Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School

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United States
Urbandale, IA
Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School

* Massage Certification w/CustomCareerTracks * Reflex * Reiki * Continuing Education * Student Clinic

Our program is NOT a “One Size Fits All Approach” where all students go through the same curriculum. We have designed The Body Wisdom Career Tracks with flexibility, choice, and expandability in mind. With 264 Hours of Career Track Electives, in addition to your comprehensive Core Curriculum of 504 Hours, you are able to choose from over 1000 Hours of Courses to make up the balance of your customized program 768-Hour Certification Program. Match your class schedule to FIT YOUR life style as we offer:
* Multiple start times throughout the year
* Offer customized course schedules - day time or evening/weekend hours

YOUR SUCCESS is our focus with:
* Great learning environment
* In-depth teaching
* Modular aproach
* Truly effective business & marketing training
* Customized career tracks
* Support beyond graduation

10/09/2025

Himalayan Salt Stone Massage, 8-Hr CE Course, November 26th, 2025
Experience a whole new dimension of hot stone therapy.

Himalayan Salt Stone Massage transforms the classic hot stone session into a radiant mineral recharge, for both you and your client.

As the warm, glowing salt stones glide across the skin, negative ions are released, promoting deep relaxation, balance, and renewal. And while your clients sink into bliss, your own hands receive gentle exfoliation and mineral nourishment, true self-care in motion.

* 8 hours of hands-on learning
* Integrate easily into any massage practice
* Discover the ancient healing properties of Himalayan salt

Learn. Feel. Glow.

Contact G Kelley at 515-727-4890
or email g.kelley@bodywisdomschool.com

10/05/2025

The Body Wisdom Story Continued: "A New Era for Body Wisdom" Ali and I always knew the time would come to entrust Body Wisdom to new leadership. For nearly 30 years, our school has been our life’s work, our heart, and our extended family. When we asked ourselves, “Who could possibly carry forward this mission with the same care and devotion we’ve held?” it felt like an impossible task.

And yet, as Body Wisdom has taught us time and again, the right teacher, the right moment, the right healing always appears when needed. Through some kind of magic I can’t fully explain, Ali manifested Kirk Lautensleger into our lives right when the school needed him most. Thank, you Ali, you’re amazing!!

Kirk is no stranger to the Des Moines wellness scene. He owns Massage Heights – Ingersoll and played a pivotal role in the growth of Power Life Yoga in our city. His entrepreneurial experience is impressive, but what truly matters most to us is who he is as a person.”

Kirk is a family man. The way he shows up for his wife and children, with steadiness, devotion, and presence, is the same way we know he will show up for our Body Wisdom family. I’ve read his manifesto and vision for Body Wisdom, and it could not be more aligned with our mission: to honor the wisdom of the body, to uplift our students and graduates, and to keep cultivating a school built on care, craft, and community.

Let me share a quick story that perfectly captures who Kirk is at his core.

When I first met one of Kirk’s amazing daughters, she told me she wanted to be President. I laughed and said, “Perfect, you’ll be president of Body Wisdom someday!” She smiled and replied, “Oh no, I mean President of the United States.” 😄

That says it all, doesn’t it? Kirk raises leaders with big hearts and even bigger dreams, and I know he’ll nurture the Body Wisdom family with that same spirit of belief, encouragement, and possibility.

A New Era with Kirk
With Kirk at the helm, Body Wisdom is stepping into a new era, one of growth, innovation, and deepened community ties. There are SO many wonderful improvements and opportunities on the horizon (I’ll let him share those with you directly soon!)

As co-founder, I can tell you I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this next evolution and Ali and I will be around to share the fun with all of you for the foreseeable future.

We’re not spilling all the beans just yet, but stay tuned! In our next Body Wisdom Newsletter, I’ll be sitting down with Kirk for a podcast-style interview so you can hear his vision in his own words.

Please join Ali and me in welcoming Kirk into the Body Wisdom family and celebrating this momentous new chapter in our school’s story. Nearly 30 years in, the journey continues, and the best is yet to come. ✨

🌈 We’re feeling the vibes, alive, electric, and full of promise. It’s that same spark of startup magic Ali and I felt when we first brought Body Wisdom to life. The startup energy is back, and the future is shining bright!

Rhett, Ali and the Body Wisdom Team

10/04/2025

Shoutout Saturdays: "This Saturday we honor Jillian Peet Body Wisdom Instructor"
We are so delighted to take a moment to honor Jillian Peet as one of our incredible instructors here at Body Wisdom School. Jillian brings such a strong sense of purpose and intention to everything she does, it shines through in her teaching, her relationships with students, and her contributions to the school as a whole.

Students know without a doubt that Jillian is on their side. She’s always going the extra mile to help them succeed, not just in class but in building fulfilling, successful careers as massage therapists.

When we created the IASTM course together, she was a joy to collaborate with, easygoing, fun, and full of great ideas. And it’s no surprise that her myofascial and orthopedic massage courses have become student favorites.

Outside the classroom, Jillian is an avid gardener, and we see that same spirit in the way she nurtures her students—patiently, attentively, and with a genuine desire to see them grow and flourish..

All in all, Jillian has touched so many lives here at Body Wisdom. She’s become one of the most beloved teachers in our community, and we’re so grateful for the heart and talent she shares with all of us.

Please join me in celebrating Jillian and the many gifts she brings to our students and to Body Wisdom as a whole.

Rhett and the Body Wisdom Team

09/29/2025

Big Congratulations to our Thai on the Table Graduates! 🎉
The class just wrapped up, and under the amazing guidance of Sadie

From rocking stretches to flowing sequences, you brought energy, focus, and plenty of laughs along the way!

We’re so proud of the dedication you’ve shown and can’t wait to see how you bring this beautiful art into your practices.

Here’s to making the world a more relaxed, stretched-out, and blissful place—one table at a time! 🌸

The Body Wisdom Team

09/28/2025

The Body Wisdom Story: “How It All Started”
It all started when Ali and I rolled into Des Moines in a 1978 Ford pickup with a massage table and a small Bose sound system.. We had almost no money. The best we could afford was a 700-square-foot unit behind the main house on an ostrich farm in Ankeny. Downstairs was basic. Upstairs was where we slept and where I gave healing sessions, separated by a shoji screen.

At one point, we had only $17. But I had a client booked that day, so we made it work. Back then, we weren’t yet Body Wisdom Massage School. We called ourselves the Baraka Institute and taught a wide variety of somatic therapies. Those early classes laid the groundwork for what would become the school.

I remember the moment the name Body Wisdom came to me. I was walking down the attic stairs when it hit—clear and sudden. Right after that came the phrase: “Wisdom of the Body Guides the Process.” That became our North Star, and it is to this day.

Our first students came to the living room of that tiny house. They took a real leap of faith. We didn’t have much to show—just a clear vision and deep belief in the work. Luckily, they trusted us. We brought in teachers from out of state and launched our first courses. That was the start of our modular “Career Track” system, which still sets us apart from most massage schools.

A big thank you to Diane Baker, one of my first clients in Des Moines. I remember her sitting cross-legged upstairs at Morning Light Bookstore during a breathwork session we held. She was part of a small group who showed up to see what these strangers from out of town were doing. Diane, thank you for trusting us and for helping us bring healing work to Iowa.

In those days, we didn’t have a building. We rented a room at the PVA on Douglas. We hauled in massage tables, backjack chairs, and sound equipment each time we taught a class.

It was our students who pushed us to open a massage school. Our plan had been to create a healing center, but life had other ideas. When it was time to start our first massage program, we needed a permanent space. We found a tiny building next to a pizza shop in Ankeny and renovated it fast. I don’t think the paint was dry when the first students walked in. The space was so small, I built an extra unit just to store massage tables.

We started small. We built Body Wisdom step-by-step. That was nearly 30 years ago. Today, we’re still here—still loving our students and helping them build careers that feed them, their families, and their communities.

Thank you to everyone who helped us in the early days and still stands with us now. Body Wisdom is entering a new and exciting era!

Stay tuned
—Rhett

09/27/2025

🌿✨ Thai Massage Class in Progress… ✨🌿
Sadie is at it again — bringing her energy, skill, and heart to the classroom! 💚 Watching students dive into the art of Thai Massage under her guidance is always inspiring.

Here’s to more stretches, more smiles, and more “ahhh” moments as this class unfolds.

Rhett

09/27/2025

Shoutout Saturday: "Sammi Knoll, Body Wisdom Instructor"

We’re lucky to work with many outstanding teachers, staff, students, and grads, and today, we’re celebrating Sammi Knoll.
Sammi’s students know the “Sammi Effect” well: they leave class with tools they can use right away and they have fun doing it. Yay!

Sammi's passion for teaching shows in every course and begins long before the course starts. Sammi sets a high bar for preparation. She’s built a smart, detailed workflow that makes each class run smoothly from the first minute to the last.
She’s not just showing up—she’s leading the way.

Please join us in thanking Sammi for her exceptional teaching and her deep care for Body Wisdom students :)

Big thanks, Sammi for everything you bring to the table.

PS: And guess what? Sammi and I are cooking up two fantastic stretching courses coming right up beginning of 2026! Stay tuned :)

—Rhett and the Body Wisdom Team

09/26/2025

🌏 Body Wisdom’s Global Legacy of Healing 🌏
From the very beginning, Body Wisdom Massage School has been built on a commitment to authenticity—bringing back the very best treatments from around the world to share with our students here in Iowa. Our international lineup of treatments is like none other.

Our Director of Education, Rhett Hatfield, had spent decades studying and researching traditional therapies far beyond the U.S. borders. These journeys weren’t just quick visits—they were months-long immersions, often living in villages, studying with both established schools and remarkable individual healers.

* Thailand: Seven in-depth trips to study Thai Massage with many of the country’s respected schools, as well as gifted street and village healers. This formed the basis for Body Wisdom authentic Thai Massage on the Mat 100 Hours.

* Thai Foot Massage: Learned firsthand in Chiang Mai night markets and small towns across Laos and Cambodia, refining the techniques that became our Thai Foot Massage course.

* Bali & Indonesia: Traditional spa therapies and herbal treatments that honor the island’s deep healing traditions.

* China: Influences from reflexology and other time-honored healing practices.

* India: Two pilgrimages to study Ayurveda, bringing back deeply restorative treatments like Shirodhara and other Ayurvedic therapies.

🌿 This rich weaving of cultural traditions has become the heart of Body Wisdom’s curriculum. Students don’t just learn techniques—they inherit a living legacy of wisdom gathered across continents, passed from healer to healer, and lovingly brought home to be shared.

When you study at Body Wisdom, you’re not just learning massage—you’re stepping into a global lineage of healing.

Rhett and The Body Wisdom team

09/24/2025

Big congratulations to our amazing students who just completed Body Wisdom’s Massage Cupping Class!

A huge thank you to the incredible Sammi, whose talent for teaching and dedication to her students shine through in every class. She always goes the extra mile to make sure her students not only learn the skills, but feel confident and inspired to use them. 🌿✨

We’re so proud of this group and can’t wait to see the healing you’ll bring into the world with your new cupping skills!

The Body Wisdom Team

09/23/2025

The Journey Behind Our Thai Foot Massage Course
When I created the Thai Foot Massage Course at Body Wisdom Massage School, it wasn’t from just one classroom or one teacher, it was born out of seven trips to Thailand and side adventures into Laos and Cambodia.

Yes, I studied at the official Schools of Thai Massage, but truth be told, the best lessons didn’t come from the classrooms. They came from the streets, night markets, and villages.

In Chiang Mai, I met a young woman named Lynn (shown in this video) at the Night Market who gave the most extraordinary foot massages. Night after night, I returned, not just as a client, but as a student as well. She taught me everything she knew, pouring generations of knowledge into every touch.

In Laos and Cambodia, I sat with village healers who shared their techniques and stories with me. From them, I learned reflexology practices rooted in culture, community, and deep respect for healing.

All of these experiences, along with the guidance of both formal and informal teachers, have 14-16shaped the course we now teach at Body Wisdom. It’s not just a class. It’s a journey, a weaving together of wisdom from across Southeast Asia, brought home so our students can learn the best of the best in Thai foot reflexology.

When you learn Thai Foot Massage with us, you’re not just learning a technique. You’re stepping into a living lineage of healing.

Next Thai Foot Massage Course is December 14-16th, 2025
24 CE Hours

Contact G Kelley at 515-727-4890
or meal g.kelley@bodywisdomschool.com

09/22/2025

🌞 Happy Monday, Body Wisdom Grads! 🌞

As a new week begins, we’re sending out a wave of encouragement to all of you—our amazing graduates out in the world sharing your healing gifts.

May today (and every day) bring you clarity, compassion, and the reminder of the incredible difference you make in people’s lives. 💛

Here’s to a week filled with growth, balance, and purpose. You’ve got this!

— Your Body Wisdom Family

09/20/2025

🌟 What’s Your Stack? 🌟
Wellness stacking is the hottest trend right now, it’s all about combining small habits into one powerful routine. Think of it as your personal recipe for feeling amazing.

Here are a few massage-friendly stacks you can try:

💤 Sleep Reset Stack
* 3 minutes of jaw + neck self-massage
* Lavender oil on pulse points
* 4-7-8 breathing in bed
* Gratitude note in your journal

💻 Desk Detox Stack
* Forearm + wrist self-massage
* Shoulder rolls & posture reset
* Big glass of water
* 2-minute guided meditation

🌿 Detox Glow Stack
* Lymphatic drainage face massage
* Warm lemon water
* Dry brushing pre-shower
* Deep breathing

💕 Couples Connection Stack
* Trade 5-minute back or scalp massages
* Share one thing you appreciate about each other
* Herbal tea ritual
* No-phone cuddle time

✨ The beauty of stacking? You don’t need an hour—just a few mindful minutes.

👉 Tell us in the comments: What’s YOUR wellness stack?

Rhett and the Body Wisdom Tea

Address

8401 Douglas Avenue, Ste 2
Urbandale, IA
50322

Telephone

+15157275100

Website

http://www.bodywisdomschool.com/

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Phiolosphy ~ Mission ~ Objectives

Founded 1996, Body Wisdom is a Nationally Accredited School and Premier Provider for Massage Therapy Education to prepare new comers and professional Massage Therapists alike to practice massage in Iowa and states nationwide.

Our Certification- and Continuing Education Programs prepare you to excel in this career, benefitting therapists, clients, and whole communities.

Our Student Clinic offers quality, yet low-cost massages to the public.The Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School is founded on the philosophy: Touch is the key to getting back in touch - not only with ourselves, but with all of life! Aware and purposeful touch aids in restoring wholeness. It helps transcend unhealthy up’s and down’s into consistent inner richness and satisfaction. From here emanates true wellness and our real contribution to the world: Living our full potential and purpose.

Mission:

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Phiolosphy ~ Mission ~ Objectives

Founded 1996, Body Wisdom is a Nationally Accredited School and Premier Provider for Massage Therapy Education to prepare new comers and professional Massage Therapists alike to practice massage in Iowa and states nationwide.