Esalen® Massage Professional Training (100 hours)
Patrick Stockstill and Jessica Fagan, Esalen Massage teachers
with teaching assistants Anthony DiMaggio and Lori Lewis
Doe Bay Resort and Retreat Center | Orcas Island, WA
September 15-22 (part 1) & October 20-27 (part 2)
This retreat (offered as two immersive 8-day modules) is a guided, transformational journey into Esalen Massage, a renowned presence-based approach to touch developed over the last 60 years in Big Sur, CA. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or a recent massage school graduate, in this workshop you will be given tools to expand your capacity for skillful and heartfelt touch. We will explore the interface of technique, improvisation, and intuition. A journey deep into the self, in right relationship with others, Esalen Massage can profoundly transform your ability to be present, your quality of touch, and your power to share safe, healing touch. Upon successful completion of the course requirements, you will be invited to join the global family of Esalen Massage as a certified Esalen Massage Practitioner.
Esalen Massage applies principles of mindfulness to bodywork, offering a holistic body-mind-spirit experience both to the practitioner and to the receiver. Through oil application with light to medium pressure and slow rhythmic strokes, the practitioner evokes awareness, a sensory “coming home.” The practitioner may add deeper detail work to untangle stressed muscles, integrating each release into the surrounding tissue and the whole body. Assisted movement or stretches can be applied to free up old holding patterns, and frequent pauses give time for assimilation, energetic re-balance, and a sense of well-being. (adapted from the Esalen website)
Guided by Patrick and Jessica, both experienced Esalen Massage teachers, you will explore different topics daily, applying a variety of massage techniques to address tension, holding patterns, and injuries, all within the holistic framework of Esalen Massage. Daily experiential learning also include sensory awareness, mindful embodiment practices (e.g. mediation, tai chi, yoga, dance), applied anatomy, communication skills, and simple but powerful self care practices.
Your Teaching Team
Jessica Fagan has been deeply immersed in the practice and teaching of bodywork, movement, and Yoga since 1994 having studied, practiced and taught in the US, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Indonesia. She came to Esalen Institute in 1997 where she became part of the Healing Arts department and has been deeply influenced by the evolving and innovative forms of bodywork and Somatic therapies ever since.
Jessica’s teaching utilizes her background in Eastern and Western body therapies, Psychology, the Arts, and love of making healing contact through the hands, to create a unique approach to working with the body and her students.
Jessica currently resides in the San Francisco Bay area and recently completed her MFT in Expressive Arts Therapy. She brings a creative method of expression into the clinical practice of therapy through dance, drama, music, visual arts, and poetry/ narrative therapy. Jessica maintains a private massage practice, teaches locally as well as internationally, and is passionate about combining her knowledge of the body as it relates to the field of Psychology in order to address a diverse population with a multicultural perspective.
Patrick Stockstill is an Esalen Massage teacher and practitioner living on Orcas Island, Washington (Sx̱ʷaqʷsən, traditional home to Coast Salish peoples, primarily the Lummi, Samish, and Songhees Nations). From March 2023 to March 2026 he served as the president of the Healing Arts Center, an Orcas nonprofit dedicated to maintaining space for holistic healthcare practitioners.
Patrick discovered Esalen Massage while attending a traditional massage school, and his first session was unlike anything he'd experienced before. He visited Esalen in early 2011 for the first time, and after receiving a massage at the baths, he went to the office and enrolled in the next residential training program later that year. The sense of presence, care, and acceptance that he felt in that first session at Esalen inspires him to this day as a practitioner and teacher. Patrick returns to Esalen frequently to reconnect with the people, the land, and for additional trainings in bodywork and Gestalt Awareness Practice. Since 2024, Patrick has been a member of the Esalen Institute Massage School faculty.
His practice of Esalen Massage is informed by decades of yoga and meditation practice, ecstatic dance, Sensory Awareness, and a deep curiosity about psychology and human potential. Patrick is also a former staff faculty (teaching Deep Tissue and Anatomy & Physiology) and current guest faculty at McKinnon Body Therapy Center, and he has taught Esalen Massage in California, Washington, North Carolina, and Indonesia.
Anthony Dimaggio, Teaching Assistant
Having been fortunate to grow up on the west coast of the United States, surrounded by open nature and expansive ocean, Anthony was drawn to action sports at a young age. At the time, he didn't quite understand how the embodied essence of these sports would impact his career later on.
First being exposed to the power of touch almost 10 years ago, Anthony immediately uprooted his life and found himself studying bodywork at Esalen Institute. He is now a multidisciplinary practitioner who shares his time between the south of Sri Lanka and Esalen Institute. He shares his practice and love for the body on a daily basis.
“Finding touch based therapies and movement has not only changed my personal relationship with myself and the world around me. It also gives me a platform in which I can express and share the beauty of life I perceive”
Lori Lewis, Teaching Assistant
Lori Lewis is an Esalen trained massage practitioner (2009) and teacher (2021). She also teaches Deep Bodywork® (2017) at the Body Therapy Institute in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California.
Our Time Together at Doe Bay
Doe Bay is a magical resort and retreat center on the east side of Orcas Island. Over the years, it has hosted countless personal, yoga, art, and music retreats and events. Learn more about the Doe Bay property and amenities at doebay.com.
"This place is pure magic! There are few places to reconnect to oneself and nature so quickly and profoundly. From high end to rustic accommodations and a fabulous cafe Doe Bay has something for everyone. This is simply the best retreat available in the Pacific Northwest!" – Guest Review at doebay.com
Housing choices include private or shared rooms in the Retreat House available upon registration; or you may book your own cabin, yurt, dome, treehouse, or camping. Commuter registration is available for participants who live on island or prefer to arrange their own housing.
Meals will be provided twice daily, including a simple breakfast and catered lunch or dinner. Efforts will be made to accommodate most dietary needs. Additional meals are available at the Doe Bay Cafe during their operating hours. The Doe Bay Store has a small selection of groceries, and there is a communal kitchen accessible to all property guests. The Retreat House, where our program will be held, has a commercial kitchen that may be used by those staying in the Retreat House outside of class time. Doe Bay is about 10 minutes from the small town of Olga (which has a very small co-op grocery and a lunch café) and 25-30 minutes from the town of Eastsound, where there are two full service grocery stores and several restaurants.
Travel to Orcas Island is most common aboard the Washington State Ferry System, which departs several times daily from Anacortes to Orcas. The 60-90 minute ferry ride is a scenic, relaxing way to ease into the slower pace of island life. Reservations are strongly recommended for vehicles; walk on passengers do not require reservations. Please plan your travel to arrive earlier than necessary; delays are common on the ferry system! One third of available car spaces are each released at 7am two months, two weeks, and two days before your travel day. Walk-on water taxis serve Orcas from Anacortes and Bellingham. If you prefer, you can fly to Eastsound via San Juan Airlines (from Bellingham) or Kenmore Air (from Seattle). Tickets are roughly $200 each way after taxes. Doe Bay also suggests options to get from Anacortes or the Orcas ferry landing to Doe Bay here.
Sample Schedule*
Day 1
4 pm - 6 pm Arrival on property
6 pm Dinner
7 pm - 9:30 pm Class
Days 2 - 7
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9 am - 1 pm Class (including embodied anatomy or presence-building movement practice)
1 - 3 pm Break
3 - 6:30 pm Class
6:30 pm Break
8 pm Optional evening program (one night TBD)
Day 8
8 - 9 am Breakfast, vacate room
9 am - 12 pm Class
12 - 1 pm Lunch and departure
*times are approximate and subject to change
additional supervised practice sessions
and programming may be added
Prerequisites, Certification, and Continuing Education Details
Prerequisite: massage license or certification (at least 150 hours of combined massage and anatomy training).
After successful completion of all course requirements, you may request one year of membership in and a certificate from the Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association (EMBA). Use of the Esalen name or logo in your advertising requires initial registration with EMBA. Registration and first year EMBA fees are $150. Continuation of membership in EMBA is optional beyond the registration year; current fees are $100 annually.
Successful completion of the EMBA certification requirements (above and beyond earning CE hours) includes up to two "touch-in" evaluations with instructors or assistants, one final evaluation massage with an instructor or qualified assistant, and documentation of 15 Esalen Massage sessions, completed within 6 months of the course end date (with brief write-up provided to the instructors).
This course meets all Washington and Oregon state continuing education requirements for LMTs, not including CPR/First Aid and the hour in cultural competency required by Oregon.
Investment (Tuition, Room, and Board)
This course is a 100 hour program in two parts. Registration in only part 1 is not available. Recognizing the different financial and personal needs of participants, the cost of the program is determined by the level of housing you choose:
Registration Cost (full program) includes tuition, course materials, housing (14 nights - pricing varies), two meals per day provided, laundry service, and Doe Bay property access. See below for rate options.
Deposit: $500 (Due on registration, applied towards the total cost)
Sales Tax: As of October 1, 2025, WA state requires sales tax for classes and workshops (currently 8.35% in San Juan County) - this will be applied to the tuition part of the fee ($2,950 through March 31; $3,350 beginning April 1)
Registration with Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association (EMBA) - optional
$150 payable to Esalen Institute upon completion of all coursework and with instructor approval
Required if you intend to use the name "Esalen" in your marketing and description of services. Registration includes one year of membership in EMBA and a practitioner listing on massage.esalen.org
Travel Insurance is recommended if you are flying to Orcas Island or elsewhere in your travels.
Cancellation Policy
All fees paid are fully refundable until July 15, 2026. Between July 16 and August 15, 2026, fees are 50% refundable. After August 15, 2026, no refunds will be made. If the program is cancelled by the organizer for any other cause, you will be notified as soon as possible and fully refunded.
Syllabus and Course Details
Course Sumary The Esalen® Massage 100-hour Professional Practitioner Training offers comprehensive bodywork education in the skills necessary to become a recognized Esalen Massage practitioner. This class is tailored for certified massage practitioners seeking to add the resources of Esalen Massage to their repertoire. It focuses on critical skills relevant for giving a full Esalen Massage, including centering and grounding, self-care and reflection, application of the long flowing strokes punctuated with detail specific to each segment, and an integrated experience of body-mind-spirit. Additional points of the curriculum include work in the side-lying posture, passive joint movement, gentle stretching, and ethics of massage. Students will learn and practice communication skills to enhance deep self-reflection and to address emotional release that may arise during a massage session. The instructors offer on-going support at the table as well as assessment through receiving. This course is designed to link body, mind and spirit in a professionally oriented, hands-on training. Successful completion includes full attendance (100 classroom hours), one 30-minute, and one 75-minute massage assessment session, fifteen documented off-site massage sessions, and payment of the certificate fee ( $150). Graduation grants the practitioner full Esalen® Massage privileges, including listing on the website and use of the brand to promote their work as Esalen® Massage as long as they remain in good standing. Students will receive a resource book that includes the class schedule and curriculum, forms, and assessment guidance plus multiple articles by leaders notable in the Esalen Massage legacy. Attendance is kept daily; If health reasons prevent a student from attending a class, a student may arrange with the instructors to make up the class time.
Course Outline Week One - The first sessions will include personal introduction, enhancing the learning environment by developing communication skills, and what it means to be intentional with touch. Initial coursework will build sensory awareness skills, how to become centered and grounded, physically and energetically, and the practice of presence for self and with others. Students will be introduced to a variety of mindfulness practices, meditation, yoga, conscious movement and Tai Chi, to enhance and develop these skills. We will cover the history of Esalen Massage and its key influences, along with the evolution of Esalen massage today. Through lectures, demo’s and practice, students will become familiar with the Esalen approach to contact, connection and applying the signature flow of Esalen massage at the table. During the next few days, the course will teach creating safety through draping and how to build specific massage methodology in the prone position. Midway through the first week, attention will move to the front of the body, and by the end of the week, students will be able to give and experience a basic Esalen massage. Good body mechanics , mindfulness and communication skills form the backdrop for each massage session. Towards the end of the first week we begin the clinic where students are asked to bring together all the skills they are learning into 75 minute massages performed on a client and are given written feedback. Week Two - The instructors will add detail, moving through the layers of the body to address specific areas—limbs, torso, neck, head, hands and feet--with movement, stretches and 3-dimensional touch on front and back. Each session will be dedicated to focusing on techniques that address common issues and complaints, including stress, tension, pain or lack of awareness. Break-out sessions will experientially explore healthy boundaries, empathy, and how to professionally differentiate between the two. A facilitated sharing circle will promote self-reflection, acceptance, listening skills, and illustrate the body-mind-spirit relationship. The instructors will offer massage strategies for clients that need alternate positions, such as side work, and addressing the back body from the front, and working partially clothed. Final assessment is by means of a practical session on an instructor, with verbal and written feedback. In closing, instructors will highlight the business practices relevant to Esalen massage, including professional ethics and boundaries, and the reach of the Esalen community. Final Requirements: Students must fully participate and complete 100 in class hours. Some makeup hours will be provided. The students must successfully give an instructor an Esalen massage with all the outlined elements required, documents fifteen practice Esalen massage sessions off site after the completion of the course and submit them electronically to the instructor. Students may be asked to give additional massages to the instructors if they do not meet all the requirements of an Esalen massage. At completion students may apply to receive their Esalen certificate through the Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association (EMBA) by logging onto the website, completing an application and paying an additional $150 fee. Graduates gain the privileges of the Esalen Brand and and a listing on the website as long as they remain in good standing. EMBA membership is free for the first year, then students will be invited to maintain that membership for an additional $100 per year. The Esalen standards of ethics and by laws are listed on the EMBA website: massage.esalen.org.
Educational Goals and Assessment Students will be able to be more aware of their clients through observations, listening, and palpation skills Assessment: practical assessment and peer feedback Students will learn to use good body mechanics, maintain boundaries, physically and emotionally, and communicate with their clients. Visual assessment by the instructor, self-reported, peer feedback Students will be able to give each client a massage that is customized based on the client’s needs and requests. Practical assessment on instructor, peer feedback Students will apply the principles of Esalen Massage to give a 75 min. Full body Esalen Massage. Assessment by observation and peer feedback. Students will be able to incorporate verbal clues and guidance into the session. Assessment: congruence of client and practitioner feedback. Students will be able to safely and effectively incorporate stretches and movement of limbs in a session. Assessment by observation, peer feedback, instructor assessment session. Students will apply holistic principles and energetic concepts to each massage. Assessment: Instructor observation and practical assessment on instructor.
Instructional Methods Instructional methods include experiential exercises, lecture, demonstration, use of skeleton and charts, supervised practice. Instructors work with all students one on one at the table. All sessions will include one or more of the following: body awareness exercises which could include meditation, movement, stretching, walking, hands-on massage practice, self-awareness training, one on one coaching from an instructor, giving and receiving peer feedback. The emphasis of this course is on experiential learning and the practice of Esalen Massage. You must be able to fully participate to attend this course.
Curriculum Esalen Massage Demonstration, theory and practice 64 hours Esalen Massage 48 hours Passive joint movement 5 hours Contraindications 5 hours Special needs clients 6 hours Practitioner Development 8 hours Sensory awareness practice 3 hours Mindfulness training 5 hours Anatomy and Physiology 21 hours Pathology 3 hours Kinesthetic movement 5 hours Ethics 3 hours Business practice 3 hours Psychological Aspects 4 hours Hands on Assessment 3 hours Total hours 100 hours