Brighton massage institute celebrates 20 years and 15,000 students, with Golden Gala

What is now known worldwide as “the Jing Method ®” has advanced clinical and sports massage therapy to unprecedented heights, thanks to its degree-level study program developed over the years by celebrated teachers and authors Rachel Fairweather, BA, AOS, LMT and Meghan S. Mari, BA, MA, LMT.

Over 15,000 therapists from all over the world have under taken postgraduate training at The Jing Institute. They study a biopsychosocial health care model, East-meets-West approach to complementary medicine rooted in anatomical and humanistic understanding. Graduates from the acclaimed Institute go on to treat individuals from every sector and every age working to decrease pain, increase mobility and support a quality of life for those suffering with many of the type of musculoskeletal and system conditions that our modern population are living with

Jing therapists can work with a huge range of conditions such as low back pain, frozen shoulder RSIs, migraines, menopause symptoms, fibromyalgia and long COVID. Because the Jing Method looks at each client individually, it offers a diagnostic flexibility that other forms of massage therapy don’t allow for, making it far more effective when dealing with life-induced physical and mental trauma. As Meghan explains:

“At this time, we’re still very fortunate to have the incredible life saving care that the NHS offers. However, due to the sheer scale of care needed and with the NHS at capacity, too often it simply isn’t able to support patients’ quality of life needs.

“That’s where a Jing therapist can be of help. A well trained Jing therapist can offer a patient a treatment approach that is patient-led, outcome driven, and often a pathway to a better daily quality of life.

“For instance a breast cancer patient after medical treatment may be left with scarring that makes driving or daily tasks difficult. A Jing therapist can help with the physical rehabilitation, increase the range of motion of the shoulder, and also support the mental and emotional recovery process.”

The Jing Institute of Advanced Massage and Complementary Medicine offer over 30 CPD courses and several postgrad qualifications, including their acclaimed BTEC level 6 program. Students spend anywhere from one year up to five training, for one of the most in-depth and intersectional educational massage programs anywhere in the world.

Graduates of the BTEC level 6 in Advanced Clinical and Sports Massage undergo research in how the Jing Method may offer an important piece in the recovery puzzle for patients with pathologies that can be life changing. Research has been undertaken in how the Jing Method helps post-partum runners, frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injury, long Covid sufferers, body image, carpal tunnel surgery recovery, and prevention of over 50 other conditions.

“Because the Jing method works on a biopsychosocial model,” says Rachel, “we’re able to treat each individual in a bespoke and unique way. For example, we had two clients recently who both had pain, numbness and tingling in their hands and wrists, typically a diagnosis for carpel tunnel syndrome and often treated with surgery.

“One client was young and healthy with few worries and after two sessions of soft tissue work with the Jing Method’s advanced massage techniques, was happily pain free. The other client was older, in a stressful job, and feeling unable to cope with life. Her Jing therapist enabled her to identity her life stresses and so in addition to the soft tissue work, also taught her some simple breathing and meditation techniques. Through this process she identified the need to make life changes, took early retirement, and had no more pain! This really highlights how the client/therapist relationship we teach at Jing is so much more than ‘just’ massage.”

While students can train at the school on Brighton’s Bond Street, many have been able to access its courses online, a move that saw the business explode during Covid as people found time to make major career shifts. For Rachel and Meghan, that tied into the true mission of Jing: the empowerment of their student body. Trained Jing therapists are able to use their skills to drive new businesses, giving them financial liberation that for some has been absolutely life changing, like graduate Suzanne Wigmore (BTEC).

“The BTEC level 6 has given me a much deeper understanding of anatomy, pathology and advanced level massage techniques,” Suzanne says. “My confidence as a massage therapist has grown astronomically, as has my business.”

As Jing now moves forward into its third decade, an incredible benchmark, Meghan and Rachel’s focus is fixed unquestionably on the future. But on September 14th, surrounded by friends, family, colleagues and students, in the middle of all that gold, they will surely want to take just a moment together, to reflect on what has been a truly momentous journey.

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