Meet Our Faculty
Click on the links for complete facilitator bios.
After receiving her first massage at 21, Alaya has been passionately devoted to conscious healing and embodiment for over 20 years now. Alaya has been practicing professionally in California since 1989.
A certified practitioner in Massage Therapy and Biodynamic Cranial Touch blends these two modalities in to her workshop: The Heart of Touch - A Biodynamic Approach to Bodywork.
Bodhitara Searles teaches students to be more conscious ofthemselves and theirconnection to all living things. "The work that I feel like I'm bringing into this is about amplifying their process so that it becomes a mystical one.
Bodhi Diane Searles resides in Hawaii where she is a community member involved with the development and evolution of old new ideas regarding culture, education and sustainability. Her past education in the healing profession joining the craft of hypnotherapy with the awakening process has led to many collaborative and creative projects with healers, enviromentalists and educators. She is currently receiving her Masters in Contemporary Issues in Education from Union University. ... read more about Bodhitara.
Deidre Sommers was raised within a Sufi community and by a family of healers. From a very early age, she discovered the power of love and our innate capacity to heal and awaken to our true nature. Deidre is the founder of Alchemy of the Heart, a sanctuary for conscious evolution in Calistoga, Ca. since 2002.
Deidre's mission and passion in life is being a visionary and steward of evolution. She is a certified Biodynamic practitioner and teacher of Biodynamic Cranial Touch through the Dynamic Stillness School. She is also a certified massage therapist as well as an ordained minister in professional practice in the U.S. and Europe since 1989.
Over the last 10 years of using heated and chilled sea stones & crystals to heal her clients, she created a unique sequence and theory that integrates the beautiful science of Ayurveda and the art of heated stone massage (Shila Abyhanga) called Sacred Stone Therapy. She has presented this therapy on national TV, in many international and national spas and healing centers, and at the National Ayurvedic Medical Association annual conferences.
His desire to create a venue for bodyworkers and spa technicians to receive support in foundational and continuing education not found elsewhere, was realized when he created Spa College. Spa College was launched to provide real world education for spa service providers, technicians, managers and owners with an emphasis on sustainable development and practices.
An accomplished practitioner of massage, Watsu and yoga Nicolay retreats regularly to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Antigua and California to teach, certify and inspire bodyworkers, and those looking to explore their own healing potential.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1997 while working a full-time job and attending massage therapy school. At first, I was so bad that I could not even get out of bed. It was all I could do to lift my arm, which felt like it was broken, to call in sick to work. No one could understand why one day I wasn't at work and the next day I was fine and back at work. I also noticed that I wasn't sleeping well, I had chest pains, I had the "stomach flu" all the time, AND the migraines were intolerable! They could last for 3 days, in which I could lose my eyesight, and be praying to the porcelain god the whole time.
My life was one big mess! The worst part was I loved my job and I loved school. I knew I needed to do something to change this vicious cycle. So my journey began...
I knew I wanted to get well. I reasearched and studied for years on the subject of FM. I became a certified massage therapist so I could help those with FM, certified in group exercise to be able to create an exercise program for FM, and of course, wrote my books. I also began to speak at support group meetings, wellness and women's conferences throughout the area. I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. I have many more books, programs and tools yet to be created for people with Fibromyalgia. Please don't ever hesitate to contact me to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. ...read more about Wendi.