Announcing the Launch of our Brand New Continuing Education Workshops for Personal Trainers, LMTs, and Fitness Professionals

Swedish Institute’s “Focus on Flexibility” CE program has been officially approved by NSCA and ACE to count towards CEUs for Personal Trainers, as well as NCBTMB and NY State CEUs for Massage Therapists.

These intensive workshops are a must for fitness professionals as well as massage therapists working with post-rehab clients or designing flexibility and corrective exercise programs to complement strength and cardiovascular training. Each workshop explores exercise biomechanics, motor control, kinetic chain, testing and stretching for injuries of the lower extremity, upper extremity, back and torso. You will gain hands-on practical experience with flexibility testing and assisted stretching techniques, and apply them to program design for post-rehab, pre-habilitation, and corrective exercise.

If you are committed to learning new techniques to achieve more effective sessions with your clients, these workshops are for you.

Don’t miss the early registration savings deadline which is April 15, 2017

Register now

Swedish Institute Celebrates 100th Birthday!

On Friday September 16, 2016, Swedish Institute celebrated our 100th anniversary with a centennial event that drew close to 400 attendees, mostly alumni. We celebrated this milestone with an evening full of events, starting with a dedication ceremony to the Eckardt family and culminating with a wonderful 100th birthday party.

The evening began with a ceremony dedicating the fifth floor at 151 West 26th Street as “Eckardt Hall.” Paula Eckardt was honored in a room that was full to capacity, with an overwhelming outpouring of love and support, alongside her children and grandchildren and in front of countless colleagues and alumni who attested to the difference she and her family had made in their lives.

The evening also featured exhibits set up by each Academic Department that highlighted the discipline and attributes of each specific academic program: Advanced Personal Training, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Nursing, and Surgical Technologist. The event also included a student art exhibit and performances, speeches highlighting the history of the college and the contributions of the Eckardt family, and a beautiful Centennial Journal that laid out the history of Swedish Institute from its inception to today which was written and wonderfully put together by Lucy Liben.

The evening culminated in a fantastic party, complete with DJ and dancing, a step-and-repeat-photo station, raffle prizes, and gift bags which were given to all attendees.

Seeing and hearing alumni from 30 and 40 years saying how proud they are to be a part of this institution really drove home the difference that Swedish Institute has made in so many lives. Happy 100th birthday Swedish, and now on to the next 100 years!

Centennial Celebration from Swedish Institute on Vimeo.

Swedish CE Hosts “Spa Talk” Night with Geoff Dawe

On April 6, Wednesday evening, long-standing Swedish Institute faculty member Geoff Dawe presented a special “Spa Talk” night designed for current students and recent graduates beginning their careers in the massage therapy field.
Geoff was former Principal Therapist at the world famous Peninsula Spa, as well as the Mandara Spa at the Wailea Beach Marriott Hotel and Resort in Maui. As Principal Therapist, he established policy and procedure for these five star, world class establishments. He also conducted interviews for potential therapists as well as practical hands on “auditions”.
Approximately 50 people filled the room and listened intently as Geoff walked through a step-by-step presentation discussing spa work for massage therapists. He began with an overview of the spa industry and the different types of spas, ranging from high-end hotel and resort spas to day spas to medical spas and club spas. He explained the differences in the client visiting a destination spa such as Canyon Ranch and the client going into an Xpress Spa at Laguardia, and the subsequent differences in the on-the-job expectations set by that spa’s management – and the importance, therefore, of “doing your homework” and identifying “the right spa for you”. He walked through how the interview process works and shared tips on everything from preparing a resume and the importance of presenting a professional demeanor, to what types of things to look out for and what types of questions to ask. He also went into an in-depth explanation of potential compensation packages available to therapists, including different pay scales, medical benefits and other considerations.

Geoff then invited two special Swedish alum to join him for an open Q&A. Courtney Yates, who has been working at Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa for the past 4-1/2 years, and Rachel Beider, who only 5 months out of school started what has turned into a very successful private, both shared their experiences and answered back-to-back questions from a room full of enthusiastic and curious soon-to-be (or just-began-their-careers-as) licensed massage therapists. People didn’t seem in any rush to leave, and many lingered around afterwards to chat more with Geoff, Rachel and Courtney.
It was really terrific to see such excitement and energy in the group that filled the room, and a huge shout out to Geoff Dawe, in the words he loves to use: YOU ROCK!