When I first came to Texas in 1984 I thought I’d just teach advanced trainings. I started teaching a class out of my apartment on San Gabriel and 29th. It was a group of about 10 students/therapists that included, among others, an interesting young man named, John Conway!
Anyhow, shortly thereafter, I saw a big problem in that it became obvious there was no high quality beginning level training in Austin. So I, and soon John, joined forces with the “Texas School of Massage Studies” started by Sherry Glover.
In 1989 John and I decided to do our own thing – The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School – “TLC” for short. From the start, we wanted to include advanced training. So although at that time Texas only required 250 hours for registration we started with a 700-hour program – a 250 hour “Semester One”, 250 hour “Semester Two” and a 200 hour “Semester Three”. This evolved over the years into the present form where we teach the 500 hour program and then the 256 hour “Advanced Clinical and Integrative Training”, the “A.C.T.” program.
Beyond 500 hours there lives a whole world of knowledge and skill. This enables us to resolve clinical problems and to see how stress and energetics and posture and movement all play a role in the development and resolution of tension, pain syndromes and injury. It helps us equally to fulfill the goal of truly fostering very high levels of bodymind health! As with great movement therapies such as yoga and tai chi – we can free the mind, free the heart, free the body!
On a selfish level I now get to teach (with other advanced faculty here) what I wanted to in the first place — how to integrate structural, clinical, and psychological work with the best of what both eastern and western approaches to bodywork skill and knowledge have to offer. The A.C.T. starts November 5th. You owe it to yourself and your clients to cultivate this higher level of work and knowledge! Here’s the link to more info on the A.C.T. http://www.tlcschool.com/programs/256-hour-advanced-clinical-training/
By the way, when and if John and I ever retire his initial will go first – T.C.L. (as in TiCkLe) – and I will let you in on a big secret! We say we’re going to start a tiny Texas town, call it “Tickletown”, and start a retirement community for old healers and therapists like us! Our slogan will be “COME ON DOWN TO TICKLETOWN!”
Until we start that though, I encourage you to COME ON DOWN TO THE A.C.T. – it’s the best community for advanced learners and therapists in the Southwest!
We’re having a free 3-hour CE on September 16th with me, Jan Hutchinson and Cindy Anderson – three of the main ACT teachers giving info, demonstrations, and discussing the advanced program. Come on down! Register here – http://www.tlcschool.com/about/upcoming-events/