ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Founder and Managing Partner of Rasa Spa Rachel Hogancamp is opening the Living Essence Massage Institute (LEMI) just south of the Village of Trumansburg.

Located at 1891 State Route 96, the institute will be located in what was formerly a preschool with about ten acres of land. Hogancamp says the school will fill a need the Finger Lakes has had for the last 5 years that was created by a perfect storm of schools closing, Covid-19 hitting, and people being weary of one-one-one contact as a result of it.

“Private practices became more digestible for people than spas were during the pandemic, and recruiting massage therapists became increasingly difficult because the lack of schools meant fewer people had the 1,000-hour licensure that we require for our therapists. LEMI will help to address the lack in access to education in the area and build on an already strong foundation of teachers and massage therapists,” says Hogancamp.

Hogancamp assembled a team of other educators and bodyworkers in January of 2022 to begin writing curriculum. After working with another regional institution, the team engaged in talks with Ithaca College, TC3, and TST BOCES to see about a local option. Ultimately the team landed on creating a stand-alone school. From there, adjusting the curriculum, finding a location, and getting approval from New York State were on the agenda. Now, the inaugural class is set to start this September.

LEMI Logo, courtesy of Rachel Hogancamp.

The 1,000-hour Massage Therapy Certification Program is layered with different types of curriculum, including half hands-on training and half science-based training. Students will give and receive massages everyday while also building a strong foundation in biological sciences. The school will offer rolling admissions, meaning that classes will repeat and give students the chance to build on fundamentals they learned in the beginning of their education.

“Always having a beginner’s mind and keeping teaching heart-centered and holistic is a goal of ours. As part of our commitment to a highly individualized education and a deep level of mentorship, enrollment is limited to 24 full-time students per cohort or graduating class. A small class ensures both accessibility in learning, and immediate transferability of skills to real-world practice.”

Hogancamp believes that providing more opportunity for people to learn about body work and healing is needed, especially in the Finger Lakes region.

“I haven’t met anyone who was a massage therapy student that regretted it, they always get something out of it and go through some form of self-discovery. ‘Discover the healing power within’ is something we’ll emphasize throughout instruction to encourage students to realize their capabilities. Having such a strong community of massage therapists and teachers in the state as well as locally, it’ll be nice to bring more energy into that world and hopefully draw people from all over the state.”

To learn more about the Living Essence Massage Institute and how to enroll, visit their website here.