Salina Briseno, LMT, MLD-C

I took this course because I did not want to stand by helpless while my friends and family were facing cancer. I have been trained in techniques to offer safe therapeutic massage to anyone struggling with cancer or other conditions that compromise the immune system including those at increased risk for lymphedema and DVT.

This is a subtle 'energy' modality taught as a part of the Florida School of Massage curriculum. I was fascinated by the profound effect it had on my classmates and myself. After graduation, I continued my training by studying the theoretical underpinnings of the practice with certified practitioner Ann Gill, LMT, LICSW.

In 2013 I decided to return to the Florida School of Massage to complete the Teaching Assistant Program. Watching students blossom into massage therapists serves to renew my commitment and love for this career path. I currently teach Foundations of Massage, Polarity Therapy, Anatomy & Physiology, Boundaries and Ethics and Pathology at the Florida School of Massage (www.floridaschoolofmassage.com)

In 2025 I became certified in the Vodder technique of manual lymphatic drainage through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies. While I have been addressing the lymphatic system with Ortho-Bionomy for several years, adding the Vodder method has expanded my understanding. This certification allows me to address post-traumatic and post-surgical edema as well as safely addressing inflammatory conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines and others.

Before becoming a massage therapist I was on the path to becoming a psychotherapist with a certification in Psychodrama Therapy. I completed over 800 hours of training in this action oriented psychotherapy. While I was working on my Master's of Social Work degree, I became dissatisfied by the way the body was left out of wellness. I decided to take a break and study massage with the expectation of finishing my degree later. I have not felt tempted to return to that path. I have also attended several workshops with Paul Linn, LMT, LMHC learning about the way he uses body awareness in his psychotherapy practice. With this somatic work, I bring attention to the interaction of the body, mind and emotions. These sessions can offer insight and personal growth and nicely complement (but not replace) traditional mental health counseling, trauma and addiction recovery.

I have reached an associate level in Ortho-Bionomy which includes over 114 hours of training. This is a very effective modality that speaks directly to the nervous system, inviting self regulation and balance (see www.ortho-bionomy.org for more information) Since 2014, I have been studying intensively with Kalpesh Patel (www.kalpeshrpatel.com), learning his gentle approach to visceral manipulation and Vital Organ Dynamics (VOD). This approach has had profound results with chronic pain patterns, injury recovery and post childbirth pelvic and back pain. Receiving these treatments has helped me manage my life long chronic pain from Lyme disease. I love being able to share Ortho-Bionomy with my clients, creating assessment and treatment plans to address issues that may not have responded well to other treatments.