Shelly Smith
Doula-Massage Therapist
Prenatal Massage Therapist
Chi Nei Tsang Practitioner
Natural Therapeutic Specialist
Licensed Massage Therapist
25 years experience
I graduated from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics in 1997. http://nmsnt.org/
I have been practicing as a Natural Therapeutic Specialist and Licensed Massage Therapist for 25 years. The main areas of my Integrated Healing Arts practice are Prenatal, Labor Induction, and Postpartum Massages; and Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Massage with digestive guidance, guided breath work, and energy balancing. I also teach Self-Care and Self-Massage techniques.
Natural Therapeutics uses the traditional modalities of Nature Cure, such as corrective diet and exercises, herbs, hydrotherapy and massage. The philosophy of Nature Cure holds that the body can heal itself with the proper support of natural methods and allowing the body to express imbalance versus suppressing dis-ease. The crux of Natural Therapeutics involves detoxing the body and finding emotional support and balance, discovering the core emotional reasons behind developing a health imbalance. Natural Therapeutics utilizes internal organ and tissue cleansing through methods such as dry brushing, colonics, dry and steam sweating, and advanced use of herbs, supplements and diet to create deeper cleansing in the body. A Natural Therapeutic Specialist may incorporate the use of Flower Essences, Homeopathy and healing energy work such as Polarity Therapy, Core Synchronism or Qi Healing. A Natural Therapeutic Specialist is also given a solid foundation in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine.
After graduating from the NMSNT, I trained as a Colon Hydrotherapist and received advanced training in Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Somatic Archeology - Unearthing Body Trauma, Thai Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Oncology Massage, Ayurvedic Panchakarma Therapies, Aromatherapy, Core Synchronism Levels 1-3, Core Synchronism for the Child Bearing Year and completed a Doula Apprenticeship. I also took courses in Nutrition, Herbalism, and Diabetes Education.
In the second year of my practice, I moved to Arizona to work for a group of Naturopathic Physicians as a colon hydrotherapy, massage, and energy therapist. It was at this point that I began to specialize in digestive issues and abdominal massage. I was lucky to work along side a group of very talented and wise Naturopathic Doctors who treated me like a young apprentice, sharing their knowledge of the healing process and helping me continue on my path of discovering the best practices of Nature Cure. While in AZ, I began my Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Massage studies and continued training and assistant teaching Cranial Sacral Therapy with Vicki Talvi-Cole. I also worked at Miraval Life in Balance Resort as their primary Reflexologist and began teaching Reflexology to the public for self-care and to professional massage therapists.
In 2002, I began working for the Pueblo of Pojoaque as a consultant for creating a Healing Arts Center. I participated in writing a grant to open the Healing Arts at the Pueblo of Pojoaque Wellness Center. When the grant was awarded I became the founding director and the Diabetes Coordinator for the Pueblo of Pojoaque. This was one of the most amazing jobs I had ever had. I was able to work with a small community as well as communities all over NM, with Diabetes Prevention and Natural Health. I introduced massage, acupuncture, Naturopathy, Tai Chi, Yoga and other forms of natural health to my community. I taught adult and children's cooking and diabetes education classes. I even had the opportunity to work several years with toddlers through a WIC and Day Care Program introducing new fruits and vegetables each week. I coordinated local, regional and state wide health fairs, run and exercise events, family fun health activities as well as bringing in Traditional Healers from various countries to share their knowledge and cultural healing. http://www.pojoaquewellness.com/HealingArts.html
In 2005, I moved back to my home state of MD, to support and be near two very ill relatives. While there, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach two semesters of Therapeutic Massage at Allegany College of Maryland, in 2005-2006. My students reminded me that my biggest love is sharing information on natural healing and health. http://www.allegany.edu/x370.xml
In 2007, I moved to Austin, TX. I focus my bodywork on Pregnancy, Labor Induction / Labor Preparation and Postpartum Massage, Chi Nei Tang Abdominal Massage, and integrating massage with energy work. I have over 600 hours in Continuing Education in bodywork, in addition to my initial 750 hour Massage and Natural Therapeutic Specialist program.
In addition to receiving a diploma as a Natural Therapeutics Specialist in 1997 from NMSNT, I received a bachelor's of science in Psychology, from Frostburg State University, graduated in 1992.
http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/
I have been practicing as a Natural Therapeutic Specialist and Licensed Massage Therapist for 25 years. The main areas of my Integrated Healing Arts practice are Prenatal, Labor Induction, and Postpartum Massages; and Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Massage with digestive guidance, guided breath work, and energy balancing. I also teach Self-Care and Self-Massage techniques.
Natural Therapeutics uses the traditional modalities of Nature Cure, such as corrective diet and exercises, herbs, hydrotherapy and massage. The philosophy of Nature Cure holds that the body can heal itself with the proper support of natural methods and allowing the body to express imbalance versus suppressing dis-ease. The crux of Natural Therapeutics involves detoxing the body and finding emotional support and balance, discovering the core emotional reasons behind developing a health imbalance. Natural Therapeutics utilizes internal organ and tissue cleansing through methods such as dry brushing, colonics, dry and steam sweating, and advanced use of herbs, supplements and diet to create deeper cleansing in the body. A Natural Therapeutic Specialist may incorporate the use of Flower Essences, Homeopathy and healing energy work such as Polarity Therapy, Core Synchronism or Qi Healing. A Natural Therapeutic Specialist is also given a solid foundation in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine.
After graduating from the NMSNT, I trained as a Colon Hydrotherapist and received advanced training in Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Somatic Archeology - Unearthing Body Trauma, Thai Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Oncology Massage, Ayurvedic Panchakarma Therapies, Aromatherapy, Core Synchronism Levels 1-3, Core Synchronism for the Child Bearing Year and completed a Doula Apprenticeship. I also took courses in Nutrition, Herbalism, and Diabetes Education.
In the second year of my practice, I moved to Arizona to work for a group of Naturopathic Physicians as a colon hydrotherapy, massage, and energy therapist. It was at this point that I began to specialize in digestive issues and abdominal massage. I was lucky to work along side a group of very talented and wise Naturopathic Doctors who treated me like a young apprentice, sharing their knowledge of the healing process and helping me continue on my path of discovering the best practices of Nature Cure. While in AZ, I began my Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Massage studies and continued training and assistant teaching Cranial Sacral Therapy with Vicki Talvi-Cole. I also worked at Miraval Life in Balance Resort as their primary Reflexologist and began teaching Reflexology to the public for self-care and to professional massage therapists.
In 2002, I began working for the Pueblo of Pojoaque as a consultant for creating a Healing Arts Center. I participated in writing a grant to open the Healing Arts at the Pueblo of Pojoaque Wellness Center. When the grant was awarded I became the founding director and the Diabetes Coordinator for the Pueblo of Pojoaque. This was one of the most amazing jobs I had ever had. I was able to work with a small community as well as communities all over NM, with Diabetes Prevention and Natural Health. I introduced massage, acupuncture, Naturopathy, Tai Chi, Yoga and other forms of natural health to my community. I taught adult and children's cooking and diabetes education classes. I even had the opportunity to work several years with toddlers through a WIC and Day Care Program introducing new fruits and vegetables each week. I coordinated local, regional and state wide health fairs, run and exercise events, family fun health activities as well as bringing in Traditional Healers from various countries to share their knowledge and cultural healing. http://www.pojoaquewellness.com/HealingArts.html
In 2005, I moved back to my home state of MD, to support and be near two very ill relatives. While there, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach two semesters of Therapeutic Massage at Allegany College of Maryland, in 2005-2006. My students reminded me that my biggest love is sharing information on natural healing and health. http://www.allegany.edu/x370.xml
In 2007, I moved to Austin, TX. I focus my bodywork on Pregnancy, Labor Induction / Labor Preparation and Postpartum Massage, Chi Nei Tang Abdominal Massage, and integrating massage with energy work. I have over 600 hours in Continuing Education in bodywork, in addition to my initial 750 hour Massage and Natural Therapeutic Specialist program.
In addition to receiving a diploma as a Natural Therapeutics Specialist in 1997 from NMSNT, I received a bachelor's of science in Psychology, from Frostburg State University, graduated in 1992.
http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/