The Pennsylvania Department of Education approved St. Joseph Institute as a private licensed school at their August board meeting.
The Institute will train holistic health practitioners and beginning this fall offer a diploma program that prepares students to become licensed massage therapists. Classes will begin in September on a schedule that enables students to work full-time while they get ready for a new career of healing and complimentary medicine.
In year one, students will study anatomy and physiology, nutrition and exercise science and receive extensive training in the various techniques of bodywork, including Swedish massage, neuromuscular massage, lymph massage, craniosacral balancing and acupressure. At the end of the first year they will be qualified to receive national certification as massage therapists.
For those who wish further training, the second year of the program will focus on the mental and emotional aspects of healing and provide instruction in developmental psychology, counseling, abnormal psychology and the use of bodywork to resolve mental conflicts and emotional issues.
“Our mission is to train practitioners who can help people achieve a greater sense of well-being,” said Jenny Sheetz, President of St. Joseph Institute and Director of the new school. “St. Joseph Institute for Holistic Studies will teach students to provide healing from pain and dysfunction in the body and to facilitate the resolution of mental conflicts and emotional issues. Our focus is to address the needs of the whole person – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.”
The school will hold classes in the evening and on the occasional Saturday, making this educational experience accessible to students who need to be employed while they study. Classes will be held at the new campus of St. Joseph Institute, the resort and spa located between Altoona and State College. Very importantly, the tuition has been set many thousands of dollars less than most schools to make this rewarding career possible for a greater number of people.
The Institute is especially proud of the faculty who has extensive training, experience and advanced degrees from highly respected universities. Jenny Sheetz, the director, will teach many of the courses. She holds an MA in counseling, is a certified nutritionist and holds advanced certification in the major types of bodywork with more than 20 years of experience.
“We are actively recruiting students for the fall term, looking for candidates who are eager to help people achieve a greater sense of well-being. Complimentary medicine is an exciting career in a field that is rapidly growing,” Sheetz stated.
The St. Joseph Institute has a 62.5 acre campus in the mountains between State College and Altoona. The facility includes guest accommodations, meeting space, a dining room, chapel, indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. The Laurel Wellness Center offers more than 50 health and wellness services, including therapeutic massage, skin treatments, bodywork, nutritional advice, counseling and fitness programs. The new school, St. Joseph Institute for Holistic Studies, is an important addition to the work of the organization – to teach and to heal.
