About Us

RMSAAM Mission

To promote and enhance the well-being of animals around the world through responsible and comprehensive educational programming, classes and certificate programs.

         

Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure Massage has two locations at the base of the Rocky Mountains and two in Florida. All campuses are inspirational settings for learning the art of massage and acupressure for animals. Bring your dog or work on one of ours, practice on one of our friendly rescue horses and make new friends. Approved and Regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Division of Private Occupational Schools and approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider # 451073-09.

These approval processes are a part of our continuing effort to provide high quality educational programs at the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage. We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of practice in the industry. For this reason, students seek out our program from around the country and around the world.

 

Why the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure And Massage?

Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage offers a wide range of courses in animal massage, acupressure, reiki, essential oils, animal communication and more. We are proud of our offerings and our legacy.

All RMSAAM faculty members are educated professionals with extensive training, fieldwork and teaching experience. Additionally, we require all of our instructors to be licensed and credentialed by the state of Colorado as teaching professionals. Each teacher brings their own experiences and approach to the classroom while abiding by RMSAAM's strict set of teaching standards and curriculum to create a dynamic environment, consistent program and the highest of standards for our profession.

When you join the RMSAAM team, you become part of a supportive and professional group of practitioners who are passionate about their practice and the well-being of animals.

Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure Massage (RMSAAM) is approved and regulated by the Colorado Department of Continuing Education, Division of Private Occupational Schools and is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider # 451073-09.

 

Lisa B. Speaker, Founder and Executive Director

“Becoming certified in Animal Acupressure Massage was when I started following my true calling. I took my Basset Hound Betty with me and we stayed there in a little apartment and studied together. Betty is my inspiration and my most lovable, willing subject!”

Lisa founded Dogma in 2002 when she divided her time between treating animals, teaching classes and developing educational materials for enthusiasts and professionals. Her interest in complementary healthcare for animals stems from her life-long love for and interest in animals, their welfare and well-being.

Lisa has served as an Advisory Council Member of IAAMB, The International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork, and is a co-founder of CAAMB, Colorado Association of Animal Massage and bodyworkers. Lisa is also a member of IAAMT, International Association of Animal Massage Therapists and Founder of the non-profit, Colorado Alliance for Animal Owner's Rights (CAAOR).

Prior to founding Dogma, Lisa produced and directed educational programming, training and commercial videos in Boston, MA. Upon moving to Denver, Lisa became a Personal Fitness Trainer and triathlete, completing a half-ironman. Shortly thereafter, Lisa traveled to California to pursue her true calling, an education in Animal Acupressure and Massage. The training and anatomy courses required as a fitness trainer served her well as she began her study of animal acupressure and massage. During her studies Lisa identified a lack of educational materials for students and began authoring a workbook on canine acupressure. Lisa has also produced videos on equine and canine massage and developed several acupressure charts.

Upon award of licensing by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Lisa founded The Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage. The Dogma Inc(www.denverdogma.com) mission became more focused toward providing resources, information and retail products for pet owners allowing the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage (RMSAAM) to flourish in it's ability to educate practitioners.

Today, Lisa runs the day to day operations of the school, works on legislation to further credibility for the practice of Animal Massage and is enjoying learning reigning with her new reigner "Rudy". In 2008 Lisa and her husband Ron welcomed a new puppy, Madeline, to their family and very sadly said good-bye to her beloved Betty, co-founder of the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage. There is a monument at the Carbondale location in honor of Miss Betty's many contributions to the success of the school.

 

Joan Akiyama, Director of Enrollment

Joan joined the RMSAAM team in January 2009 after 19 years as an Executive/Legal Assistant. Her legal background and easy-going personality combined with her technological and software capabilities have quickly made her a valuable addition to our team! Joan lives in Colorado with her husband, 2 boys and 2 dogs. She looks forward to being your first point of contact at RMSAAM!

 

 

 

Brenda Thompson, Marketing Director and Goodwill Ambassador

Brenda has joined the RMSAAM staff as Marketing Director and Goodwill Ambassador.  You will see her in the Castle Rock and Littleton classrooms at the start of each class facilitating registration and making sure everything goes smoothly on that first day. Brenda is the proud guardian of "Jazzy", a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Recently retired from 18 years as a Sales Manager at Pitney Bowes, Brenda has a very personal connection to RMSSAM as she is the mother of Founder, Lisa Speaker!

 

Beth Pelosa, Instructor, Acupressure Levels 1 & 2 (Colorado)

Beth is a Certified Large and Small Animal Acupressure Practitioner, Animal Acupressure Instructor, and owner of Equine Energy Works, LLC. In addition to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupressure, Beth has also studied Dr. McLaren's Photonic Light Therapy and other vibrational healing modalities including equine massage, Bach Flower Remedies therapy, floral acupressure and aromatherapy. Beth believes in a balanced approach to animal health care including good nutritional support, exercise, natural training techniques and regular preventative maintenance acupressure and vibrational energy work. Beth's passion is teaching animal owners and caregivers TCM and animal acupressure to help them support their animal's health and experience the strong bond and cooperative partnership energy work creates with animals.

 

Jenny Rukavina, Class Coordinator & Equine and Canine Massage Instructor (Colorado)

2007 was a year of big changes for Jenny, when she found herself transplanted to Colorado from Montana on a new and different career path.  Formerly a high school biology teacher,  she now finds herself immersed in the horse business after founding Acadia Equine Rehabilitation just south of Denver.  AER was an idea based on Jenny's personal experience bringing her mare, Acadia, back to work as a dressage horse after sustaining a severe stifle injury that required surgery and months of layup and rehabilitation. Becoming a certified equine and canine massage practitioner fit into the mission of her business, and until recently she said one of the only things missing in her life was teaching...so she now balances her time between her equine rehab clients, teaching equine and canine massage classes for the school, as well as a limited number of equine and canine massage clients. Jenny shares her life with Australian Shepherd Cori, a faithful co-worker and companion;  warmblood mare Acadia (aka "Cadie"), inspiration for many things and dressage partner; and African Grey Parrot, Roscoe who tries to keep her in line. In her spare time she can be found hiking and birding with Cori, watering her over population of orchids,  and continuing her education. 

 

Lynda Robbins, Instructor, Canine Massage (Florida)

Lynda Robbins became a Florida licensed human massage therapist in 1990 and has worked with thousands of clients in the South Florida area.  As a massage therapy instructor for the past 5 years, Lynda has extensive training and knowledge of muscles and how the body works.  In 2008, Lynda turned her attention to her life long love of dogs and became a certified Canine Massage Therapist through on-site study and training with RMSAAM.  Lynda is the owner of HANDS 4 PAWS Canine Massage and Wellness in Boca Raton, FL.  She makes house calls providing massage for dogs of all ages.  Lynda also provides canine holistic nutrition and wellness consultations and makes use of Flower Essence remedies in her work with the dogs.   Lynda is excited to be working with RMSAAM to develop the South Florida satellite branch, and will be teaching the first Level 1 Canine Massage course in Jupiter, Florida in May 2009.

 

Kristi Dale, Instructor, Canine Massage (Colorado)

Kristi Dale is a graduate of Kansas University with a BS in Elementary Education and New Mexico University with a Masters in Education.  After giving birth to her first two kids, Kristi attended the Colorado School of Healing arts massage program and has now been a human massage therapist for seven years.  Kristi has always had a love of animals and a natural inclination to canine massage.  Her fur babies include a jovial black lab named Gracie, and two very curious and ornery kittens.  Her human babies are 12 year old son Cameron, 10 year old daughter Julia and 4 year old Henry.  In Kristi’s free time (what free time?) you might see her and her husband running the trails of Colorado’s front range or on the ice playing hockey for the RMHL. 

 

Shelley Sheets, Program Development and Instructor, Canine Massage Level 3 (Colorado)

Shelley Sheets is a Denver Native.  She has a bachelor’s degree in education and has been a practicing massage therapist for twenty years.  Shelley  has taught massage therapy for Community College of Denver, wrote a massage therapy program for Arapahoe Community College and developed and directed a  massage program that was launched in January of 2002 at Denver Career College.  Her massage experience has taken her everywhere from  working at Craig Hospital on spinal cord and traumatic brain injured patients to owning her own day spa in Littleton Colorado.

In 2007 she took part in the first ever training at CSU Veterinary School in Canine Massage while at the same time beginning a two year program at Mile Hi Church in Lakewood Colorado to become a licensed spiritual counselor.  Her ultimate goal is to support senior animals and their companions with massage and counseling, through the end of life process and the grief period that follows.  She currently lives in Green Mountain with her husband and two dogs, Dodger and Ruby.

 

 

Frances Cleveland, Aromatherapist (Colorado)

Frances Fitzgerald Cleveland has worked with horses for more than 25 years in a range of disciplines. Her aspirations started with horses and grew to include people and other animals. In 1996, Frances founded her company, FrogWorks. She has always aimed to heighten the well-being of people and animals naturally, through individualized use of essential oils.

Frances has extensive experience in the realms of health and behavior as it relates to both animals and humans. She obtained certification from the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy and the International School of Animal Aromatics. Frances studied in England with Caroline Ingraham, the pioneer of Animal Aromatics. Frances is an apprentice of Rosemary Gladstar, world renowned author, herbalist and teacher, and has completed the intensive Apprenticeship Program and the Science and Art of Herbalism Program in the didactic, therapeutic, laboratory and fieldwork in herbalism.

Frances recently trained zookeepers in the use of essential oils on animals. Her groundbreaking Animal Aromatherapy work at The Denver Zoo with the Orangutans, Gorillas and Black Crested Macaques was covered in the Denver Post and L.A.Times. Frances' work has also been written about by the Rocky Mountain News, Associated Press, The German Press and a featured guest on Animal Radio. This work showed excellent results, which confirm the effectiveness of essential oils. These magnificent animals clearly demonstrated which oils they wanted, when they wanted them and how they wanted them applied. They have truly been teachers about how these oils can help them.

Her specific expertise, her love of animals and people, and her commitment to natural healing make Frances a respected and highly effective Aromatherapist. Frances and her husband, John, live in Colorado and operate a horse facility, Outback Farm, where Frances teaches and practices Aromatherapy, trains horses, gives riding lessons and manufactures her internationally sold products.

 

Diane Ellis, Instructor, First Aid and CPR (Colorado)

A professional photographer & computer graphic design artist for many years with a special interest in nature and animals. Her many years of experience include being a vet tech, volunteer medical team member at a Southern California Animal Shelter, cat, dog and horse training, handling and caring of deaf and blind animals, special needs and senior animals. How to prepare homemade vegetarian meals for cats & dogs. Currently enrolled through Front Range College in their 2 ½ year “Professional Equine Management Program” with highly acclaimed instructor Damian Ficca, where she is refining her horsemanship skills to an even higher level. Diane now dedicates her life’s work to helping animals of all species and the people who share their lives. Diane is a Certified Anaflora Animal Communicator, Anaflora Flower Essence Practitioner, Reiki Master & Reiki Attunement Instructor and Certified Pet First-Aid/CPR/Disaster Preparedness Instructor.

 

Rebecca Blackbyrd, Instructor, Animal Reiki (Colorado)

Rebecca is an animal communicator and a certified Reiki master practitioner and teacher. She has been practicing animal communication and Reiki professionallysince October 2004. Prior to beginning her practice, Rebecca developed her skills while living and working at Wilderness Ranch Sanctuary for Farm Animals in northern Colorado. She now lives in Denver with her partner, their dog Radha, and a pride of cats: Alexa, Miranda, Chester, Princess, and Jingle.

 

 

Anna Twinney, Instructor, Animal Communication (Colorado and Florida)

Anna's dream is to take the Reach Out to Horses® program around the world, especially to Third World countries, to make a difference in the lives of the working horses and people that are unable to travel to the U.S. Anna is an internationally respected horsewoman, clinician, coach, certified animal communicator & healer. She has conducted clinics, classes and training sessions in Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, France, Holland, Sweden, Spain and throughout the United States.  She is scheduled to venture into Norway and New Zealand during 2008.

Anna brings a wealth of knowledge to her own clinics - drawing on a life-time of equine experience, and nearly a decade of coaching in excess of 5,000 international students, including those with learning difficulties and physical challenges.

Anna's work has been featured on TV, including a segment on Martha Stewart's Living "The Horse Whisperer" and the BBC fly on the wall documentary "Living in the Sun". From 2008 Reach Out to Horses® episodes are scheduled to be released on air throughout the world. In addition, Anna has written articles for a variety of national and international equine-related magazines.

Among her many other accomplishments, Anna has worked in collaboration with leading clinicians on natural horsemanship and animal communication. Beyond her own equine training and experience, Anna has explored a plethora of "alternative" healing modalities over the years, including becoming a certified Reiki Master and Intuitive Healer. She has studied Equine Herbal Natural Remedies and Aromatherapy, is a certified Reconnective Healing® Level III practitioner and most recently graduated from Carol Gurney's HeartTalk Program® as a certified animal communicator.

Today Anna is proud to travel the world and spread her knowledge, she hopes to create a Learning Center close to home in the upcoming years. Her interest in the "Language of Equus" has led her to focus increasingly on the power of animal communication to strengthen and deepen our relationships with all species.