Stone Waters Massage: Mission Statement

Excerpt from the Interview with Eliana & Slaven Trinaistic of Stone Waters Massage Education

What makes your massage school different than the rest?

Well, as we have mentioned previously – it is the combination of styles and techniques we apply that makes us truly unique. Being therapists ourselves, we have great concern about how practitioners use their bodies and their life energy, and we try to work with the Chi while gaining an increased awareness of body ergonomics and breathing.

Providing therapy for someone in need is a sort of karma yoga practice too and it can bring health and joy if the Chi is used in a mindful and balanced way. We are also approved in all Canadian provinces, most European countries which makes us the most universally recognized Canadian hot stone therapy training option.

At the moment, we are also engaged in establishing a similar level and format of training in Eastern and Southern Europe.

How long is your massage program(s), and what kind of commitment is required?

We realized long ago that massage therapists are busy professionals, and the type of knowledge they use best is mostly kinesthetic. Therefore, our courses are short –  one, two, or 2.5 days at most – with some additional home work so as to accumulate the number of hours required by a variety of Massage Colleges. In terms of commitment, it does require some discipline because it is a partially self-directed learning, although there is usually an 8-month deadline for submissions to be completed and certificates to be issued.

Do you have a program for international students of massage?

At the moment we do not accommodate international students in Toronto, but in summer we go to Europe (Croatia) to teach and to continue working toward establishing an international massage therapy centre.

As a matter of fact, thissummer (September 2007) we are organizing a massage therapy retreat that will qualify for CEUs and provide an opportunity to travel and learn near the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. More details are on our web-site  too.

And finally, in your opinion, what makes a good massage therapist or massage practitioner?

The ability to embrace our own humanity is the condition necessary for us to grow as therapists.  The etymology of the word “therapist” suggests someone “who walks with me”. The pace of walk and life changes quickly, and we as therapists are not always able to either follow “the walker” (client) or lead him/her if required, or even to be compassionate and patient enough to wait for change to happen. However, we can try our best, and in this constant effort of trying our best while being humanly as much as we can be, we sometimes experience and witness truly amazing moments. When healing happens to someone, part of me will be healed too.