I'm starting a new blog series discussing CE requirements for Texas and neighboring states. This way, we can keep up with renewal information, and I can share how I can help you stay current and inspired as an LMT. Read the Texas CE requirements post here. 

If you’re an Arkansas LMT, you know the drill: 18 CE hours every two years, with only 6 allowed online. That means at least 12 hours must be live and hands-on. And yes, the Arkansas State Board conducts audits, so you need to keep your certificates organized.
This may feel overwhelming, especially with a busy client schedule, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right plan, CE can be engaging, inspiring, and even a highlight of your year.

We’ve heard it from countless therapists:

• Finding approved live CE classes that fit your schedule can be tricky.
• Sending in CE certificates during audits adds stress you don’t need.
• Many CE courses feel like “check-the-box” events with little practical value.

It doesn’t have to be this way. You can meet your CE requirements and come away with skills that improve your practice and protect your body. If you're searching for Ashiatsu or barefoot massage CEs near Arkansas, you've come to the right place. 

Imagine this: You arrive at a FasciAshi or Barefoot Matwork (formally Fijian Massage) workshop and step onto the mat, ready to learn techniques that will reduce strain on your hands, wrists, and back. You spend the day mastering barefoot techniques, practicing sequences with other therapists, and leaving with more energy than you came in with.
By the end of the weekend, you will have:

• All live hours count toward Arkansas CE requirements
• Audit-ready proof of training you can file within two weeks
• Practical skills your clients will notice and appreciate

Plus, travel is easy to attend workshops in Texas. Many of our Arkansas LMTs make a short drive or quick flight to Dallas Love Field to take advantage of weekend workshops. Check out this handy guide for traveling here. The classes are structured so you can complete your full CE requirements in one weekend, reducing time away from clients and making the process stress-free.

• 6 months before your birth month: Register for a barefoot massage workshop
  
• 3 months before: Complete any remaining hours or optional advanced sessions
  
• Renewal month: Submit CE certificates and renew with confidence
  

This approach keeps you ahead of deadlines and ensures you never have to scramble at the last minute.

Unlike traditional CE, barefoot massage teaches you skills that protect your body while enhancing your practice. Completing these courses means:

• You reduce repetitive strain and fatigue
  
• Your clients receive a deep, pain science infused, evidence-based massage that stands out
  
• You gain CE hours efficiently, often in just one weekend
  

It’s CE that leaves you energized, inspired, and ready to practice safely for years to come.

Stop worrying about deadlines, audits, or boring online classes. Complete your Arkansas CE hours with hands-on barefoot massage workshops at the Center for Barefoot Massage, with a quick trip to Texas, and come away with skills that last a lifetime. Don't forget to take care of yourself and book a barefoot massage with Hillary to see if your clients would like this technique!

Reserve Your Spot and bring Barefoot Massage to Arkansas.

 For more than 21 years, I have been exploring the many ways the human body organizes itself, how it heals, adapts, and communicates through movement and touch. What began as curiosity about massage has grown into a lifelong study of fascia, functional movement, and the subtle ways our nervous systems learn safety and resilience. Since the beginning, my approach has evolved through yoga training, my yoga practice, and reading and following some of the most influential teachers in bodywork. Most recently, diving deeper into instructor trainings with Jeni Spring, the creator of Myofascial Barefoot Massage and FasciAshi. 

Other teachers have had a profound impact on where The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage stands today in regards to theory, one being Tom Myers, who introduced me more deeply to the concept of tensegrity in his body reading class in 2024. While I'm still learning and considering this concept, I feel that the most interesting piece about Tom's work is how the body balances tension and compression, and how this balance influences everything from posture to fluid movement.

What Is Tensegrity?
Tensegrity, short for “tensional integrity,” describes structures stabilized by balanced tension and compression. Think of a suspension bridge, strong, flexible, and resilient because the forces are evenly distributed. Your body works in the same way. Bones act as space holders while fascia distributes tension across the system. When balance is present, the body feels supported and light. When it is disrupted, restriction and compensation take over. A big Ah-ha! Moment for me to say the least. 

Fascia: Your Fluid Support Network.
Fascia has been a significant topic of discussion in my profession over the last several years. Fascia is more than connective tissue; it is a sensory web that surrounds and supports every muscle, organ, and bone. Healthy fascia is hydrated and supple, allowing easy movement and flow. Repetition, stress, and emotional holding patterns can alter fascia.

It thickens, stiffens, and loses glide. Flexibility fades, and the whole system feels less responsive. Moyfasical Barefoot massage directly addresses these restrictions, restoring slip and glide, redistributing strain, and encouraging the body to reset.

Safety and Nervous System Recalibration.
Restriction often comes from the body choosing protection, not from tissue that is genuinely “tight.” The nervous system sometimes limits movement as a precaution.
With calm, steady pressure, the body begins to sense that it is safe to soften, safe to move, and safe to adapt. This shift creates a foundation for strength and flexibility to return.

Energy Centers and Chakra Psychology.
CHAKRA PSYCHOLOGY?!?! What the Heck? And why?!
Chakra psychology, as explored by Anodea Judith, reveals that structural holding patterns often mirror emotional and energetic themes. Yep, a place that reaches way back into my training with Michelle Andre and Anodea Judith. This is what some say is "woo," now blended into other evidence-based principles, but when used with curiosity, not Dogma, yoga and chakra psychology can be insightful. I know that these themes and teachings have healed me and helped me understand myself beyond my physical form. Examples of this idea are seen as:
​
Heart Center: A collapsed chest may reflect guardedness.

Root and Sacral Centers: A rigid pelvis may suggest difficulty with grounding or flow.

Throat Center: A tight jaw may reveal unspoken communication.
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As fascia unwinds, these centers often rebalance. Massage and movement become more than bodywork; it becomes a dialogue between body, mind, and energy.

Functional Movement and Everyday Strength 
Katy Bowman describes movement as nourishment. Just as the body thrives on varied nutrition, it also thrives on varied movement. Our bodies are designed for diversity: walking on uneven terrain, squatting, reaching, bending, and rotating. Yet modern life limits us to repetitive patterns like sitting, scrolling, and commuting. Fascia stiffens when deprived of variety.

Myofascial Barefoot massage restores ease and fluidity, but the more profound change comes when those qualities are carried into daily life. It is less about achieving perfect posture and more about rediscovering nourishing ways of moving.

A Unique Path to Wholeness. 
I've evolved since my Gaia Bodywork Days. Through in-person workshops, reading, studying, and reflecting on the lessons from these inspiring teachers, I'm developing a fascia/pain science/functional movement-informed practice that integrates Western Ashiatsu, Myofascial Barefoot Massage, functional movement principles, nervous system awareness, and chakra psychology.

It's my hope that the outcome for my clients extends beyond physical ease and feels like integration. They feel their bodies become more balanced, and their movement becomes strong and fluid. All these concepts are woven into my yoga classes and my massage approach. 
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If you have been feeling restricted, compressed, or disconnected, it may be time to explore my holistic approach. A tensegrity-informed barefoot massage offers not just relief, but reconnection.

When most people think of massage, they think of sore muscles, tight knots, and the sweet relief of deep pressure. That’s all great—but here at The Heeling Hut, we’re working with something even deeper: your nervous system.
And to do that, we’ve taken our barefoot massage practice and laced it with modern pain science, especially the work of world-renowned researcher Professor Lorimer Moseley. His message? Pain is real, but it’s not always about damage.
Let’s unpack that—and explain why barefoot massage might be exactly what your body (and brain) have been waiting for.

We grow up thinking pain = injury. Twist an ankle? Pain. Pull a muscle? Pain.
But Lorimer Moseley and other leading pain researchers have shown that this isn’t the full story. Sometimes, the brain keeps sounding the alarm long after the tissue has healed. Or it rings it loud for a situation that’s not dangerous at all.
Why? Because pain is the brain’s protective output, not a direct measure of damage. Your brain interprets all kinds of input—stress, past injury, fear, movement patterns—and then decides if you need pain to stay safe.
This is why people can have terrible back pain even though their scans are clean. Or why someone might feel pain from a simple touch.

Barefoot massage isn’t just a technique—it’s a nervous system intervention.
Here’s what we’re doing at The Heeling Hut, and how it speaks directly to the science of pain:
🦶 Deep, Safe Touch That Tells Your Brain: You’re OkayThe broad, grounded pressure from the therapist’s feet activates the body’s natural relaxation responses. This safe input helps your nervous system stop bracing—and start unwinding.
🧠 Changing the Pain StoryBecause pain is learned, it can also be unlearned. That’s called neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire its responses. When your brain starts associating touch and movement with safety instead of threat, pain can decrease.
🫶 Moving From Fear to FreedomWhen you’re in pain, your body often stiffens up in self-protection. Barefoot massage helps break that cycle by creating space, ease, and gentle reconnection—so your brain stops freaking out and your body starts flowing again.

A session with us might look like a massage, but the goal is deeper: we’re helping your brain stop overprotecting you.
We respect your body’s pain. But we also respect its power to change. That’s why we integrate:

• Pain education (if you’re curious!)
  
• Slow, intentional touch
  
• Trauma-informed awareness
  
• Deep pressure without sharp discomfort
  

All of this is designed to create a new experience for your nervous system—one that says, You are safe. You can let go. You can heal.

At The Heeling Hut, we’re not just giving massages—we’re helping clients rewrite their pain stories using evidence-based care and grounded, compassionate touch.
So if you’ve been dealing with pain that just won’t quit—or if you’ve tried everything and nothing sticks—maybe it’s time to try something different.
Let us help you remind your nervous system what safety feels like. Sometimes, that’s the first real step toward healing.

Book your session today, and let your brain and body breathe again—from the ground up.

 Shirodhara is a traditional Ayurvedic treatment in which a continuous, gentle stream of warm herbal oil is poured over the center of the forehead, or “third eye,” for an extended period of time—typically 20 to 30 minutes. Though it may sound simple, the effects are profound. Shirodhara is traditionally used to calm the mind, balance the doshas (especially Vata), improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and support the nervous system.
But what does this ancient treatment have to do with pain science?

The Neuroscience of CalmModern pain science tells us that pain is not just physical. It's a whole-person experience influenced by the nervous system, emotions, past trauma, and even subconscious thought patterns. When the brain perceives threat—whether physical or emotional—it may respond by generating pain, even in the absence of ongoing injury.
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Here we honor both the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda and the evidence-based clarity of modern pain science. One of the most powerful examples of this intersection is our offering of Shirodhara, a deeply calming Ayurvedic therapy known for its ability to reset the nervous system and relieve chronic stress-related conditions—including certain forms of pain.

While Shirodhara has long been used in Ayurveda to balance the mind and soothe the spirit, today we also understand its neurological and biochemical impact. By calming the central nervous system and gently overriding the body’s pain-alarm system, Shirodhara becomes more than a relaxation ritual—it becomes a tool for neurological healing. We combine Shirodhara with modern intake assessments, trauma-informed care, and individualized oil blends to create a Shirodhara experience that’s both deeply traditional and highly therapeutic.

Is Shirodhara Right for You?
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If you’re struggling with:

• Stress-related headaches
• Sleep disturbances
• Nervous system overwhelm
• Chronic tension or fatigue
• Fibromyalgia or other central sensitization conditions

…Shirodhara may offer profound relief—not just symptomatically, but by shifting your body into a deeper state of balance and resilience.

Other Random notes: 
I also teach this technique in my Ayurvedic Bodyworker workshop. If you're an LMT and would like more info, please visit the website for more details.

We love the work of Lorimer Moseley to help us stay informed. 

Discover the potential of Shirodhara at The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage. Let healing oils and modern insights guide your nervous system back to peace—and your body back to ease.

After weeks, months, or even years of living with pain, it’s easy to lose trust in your body. Movements that used to feel natural might now feel scary, stiff, or unpredictable. You might catch yourself bracing before bending over, avoiding stairs, or freezing up when pain flares.

We get it. Many of our clients walk through the door not just with physical pain—but with fear, frustration, and a sense of being “stuck.”

The good news? That fear is learned, which means it can also be unlearned.
One of the most powerful ways to do that is through safe, supported movement—combined with the right kind of touch and nervous system care.

Why We Stop Trusting Our Bodies
​Pain is not a direct measure of injury—it’s a protective response shaped by context, memory, and perception (Moseley & Butler, 2017). When your brain senses a potential threat, it turns on pain to get your attention and keep you safe.
But if pain sticks around, your system can become overprotective. This is known as central sensitization, where the nervous system amplifies pain signals even after the tissues have healed (Woolf, 2011). You move less. You tense more. You begin to fear your own body.

​This creates a loop:
Pain → Fear → Tension → Less Movement → More Sensitization → More Pain
Your body isn’t failing—it’s overprotecting. And that can change.

 How Barefoot Massage Helps You Reconnect
At The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage, we use barefoot massage to gently invite your body back into a state of ease. This isn't about “fixing” anything—it’s about retraining your brain and body to feel safe.
💆‍♀️ Broad, Soothing Pressure = Nervous System Calm Deep, slow pressure activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” branch), shifting you out of survival mode (Field, 2010). It tells your brain: “You’re okay. It’s safe to relax.”
🌀 Passive Movement Without FearFear of movement—also known as kinesiophobia—can prolong and intensify chronic pain (Vlaeyen & Linton, 2000). Our work gently reintroduces safe movement through passive joint mobilization and rocking techniques, reducing fear and increasing trust.
🧠 Positive Input = New PathwaysEach pain-free experience lays the groundwork for neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire based on new, safe input (Doidge, 2007). It’s not magic. It’s modern neuroscience.

What Rebuilding Trust Looks Like in Real Life

• You breathe more freely
• You get off the table feeling grounded, not guarded
• You start moving because you want to, not because you have to
• You feel less afraid of your own body
• You realize: your body isn’t broken—it’s adaptable

Tips to Rebuild Trust Outside the Treatment Room
Here are a few science-backed ways to help your nervous system stay calm and connected between sessions:

• 💨 Breathe before you move – Deep breathing modulates your vagus nerve, which lowers stress and inflammation (Porges, 2011)
• 🚶‍♂️ Pick enjoyable movements – Movement you love boosts dopamine and reduces fear signals (Clark & Trevethan, 2015)
• ✋ Use gentle touch – Self-massage and mindful contact activate sensory receptors that promote calming brain activity (Olausson et al., 2002)
• 🧘 Stay curious, not cautious – “Graded exposure” to feared movements can help reverse chronic pain patterns (Moseley, 2004)
• 📖 Learn how pain works – Understanding pain changes pain. Education alone has been shown to reduce symptoms in many chronic pain cases (Moseley, 2002)

You Deserve to Feel Safe in Your Body Again
You’re not fragile. You’re adaptable. And pain—especially persistent pain—doesn’t mean you’re broken. You can rebuild trust. You can relearn ease. And you don’t have to do it alone.
​
At The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage, we offer grounded, science-informed barefoot massage to help your nervous system settle, reset, and remember what safe movement feels like.

We’ll meet you where you are—no pressure, (Except while UNDERFOOT,)  just support.

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References

• Moseley, L., & Butler, D. (2017). Explain Pain Supercharged. NOI Group.
• Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That Changes Itself. Penguin.
• Woolf, C. J. (2011). Central sensitization: Implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Pain, 152(3).
• Field, T. (2010). Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: A review. Developmental Review.
• Vlaeyen, J. W. S., & Linton, S. J. (2000). Fear-avoidance and its consequences in chronic musculoskeletal pain. Pain, 85(3).
• Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. Norton.
• Olausson, H. et al. (2002). Unmyelinated tactile afferents signal touch and project to the insular cortex. Nature Neuroscience.
• Moseley, L. (2002). Combined physiotherapy and education is efficacious for chronic low back pain. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy.
• Clark, J., & Trevethan, R. (2015). Reconsidering fear avoidance in chronic pain: A call for revising pain management strategies.

If you’ve ever wondered why some massages just feel better and last longer than others, the answer might lie in pain science — a fascinating field that’s changing how therapists in Plano, TX approach HEELing (and healing) touch.

What Is Pain Science and Why Should Plano Residents Care?
Pain science studies how your brain and nervous system perceive pain. It turns out, pain isn’t always about actual damage to muscles or tissues. Sometimes your nervous system gets “stuck” in a pattern of tension and sensitivity, sending pain signals even after an injury has healed.

This means that effective pain relief isn’t just about working on muscles — it’s about calming the nervous system and helping your body relearn how to relax.
​
How We Use Pain Science at The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage.
At The Heeling Hut, our therapists use barefoot massage techniques inspired by FasciAshi that apply broad, slow pressure using their feet. Supported by overhead bars, this method feels deep but gentle — perfect for easing tight fascia (the connective tissue around muscles) and calming your nervous system.

Why is this important?
Because pain science tells us that slow, consistent pressure helps “reset” your nervous system, reducing the protective muscle guarding that keeps you feeling stiff or sore.
Fascia:

​The Unsung Hero in Pain and Movement
Fascia is a key player in how your body moves and feels. When it gets tight or restricted, it can cause pain and limit mobility. Our fascia-focused barefoot massage targets these areas gently, helping you regain ease of movement and comfort.

What Can Plano Locals Expect From Regular Sessions?
Everyone’s different, but many of our clients notice that regular barefoot massage sessions help their bodies “rewire” how they handle pain, making relief last longer and movement easier. Consistency is key!

Specialized Training for Massage Therapists Right Here in Plano.
If you’re a Licensed Massage Therapist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we also offer specialized barefoot massage training. This includes lessons on pain science, fascia work, and safe foot techniques, helping you enhance your own practice and offer clients cutting-edge, science-backed care.

Ready to Experience a Pain Science-Informed Massage in Plano?
​Book your next session with us today or reach out to learn more about our barefoot massage training. Text us at 214-267-9541 or visit The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage to schedule.

​If someone asked you to try a deep tissue massage in which the licensed massage therapist uses their feet instead of their hands to give you deep, consistent pressure throughout the Massage, would you do it? 

Simply put, No.
Sometimes, barefoot Massage is called body walking in layperson's terms. People will describe it as someone walking on your back. This is an oversimplification of this technique and can give an unclear idea of what barefoot Massage actually is, making people who are new to it hesitant. They might question, "Is barefoot massage safe?"
The good news is that barefoot Massage is safe under certain circumstances. Your licensed massage therapist must be licensed by the state (or hold whatever the equivelent of licensure is for that particular state) and have additional training in. barefoot massage to make it safe. Your LMT is trained to do a complete intake to ensure it's safe for you. If your therapist doesn't have forms for you to fill out and doesn't ask you any medical questions, this is a red flag, and it's time to consider finding a new massage therapist who will take the time to get to know you and customize a safe session.

​It might not seem that massagers would need an in-depth education. It's just rubbing, right? Well, not exactly. Licensed massage Therapists spend many hours studying and training in the art and science of massage therapy. We study sciences such as anatomy and physiology, pathology, and kinesiology and learn what we call endangerment sites. Barefoot Massage is an advanced technique, so your massage therapist should attend at least 24 hours of training in this style before offering it as a service to clients. Even more training is needed any where from 40-80 hours of training or more if they commit to the technique and become specialists. Coupled with that training, your intake forms, health history, and opening communication throughout your session, you can be assured that your Massage is safe. All of these elements together create the most effective and safest session. 

I use a pressure scale with my clients at The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage. I found this to be a very effective communication tool. When using the scale, 1 being no pressure and 10 being excruciating, we keep it at no more than a 7. Of course, the scale is subjective, and we explain it more deeply during our intake process. This way, our clients can use introspection to give good feedback. ​We also educate our clients on the adverse effects of massage therapy.

​Did you know that there are times when getting a massage is a bad idea because you can have unintended or unpleasant after-effects? I always talk to my clients about this if I see something in their intake and health history or if we're doing our daily intake just to make sure that they will benefit from barefoot Massage and have the best outcome.

​Ashiatsu is an Eastern massage technique from Japan. Not only is it hard to say for some Texans, but the Westernized Ashiatsu style is much different from the traditional Japanese version. That's why we are dropping the "A Word" and using barefoot Massage to give a more straightforward, less appropriated description of our beloved massage style. The Center for Barefoot Massage is leading the way on this change and that's just another reason I love teaching with them. While some may stick with the original technique and not challenge themselves further, continuous learning and access to new information help me stay informed and interested. That's a huge deal when you've been a massage therapist for half your life...(Side note: I'm writing this during my 41st year of life and 20th year working full-time as an LMT!) For an LMT like me, it's not a selling point to stay with "the original" or old techniques that never change when we know the science of massage therapy and our understanding of the human body constantly changes. I'm always looking for training that is one step ahead of me and will challenge me. 

My most recent Fijian Barefoot Massage class in San Diego, CA.
​Massage Students who are commited to their growth. 

As a barefoot massage specialist, I continuously train in the art and science of barefoot Massage. EVEN as a teacher, every year, I spend a week training in barefoot massage specifically to ensure I'm keeping up with the latest information. The Center for Barefoot Massage is committed to evolving and improving Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage to ensure that it is effective and safe. Additionally, ​At The Heeling Hut Barefoot Massage, I train licensed massage therapists from all over the US, and I even have students come from other countries! As an approved instructor for The Center for Barefoot Massage, my office also serves as a training studio where I hold workshops at least once a month to ensure that my students get as much training as they need to be successful barefoot massage practitioners.

Let's discuss our complimentary (free!) add-on, Cupping Therapy. Cupping is excellent for people who want to level up their deep tissue massage and enjoy the sensation of Cupping; while it can be intense at times, we can customize the suction to your liking.

During Cupping, your massage therapist will choose static, gliding, or dynamic techniques to reach the goals of your session. Discoloration may occur in areas where the cups were placed. Clients typically experience a feeling of relaxation and release of tension in the targeted areas after the service.
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