Instructors
Claire Marie Miller
Claire has been involved with the health profession since 1972, when she began training as a radiologic technician. In 1979, she graduated with honors from the Boulder School of Massage Therapy. Her pioneering work with pregnancy, postpartum, labor, fertility and infant massage was born out of personal experience and her passion for the creative process of birth and healing. This work led to the creation of Nurturing the Mother®, in 1990. In 1993, Claire introduced Integrative Reflexology® as a certification course. Today, Claire has trained thousands of students; including more than 15 instructors who teach in over 20 states throughout the country. She was inducted into the Massage Hall of Fame in 2010 and has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 1979 (NC #580) and nationally certified since 1994. She is Board Certified with NCBTMB and maintains her private practice at her home in Chapel Hill, NC. Claire’s style of teaching is inspiring and wholesome. She brings both well-tested techniques and passionate experience to her classroom. Her students often comment on her ability to transfer knowledge to others and that her classes are a whole-hearted experience, offering more than simply learning techniques.
Tracey J. Moon
Tracey has a warm, down-to-earth presence and a deep intuition that helps her facilitate groups with clarity, spontaneity and loads of inspiration. She believes in the profound intelligence of the body and breath and empowers others to live and work with more awareness, happiness, resilience and hopefulness. It is her own relationship with being vulnerably human and her capacity to deeply listen that most deeply inform her wide capacity to be a healing presence with others. Tracey has 20+ years experience as a massage therapist and bodyworker and completed her training at The Body Therapy Institute in North Carolina. She is a former faculty member of The Body Therapy Institute and is a graduate of the Spirit of Learning, a bodyworker teacher-training program. Tracey worked at Duke Integrative Medicine in its early entrepreneurial phase where she built the integrative massage program from inception. She is a breathwork facilitator and has completed further training in Biodynamic Breath. She is a Certified Integrative Reflexologist, has trained extensively with Claire Marie Miller and is now an international teacher in this reflexology modality. In 2009, she received her professional training in Mind Body Skills through the Center of Mind Body Medicine in Washington, DC. Much of her work is influenced by Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program. Tracey's website: www.cultivatinginnerstillness.com
Tracey teaches: Integrative Reflexology®
Teba Orueta
A native of Madrid, Spain, Teba Orueta, combines her passion for education with her corporate business, DeNatura Wellness, LLC. Her passion for bodywork flourished at a young age and her predilection for prenatal, partum and postpartum massage began when she started massaging her pregnant sister in 2001. Ever since, she has held a sacred space in her heart and hands for the expectant mother and her child. Teba teaches prenatal massage certification classes, core licensing classes and continuing education seminars at Educating Hands School of Massage and throughout schools and spas in Florida. She is also a Florida licensed massage therapist (MA-67631). Her background in wellness and corporate America have led her down an exciting and varied career including Director of Admissions and Continuing Education at Educating Hands. She also spent a cumulative 3 years studying healing arts in SE Asia and India, where she obtained teacher training certifications in the subjects of Thai Massage, Reflexology and Hatha Yoga, among others. Teba’s teaching style seamlessly blends pragmatism and hands-on practice with the intangible energetic aspects of holistic healing. Teba's website: www.denaturawellness.com
Teba teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage (in English and Spanish)
Ellen T. Brady
Ellen Brady is a graduate of Oneonta State University in New York. She received her certificate in massage therapy from Horry–Georgetown Technical College in 2003, where she taught from 2006-2007. She is Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork by NCBTMB and also as a Nationally Certified Medical Massage Therapist (NCMMT). She is a professional member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and certified in Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, Integrative Reflexology® and Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification. Ellen is the owner of Mother Earth Day Spa in Myrtle Beach, SC and is a WATSU® provider. She is a licensed massage therapist in South Carolina (#3796) and North Carolina (#13226).
Ellen taught massage therapy as an instructor at Miller-Motte Technical College located in Conway, SC from 2010-2012. Ellen has been an instructor for Claire Marie Miller Seminars, Inc. since 2008 and she took several years off to care for her mother who was suffering from dementia and now she is back to teaching.
Ellen teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Wise Woman Menopause Massage, Integrative Reflexology®, Advanced Integrative Reflexology, and Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification
Ashley Hirzel
Ashley Hirzel Ashley graduated top of her class at the Healing Arts Institute in Perrysburg, OH. Her own personal journey with conception and pregnancy led her to study pregnancy massage and fertility massage with Claire Marie Miller while she was still attending massage school. She immediately fell in love with the work and began her practice as an Ohio Licensed Massage Therapist (#33-019709) by founding the Open Arms Wellness Center in Oregon, OH. Ashley has additional training as a Barefoot Master in Ashiatsu massage, hot and cold stone therapy, Myofascial Release, Aromatherapy and Bamboo massage, among others. She is passionate about the benefits of massage for fertility enhancement and throughout the journey of pregnancy. Ashley is excited to be an instructor for Claire Marie Miller Seminars. She received fertility support and prenatal massage during both of her pregnancies and feels that it is a part of her calling to share this work with clients and with other therapists. Ashley’s website: www.openarmsmassagestudio.com
Ashley teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, Integrative Reflexology®, and Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification
Chelsea Adams-Cook
Chelsea is a Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Maryland (M04849) since 2012. She graduated from Anne Arundel Community College where she received her Associates Degree in Massage Therapy. She is currently continuing her education to become an Acupuncturist.
Since graduating Chelsea has become certified in Prenatal/Postpartum, Fertility, Reflexology and Hot Stone Massage. The first continuing education class Chelsea took was Claire’s Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and she fell in love with the work. Chelsea has worked on building her business to help mothers through their pregnancy and beyond. Since then, she has studied fertility massage with Claire and is so grateful to be helping women throughout their journey from conception to birth. Chelsea is excited to be able to teach Claire Marie Miller’s seminars and share all the knowledge that she has gained with others. Chelsea’s Website: www.kneadedmassage.co
Chelsea teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, Wise Woman Menopause Massage, and Integrative Reflexology®
Whitney A. Reitz, MA, LMT, CD (DONA)
Whitney is a Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Virginia (#0019017251), certified and trained as an instructor by Claire Marie Miller in Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage. She is also an experienced birth doula, certified by DONA International. She owns LH Massage Therapy, LLC and is a managing partner in Nurturing Birth and Beyond, LLC. Whitney’s doula and massage therapy practices focus on prenatal and postpartum well-being for expecting mothers. As a birth doula, she regularly supports birthing mothers through labor and delivery, using massage as in integral part of helping them have an empowered and non-traumatic birth experience. Whitney believes that therapeutic touch is a critical kind of nourishment that has a healing capability even beyond the physical help it provides. Whitney’s passion for the birthing world shines through in her teaching, which integrates course material, hands-on practice, and experience-sharing to create a warm and supportive learning environment that prepares each student to put newly acquired skills to work right away.
To learn more about Whitney Reitz as a Massage Therapist and Birth Doula, please visit: www.nurturingbirthdoulas.com or LHMassageTherapyVA.com
Whitney teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, Wise Woman Menopause Massage, and Integrative Reflexology®
Claire Heymans
Born in South Africa, Claire has lived in the US since she was 10 and has a rich history in Athletic Training, Exercise and Sports Science, and Medical Personal Training. She received her massage diploma from Body Therapy Institute (BTI) in Siler City, NC in August 2010. She took her first class with Claire Marie Miller in 2013 - Hot Rockin’ Reflexology and Sweet Feet Aromatherapy - and she was hooked! She knew she wanted to follow Claire and learn as much from her as possible. She took Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage in 2015, Integrative Reflexology® in 2018, and Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification in 2023. Claire uses these techniques weekly in her massage practice and even in daily life with her family. Taking Claire’s classes gave her the confidence and technique to integrate and work with all manner of clients on their personal health journeys. Claire completed the Spirit of Learning Teacher Training in December 2021 and is currently teaching Somatic Psychology at the Institute for Massage and Bodywork Therapy in Fayetteville, NC, adding the Pregnancy and Postpartum Module in the Fall of 2023. She is excited to teach for Claire Marie Miller Seminars and pass along this valuable work to the massage therapy community.
Claire teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, and Integrative Reflexology®
Shanda Gadsden
Shanda Gadsden is the owner of Heavenly Hands Mobile Spa, LLC and has been a successful professional massage therapist for 15 years. She gravitated toward nurturing others for as long as she can remember, her earliest memories were of wanting to help people feel better. Shanda graduated from Alabama A&M University in 1996, with a BA in Psychology and Early Child Development and earned her MA in Special Education from Cambridge College in 2009. Her education and work with children with special needs led to her interest in massage therapy. Shanda graduated in 2003 from ASHA School of Massage in Norcross, GA. In 2006 she relocated to New Jersey for a change of scenery and began working part-time as a massage therapist while working full-time as the Disabilities Service Manager for Head Start. She continued her massage therapy education with Claire Marie Miller’s Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Tracy Walton’s Advance Oncology. Shanda is excited to continue her journey nurturing others through teaching Nurturing the Mother® courses to other passionate massage therapists. Shanda's website: www.heavenlyhands.rocks
Shanda teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage
Lydia Gittings
As an LMT in the state of Iowa (#090443), Lydia offers healing services for the entire being. After graduating from massage school, she enrolled in an 18-month reflexology study. Here, she found and fell in love with Integrative Reflexology®. She is the owner of The Broom Closet & Healing Haven LLC where she offers massage therapy, reflexology, and Reiki sessions. In 2021, Lydia opened Mystic School of Massage & Healing Arts where she shares her knowledge and passion for her profession.
Lydia teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Wise Woman Menopause Massage, and Integrative Reflexology®
Sandra Rivera
Sandra Rivera has been practicing massage since 2004 (IN #MT2090051). She has focused her career in women’s health. Sandra has trained in Claire Marie Miller’s Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy Massage (2012), Fertility Massage (2013) and Menopause Massage (2023) courses. She has found success helping women through all stages of conception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Sandra worked for St. Vincent Hospital specializing in post-partum, high-risk pregnancy, oncology, and pediatric massage. She practiced with Indiana Reproductive Acupuncture for 10 years helping women optimize their pelvic health prior to conceiving. This led Sandra to realize she finds working in women’s health most rewarding. She now owns her own practice, Nurture Massage, LLC and works part time as a massage coach at Indiana Wellness College.
Sandra has continued to expand her skills in fertility, pelvic pain, and gynecological visceral manipulation utilizing Mercier Therapy. Sandra loves to mentor and guide massage students in the fields of women’s health. By teaching Claire Marie Miller's courses to other therapists she can pass on the knowledge to safely and effectively support women to naturally achieve their goals. She hopes others find Claire Marie’s techniques to be as rewarding.
Sandra teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage, Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, and Wise Woman Menopause Massage
Michelle Lockhart
Michelle has been a licensed massage therapist since 2012 (NC LMBT# 14518,
VA LMT# 0019013757) and the owner of Mount Airy Massage and Wellness since 2019. Over the years, she has had the honor of helping thousands of people on their journeys toward healing and wholeness. She has gained experience in a wide variety of massage modalities including Swedish, deep tissue, hot stones, Thai massage, lymphatic, vacuum cupping therapy, fertility massage, and prenatal massage. Of all the modalities, the two that have been closest to her heart have been fertility and prenatal massage. Seeing the positive impact these modalities have on clients has turned her love for the work into a passion for empowering women and a desire to share these skills and experience with other therapists. Michelle obtained her teacher training from Claire Marie Miller, the amazing woman from whom she also received her Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage and Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage certifications. Michelle is devoted to her work and excited to bring her knowledge and enthusiasm into every class.
Michelle teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage
Monica Fouty
Monica has always felt drawn to women’s health, primarily reproductive health, pregnancy, birth, and child development. In her previous career, she worked in education and caring for infants and young children. While working with children, she was always enamored by their mother’s pregnancy journey and birth stories. When she decided to attend massage school, she knew she wanted to work with pregnant women. Once Monica received her massage license (NC #17508), she found Claire Marie Miller's prenatal massage class. Claire’s knowledge and compassion were so compelling, Monica knew she wanted to attend more of her classes, including Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage, and continue spreading her wisdom. Since then, she has greatly enjoyed the connection these modalities have created between her and her clients and their unborn child. She now wants to share this knowledge and love by educating other LMBTs. Monica’s long-term goal is to use this wisdom to educate young women about their reproductive health. It is her belief that educating women about their bodies and the amazing journey into motherhood empowers them to receive the best pre, peri, and postnatal care possible.
Monica teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage
Devon Mitchell
It was Devon’s deep love for yoga that led her to explore bodywork. In 2009, she traveled to Kerala, India to complete her Teacher Training with Sivananda Yoga, and the profound impact of that experience propelled her to cultivate a career in massage therapy. In 2011, she completed the Massage Therapy Diploma Program at the prestigious Body Therapy Institute in Siler City, NC. In subsequent years, she has studied Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Wise Woman Menopause Massage with Claire, which has continued to inspire her interest in women’s wellness. Devon is excited to teach for Claire Marie Miller Seminars and empower future generations of therapists with her joy and enthusiasm for this vital work.
Devon teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Wise Woman Menopause Massage
Elizabeth Flagor
Elizabeth is a Licensed Massage Therapist (MA49830) in Jacksonville, Florida and has been practicing massage since 2007. She has worked in various settings throughout her career including pain management clinics, chiropractic, acupuncture, and spa environments. She has always had a passion for helping others, which led her to her career path. Prenatal massage has always been one of her favorite modalities and since discovering Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage she now feels the calling to help woman from conception to postpartum. Elizabeth has now assisted numerous woman in achieving healthy menstruations to healthy conceptions and pregnancies and absolutely adores this work. She is excited to share this passion with other therapists as an instructor with Claire Marie Miller Seminars.
Elizabeth teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage
Daphne Armstrong
Daphne became interested in massage therapy after her training in the physical therapy assistant program at Bishop State Community College in 1992-1994. After being a stay at home mom to her 2 daughters, Daphne decided to attend Madison School of Massage Therapy in 2015 to pursue a career as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Since 2016, Daphne has been treating clients of all ages and using different modalities and massage techniques. In July 2018, Daphne was asked to join the Madison School of Massage Therapy staff and became an instructor in September of 2018. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with her students and helping others achieve a career as a licensed massage therapist. In 2021, Daphne attended the Integrative Reflexology® course taught by Claire Marie Miller. After using her reflexology skill for client sessions and sharing it with her students, she is now moving forward to sharing it with other LMT’s as an instructor with Claire Marie Miller Seminars. She looks forward to sharing Claire’s research and skill with others through the Integrative Reflexology® CE course.
Daphne teaches: Integrative Reflexology®
Auleana Jarman
Auleana is a Licensed Massage Therapist and Esthetician in the state of North Carolina (#14536) where she is the owner of Radiant Serenity Esthetics & Spa. Auleana graduated from Lenoir Community College and has been practicing massage since May 2014. She has found great joy in educating her clients and community about the benefits of routine massage whether it’s being asked to speak to a group of individuals or one on one in the treatment room. She became familiar with Claire Marie Miller‘s work through Lenoir Community College and knew she would someday love to give back to other therapists in such a meaningful way.
Auleana has received her training in Claire Marie Miller’s Nurturing The Mother Fertility Massage (May 2016), and Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification (Oct 2021, Oct 2022, May 2023), as well as obtaining her teacher training (Oct 2023). She puts into practice daily, her knowledge and passion for helping others achieve success in their wellness journeys. She is excited to continue teaching Claire Marie Miller‘s work to help educate fellow therapist about the power of the lymphatic system.
Auleana Teaches: Lymphatic Massage for Detoxification
Raven Carter
Hello! My name is Raven Carter. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Ohio. With over 12 years experience and with nearly 7 years into a thriving holistic practice, I felt called to teach others. Although I have many certifications under my belt, the curriculum taught through Claire Miller inspired me the most. The work of guiding other therapists in the way of fertility, prenatal, and postpartum massage truly resonates with the work I do as a Traditional Community Birthworker. I am excited to carry this work forward in as many seasons as I can.
Raven teaches: Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum Massage and Nurturing the Mother® Fertility Massage