Christine Holefelder

My success comes from curiosity, extensive hands-on experience, continued education, and a willingness to keep learning when traditional approaches do not fully address what I am seeing in practice. My biology background, clinical experience, continuing education, teaching experience, and years of hands-on practice have all contributed.

My career has been shaped by the guidance of many professionals, educators, and mentors, as well as nearly three decades of hands-on experience in massage therapy. Rather than following a traditional career path, I have embraced opportunities to learn through formal education, teaching, international training, collaboration with healthcare professionals, and direct work with families. One of the most meaningful learning experiences came through volunteering with Amish families in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I gained valuable practical experience working with infants. Today, I continue to value collaboration and lifelong learning through partnerships with colleagues such as Jennifer Tao and by working alongside lactation and chiropractic professionals.

My advice to young women entering the industry is to invest the time in reputable, accredited foundational training and then pursue specialized education in infant physiology and the unique contraindications associated with working with infants. Seek out experienced practitioners who are willing to mentor, guide, and allow you to observe and learn through hands-on experience. Most importantly, this work should be a natural extension of your compassion, values, and genuine desire to help others.

One of the greatest challenges in pediatric and infant bodywork is ensuring that practitioners receive appropriate, specialized training and fully understand the responsibility involved in working with infants. As interest in specialized therapies continues to grow, I see an important need for stronger education in infant physiology, sensory assessment, connective tissue, feeding function, and safe hands-on techniques. At the same time, this need creates tremendous opportunities for collaboration and professional education. I believe that greater collaboration among massage therapists, lactation professionals, chiropractors, and other healthcare providers can provide more comprehensive support for infants experiencing feeding difficulties. I am also passionate about educating practitioners to strengthen their sensory awareness and recognize areas of restriction that may affect function, while maintaining high professional standards. After nearly three decades in massage therapy, my greatest opportunity is to share what I have learned and help expand access to knowledgeable, compassionate, and appropriately trained pediatric care.

The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, education, responsibility, evidence-informed practice, collaboration, and always doing what is genuinely best for the child and family. I take working with infants very seriously and believe practitioners have a responsibility to obtain appropriate education and training before treating such a vulnerable population. I also place a strong emphasis on professional integrity and believe specialized techniques should be taught, represented, and applied responsibly, with a clear understanding of their purpose and limitations. My passion for learning extends beyond massage therapy to biology, infant development, sensory awareness, and teaching. I especially enjoy helping other practitioners strengthen both their technical knowledge and the sensory awareness needed for effective hands-on work. Ultimately, everything I do is centered on improving function, supporting families, and continuing to grow as an educator and practitioner.