SYLVIE HÉTU
Sylvie Hétu B.Sc. Ed. lives in Montreal, Canada. She has been working with schools and a range of education-related associations for some 30 years. Following obtaining her degree in Education from Université de Montréal, Sylvie has worked in a day-care center and then as a primary school teacher, as well as teaching biology and nutrition at the Rudolf Steiner School in Montreal, where she has been a member of the Parent’s Committee for 10 years and a member of the Board of Administrators for 7.
Sylvie became a qualified Infant Massage Instructor in 1983, and a qualified Instructor Trainer with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) in 1989, and was the President of the IAIM for 16 years, and on the Educational Committee since 1999.
Since 1996 she has also offered Waldorf-inspired services, consultations, lectures and resources in education for parents and educators, both in Quebec and abroad. She has created approaches to massage for toddler groups, day-care and preschool children. The author of the acclaimed book The Song of the Child, Sylvie has more recently drawn on her wide-ranging experience to create, together with her colleague Mia Elmsäter, the “Massage in Schools Program”, which has been taught in the UK since 2000, and which is rapidly gaining worldwide recognition.
MIA ELMSÄTER
Mia Elmsäter lives in Järna, Sweden. After studying physical education, she moved to the north of Sweden and ran an alternative daycare center until 1986. After the birth of her youngest son, who has Downs Syndrome, she set up a parent support group for parents and babies. Mia owns and has run an incorporated company, “små liv ab”, in Sweden, since 1986, and has held parent/baby classes in baby swim and infant massage since 1987.
She became a qualified Infant Massage Instructor in 1987 and, in 1990, a qualified Instructor Trainer with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). She was the Treasurer of the IAIM International Board for 12 years, ran the International Office for 18 years, and has been on the IAIM Committee for Trainer Candidates since 1996.
In 1991, Mia went to Romania to bring infant massage to orphanages there, and
helped to set up a foundation to support the first daycare center in Romania, which mainstreamed children with special needs.
Mia has been involved in creating programs on Massage in Nursing Homes, Massage in Day Care and Massage for the child/adult with special needs. More recently, she has created, together with her colleague Sylvie Hétu, the “Massage in Schools Program”, which has been taught in the UK since 2000.
“Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic.”
~ Goethe