The Experts of Massage Therapy

John Yungclas, LMT, CMT is the Lead Instructor and Teacher Trainer at the Berkana Institute. He is a Certified Mindful Expressionist® is a lifelong learner and educator who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado at Denver. He runs his own massage therapy business in Denver, specializing in mindful and embodied massage therapy. He has lived and worked overseas in Germany, Singapore, and the Czech Republic, where he taught in international schools. He finds balance in both mind and body through massage therapy, yoga, and mindful meditation. As a proud graduate of the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy who has completed all of the Mindful Expressionism® courses, John believes that massage therapy is a profession that gives practitioners the opportunity to draw from their artistic, academic, and physical strengths. He also believes that having a strong foundation of self-knowledge, communication skills, ethics, and psychology gives a massage therapist the power to keep themselves and their clients safe and happy. He is a senior instructor of several complementary studies and bodywork courses for the Berkana entry-level program. He brings his bodywork expertise to hands-on classes such as Hydrotherapy Workshop, Chair Massage for Marketing, Ashiatsu, Deep Tissue and Myo-Fascial Technique, and Introduction to Mindful Expressionism®.

Natalie Wade Fascinated by the human body and strongly committed to the practice of movement, Natalie earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois in 2011. Her studies were heavily focused in therapeutic treatment, leading her to work and volunteer in various wellness settings and clinics. In the same year, Natalie graduated from the Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy and earned a national certification in massage and bodywork. Her traveling nature and quest for deeper work brought her to Denver to study Mindful Expressionism™ at the Berkana Institute. The work Natalie brings to the table is heavily influenced by the arts, mindfulness, and movement science. It is no secret that Natalie is extremely passionate about her work and the people involved. Through conscious practice of unifying the mind, body, and soul, Natalie strives to teach others how to devote themselves to their own movement and wellness. Natalie is a Certified Mindful Expressionist®.

Nichole Crockett  is the Senior Science Instructor at the Berkana Institute. Deeply intrigued by the human body and with a background in Exercise Science, Nichole continued her passion for learning as a proud graduate of the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy. Nichole owns a private practice in Brighton, Colorado. where she specializes in deep tissue, corrective movement and chronic pain. Nichole and her husband own a strength & conditioning gym where she works with clients to improve their mobility and strength through exercise and nutrition coaching. Nichole teaches Anatomy & Physiology, Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Pathology, Research Competency and Sports Massage.

Palynn Patterson teaches Massage Therapy Foundation One, Complementary and Integrative Health Care, and Self-Care and Hygiene for the Berkana Institute. Her passion for the human body & pursuit of alternative medicine began early on in life. Starting in high school studying anatomy & biology she then completed a degree focused on Integrative Therapeutic Practices from the Community College of Denver. She continued her studies at the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy, becoming a licensed massage therapist in 2016. Continuing education is the cornerstone of her practice, she has expanded her scope to include craniosacral, yoga, reiki, herbalism and sound therapy. Blending these modalities to create an individualized session tuned to the specific needs of individual clients.

Kayla Henry is a Licensed Massage Therapist, and the Founder of Instinctual Healing in Longmont, CO. She first entered the world of complementary healthcare in 2018 when she received her 200-hour training to become a Certified Yoga Instructor. While she loved facilitating healing in her clients through mindful and intentional movement, Kayla sought to build more intimate and collaborative relationships with those she was working with. This realization brought her to the prestigious Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy, where she graduated as valedictorian in 2021. She has since specialized in offering therapeutic deep-tissue massage to those suffering from chronic pain and postural dysfunction and uses her background in yoga to inform her treatment plans beyond the massage table. Kayla is always improving her practice through the pursuit of continuing education, including Intra-Oral Massage for TMJ Dysfunction and Massage for Breathing Optimization. Kayla believes that everybody has a unique history that has led to its particular shape and holding patterns, and she utilizes every piece of that story to cultivate a completely personal plan of care for every individual that will make the most significant impact on them. When Kayla is not offering blissfully healing bodywork, she loves to keep her body moving in new and creative ways in the form of rock climbing, yoga, hiking, and playing with her pup in the mountains. 

Lucas Foote, LMT, LDT-T, PP4SOM is a licensed massage therapist, certified instructor of lymphatic drainage therapy, and passionate educator in the field of integrative and therapeutic bodywork. With over a decade of experience blending clinical practice and adult education, he specializes in helping people restore balance, resilience, and vitality through gentle, evidence-informed touch.

He draws from a wide range of holistic modalities, including lymphatic drainage therapy, craniosacral therapy, oncology massage, healing touch, visceral manipulation, and therapeutic massage techniques. Lucas provides specialized support for clients seeking post-surgical recovery, oncology care, immune system enhancement, stress relief, trauma healing, and whole-person wellness.

In addition to his role as Senior Science Instructor at the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy, Lucas teaches with the Chikly Health Institute, serves as an Oncology Massage Instructor for Oncology Massage of the Carolinas, is an assistant for the Upledger Institute, and coordinates and assists with Healing Beyond Borders. Throughout his career, he has developed curricula, guided accreditation efforts, facilitated advisory boards, and supported hundreds of students on their path to licensure and professional practice.

Lucas holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Keiser University and is recognized as a Preferred Provider with the Society for Oncology Massage. When not in the classroom or the treatment room, he enjoys playing music, cooking, traveling, exploring local culture, and spending meaningful time with his family.

Maggi Schultheis LMT is a licensed massage therapist, dance instructor, DJ/producer and performer dedicated to helping others connect with their bodies through movement, music and mindful touch.  She is the owner of Magnetik Moon Studios, a creative wellness space offering massage therapy, dance classes and performance arts.  She is a graduate of the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy.  She teaches Massage Therapy Foundations One and Self Care & Hygiene.  She specializes in therapeutic deep tissue, craniosacral therapy, cupping therapy and Mindful Expressionism® TMJ dysfunction modalities.  Maggi integrates her knowledge of anatomy, movement and therapeutic touch to support functional mobility and overall well-being.   Her multidisciplinary approach invites clients and students alike to experience the body as both an instrument and a vessel of expression. 

Danielle Decker is a holistic hospitality expert, having lived and worked in the various realms of customer/guest services. Growing up in a small mountain artist town, her elementary schooling was focused on outdoor education and the value of community. In college, she studied sociology and sustainable business management. Other facets of her continued education later included Reiki, trauma-informed yoga, and graduating from Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy. The cumulative flow experience is her inspiration for living nomadically, traveling seasonally, living simply, and continuing to have wild adventures. Her goal is to serve the community through hospitality and integrated holistic massage therapy.

Sephra Albert is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Essentrics® Instructor, and Anatomy Educator with the ability to make anatomy and movement principles fun and comprehensible in the classroom. A graduate of Ithaca College in 1999 and Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 2004, Sephra teaches musculoskeletal anatomy using the Anatomy in Clay® system locally and internationally for massage schools and fitness trainings. She is passionate about studying anatomy, kinesiology, and the ways in which we can release tension to find ease and support through our movement and our lives. Sephra continues to learn from all of her clients, students, and continuing education. She most recently became a Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist through Klose Training, and is studying Neural Manipulation with the Barral Institute. She believes that in, and out, of the classroom is a place for exploration, where knowledge is shared.

Christopher Algea is a Berkana Institute graduate and highly accomplished entrepreneur who specializes in deep tissue, sports, integrative massage, and zero balancing. Christopher is passionate about outdoor activities, yoga, nutrition, culinary and dance to combine the body, mind and spirit for harmony and joy.

Christopher believes holistic health with physical exercise, bodywork and nutrition are pillars of optimal health and wellness. When optimized, we can focus on fulfilling our personal goals along with being able to make an impact in our local communities and the world as a whole.

After many years on the product side of business, he now hopes to combine his experiences, lessons learned, certifications and massage therapy training to help bring joy and physical healing to those he encounters along this beautiful journey we get to participate in.

Haley Bangert is a Licensed Massage Therapist and founder of Colorado Massage Company in Centennial, CO. Haley’s formal studies in Integrative Healthcare began in 2017 in her home city of Denver at Metropolitan State University, followed by the 600 hour licensure program at the prestigious Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy. Today, Haley focuses her massage practice on chronic pain and supporting her clients through the physical and emotional changes that come with it. Haley works with all bodies and loves learning from each person that presents themselves to her table. She is committed to her education and growing her knowledge of the body, massage, and complementary health practices. Haley is passionate about massage therapy because she has felt the profound and holistic impact that it has had in her body and has seen amazing progress in her clients. She believes that loving human touch alone, can create great change in the body and calm the mind. When Haley is not practicing bodywork, she is spending her time with her gorgeous family- loving them and exploring the world with them.

Sunny Klaber is a massage therapist, educator, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience facilitating educational and transformational healing arts adventures in a wide variety of settings and countries around the world. After graduating from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 2001, Sunny fell in love with Thai Yoga Massage. For the next 15 years, Thailand became her second home so that she could immerse herself in the exploration and practice of this ancient, sacred art. Thai Yoga Massage is traditionally practiced fully clothed on a mat on the floor in a community setting. Sunny recognized early on that these conditions make Thai Yoga Massage uniquely portable, accessible, and appealing to populations that might otherwise shy away from healing touch. With this in mind, she founded the Zia Project, a non-profit focused on bringing healing arts education and services into marginalized and underserved communities. Over the years, the Zia Project has offered free workshops, scholarships, and community healing to tsunami survivors in Thailand, homeless single mothers living on the streets in South London, rural villagers in Tibet, HIV-positive community members in Chiang Mai, Thailand, special needs children living in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, members of the Zia Pueblo in New Mexico and LGBTQ teens in Boulder, Colorado. Sunny’s experience working in this space has deepened her belief that we heal most effectively when we heal in community and she passionately weaves that message into her teachings. Today, Sunny’s favorite clients are her 9-year-old twins who inspired her to create a 20-minute bedtime Thai Yoga Massage ritual that she loves to share with other caregivers who are longing for a way to model healthy touch and nervous system regulation while deepening their loving bond with their children.

Abigail Blagburn is the Administrative Specialist at the Berkana Institute. Touring a Kawasaki production plant with her class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Abigail realized her interest in the supply chain and operations management. After graduating in 2015, Abigail managed a fast-paced production facility, working with new products every day. Here she excelled in organizing projects, implementing operational procedures, improved efficiency, and earned certifications for the facility to fit the needs of clients according to Safe Quality Food, national, and local standards. Optimizing labor became a passion of hers and she is always studying the best, most efficient way of completing tasks. These competencies help Abigail in her current role ensuring proper preparation for classes, clinics, and events. Berkana Institute’s slogan of “deliberately saturating the art of bodywork with consciousness” resonates with Abigail since consciousness is necessary to do one’s best work in the most efficient, optimal way and is the foundation of a smooth supply chain. Longmont, Colorado amazes Abigail and she is content to call it her family’s home.