Instructors

California

Dr. Tom Hendrickson

Tom Hendrickson, D.C. is a world-renowned authority in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. The Founder and President of the Hendrickson Method® Institute, Dr. Hendrickson maintained a full time practice from 1976-2021, and has been teaching Hendrickson Method, his unique method of massage and manual therapy since 1982.

Dr. Hendrickson is devoted to helping people in pain. He believes that optimum health comes from the vitality of mind, body, and spirit. When he sees patients, his joy is to “fix” the problem with the least number of treatments and then teach patients how to support their bodies and enhance their health through self-care practices. 

Dr. Hendrickson’s training in the healing arts began in 1972 when he studied with Zen priest and Shiatsu Master Riuho Yamada. He then studied Lomi Bodywork with Robert Hall M.D. and trained in Reichian Bodywork with Phil Curcuruto D.C. His trainings also included studying with healers Rosalyn Bruyere and Muriel Chapman D.O. In 1982, Dr. Hendrickson completed an apprenticeship and four-year training program under the legendary Lauren Berry, RPT, a mechanical engineer and physical therapist who made significant contributions to the field of manual therapy. In 1986, he graduated magna cum laude from Life Chiropractic College West.

The creation of Hendrickson Method evolved out of Dr. Hendrickson’s thousands of hours of clinical practice combined with his in-depth study of the human body and how it heals.

Dr. Hendrickson’s textbook, Massage and Manual Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions (LW &W, 2009), now published in five languages, outlines the Hendrickson Method protocol and is used in advanced massage and manual therapy courses throughout the world. An instructional DVD showing the techniques described in the textbook was released in August 2011. Dr. Hendrickson is currently writing the third edition of his textbook, which is scheduled to be released on February 1, 2023.

To learn more about Dr. Hendrickson and the evolution of Hendrickson Method, read an in-depth profile that was featured nationally through the NCBTMB.

Qilo Matzen

Qilo (“ky-lo”) (they/them; ze/hir) focuses on bodies in motion though dance, the Hendrickson Method®, and an early love of physics.  After receiving a BFA in Dance in 2002, they studied Dynamic Embodiment – Somatic Movement Therapy and Swedish Massage through Moving on Center School for Participatory Arts and Somatic Research. 

Drawn to the Hendrickson Method for its profound clarity and effectiveness, Qilo used a combination of HM and Pilates to recover from years of dance injuries and chronic fatigue. They graduated as a Hendrickson Method Therapist in 2014 and completed their teacher training in 2019.  For 7 years Qilo worked with Tom Hendrickson at the Hendrickson Clinic in addition to their thriving private practice in North Oakland. 

Along with a vibrant dance and choreographic practice, Qilo studies Bagua Zhang and Xing-yi with Maija Soderholm, rehabilitative pilates with paige starling sorvillo, and yoga with Ada Lusardi. Their anatomy and bodywork training comprises Embodiment in Education with Susan Bauer, Anatomy for Hendrickson Method with Bethany Drohmann and Dallas Everleth, and dissection courses with Jim Donak and Professora Em Segmen.  

Qilo delights in teaching anatomy and kinesiology with paige starling sorvillo through their Articulate Anatomy series for HM students and the wider community, and loves connecting with students as a lead teacher at the Hendrickson Method Institute.

Ryn Speich

Ryn offers caring, compassionate, skillful touch integrating the Hendrickson Method of Orthopedic Massage and functional rehabilitation with Traditional Asian Medicine/Acupressure. She worked at the Hendrickson Clinic from 2007-2021 and has a private practice in Oakland’s Dimond District.

Ryn loves doing bodywork as it has been deeply effective in her own life sine 1984, and she is grateful to now be able to offer it to others. Ryn says, “It brings me pleasure and purpose to contribute to the health of those I touch and offer relief from pain.” She began practicing bodywork for fun, health and connection as an avocation in 1986 practicing first Polarity Therapy combined with Lomi Deep Tissue work, and then studying 3 years of Rosen Method bodywork and movement. She's been training and studying with Dr. Hendrickson since 2006 practicing his incredible and highly effective Orthopedic Massage and Manual Therapy. She first came across his work in 1993 when she had her own soft tissue injury in her upper body and found great relief. She's also completed over 1000 hours of study in Traditional Asian Medicine and Acupressure does continuing education coursework in both modalities, in addition maintaining active Qi Gong and meditation practices.

Sigal Guanish

Sigal was drawn to Hendrickson Method’s gentle yet effective treatment for chronic pain and nervous system rehabilitation. She has deep appreciation for the importance of integrating both physical and emotional well being for optimum health. Prior to HM she studied at Avalon School of Massage Therapy in Walnut Creek CA where she learned Swedish massage, deep tissue reflexology and aromatherapy. She worked at the Hendrickson Clinic for many years and maintains a private practice in Berkeley, CA.

Sigal grew up on a farming kibbutz in Israel. She enjoys growing her own vegetables and riding horses with her two teenage boys. Sigal shares that one thing she loves about HM is the opportunity to listen as patients communicate through their bodies.

Randy Lind

Randy Lind, CMT is a certified HM teacher and has been using Hendrickson Method in his private practice as his primary healing technique for more than 20 years.

For over 15 years Randy has been a teacher at several schools in the Bay Area including the McKinnon Institute, the San Francisco School of Massage and, of course, the Hendrickson Method Institute. He’s led workshops in sports massage, METs, orthopedic assessment and other manual therapy techniques.

Since starting his massage career in 1996, his work experience has been quite diverse, from sports therapy clinics and chiropractic offices to New Age conference centers and world-class spas. He led the AIDS Lifecycle massage team for several years and has volunteered at non-profits providing manual therapy to under served populations.

Randy has also created and organized a community “pop-up” Hendrickson Method clinic that provided training for HM practitioners as well as low cost manual therapy for community members. He currently also leads guided group meditation and breath-work sessions twice a month on Zoom

Salt Lake City, UT

Nikki Rae Whitlock

Nikki Rae Whitlock has studied and practiced Hendrickson Method since 2011, serving as a teaching assistant to Hendrickson Method founder Dr. Tom Hendrickson for five years.  Nikki received her Hendrickson Method Teaching Certification in 2019 and has fulfilled a long-held dream to bring HM to Utah.  She is teaching one final Level 1 course in 2023 starting in February. Next, she hopes to build a clinic and training center in Le Marche, Italy.

Nikki currently teaches in Salt Lake City, Utah, teaching over 600 hours of the HM program. She is passionate about certifying new teachers of HM and upholding the incredible standard of Hendrickson Method training established by Tom Hendrickson and his teachers.

Nikki graduated in 2004 as a licensed massage therapist from Utah College of Massage Therapy, where she was also a teaching assistant from 2006-2008. In addition to being owner/operator of HerMedic Therapeutics and other businesses, Nikki served as Spa Director at Healing Mountain Massage School in 2013-2015, where she oversaw the redesign of spa treatments and the writing of School Training Manuals. She facilitates an international women’s empowerment workshop to connect women and the communities they visit as the Director for Unity For Women, LLC. 

Nikki balances her day-to-day practice with being a Mother of three wild children.

For information about HM trainings in Utah, visit Nikki’s website.

United Kingdom

Sue Bennett

Sue completed her massage certification at the UK’s Northern Institute of Massage in 1991.  She received her diploma in Manipulative Therapy in 2002 and the title of Physiotherapist in 2004. As a massage therapist, Sue has always worked by the ethos that the body needs to be understood as a whole.  This inspired her search for a technique which would acknowledge the precision needed in practice as well as the person behind the pain.After reading Dr. Hendrickson’s textbook Massage and Manual Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions, she knew she wanted to study Hendrickson Method ®.  In 2006 she began her HM training in Berkeley, flying back and forth from Otley, England in order to study with Dr. Hendrickson. In 2009 she became the UK’s first qualified Hendrickson Method ® Therapist and in 2013 she began offering the UK’s first HM workshops.  Sue is a certified HM Teacher, leading HM trainings in addition to having a vibrant private practice.

For information about HM trainings in the UK, visit Sue’s website.