Welcome
School Mission & Philosophy
Educational Program Objectives
A Yoga-Centered Education
Facilities & Learning Resources
Student Services
Staff and Administration

Welcome

The Asheville School of Massage & Yoga is the product of an effort to establish a top-notch school where students can learn the art of massage and bodywork therapy in an environment shaped by yoga, personal growth, and a highly qualified, connected faculty and staff.

As the director of the school, I am committed to maintaining exceptional facilities, qualified and passionate instructors, and an especially unique and comprehensive approach to massage education.

Our one to one student-teacher dynamic, yoga-centered education, quarterly retreats, and beautiful downtown classroom combine to make ASMY a wonderful place to grow career and self in harmony.

Thank you for your interest in our school. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Namaste,

Shala Worsley
Owner and Director
Asheville School of Massage & Yoga

SCHOOL MISSION & PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

The Asheville School of Massage & Yoga believes that a supportive and nurturing environment within the framework of a rigorous course of study is crucial to personal, professional, and academic success. It is the school’s mission to provide a caring place in which students, faculty, staff, and Asheville’s community members can learn and grow in this very special field of study.
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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The school’s primary objective is to provide an academically excellent education in the field of massage and bodywork therapy that will meet and exceed the requirements for the NC state licensing exam. By the end of the 675-hour program, students will be able to:

• Understand the anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and pathology of the human body and be able to apply that understanding to the practice of massage and bodywork therapy.
• Draw from a diverse knowledge of modalities to create effective and individualized massage sequences.
• Feel comfortable and confident applying their skills professionally in a variety of settings.
• Make self-care a priority through the practices of journaling, yoga, movement exercises, nutrition, breathwork, and meditation.
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A Yoga-Centered Education

Yoga is a core element of our program and is incorporated into every course in the curriculum. The ethics of ancient yoga (yamas and niyamas) are similar and complimentary to the modern ethical standards for the massage and bodywork profession. An in-depth study of the yamas and niyamas will strengthen students’ respect and understanding of ethics in their field.

The practice of yoga asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation, will help students to develop a keen sense of body awareness, deepen their understanding of anatomy and kinesiology, learn proper body mechanics for injury prevention, be familiar with stretches to help themselves and their clients with self-care, and hone their ability to focus, ground, and center.

Yoga teaches ethics, proper body mechanics, self-care as a therapist, increases body awareness, and is a valuable tool to help clients both on and off the table. The yoga-centered education offered by the Asheville School of Massage & Yoga is ideal for students who want an introduction to yoga or who appreciate the use of yoga as a teaching tool.
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Description of Facilities & Learning

Resources

Our school is located right in the heart of historic downtown Asheville, around the corner from Malaprop’s Bookstore in the courtyard adjacent to Zambra. The first hour of public parking is free in the Rankin Street and Civic Center parking garages.

Our spacious 1,400-square-foot classroom gives us plenty of room to maneuver around massage tables and to spread out for yoga classes. A small courtyard in front of the school is the perfect place to get fresh air during breaks. The student library in the back of the classroom houses many reference books, periodicals, and audio books to support students as they learn.
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Student Services

The study of massage and bodywork therapy goes hand in hand with personal development. Students are closely monitored by both teachers and an advisor and referred to professional therapists in the community when it is deemed appropriate. Career, academic, and course-related counseling is available to students free of charge.
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Faculty and Staff

Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M., L.Ac. ~ Shiatsu Instructor
Eric holds a Master's of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College.  He graduated from massage school in 1995 and then worked for several years in private massage practice and at the Ayurvedic Institute.  He has completed advanced training in Asian bodywork with Anne Campbell; at the International Training Centre in Bejing; and with Bill Helm, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Chinese massage.  In additon to teaching shiatsu at our school, Eric teaches tui na at Daoist Traditions Acupuncture College.

Rowan Farrell ~ Prenatal, Infant, and Geriatric Massage Instructor
Rowan received her B.F.A. from the Atlanta College of Art then attended The Academy of Somatic Healing Arts in Atlanta, becoming certified in NeuroMuscular, Swedish, and Sports Massage in 1995. She brings a wide knowledge of the human body to her work, having trained as an Emergency Medical Technician, and a Yoga Instructor. Rowan was trained through an extensive six year Apprenticeship in Traditional Holistic Midwifery with emphasis on the Wise Woman Tradition. She assisted in establishing The Matrona Midwifery School in Asheville, NC. You may visit her and her partner at www.wncfunctionalhealth.com.

Bettina Freese ~ Sports Massage/Hydrotherapy Instructor
Bettina’s Practical Nursing Degree and 11 years of experience in gymnastics provide her students with a bank of knowledge about sports massage and hydrotherapy. She enjoys teaching her students how to recognize, treat, and prevent injuries. In her private practice Bettina works mainly with athletes and sports injuries, combining Sports Massage, Ashiastu Oriental Bar Therapy, trigger point therapy, and shiatsu.  She is a 1997 graduate of the UNC Chapel Hill Journalism School.

Conway Weary ~ Somatic Psychology Instructor
Conway graduated from Hollins University with a B.A. in Theatre Arts/Dance and spent many years teaching and choreographing creative movement and modern dance. She is a Certified Hakomi Therapist and has trained in Internal Family Systems. Conway enjoys teaching her students about self-care techniques that are essential in the field of massage. In addition to teaching at our school, Conway shares her passion for the healing potential of touch therapy with clients in her private massage practice.

Evaa Whitley ~ Thai Massage Instructor
Evaa graduated from In Touch Health Services Massage School in 1987. In addition to her long career as a massage therapist, Evaa has over 10 years experience as a teacher of contact improvisational dance, yoga, and meditation. Her casual classroom demeanor will put students at ease as they practice the twisting, playful manuevers of Thai massage.

Cat Matlock - Kinesiology Instructor
Cat holds a BS in Business Administration from SUNY Oswego and a Massage Therapy Certificate from the Florida School of Massage. Her students will benefit from experience she gained during her many years as a certified yoga instructor, dancer, and massage therapist. Cat uses movement, yoga, and creative play as kinesiology teaching tools.

Charlotte Gilreath Behrends ~ Massage Therapy Instructor
Charlotte earned her B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1989 and her teaching certification in 1991. She taught in public schools for seven years before pursuing her massage training and continued to teach for six more years, incorporating yoga in the classroom and offering both massage and yoga to teachers. In the classroom, Charlotte enjoys trouble-shooting specific dysfunctions with deep tissue and trigger point massage, as well as active and passive stretching.

Stephanie Pinkston ~ Massage Therapy Instructor and Supervised Student Clinic
Stephanie has been a massage therapist and yoga instructor since 1998. Her classes are infused with knowledge gained during her experience working with hockey schools, competitive gymnasts, and women’s health organizations. Her delightful and approachable personality will help students feel comfortable and confident in the student clinic setting.

Marion Stone ~ Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology Instructor
Marion received her B.S. at Davidson College in 1989. After working as an outdoor leadership instructor, Marion was introduced to the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and became a certified practitioner in 1996. She completed an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from A-B Tech College and a Certification for Yoga Instruction from the Asheville Yoga Center in 1999. Students will learn about the human body through her hands-on experiential teaching style.

Katie Keyes ~ Swedish Massage Instructor
Katie received her B.A. from UNC-Asheville in 1997 and graduated from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics in 1998. She moved back to NC and opened the Rippling Waters Healing Arts Co-operative in Boone, North Carolina. In 2001 she was certified by the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy, and now she makes and sells her own line of handcrafted aromatic massage oils.

Shala Worsley ~ Director, Yoga/Business/Marketing/Energy Anatomy/Shiatsu Instructor
Shala graduated with Honors in Anthropology from Wesleyan University in 1996. Her life-long interest in multi-cultural and natural forms of healing led her to pursue a career in massage therapy and yoga. Currently she maintains a successful massage practice, is a lead instructor for the Asheville Yoga Center, and directs the School. She is excited to share her dual enthusiasm for massage and yoga with all of her students.
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