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Learn From Those
Who've Walked the Path Before You
At Integrative Institute of Massage & Bodywork, we believe the most meaningful education happens through relationships.
Our apprenticeship program is built on the idea that learning extends far beyond the classroom. Every apprentice deserves consistent guidance, encouragement, honest feedback, and someone who is genuinely invested in their success.
Rather than moving through your education with a different instructor around every corner, you'll become part of a small learning community led by Certified Mentors Amanda Morris, LMT and Tara Rigger, LMT. We walk alongside you throughout your apprenticeship—helping you develop technical skills, clinical confidence, professional judgment, and the mindset needed for a successful career in massage therapy.
As your education progresses, we will celebrate your successes, challenge you to grow, answer your questions, and help you navigate both the expected and unexpected moments of becoming a healthcare professional.
Because when you feel supported, you don't just learn more—you become more confident, more capable, and more prepared to serve others with skill and compassion.
Meet Amanda Morris, AOS
Co-Founder • Licensed Massage Therapist • Licensed Certified Mentor
I believe that great massage therapists are developed through curiosity, critical thinking, meaningful mentorship, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Although my journey into massage therapy began in 2018, I've spent more than 20 years leading teams, mentoring professionals, and developing people. Those experiences taught me that lasting success comes from combining technical excellence with strong leadership, accountability, and genuine care for others. Today, I bring those same principles into massage therapy education.
After graduating with honors from WellSpring School of Allied Health, I had the privilege of serving as an instructor, clinic supervisor, Massage Program Manager, and Campus Director. Along the way, I taught every course within the massage therapy program while mentoring students and instructors, developing curriculum, supporting accreditation standards, and helping create an educational environment built on professionalism, integrity, and student success. Being voted Instructor of the Year by my students remains one of the greatest honors of my career.
My passion lies in helping students understand not only how to perform a technique, but why it works. I'm especially interested in fascia-focused bodywork, nervous system regulation, orthopedic assessment, cupping therapies, and evidence-informed massage therapy. I want every apprentice to leave our program with the confidence to think critically, adapt to each client's needs, and practice with both competence and compassion.
As Co-Founder of the Integrative Institute of Massage & Bodywork, I'm committed to restoring mentorship as the heart of massage therapy education. I believe the strongest therapists develop more than technical skill—they cultivate sound clinical judgment, ethical decision-making, professional confidence, and a lifelong desire to continue learning. My goal is to help develop the therapist behind the technique so that every graduate is prepared to serve their community with excellence.
Meet Tara Rigger, LMT
Co-Founder • Licensed Massage Therapist • Licensed Certified Mentor
I believe that every person has an inherent need for the healing power of therapeutic touch.
For more than 20 years, I've been helping clients through therapeutic massage, integrative bodywork, and evidence-informed holistic care. I dedicated my career to helping people heal—first through clinical practice, and now by preparing the next generation of massage therapists to do the same. What began as a passion for helping clients has evolved into an even greater passion for mentoring future professionals who will carry this work forward with skill, integrity, and compassion.
After graduating from Professional Massage Training Center in Springfield, Missouri, in 2006, I built a thriving massage practice while pursuing hundreds of hours of advanced continuing education in areas including Anatomy Trains, Advanced Cupping Therapy, Amino Neuro Frequency (ANF), Reiki, Nervous System Regulation, and other integrative therapeutic approaches. I believe that learning never stops, and I strive to model that same curiosity and commitment for every student I mentor.
My career has included private practice, business ownership, therapist mentorship, and serving as a Massage Therapy Program Manager and Instructor, where I taught foundational massage, advanced techniques, kinesiology, communication, ethics, business practices, and integrative bodywork. These experiences have reinforced one truth: exceptional massage therapists aren't created by memorizing techniques—they're developed through meaningful mentorship, hands-on experience, critical thinking, and genuine human connection.
As Co-Founder of the Integrative Institute of Massage & Bodywork, my mission is to restore the apprenticeship model of education by creating an environment where students are known, supported, challenged, and inspired. I want every apprentice to leave not only with the technical skills to succeed, but with the confidence, professionalism, and lifelong passion to build a meaningful career serving others.
Meet Hannah Hassani, M.S
Science Instructor
I am an Anatomy and Physiology instructor with more than a decade of teaching experience. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology and a master’s degree in Anatomy Education. I teach at Missouri State University and Ozarks Technical Community College, where I have had the privilege of guiding students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.
For nearly eight years, I have specialized in teaching anatomy and physiology to massage therapy students, helping them develop a strong foundation in the structure and function of the human body. I have a deep fascination with the remarkable complexity of the human body, from the intricate interactions of individual cells to the coordinated systems that keep us alive and thriving.
I believe that science is most meaningful when it inspires wonder. I am committed to creating engaging learning experiences that foster critical thinking, competence, and confidence. It is truly my privilege to share my passion and enthusiasm for anatomy with my students, with the hope of sparking lasting curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the extraordinary biology that connects us all.”
Our Commitment to You
As Certified Mentors, our commitment is simple: to provide an educational experience that is grounded in collaboration, guided by compassion, and enriched through real-world experience.
We are here to challenge you, encourage you, celebrate your progress, and support you through every stage of your apprenticeship. Our hope is that you graduate not only with the knowledge and skills to begin your career, but with the confidence to continue growing long after graduation.
Because while our apprenticeship has an end date, learning—and the relationships that support it—can last a lifetime.