Jill Berkana served as a Board Director for the United States National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) and was the Board Liaison for the NCBTMB Ethics and Standards Committee. She is the originator of the Berkana Institute’s Style of Bodywork and designed the comprehensive curriculum. She is the Director of all Berkana Institute’s operational, student, and faculty affairs and owner and caretaker of the Historic Allen House.
Jill Berkana is an internationally recognized pioneer of modern and holistic massage therapy and bodywork. She is a licensed and board-certified massage therapist who enjoyed a successful massage therapy practice from 1990 to 2006, providing thousands of treatments to a dedicated clientele. She developed her integrative approach by utilizing mindfulness practices, normalization of soft tissue techniques, myofascial technique, trigger point therapy, and neuro-muscular therapy. She was known for her deep
structural approach.
She is a U.S. National Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Approved Continuing Education Provider and served on the NCBTMB National Board as Director and Board Liaison to the Standards and Ethics Committee. Her extensive and evolving career path in the massage therapy profession has led to the development and oversight of massage therapy programs for high-end spas and resorts, health clubs, chiropractic offices, and educational ventures. Early in her career, she created and launched a destination spa program for a resort in the jungles of Belize, where she provided massage, spa treatments, strength training, nutritional counseling, and guided tours. There she began her passionate exploration into the magic and wonder of plant medicine, of which she is a devoted proponent.
In 2004, she founded the Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (CRSMT) and was the Curriculum Architect, Acting Director, Academic Dean, and Senior Bodywork Instructor for the “Jungle Massage School” from its inception through the fall of 2011. She provides expert consultation for resorts and spas internationally. Her passion extends to integrating bodywork, nutrition, movement practices, and trauma resolution. She developed the Berkana Education Methodology around a holistic healthcare model, which is committed to building an ethical bridge between eastern/traditional and western/modern approaches to bodywork. In addition to enjoying long-term success in massage therapy, Jill has extensive experience as an international entrepreneur and business professional. She is the originator of the creative bodywork approach known as
Mindful Expressionism®. She is a passionate advocate and ambassador for the massage therapy profession and is excited about the future of this healing art. As a devoted mentor, she advocates for living your best life by pushing beyond the comfort zone. As a leader of the profession, she prides herself on retaining her autonomy at all costs.
She is a published author and international expert witness in cases involving the massage therapy and bodywork profession. Jill Berkana has a moderate case of acquired savant syndrome from a car accident she was in over 30 years
ago, where she sustained a traumatic brain injury. This condition ultimately informs her way of operating in the world. She is a Massage Therapy Hall of Fame inductee. She is a retiree and makes her home in Richmond, VA, with her husband and beloved pets. In her retirement, she continues to oversee all aspects of the Berkana Institute and regularly provides instruction as a special guest speaker for the current students.
Bodywork Art 