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Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center is Now Open!

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I am so excited to announce that after 10 years of dreaming, planning, spending a lot of time, money, and energy traveling and training that Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center is now a reality!

Since my very first Ashiatsu barefoot massage class way back in 2009, I have dreamed about being able to bring this wonderful modality to Alabama on a larger scale. Not only is this work one of the most profound and effective types of massage I have ever received, it has allowed me to save my body giving massage so that I can be of even greater service to my clients.

By finally accomplishing this goal of opening Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center, I will be able to help other massage therapists learn to use their feet, save their hands, arms, necks, and backs. This will allow more massage therapists to bring this myofascially-based ashiatsu to many more people multiplying the potential of the number of people who can benefit from this work.

As a client, I know you’re probably wondering what this means for you. Well, you may be glad to know that each time I teach we will need guest clients for our student clinic. This will give you the opportunity to come in to a student clinic to receive barefoot massage from students for a discounted rate!

If you’re a massage therapist wanting to learn barefoot massage, head on over to the Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center page for more information on class schedules, locations, dates, times, etc. Our first class will be taking place March 2019 and we’d love to see you there!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

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Alabama Ashiatsu Travel FAQ!

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FasciAshi barefoot therapists learning

Welcome to Decatur, Alabama!

Welcome to Decatur, Alabama (aka the River City), host to Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center the Alabama Campus for Center for Barefoot Massage! Sharon and her support team at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy & Reflexology are excited to welcome you to your next barefoot massage class.

This is your “insider’s guide” to all you need to know before you arrive. Decatur is a beautiful place, if you’re traveling consider extending your stay an extra day to take in some of what our lovely area has to offer!

Training Location:

The Alabama Campus of the Center for Barefoot Massage is located at:
1900 Flint Road, Decatur, AL. Click here to see a map!

We are located inside the brick house next door to Webb-Awtrey Insurance Agency. The training location is a shared space inside Harvest Moon Massage Therapy & Reflexology. Please park in the back of the building as the limited parking spaces in front are reserved for clients.

Travel Suggestions:

Huntsville International Airport is located approximately 30 minutes from the training location. It’s closer, but usually a little more expensive. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport is approximately 1.5 hours from the training location. Usually the cheaper option, you can catch a Southwest flight here, but you’ll have to rent transportation.

Lodging Suggestions:

The Loft in Hartselle – 15 minutes from training center
AirBnb has many availabilities in the Hartselle, Madison, and Athens areas. Be aware that Decatur has made AirBnBs and other short-term private rentals illegal.
There are several large chain hotels located on Beltline Road 5-10 minutes from the training center.

Coffee & Eats:

Java Jaay’s is a couple of blocks down 6th Avenue from the training center and they have a drive through! Please consider supporting our local businesses first, but if you must have Starbucks the closest is going to be inside Target on the corner of Hwy 31 and Hwy 67.

The Brick Deli & Tavern is uptown and is exactly what it sounds like. Let’s Do Lunch is an adorable little lunch counter with interesting and delicious options. Current: Coffee and Collectibles, West Side Coffee Place & Cafe, and Whitt’s BBQ are more local options that serve lunch. And don’t forget Mad Hatter’s Tea Shop & Apothecary inside Urban Atlas for an interesting local beverage experience. The Rail Yard and Bank Street Grill are other local favorites that are a little more upscale. There is a grocery store and a few chain restaurants that are walkable from the training center. Transportation will open access to many more that we can talk about during our time together.

See the Sights:

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is right down the street. Take a hike out to the observation building and see what kinds of waterfowl are in season. Check out the interpretive center and five different walking trails. It’s also all FREE!

Other nearby outdoor activities include Delano Park & Rose Gardens, Point Mallard, Hurricane Park, Bankhead National Forest, and Alabama Scenic River Trail.

Into history? Go see the Old State Bank Building on historic Bank Street and the Confederate Museum.

We are also directly across the street from Upsurge, Decatur’s indoor trampoline facility. And a short drive across the river will bring you to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

There is so much to do and see in our area you may want to extend your training into a mini-vacation that you can write off!

Directions:

From Huntsville International Airport travel west on I-565 to Hwy 31 south/6th Avenue. Turn left onto Corsbie Street. Corsbie Street turns into Flint Road in front of Upsurge. We are directly across from the Upsurge loading dock next door to Webb-Awtrey Insurance Agency.

From Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport travel north on I-65 to the Priceville exit (#334, AL-67). Take AL-67 north (turn left) to Hwy 31/6th Avenue. Turn right onto Hwy 31/6th Avenue. Turn right onto Corsbie Street. Corsbie Street turns into Flint Road in front of Upsurge. We are directly across from the Upsurge loading dock next door to Webb-Awtrey Insurance Agency.

Happy travels, we can’t wait to see you here!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

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Just Another Day in Paradise

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Or in Sharon’s brain, take your pick.

Don’t you love it when you get an idea? I especially love when I get an idea and it’s not the right time for it, she says sarcastically.

Then I forget it for a long time and then one day something happens or you see something and it triggers a memory and you pick it up, dust it off, and realize that right now is the perfect time for this idea.

So off you go spinning and windmilling through the idea trying to make it happen. Those are the kinds of ideas I like. Not the waiting part so much, but the spinning and windmilling and making things happen part.

Anyway, on to the point of all this rambling…would saying that I had an idea be a bad idea at this point? Yes? Okay, here it is.

The Big, Exciting Idea

I am now offering a partner massage class that is open to the public.

Now I know right now there’s a lot of, “Come to our office and learn to massage your significant other for Valentine’s Day!” This is not that. Though I will sell you a gift certificate to give to your honey and sign you up for the first class.

My intention is to offer this class a few times a year for people interested in learning to help out their partner or other family members with massage techniques. Yes, there will be a large aspect of connecting with your massage partner, but mainly it’s going to be a fun learning environment where you leave with some great new skills to help your partner relax and a partner who now knows how to reciprocate with a great massage*.

We’ll try to keep the saccharine level low by design.

As an adjunct to the group classes I will also begin offering private partner massage classes for those wanting to address specific issues. Private classes will be tailored to the pair according to the issues you’re interested in working on. I’m shooting for late March to do the first group class. I’ve got my hands full with this moving offices thing right now.

If you’re interested, please let me know. Bring your mother, bring your brother, or even your significant other. Singles are welcome as well. We’ll pair you up with someone who doesn’t bite.

Stay tuned for further details. I can’t wait!

* By great massage I mean greatly improved. I in no way mean that you will be certified to do massage for money, trade, gifts, personal gain… okay, maybe personal gain in the form of you rub my back, I’ll rub yours… I think you get my meaning though. You can’t represent yourself as a massage therapist because you take this class.

♥

Sharon BryantHarvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s newest Manual Lymph Drainage therapist!

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