Introduction to Massage, A Group Class

When: Tuesdays, May 3, 10, 17 and 24th, 5:30-8:45pm (if you plan to miss any classes, please give Olandra advanced notification)

Where: Near the Bywater neighborhood. Address given at registration. At a private residence. There are cats at the residence (heads up for those of you with allergies).

About the class: Hi! My name is Olandra, and I am so excited to be offering a community centered massage class. You can learn more about me here. I love the work that I do and I want to share it with you! I believe that healing, compassionate, relaxing, therapeutic touch isn’t something that only professionals can develop. I think it is innate to being human and a beautiful thing to share among friends, family members, partners and community members. Offering the gift of touch can be just as rewarding as receiving it, and I want to cultivate a space for anyone wanting to share more touch in their lives to enjoy and develop their innate ability to bring comfort and joy to the people in their life (and themselves!). I’m excited to share with you what I have learned in my personal journey and learn from each one of you how touch moves through and from you.

Each class will be three hours long with an additional 15 min for set up/break down. Classes will begin with a review of anatomy or core bodywork teachings, a demonstration by me, and then time for each class member to both give and receive a massage. While learning will occur, my hope is that this class also functions as a refuge within your week to enjoy a relaxing massage, meet other caring individuals, and feel rejuvenated in community.

Students will pair randomly with other members of class during practice time. No partner required! Each week you’ll work with a new partner to feel a new body and receive from a new person. I recommend trading partners so you can have these experiences, but anyone who would prefer to only trade with a person they register with will be welcome to do so.

Values:

Consent, respect and communication: Massage sessions are an amazing place to practice asking for what we want, asserting what we don’t want, and learning the verbal and non-verbal cues of keeping the people we interact with feeling safe and cared for. Classmates will always be able to undress (or not) to their level of comfort when receiving massage.

Compassion and non-judgement: Giving and receiving bodywork can be an empowering, peaceful, vulnerable, new, or familiar experience for people…and so much more! My goal is to create a safe place to experience touch in new ways and to process those experiences without judgement for ourselves or others. When in doubt, our core tenant will be compassion for ourselves and others as we embark on this work together.

Trauma Informed: Our bodies often hold past, unresolved experiences that were significant to us. This can look like reconnecting with meaningful and joyful parts or memories of ourselves, or having unhealed wounds and challenging past memories emerge with associated emotions. All of this is ok, and can be a powerful component of personal healing. If you anticipate or experience aspects of past trauma moving through our time together, please reach out to me so we can make sure you have the support you need to have a positive experience overall.

Inclusivity: This class will respect people of all backgrounds, you are welcome here! There will be time before the first class to share gender pronouns or ask for anything else you need to feel comfortable and welcomed.

Fun: Whatever brings you to class, my hope is that we enjoy our time together. Laughter and community will always be the best medicine.

Cost: Sliding scale $120-$180 (no questions asked, I want this group to feel accessible to people). If finances are a hinderance to your attendance, please reach out privately to discuss payment plans, possible bartering or scholarship options.

Registration: Class will be limited to 8 students. I ask that all students commit to the full 4 weeks to keep class attendance even. If you anticipate missing a class, please let me know! Your registration is not complete until you fill out the form below AND I receive your payment. Payment is accepted by Zelle, cash, or check. If these options aren’t available to you, Venmo (to friends and family) or PayPal (to friends and family) also work. For the online payment options, you can find me with my phone number or email: (530)277-9680 olandrali@gmail.com, Venmo handle: @olandra-li. Zelle lists my name as “Kate Lickter”

Covid Protocols: I will be following parish guidelines for masking/vaccinating in group settings. Currently, I will not be requiring masks to be worn, nor will I be checking vaccination status. If parish requirements change due to future outbreaks, I will follow those guidelines and require students to do the same. Students are welcome to wear a mask and ask their trade partner to wear a mask while working with them and/or open a window near their table (weather allowing). Pairs can also request to have a Hepa Air Purifier put next to their table during the session. I’ll have my whole house fan running as well which has the highest level filtration available to private residences. If you have a known exposure or any symptoms of covid (or anything else contagious) I ask that you stay home from class. Thank you for helping keep everyone healthy!