Welcome to Sara Stenson, CMT.
Related Links:
Equine Massage Therapist Advice
Back to Panel of Professionals page
With over twenty five years of experience as a Shiatsu massage therapist for riders and horses, Sara brings to this work an understanding of anatomy, body mechanics, physiology and principles of movement that enable her to put the body/mind connection into concrete and practical terms.
Sara grew up riding fence and herding cattle on an 8,000-acre cattle ranch in eastern Wyoming. She spent countless hours playing horse tag, riding double through streams and ponds and sneaking a ride on "Big Red" whenever opportunity presented itself.
She now studies dressage and horsemanship with her two horses, Volante and Navelito.
Sara became an apprentice of Barefoot Shiatsu and studied with Shizuko Yamamoto in the 70s. She has practiced and taught this ancient healing art in Colorado, Wyoming and Washington since that time. In the mid 90s when she was asked for the umpteenth time if she would work on horses she decided to include them in her practice.
Sara's equine massage practice is a unique combination of Shiatsu massage and T'ai Chi Ch'uan principles of natural movement. She believes that change should never be forced upon a body; rather the body must be allowed to find it's natural alignment and rhythm through relaxation. Sara teaches her students how to study those natural principles within their own body/mind so that they can then influence their clients to do the same.
Sara is a co-founder of Rocky Mountain T'ai Chi Ch'uan at Fort Collins. She has been a student, practitioner, and teacher of the Yang Style Short Form since that the late 70's. Sara taught T'ai Chi at the Dali Lama's 1997 Conference on Education. She created T'ai Chi for Horsemen clinics and released a video entitled "T'ai Chi An Ancient Art for Horsemen". Working with the rider and the horse she helps facilitate freedom of movement and a quiet listening communication for the partnership.
Sara holds her Certificate of Massage Therapy from the Healing Arts Institute in Fort Collins, Colorado and is the Shiatsu instructor at the Academy of Natural Therapy in Eaton, Colorado.
