Asheville School of Massage and Yoga

Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M., L.Ac.
Shiatsu Instructor

Eric holds a Master's of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College. He graduated from massage school in 1995 and then worked for several years in private massage practice and at the Ayurvedic Institute. He has completed advanced training in Asian bodywork with Anne Campbell; at the International Training Centre in Beijing; and with Bill Helm, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Chinese massage. In addition to teaching shiatsu at our school, Eric teaches Tui Na at the Doaist Traditions Acupuncture College.

Martina G. Barnes, MS, LPC
Energy Anatomy Instructor

Martina maintains a private practice in integrative psychology.  Her methodology is based upon her diverse yet integrative experiences in a lengthy career in the fields of psychology and meditation.  She utilizes traditional modalities in combination with holistic approaches such as meditation, guided imagery and body focused techniques.  She is licensed by the state of North Carolina as a LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor and nationally, by the NCBCC, the National Board of Certified Counselors.  In her work as a trauma recovery specialist, she maintaines membership with ISSD, the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation as well as EMDRIA, the Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing International Association.  Martina has been a consultant to many companies including CarePartners in holistic medicine.  She currently sits on the national board of the Susanne Marcus Colins Foundation for the support of the performing arts and humanitarian causes.

Laura Beagle
Prenatal, Infant, and Geriatric Massage Instructor

In 1991, Laura earned a BS from Edgewood College in Madison, WI.  She later became a certified massage therapist and certified birthing Doula, specializing in Pregnancy and Post-partum massage therapy.  In addition to teaching at the school, she runs a private practice called Empowered Birthing and co-founded the Women's Wellness Education Center in Asheville.

Charlotte Gilreath Behrends
Massage Therapy Instructor

Charlotte earned her B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1989 and her teaching certification in 1991. She taught in public schools for seven years before pursuing her massage training and continued to teach for six more years, incorporating yoga in the classroom and offering both massage and yoga to teachers. In the classroom, Charlotte enjoys trouble-shooting specific dysfunctions with deep tissue and trigger point massage, as well as active and passive stretching.

Bettina Freese
Sports Massage/Hydrotherapy Instructor

Bettina’s Practical Nursing Degree and 11 years of experience in gymnastics provide her students with a bank of knowledge about sports massage and hydrotherapy. She enjoys teaching her students how to recognize, treat, and prevent injuries. In her private practice Bettina works mainly with athletes and sports injuries, combining Sports Massage, Ashiastu Oriental Bar Therapy, trigger point therapy, and shiatsu. She is a 1997 graduate of the UNC Chapel Hill Journalism School.

Susan Grant
Mindfulness Instructor

Susan shares eighteen years of practical experience in mindfulness with her classes which explore the energetic interface between the mind and body.  She graduated from Wake Forest University n 1975 with a BA in Religion and completed a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Western Carolina University in 1992.  For over ten years she's been leading mindfulness groups as an Inner Vision Introspecitive facilitator as well as seeing clients in her private practice.  Susan also instructs mindfulless based stress classes at the Women's Resource Center at Mission Hospital in Asheville as is a practicing lay minister in the Soto Zen Buddhism tradition.

Katie Keyes
Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy, Self-Care Immersions

Katie received her BA from UNC-Asheville in 1997 and graduated from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics in 1998. In 2001 she was certified by the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy, and is currently completing her Master's Apprenticeship in Aromatherapy with Jade Shutes. Katie's students appreciate her focus on deep self-awareness and her holistic, personal approach to therapeutic touch. She currently offers massage therapy, aromatherapy and holistic spa treatments from her studio in Marshall.

Stephanie Pinkston
School Administrator and Supervised Student Clinic Instructor

Stephanie has been a massage therapist and yoga instructor since 1998. Her presence is infused with knowledge gained during her experience working with hockey schools, competitive gymnasts, and women’s health organizations. Her delightful and approachable personality will help students feel comfortable and confident in the student clinic setting.

Marion Stone
Western Sciences for Massage and Massage Therapy Instructor

Marion received her B.S. at Davidson College in 1989. After working as an outdoor leadership instructor, Marion was introduced to the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and became a certified practitioner in 1996. She completed an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from A-B Tech College and a Certification for Yoga Instruction from the Asheville Yoga Center in 1999. Students will learn about the human body through her hands-on experiential teaching style.

Pripo Teplitsky, MA, LPC, LMBT
Somatic Psychology Instructor

Pripo offers a diverse practice that balances the connection between mind, body and spirit. He is a licensed and nationally certified massage and bodywork therapist. He also holds a master’s degree in counseling/psychology from Goddard College, in Vermont. He lived, studied and worked at Esalen Institute, a renowned human potential learning center in Big Sur, CA. He is a certified Esalen® massage practitioner. Pripo has a private practice in Asheville, NC in massage as well as a counseling practice specializing in relationship issues. His main goal is to help support people in living in their truth and authenticity.

Phyllis Velez
Cranial Sacral Therapy Instructor

Shala Worsley
Director, Ethics,Yoga, and Energy Anatomy Instructor

Shala graduated with Honors in Anthropology from Wesleyan University in 1996. Her life-long interest in multi-cultural and natural forms of healing led her to pursue a career in massage therapy and yoga.  Retired from her 10-year massage therapy practice, Shala currently directs the school, and teaches massage students about ethics, energy anatomy, and yoga.  She also teaches weekly yoga classes and facilitates yoga teacher training programs as a lead instructor at the Asheville Yoga Center.  Shala enjoys integrating her passions for organic movement, personality exploration, and self-care into her classes.