynamics that bring ethics to life. Engaging both heart and mind, core concepts include grounding in a felt sense of both sides of the power differential, exploration of power parameters, and working with practical processes for resolving difficulties in the client/therapist relationship.

This work is based on a new paradigm in craniosacral therapy called cardiopathy. This approach uses delicate palpation skills to feel the health of the heart and vascular system in one’s self and the client with Primary Respiration and stillness. In this class, students will learn how to blend all previous learning in craniosacral therapy for the most effective treatment for the client.

Get an insider’s perspective on what it is like to work in high-volume massage therapy settings like franchises, spas and destination resorts – where the emphasis is on maximizing customer satisfaction and repeat business. We’ll examine the upsides and downsides, so you’ll be better prepared to seek employment, or to get more out of your existing job.

We’re very happy to share this new site with you! It features a wider page width for readability, and a streamlined navigation structure for ease of use. Every page has a main set of links in the header, along with a set of footer links. The links in the main nav bar have drop-down menus that will take you wherever you want to go within the site. You can see how it’s all organized by visiting the Site Map.

Here is a list of the main sections, and the pages you’ll find under each one:

DIPLOMA PROGRAM: Everything you need to know about BTI’s renowned Massage Therapy Diploma Program, including the Five Easy Steps to Enrollment, the BTI Introductory Massage Workshop, Financial Aid Overview, How to Choose a Massage School, and The BTI Difference.

CONTINUING EDUCATION: A complete listing of the continuing education workshops and advanced trainings offered at BTI. You can search for programs on two different pages: Workshops by Month, and Workshops by Category. There’s also a special section for Teacher Training, offered by the Center for Embodied Teacher Education.

Click on the workshop title to visit a dedicated page for each workshop, containing a complete course description and presenter bio.

Be sure to take advantage of the 10% Early Registration Discount for all 2014 courses at BTI (offer good through 2/15/14). You can register online using our secure page.

ABOUT BTI: In this section, you can see our Accreditation and Approvals, get the answers to Frequently Asked Questions, learn about the 30-year history of BTI, and watch some videos of BTI and massage techniques.

PEOPLE: Get to know our dedicated Faculty and Staff, read some very inspiring Testimonials from graduates of BTI, and see the composition of our Student Body and photos of past classes from the Diploma Program.

PLACE: Discover the beauty of our country campus at South Wind Farm, get a precise set of Driving Directions to our location, view two different Slide Shows on the school and campus, and see the diverse range of flora and fauna here through a Field Guide to South Wind Farm.

RESOURCES: Look here if you want to Contact BTI or book an appointment in our Student Massage Clinic. With the premiere of our new site, we are opening up the BTI Resource Bank for use by the entire massage and bodywork community. You’ll find information on Jobs, Treatment Spaces for Rent, Volunteer Opportunities and More! This section also includes an extensive page of Articles by some of the leading authors, educators and clinicians in our field.

CATALOG REQUESTS: If you want to receive a Diploma Program catalog, just fill out the form on the sidebar of the homepage or one of the pages under the Diploma Program section. You can request a catalog and application for The Spirit of Learning® Teacher Certification Program by completing the form on the sidebar on any of the pages under the Center for Embodied Teacher Education.

Be sure to update any Bookmarks or Favorites you have in your browser to the previous BTI website, as all page URL’s have changed. When in doubt, just go to our homepage at www.bti.edu and use the new navigation links.

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For the tech-curious: our new site is built on a WordPress CMS platform. We worked with AS Designs & Services of Hilo, Hawaii on the site development. If you encounter any problems with the site, email a description to us at info@bti.edu.

It’s your chance to save big! Get a 10% DISCOUNT on the cost of ALL 2014 continuing education workshops and advanced trainings at BTI. Just register and pay the full fee by February 15, 2014. When you register on this website, the 10% discount will automatically be applied by the BTI Office. You may also call BTI at 919-663-3111 to sign up.

Saturday, October 31 at BTI | 1:00-4:00pm
with John McKelvey, MS, LMBT

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Learn how to expand your practice and provide new therapeutic benefits to your clients!

This FREE class will provide an overview of the integrative approach to structural bodywork that is presented in a graduate-level training program at BTI each year.

Lead instructor John McKelvey will introduce you to the hands-on techniques used in this method, the optimal body mechanics that make the work easier on you, and the bodyreading skills that help you design the most effective session strategies.

In addition, you’ll learn about the Core Somatic Functions of Ground, Center, Breath and Contact, and how they can dramatically improve therapeutic outcomes for the client — as well as increase your own sense of well-being in the work.

This FREE class is only for currently licensed massage and bodywork therapists. Limited to 32 participants; registration is first-come, first-served.

To sign up, call the BTI Office at 919-663-3111, or email info@bti.edu with your name, address, phone and state license number.

Those who attend will receive a certificate of attendance, with documentation of 3 hours of continuing education credit that can be applied to license renewal.

BTI’s next Advanced Myofascial Therapy Certification Program begins December 1, 2015. Click here for the complete program description and Registration Form.

FREE 3-hour class for LMBTs! Expand your practice and provide new therapeutic benefits to your clients! This class will provide an overview of the integrative approach to structural bodywork that is presented in a graduate-level certification program at BTI each year. Participants will receive 3 contact hours of CE credit for license renewal.