AMMA Therapy

A forum for practitioners of AMMA Therapy(r) and those interested in learning more about this form of Korean bodywork brought to the United States by Mrs. Tina Sohn.
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  • Daniel Cohen

    Amma is not easy to find even on the internet. it may be the oldest form of North Asian massage. It is said to predate Traditional Chinese Medicine. Throughout China, Korea, & Japan it was until recently an occupation of the blind. It is a simple form of massage that has been over shadowed in the past 50 years by Tuina in China, Acupressure in Korea, & Shiatsu in Japan. In all three it is still practiced and when you travel you can request it in many hotels. Not for the squeemish Amma goes right to the spot and deep, as with most Asian massage. My experience in Japan was relaxing afterward but the most painful massage I've experienced and having traveled in China, Korea, & Japan I have had some very painful therapies.
    This is the most detailed description I have found on the internet. http://www.yotsumedojo.com/Yotsume%20Anma%20Dojo/anma.htm

  • Kent Bergstrom

    Its been ages since I've been on this site. I noticed the comment from Daniel Cohen in 2011. The link that he provided is of Billy Rusticcia's place and Yotsume Anma. Although I know Billy and he is an amazing practitioner of both ABT and Martial arts his style has absolutely zero to do with AMMA Therapy. The lineage "unbroken" of teacher in the USA are myself and Maria Troia and that it. There are some "splinter" groups that are popping back up that used to be Amma Therapeutic Massage and they're changing their identifiers back to Amma Therapy but if the do not mention their connection to Mrs Sohn and how they continued to teach with her AFTER she stopped her connection to the NY College then they are not lineage connected to her. Period.  
    I see the same baloney that happened with Reiki many years back starting to happen with AMMA Therapy now.. Very interesting. 
    I still teach AMMA Therapy. I just closed my formal commercial school in pursuit of my Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine. (which I completed) and as a Master Instructor termed by Mrs Sohn before she passed and a CAT from the old days under her we still have an unbroken lineage available 
    People can friend me at facebook  *facebook.com/qigong*
    Kent Bergstrom
     

  • Vivian Menjivar

    Dear All, I am an AMMA Therapist in Greece. I received my bachlors degree in AMMA therapy back in 2001 from the NY College WHER before the big change. Faye Shenkman was my main teacher along with Kim Rosado. I would like to teach here in Greece but want to be certified to teach this. How can I go about this. I have searched all over the web and have communicated with a number of teachers but to no avail I havent received any responses. I also teach the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy and my students really want to learn AMMA.

    Thank you,

    Vivian Menjivar, LMT, Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM)