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Arizona School of Medical Massage and Wellness now open in Peoria

Posted 9/6/22

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Arizona School of Medical Massage and Wellness now open in Peoria

Posted

Interested in massage therapy?

An outcome-based massage therapy program with a focus on specialty populations is coming to Peoria.

Arizona School of Medical Massage and Wellness is now open for enrollment, with the start to the inaugural 700-hour, 9-month massage therapist hybrid licensing program, Sept. 27.

Owner Tammy Roecker said students can graduate from the program and become either an employee or an entrepreneur with one-on-one attention in hands-on techniques and mentorship as they grow and start their own businesses.

Roecker said the business has three LMTs, and a psychologist looking for new clients. Other needs include a chiropractor, acupuncturist, nutritionist, a physical therapist or anyone else who can promote wellness.

She is also promoting continuing education classes to healthcare professionals who need hours to keep up their license, as well as other community classes available to serve the public.

“When and why I started my business/employment here, there were no programs of this kind in the West Valley. The closest are Mesa and Chandler,” she said.

Get to know Roecker more here.

Age: 54

Business name: Arizona School of Medical Massage and Wellness

Town/neighborhood: Peoria

Hours of operation: ASMMW school hours will be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.  Additional information can be found on the Wellness tab of the website. The continuing education center is open Friday-Monday, varied hours, offering CE to LMTs and other healthcare professionals.

Personal background highlights: Originally from West Bend, Wisconsin. Moved to Arizona in 1987. Love the outdoors, fishing, mountain biking, scuba diving, hiking, and used to love Brazillian Juijitsu but I’ve been out of it for a while. I used to do off-road triathlons and lift weights, not so much lately, but hoping to get back in shape soon.

Professional background highlights: President of the Arizona School of Medical Massage and Wellness, LLC, newly established, and licensed by the Arizona Private Post-Secondary School Board #NAV-01728. I have been a self-employed, Arizona State Licensed Massage Therapist, NCBTMB Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and an active member of the American Massage Therapy Association for 30 years. Achieved the credential CMBE (Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator) and was honored as the AFMTE’s (Alliance for Massage Therapy Education) 2019 Continuing Education Provider-Educator of the Year. I have provided continuing education for 15 years to not only licensed massage therapists, but also RNs, OTs, PTs, LCSWs, and other healthcare professionals, and currently has many classes with a wide variety of subjects available at ASMMW’s CE Center.

I have additional certifications in Pre/Peri-Natal Massage, Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator, International Infant Massage Instructor and Trainer, and a Certified Personal Trainer with extra training in Perinatal and Geriatric Fitness.

I founded the Early Bonding Foundation and serves as the president of the nonprofit. I have provided many workshops with grants and fundraising which helped to train Native Health-Phoenix, AZ Community Health Workers, Nurse Home Visitors, and staff of the Health Start/FASD Prevention, Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health.

I have worked with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Indian Health Services prevention/promotion programs and has provided many workshops for the Navajo, Apache, and Pima Tribes, and have further collaborated with Community Health Workers, Early Intervening Services and Response to Intervention therapists, Meth and Suicide Prevention Initiative, public health nurses, obstetric nursing staff, and Health Promotion’s counseling staff.

I was also a Certified Laser Technician specializing in laser hair removal and knowledgeable about skin and vein treatments.

Lastly, I am  a licensed real estate agent.

What I like most about doing business here: I love the Peoria community and how close it is to Lake Pleasant. There are so many outdoor activities to do, as well as community events. People are very active and do much needed self-care.

Changes I’d like to see in this area: I’d like to see my school get a lot of students, so we can service Peoria and the nearby communities of Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Surprise, Vistancia, by offering community service by coordinating those students’ needing their hours required for licensure, with the specialty populations that are desperately needing care. Our student clinic will have the ability to serve needed populations that could benefit from medical massage through our student clinic internship and externships for non-ambulatory groups, as well as much needed research in the field of massage therapy. Recruiting professional volunteers to organize the school to be exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes within the first three years.

What I’m excited about and why: I am loving my new space and how close it is to my house! I love my new neigbors-Cross Fit, Hair Salon, Kung Fu, and all the cool restaurants like Fabio on Fire, and Vinny’s! I am enjoying mentoring the tenants just starting out on their own, and teaching CE classes. Now all I need are students to start the program. I cannot wait to start!

Where was before and why I left: I rented space from a chiropractor lady that had a house behind her house. I had a huge area and did massage therapy, and taught CE classes from that space, as well as traveling across the nation, and Canada, teaching CE….until Covid-19 and the pandemic quarantine! My massage practice came to a sudden halt. The board also waived the requirement for CE during this time and I had no way to teach. Home with Covid myself in 2020, I took an online course and became a Realtor, and that market got weird too. Everyone wanted to sell, but there was nothing to buy, so I didn’t have much initial action. I did some research and decided to start a school. I started writing curriculum, gathering criteria, and looking for commercial space, and here we are!

My family: My husband, Chris, is a retired Deputy MCSO, and I have two daughters Heather 23, and Toni 17, and 2 dogs, a cat and a snake.

My interests & hobbies: I am passionate about massage, and the power of healing touch, and about birth and psychology and why we are the way we are. I love being outdoors, seeing sunsets and sunrises, mountains, lakes, rivers, trees, fishing, scuba diving, mountain biking, music, family and friends.

People who inspire me (and how): I love participating in entrepreneur groups and hearing stories of struggles leading to success and fulfilled dreams, but my mom is my biggest hero. She is 87 years old and strong! You might see her out shoveling snow in the winter or planting a garden in the summer. She is constantly outside taking pictures of flowers, deer, birds, or other critters from the Wisconsin woods. She still loves to fish and is always doing something active. She is a great listener, gives good advice, and is always setting a good example, with how she eats and takes care of herself!

My guiding philosophy: Serenity Prayer!

My advice to today’s youth: Do what’s suggested to you by people who love you … and don’t take yourself so damn seriously.