The Academy of Somatic Healing Arts (ASHA) bases its massage training program on a model that can best be described as a generalist’s view of the relationship between spirit, mind, and body. The core of ASHA’s model is the notion that spirit, mind and body are an invisible unity, a continuum.  This concept is not a new one.  In fact, the ancient Greek word “soma” means body, mind and spirit as a unity.  “Soma” is the root for the English word “somatic.”  “Somatic” is the perfect word for the name of our school because it captures the essence of our holistic model of health and wellness.

The healthcare system needs generalists as well as specialists.  The specialist is the one who focuses on the tree.  The generalist understands the forest as a whole.  But, actually, the best solution is for every health practitioner to be a bit of both.  ASHA trains massage therapists to specialize in bodywork in the context of a holistic model.  Our graduates are health care practitioners who understand the spirit-mind-body (forest) while focusing on the structure of the body (tree).

The ASHA model:

1. Spirit is the source of both mind and body.
2. Body, mind and spirit are a continuum; they are united.
3. Mind and body are interdependent; changes in one cause changes in the other.
4. Changes in mood and mental state affect facial expression and body posture and vice versa; mind and body structure are interdependent.
5. Changes in mood and mental state affect the chemistry of every cell in the body simultaneously and vice versa; mind and body chemistry are interdependent. (Psychoneuroimmunology, etc)
6. Changes in muscles affect the organs of the body and vice versa; body structure and chemistry are interdependent.
7. Changes in emotional states affect the body (structurally and chemically) and vice versa; emotions and the body are interdependent.
8. Changes in thinking affect the body (structurally and chemically) and vice versa; thoughts and the body are interdependent.
9. Thoughts and emotions affect each other; thoughts and emotions are interdependent.
10. Every aspect of the mind-body system affects all the other aspects; they are all interdependent.
11. Stress is any internal or external event that requires the mind-body system to expend energy to adapt (to restore balance).
12. The mind-body system has a certain capacity to adapt that varies from person to person and (for each person) from moment to moment.  Awareness, wisdom, intelligence, emotional maturity, structural balance, chemical balance and other factors affect one’s capacity to adapt.
13. When stress overcomes the system’s capacity to adapt, tension or imbalance results that affects the mind and the body.
14. When the system gets rest; becomes more balanced structurally and/or chemically; or becomes more aware, wise or mature; tension releases from the mind and body leading to improved health.