Bancroft School of Massage Therapy
Discover the Bancroft Difference
Mission Statement and Educational Objectives
Instructor Spotlight
Wendy Bolognesi
Wendy is a Certified Shiatsu Practitioner and a Licensed Massage Therapist.
She graduated from the Ohashi Institute in Manhattan in 1990 and continued her studies to become a Certified Ohashiatsu Instructor in 1992.
Wendy has been an instructor at BSMT since 1993. She developed and is the principal instructor for the Asian Massage Techniques course. Wendy also developed and teaches a Seated/On-site massage class. As part of our Internship course, Wendy brings student to the Brookfield Institute's Home Front Strong program in Ware, MA, where they give seated/onsite massage to veterans. Wendy teaches part of BSMT's Regional Massage for Cervical/Lumbar course as well.
In 1980, Wendy received her BFA from the Pratt Institute, with a major in photography. She graduated from Bancroft 2009 and is a licensed massage therapy in Massachusetts. Among the numerous post-graduate courses Wendy has completed, she has been particularly interested in Shiatsu with pregnancy, Thai Massage and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage; each of these has become an area of emphasis in her private practice.
Wendy is a Reiki II practitioner, holds a certification in Herbalism and Herbal Therapeutics, and has practiced yoga and meditation for over 40 years. She has traveled to Thailand and Japan to further study Asian Massage and has sponsored one of her teachers, Koji Hiroshige, in presenting Thai Massage courses in MA.
Wendy maintains a successful private practice in Hardwick and Barre, MA. Since April 2020, she has been participating, as well as presenting, in Global Virtual Shiatsu Gatherings sponsored by The Five Lights and Kumiko Kanayama. In May of 2020, Wendy completed a two-year clinical integration course in "The Inner Tradition of Chinese Medicine" taught by Lonny S. Jarrett. Wendy also sponsors an annual Shiatsu Camp and is a member of the Facebook group, "Shiatsu Community For All".
Christine "Bean" Camara
Focus on Bancroft School of Massage Therapy Instructors
Christine graduated from Bancroft School of Massage Therapy (BSMT) in 1997 and has never looked back.
Leveraging her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from the University of Connecticut and certifications in Amino Neuro Frequency (ANF), Neuro Kinetic Therapy (NKT), Myofascial Release, Lymphatic drainage and Integrative Nutrition; Christine runs her private practice with a focus on helping those with acute and chronic conditions through massage therapy, nutritional counseling, health coaching and ANF treatments ( ANF Therapy is drug and chemical free therapy which utilizes frequencies to restore the body to homeostasis by reducing pain and inflammation).
On staff at BSMT as a Principle Instructor for Massage Techniques I and II, Cervical – Lumbar Regional Massage, Kinesiology, Health and Assistant Instructor in Anatomy and Physiology, she brings real life knowledge into the classroom to help students learn and grow.
She has also developed and teaches a number of continuing education courses for massage therapists, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals covering unique topics such as scar work, assessments, TMJ dysfunction and is a worldwide instructor in ANF therapy.
Linda MacConnell
Linda MacConnell, Certified Trager® Practitioner, LMT, has been in the massage therapy field for 27 years. She combined her passion for dance and working with clay when she entered Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in 1993. She had not realized her desire to learn more about the body until she was incredibly inspired by her anatomy Instructor Dianne Polseno in a way that she will forever hold dear. After she graduated the program in 1994, she worked in a variety of settings, a Chiropractic office, health spa, and a gym.
Unfortunately, after some years, she developed patterns of overuse and experienced significant pain in her forearms and hands. Intuitively, she knew it was caused by how she was working in her body. She knew she needed to address the cause of the pain and sought after some lessons to help her with this. She found a local Alexander Technique teacher and began the journey of self-discovery and body awareness that has changed her life forever.
She also found joy in teaching when she began assisting classes at Bancroft SMT in 1998. She was immediately drawn to observing and analyzing how the students were using their bodies while massaging. She has been an innovator within the school for introducing movement awareness so students may experience a long and healthy career filled with joy, fun and comfort. The experience of her own pain and the journey has informed many students to look within for their own healing. She has helped them to feel great in their own bodies while they help others to do the same.
Once the Trager Approach came along, there was no looking back. When her 3 kids were young and there was very little time or consideration for self-care, she knew that she needed to do something more for herself. She was deeply moved from the experience at a Trager introductory workshop. She couldn't believe how good she felt after a full day at a workshop. She was transformed with the idea that a therapist could put themselves first and then have a more effective outcome for the client! So once her kids were a bit older, she committed herself to the full training program and became a Certified Trager Practitioner in January 2012.
She has taken many continuing education courses including Myofascial Release (Howard Rontal), Core Movement (Arthur Madore), CranioSacral Therapy (Upledger), Bodywork for the Childbearing Year (Kate Jordan), Somatic Explorations (Deane Juhan), Pain Management and Orthopedic Massage (James Waslaski), Cadaver labs (Diane Polseno and Michael Conlon) and of course, many Trager courses.
She offers Trager Movement Re-Education sessions at Just Breathe: A Salt Room and Healing Center in her hometown of Westboro, MA. She is an Introductory Workshop Leader under Trager International. She is in the process to become a Tutor and then Instructor of the core training and volunteers her time as the United States Trager Association's current President Board Member.
She believes that there is a new way to think about 'body mechanics' and that the principles of Trager (effortless movement, whole body integration, fluidity of fascia, somatic awareness, presence, curiosity instead of protocol, and building neuroplasticity through movement education) is the future of bodywork. She is honored to be able to apply these concepts to the massage students at Bancroft SMT. Massage Therapists are an extremely valuable health care service and should never suffer with pain in order to take care of their clients and make a living in this profession.
Linda MacConnell, Trager Practitioner
Pain Relief through Movement Re-Education