Essie is a proud member of the American Massage Therapy Association, the International Association of Structural Integrators, The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, is an approved provider through the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and NY provider certified. She has been a massage practitioner since 1999, and started teaching massage in 2000.

Essie served from 2000-2003 as an apprentice and intern instructor at the Alexandar School of Natural Therapeutics. Essie studied teaching modalities under the guidance of master instructors and later took on her own courses in aromatherapy, pregnancy massage, deep bodywork, and continuing education.

While employed as a faculty member from 2000-2007, she served the Washington State Sports Massage Team and pursued martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do and Akido. In addition to training, she volunteered in the community to teach women’s self defense in Tacoma, WA.

From 2007 to today, Essie developed small businesses, consulted with small spas to destination spas with menu development and staffing. She also worked with non profits with educational and transformational retreats, trainings and facilitated events. Currently she works with severe neck and back injuries with military personnel, car accidents and sports injuries.

She has decades of experience in the health and wellness industry to impart to students today.

Read more about Essie’s experience in the community in this article from Thurston Talk: https://www.thurstontalk.com/2025/02/18/dreamspace-natural-therapeutics-the-continuing-evolution-of-essie-hicks/

Information is different from knowledge. Knowledge is gained from thoughtful discourse and accepting the process of instruction, and practice. My expectation of students is that they are willing participants and ready to contribute to a pleasant learning experience.

1. I am inclusive and create a safe space for learning. I encourage anyone to join my courses and feel comfortable showing up to class as their authentic selves. 

2. I respect all learning styles and neurodiversity, and keep the learning space safe for your learning style.

3. I try my best to be culturally sensitive and use gender neutral pronouns and appropriate pronouns. If I say something that feels insensitive to you, please speak up! I don’t want to hurt anyone!

4. At the beginning of class I will introduce myself, the topic and give everyone a chance to talk about themselves for a few moments. This is not a big speech, just a way to get to know the people you will be spending the day/weekend/retreat with. Saying “Pass” is ok!

5. I am a full time massage therapist. Everything I teach you, I do on a daily basis. 

6. I keep the classroom content applicable to your practices. You should be able to implement your new skills right away in your clinic without additional purchases, certifications or education. 

7. I do not teach practices or use language that is out of the scope of a massage therapist. You should be able to understand the terminology I use easily.

8. I keep class sizes small. Most of my classes are 10-12 people per class. 

9. I encourage questions. No questions are “dumb questions.” I want you to get as much as you can out of the experience. As a teacher I meet you where you are to help you grow.

10. I speak at a reasonable pace, tone, and volume. I don’t talk fast, and I’m not a “droner.” (Ugh. What a drag) 

11. My style is conversational, I take my job seriously, but I like to do it in a fun, lighthearted spirit. 

12. My classes are evidence based, and I will provide you with citations, lists of resources and peer reviewed research to back the modalities I teach. 

13. I may tell a story to help you retain information, but I do not use anecdotal evidence to support claims. If a modality or claim requires proof, I will provide you links to the studies done by a research team. If I don’t have it or if I am teaching something more esoteric like energy work that has more of a collective research backing, I will tell you. 

14. I’m ok with being challenged. If you want further clarity on what I’m teaching, I will expand, explain or offer evidence, as long as class is not disrupted.

15. I create a physically comfortable atmosphere. I make sure there is enough seating, working table space and that the layout of the room is conducive to learning. I encourage movement, fidgeting, shifting and standing as long as you are not disturbing others. 

16. Being a body model for a demonstration is voluntary. I do not “call on” body models. If you are a body model, I will ask consent for any work done on your body, and I will check in with you on your comfort levels while I work on you. If you decide to change your mind while I’m demonstrating a technique, feel free to ask me to stop and I will ask another person to be a body model. 

17. I encourage you to receive the bodywork you are going to use on others. I strongly believe reciving bodywork yourself is the path to becoming a better practitioner. Being a classmate in a bodywork course comes with the assumption that you will help someone else to learn by receiving their work. If no one wants to be worked on, we don’t really have a class.

    However, if today is not the day for certain techniques for personal reasons, I respect that, and still encourage you to seek the bodywork you hope to do. 

18. I encourage and facilitate group discussions. If we are in a classroom of 10-12 massage therapists we are a brain trust for massage therapy. I encourage you to share your experiences, and get advice and encouragement from your peers. We are usually in our own offices or in the echo chambers of our clinics in our day to day experience and this is a great opportunity to talk with new collegues about what we are learning and what we know. There will be space created for these discussions aside from lecture and demonstration time.

19. I provide work book materials for classes and handouts containing references. I will also provide locked links to YouTube Videos to support your learning which you will have access to for a specified amount of time as they will be updated periodically. 

20. I don’t do a lot of writing on the board or power point presentations. I may use tools like that, but not for long periods of time. I usually work from the demonstrations, class discussions and lectures along with your workbooks or digital products included with your class. 

ZenBodytherapy ® ZenTriggerpoint Anatomy ® ~ Structural Integration 10 session work, and TriggerPoint Myofascial Release

Craniosacral Therapy: Upledger | Biodynamic and Visionary

Clinical and Medical Massage | Orthopedic Massage

Lymphatic Drainage Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Neuromuscular Therapy

Advanced Clinical Sports Massage

Aromatherapy and AromaPoint®

Accupressure and Shiatsu

Hydrotherapy & Spa Modalities

Relaxation therapies including energy work, touch therapy and meditation

Forest and Nature Therapy

Akido, Yoga and Qi Gong