Our People

The Academy Faculty

Mentoring Mindful Practice

At the Academy, you will receive hands-on training from nationally recognized experts in the field of bodywork. The faculty has an average tenure at the school of over ten years. Not only are they specialists in their prospective fields, but they are also practicing bodyworkers bringing into the classroom their experience in private practice, spas, resorts and hotels. The value of their collective knowledge and expertise will be brought to bear as they guide you through your studies.

	Amadea Morningstar, RPP, RPE Energetic Nutrition, Polarity, Stretching Postures “Why not integrate polarity, yoga, and healing food into your life?” Amadea loves to teach about nutrition and polarity therapy; she is the author of The Ayurvedic Guide to Polarity Therapy, The Ayurvedic Cookbook (with Urmila Desai), Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners and other works. She integrates a Western perspective–BS (nutrition), MA (counseling)–with an Eastern one, as a student of Tibetan Buddhism and yoga. See www.AyurvedaPolarityYoga.com and www.amadeamorningstar.com.
	Bernard Treynet, LMT, RMTI Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Intuitive Massage “There is an aspect to massage that fascinates me…when I become present I’m getting in touch with some kind of energy that has nothing to do with me. And at that point something really wonderful happens.” Bernard Treynet has taught Swedish Massage and Intuitive Bodywork at the Academy since 1991. He has a private massage practice in Las Vegas and Santa Fe and is a Master Massage Therapist at a local spa. Prior to his career in the healing arts, Bernard was a sculptor of stone and exotic woods showing in several Santa Fe galleries.
	Carla Cross, LMT Professional Ethics, Business Carla works with small business owners to develop and organize their businesses. She is dedicated to helping students create a successful and balanced career in the bodywork field. Her experience includes over 20 years of private practice in massage incorporating Hakomi Therapy. She has taught massage, anatomy and physiology and communication skills as well as business. Carla also provides bookkeeping and tax preparation services.
	Christina Montes de Oca, BA, LMT Ortho-Bionomy®, Communications/Trauma Theory “Ortho-Bionomy has taught me to trust the deep resources and self-healing capacity within us and to recognize dynamic, respectful interrelationship as a medium in which healing can flourish.” Christina began teaching and private practice in the healing arts in 1982. In addition to Ortho-Bionomy and Massage, she is trained in Tai Chi and other Chinese internal arts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. A co-founder of the NMAHA Ortho-Bionomy Programs, she teaches Ortho-Bionomy throughout the United States and in New Zealand and Australia, working with both Practitioner and Instructor trainees.
	Daniel Cobb, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, MSOM Physiology “Nutrition is the best medicine.” Daniel graduated from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in 2002, and after getting his license has had a private practice in Santa Fe. Daniel teaches the Physiology/Pathology course at NMAHA and the Anatomy and Physiology course at Southwest Acupuncture College. His strength is the nutritional treatment of chronic conditions. He has taken the Gerson Cancer Institute training and taken referrals from them. His publications include a book on reversing heart disease, and articles in Well Being Journal and the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.
	Etienne Peirsman Master Craniosacral Therapist “The techniques are the most simple that exist. You lay your hand on the body and if that body moves, you move along with it, and if it doesn’t move, then you don’t move but rather, you wait till the movement happens. This is the basis: respect for what the body is telling you and the trust that the body develops because of that respect.” Etienne Piersman has been a certified craniosacral therapist for over fifteen years. He has taught craniosacral therapy at the Multiversity Amsterdam since 1997 and regularly teaches throughout Belgium, Holland and South Africa. In North America, Etienne offers his 700 hour certification course of study only at the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts He and his wife reside in Antwerp, Belgium and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
	Jeffrey Thompson, LMT, RMTI Body Mechanics, Medical Massage, Physiology, Kinesiology “In order to do what you want you must first understand what you do.” Jeffrey has taught Massage, Anatomy & Physiology and Body Mechanics since 1998. He maintains a private practice in Santa Fe, where he works with the Feldenkrais Method of movement education, Deep Tissue massage and Thai Massage. Jeffrey has additional training in Medical Massage, Lomi-Lomi Massage and Myofascial Release.
	Jim Williams, MAR, NMAR Reflexology, Ethics “The more I practice, the greater my appreciation and respect for the potential and efficacy of reflexology grows. I consider it an honor to represent and promote this noble therapy.” Jim is a certified Reflexologist who qualified in London, England in 1997. He is also a schoolteacher with 30 years experience, and has lived and taught in Mexico, Japan, England and the United States. Over the past 10 years, Jim has established his practice in Santa Fe and taught numerous short courses at the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts. He has a great affinity for reflexology, and hopes to impart his knowledge and interest in this field to as many people as possible.
	Shanna Marsh-Martinez, MA, RPE, RPP Somatic Polarity “I love teaching Polarity! It is so exciting to witness the blossoming of each student throughout the course. I am honored to be a part of the teaching and the polarity profession.” A former public school educator, Shanna now brings her practical, passionate, and playful approach to all learning arenas. She also practices Polarity and Cranial Sacral therapy in her private practice in Santa Fe, NM.
	Soleil, LMT Massage Therapy “There are few things in life that a good 5 minute shimmy can’t cure!” Soleil is a Massage and Polarity graduate of the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts. His diverse baskground in performance, dance and healing arts lends itself to a deep somatic awareness which he authentically integrates into his teaching style and theraputic bodywork practice.
	Susan “Tanya” Leherissey, NTS, LMT, RMTI Meridian Theory “Ancient Taoism arose from an earth based culture which understood the human body as a chi filled landscape, like the earth it is mountains, woods, plains and sea.” For more than ten years, Tanya has studied and practiced Japanese and Chinese Meridian Therapy. She delights in exploring how nature expresses the ancient Five Element Theory in real people with real imbalances. With more than eight years of teaching experience, Tanya offers the student a practical style of Shiatsu with an understanding of chi movement and balance in the body.
	Todd Strimple, LMT Education Assistant “Health is wealth.” Todd has practiced massage since 2003. He practices massage privately in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he pursues Zen Shiatsu and Deep Tissue. Todd has also studied myofascial release, energy work, and the energetics of nutrition.
	Ursula Hofer, LPC, LMT Ortho-Bionomy “I love Ortho-Bionomy because the principles go beyond the classroom and into everyday life. We learn to honor the intelligence in all things. This kind of understanding allows an authentic relationship to evolve between ourselves and everything and everyone around us.” For over 22 years, Ursula has taught classes and workshops in Ortho-Bionomy. She is the co-founder of the Ortho-Bionomy Certification Programs at the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts. A core faculty member with NMAHA since 1984, Ursula travels throughout the United States to teach Ortho-Bionomy and train new Ortho-Bionomy instructors. For the last 10 years one of her main interests has been working with trauma release through the body. Her private practice in Santa Fe, NM includes Ortho-Bionomy and Trauma work.
	Val Morningstar – LMT, RMI Clinic Supervisor, Clinic Training Class, Communication & Ethics Class “Often the body speaks that which the mind cannot.” “I am honored to assist the student therapists in honing their skills in the Clinic setting. This educational opportunity sheds light on their body mechanics, new strokes learned in class, time awareness, smooth transitions, and bringing it all together in a professional environment. I share my gift of attending to all aspects of our Being.” Val has created a spa business in Taos, taught Sacred Stone Massage at several spas in Santa Fe, and taught massage at UNM – Taos branch for 3 years. She has been in private practice since 1986 and created Spiralpath Awareness- a mind – body – emotion integrated bodywork. Val brings 25 years of experience in chiropractic offices, spas, wellness centers & specialized for 11 years in a residential alcohol & drug treatment center. For more info visit my website: www.morningstarhealing.net
	Vicki Hawse, BA, LMT, RMTI Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Medical Massage, Thai Massage “I enjoy the sense of exploration, intimacy, and wonder at the possibilities of touch and the human connection.” Vicki incorporates Deep Tissue, Craniosacral and Structural Massage. She has been practicing Massage Therapy since 1999, became a massage instructor in 2003. Since 2005, Vicki has begun to incorporate orthopedic massage, with a focus on structural balancing into the massage classroom. She has been employed at Santa Fe’s Ten Thousand Waves spa since 2004. Vicki also has training in Elementary Education and experience as a Peace Corps volunteer.