Embracing the Gift of Healing: Michelle Dingivan’s CRSMT Experience

Written by Bill Burden October 16, 2023

In the bustling realm of holistic therapies, many find their calling amidst nature's embrace, and Michelle Dingivan's transformative journey at the Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy stands as a testament to this. Nestled in the heart of Samara Beach, Costa Rica, this institution not only offers an academic experience but also a profound journey of self-discovery.

Our latest video provides a deep dive into Michelle's transition from the scenic fields of northern Connecticut to the harmonious shores of Costa Rica, capturing her passion, challenges, and growth.

What's it like living in Samara, Costa Rica?

"Everyone here is so kind and so human and so real. You'll walk down the street and just about everyone you walk by will smile and say hello to you. And I've said it so many times here that I don't think I could have gone through a program like this if I wasn't in Samara."

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Tell us about your background.

"My name is Michelle. I came from northern Connecticut. I was working at a biodynamic vegetable farm in my hometown, and I was also studying Ayurveda before coming here."

What drew you to a career in Massage Therapy?

"I've always been really comfortable with touching people growing up. My mom always asked me, my brother, to rub her shoulders after dinner every night. So that's always been something that I knew I could give and give well, and it just clicked one day that this is something I could do and do really well."

Why did you decide to get your education at CRSMT?

"I chose to come to CRSMT because I was looking to do something pretty intense. I was looking for an Accelerated program, and I was doing a lot of research online and I found this one, and seeing that people could just dive in and just live here every single day and go to class and have like such a strong community really felt right to me."

Can you tell us about the academics of the school?

"I watched a lot of these videos before coming here, and in all of them, everyone said, like, it's intense. You're not going to believe them, but it's going to be harder than you think. And it really was. You just put in a lot of work, You learn faster than most massage programs. You learn a lot of hard stuff that you don't necessarily think about before coming here, like anatomy, and it can be very overwhelming, but you just have to have a lot of faith in yourself that you showed up in class and you're paying attention."

"The teachers are awesome and everyone is so passionate and everyone wants you to succeed and everyone also just can make you laugh and it really kept me pushing through on those really hard days."

Michelle's class during bodywork practice

What's the CRSMT campus like?

"The campus here is unbelievable. It's first of all so convenient that you're just steps away from your classroom. There's some mornings where I showed up 15 minutes early and some mornings I was running to class with my coffee. But to be outside and just to take a moment sometimes and things get stressful, to turn around and see the greenery and just some of the sweetest, happiest animals will come through. And it's an experience like no other. To be able to just coexist with nature while you're learning something so intense. I think it really brings another level of relaxation that you need when you're learning something so deeply."

Tell us about some of your favorite memories from your time at the school.

"I have so, so, so many special memories with just about every single person that I went to school with here. Me and my roommates would go out to the ocean on really hard days and we play mermaids and it sounds ridiculous but it really helped and I would go dancing all the time and justice to go out and just move your body and laugh and just play like kids with everyone really was so special."

Many students talk about the impact of the Craniosacral component of the course...

"Craniosacral in the ocean was so awesome. And I remember the instructor telling us that there's different things that might happen with your body while you're floating. And I totally thought that was some kind of like joke. I didn't believe it at all and I thought it was kind of ridiculous. I was like okay, but I was there and I was floating and just feeling the water and I just felt my body like kind of have its own mind. Like it felt so separate from my own control. And it just was one of the most relaxing things I've ever experienced in my life. Just feeling how my body wanted to expand and contracts and feeling so safe because all these people that you just spent four months with, like every single day are just holding you and taking care of you and making sure that the Ocean's kind and just wanting just love you. It was an unbelievable experience.

What's a piece of advice you would give to someone thinking of coming to study massage therapy at CRSMT?

"I would say trust the process and trust in yourself. It's something you'll hear Jan say all the time 'T the P' and it resonates so deeply at the end of this entire thing. And before every test, I just had to sit and just know that I showed up and I tried and it worked out for me, and I'm so grateful for it."

"I think people should know before they come here that it's going to be stressful, but that they should make time to play and time to pause and just remember that they're in one of the most beautiful places in the world, surrounded by people who really care about them. And that itself is just the biggest gift and recognizing that and just celebrating it because this is an experience like no other."

Michelle with her classmates at graduation

Michelle Dingivan's story at CRSMT is more than just an educational voyage; it's a celebration of resilience, passion, and the healing power of community and nature. Her experiences, shared with raw emotion and sincerity, serve as a beacon for anyone seeking to meld their personal and professional journey into a holistic path. As Michelle beautifully encapsulates, it's about trusting the process and believing in oneself. As we reflect on her words and journey, let us be reminded of the endless possibilities that await when we step outside our comfort zones and embrace life's beautiful challenges.

The Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy is the world’s premier study abroad program for massage therapy. We offer a 600 to 750 hour COMTA Accredited Massage Therapy course which satisfies the licensing requirements for massage therapy in most of the United States. Additionally, we offer continuing education for massage therapists.

Embracing the Gift of Healing: Michelle Dingivan’s CRSMT Experience

What's it like living in Samara, Costa Rica?

Tell us about your background.

What drew you to a career in Massage Therapy?

Why did you decide to get your education at CRSMT?

Can you tell us about the academics of the school?

What's the CRSMT campus like?

Tell us about some of your favorite memories from your time at the school.

Many students talk about the impact of the Craniosacral component of the course...

What's a piece of advice you would give to someone thinking of coming to study massage therapy at CRSMT?

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Embracing the Gift of Healing: Michelle Dingivan’s CRSMT Experience

What's it like living in Samara, Costa Rica?

Tell us about your background.

What drew you to a career in Massage Therapy?

Why did you decide to get your education at CRSMT?

Can you tell us about the academics of the school?

What's the CRSMT campus like?

Tell us about some of your favorite memories from your time at the school.

Many students talk about the impact of the Craniosacral component of the course...

What's a piece of advice you would give to someone thinking of coming to study massage therapy at CRSMT?

Request More Information

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