Meet Your Instructors

Catheryn Schoenfarber

Catheryn is the owner of Spirit Wellness Institute as well as a massage therapist with over 20 years of hands-on experience. Together, with her colleagues, she has masterfully woven together a full-bodied curriculum rich with knowledge and experiential wisdom. 

Catheryn is also Shamanic Practitioner, yoga instructor, and death doula. 

Elaine Muise

Elaine Muise, a former student of the Spirit Wellness Institute, infuses curiosity and intuitive insights into her teaching approach. She takes pride in nurturing each student in the program as a complete individual. In addition to being a Licensed Massage Therapist, Elaine excels as an energy practitioner, specializing in various healing methods such as Reiki, Polarity, Integrated Energy Therapy, and Energy Medicine. As the owner of Sacred Well in Danvers, MA, she has created a community space dedicated to self-care, supporting individuals in revitalizing their inner well-being. When not immersed in massage, healing arts, or teaching, you will often find Elaine happily at her favorite beach spot or enjoying time with her family and friends.

Nikki Zoufaly Plumpton

Nikki is a graduate of the Spa Tech Institute with a decade of experience managing Elements Massage as lead massage therapist. Coupled with her skills as a former EMT and FireFighter, Nikki has a unique ability to educate her students in the area of functional anatomy, creating a strong and reliable foundation for massage therapy practice. 

Twyla Everett

Twyla is the owner of Level Up Fitness and Wellness Center in Waltham, MA. She is a Personal Trainer, Massage Therapist and Dancer. Twyla focuses on muscle-building through functional movement, injury prevention and creating sustainable health and fitness practices.

Twyla is a graduate of the National Personal Training Institute and their official Educator for the New England region. As a licensed massage therapist with a specialty in medical massage and rehabilitation, she has a unique capacity to support students in the areas of body organization and structural support. 

Lori Forman

Lori is a seasoned holistic massage therapist, massage therapy instructor, and dancer, with many years of experience in Boston, New York City, and Beverly Hills. She earned her massage therapy certification from the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca, NY, and earned her B.A. in drama and psychology from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY and London, U.K. 

Lori enjoys working intuitively to integrate relaxation, using therapeutic and energetic techniques to balance the mind, body, and spirit. As a massage therapy educator, Lori is creative, engaging, compassionate, and dedicated to supporting student professional development as individuals , and as a community. She supports her students’ different learning styles through individual, partner, and small group peer learning, and holds a safe space to nurture curiosity, connections, and self-awareness., Outside of teaching, Lori enjoys dancing Argentine tango, cooking, spoiling her kitty, theatre arts, and traveling abroad. 

It is my joy to facilitate your education journey, and to help you connect to your purpose as a healer through mindful therapeutic touch. – LF

Yinh Kiefer

With a background in education and a deep commitment to lifelong learning, Yinh Kiefer creates a supportive and inclusive classroom environment where every student feels valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. 

In addition to her years of experience as a licensed massage therapist, Yinh is also a hypnotist, a birth doula, and has also led multiple local arts organizations in managing change and putting down roots in the communities they serve.

When Yinh is not spending time working with future healing professionals, she is managing Ten Wellness in Winchester, MA, a center which offers muscular therapies, wellness services and workshops, continuing education for massage therapists, and yoga.

Brian Jones

A self-proclaimed Kinesiology geek, Brian brings his unique enthusiasm to the classroom and understands that students absorb information in different ways. He prides himself on fostering a fun learning environment with a sense of humor. He studied massage therapy at The Salter School and later taught there, then again at Lincoln Tech. In addition to teaching, he has experience as a recruiter and manager in the massage field, as well as personal training.

Outside of his professional life, Brian enjoys singing with his rock band and tries to be an advocate for mental health awareness through his music.

Kara McAllister

Kara is the owner and practitioner of massage therapy at Branch to Root Wellness in Salem, MA, as well as a Certified Yoga Instructor with an exuberant passion for health and well being. Kara has a tender heart combined with a savvy sense of self that allows her to be both sensitive to her student’s needs as well as a powerful translator of information. A strong female business owner and a vital asset to her community, Kara is looking forward to paving the path for the future entrepreneurs in the health and wellness industry.

Ryan Meader

Ryan is the manager of our Student Clinic, and is an alumni of the Institute. As clinic manager, he helps guide students through their 100 hour clinical internship which is part of our 650 Hour Massage Therapy Training Program. Ryan supports students with lessons in maintenance, customer service, marketing, flow principle, and administrative tasks. With a degree in recreation, and a background guiding outdoor adventures, behavioral health, experiential education, and various trades from culinary to carpentry - he enjoys creating space for accessing individual abilities for learning, evolving, and healing. When he’s not in the clinic or in session, he enjoys spending copious amounts of time in the backcountry hiking, whitewater rafting, biking, and taking it easy. He also loves jamming on the harmonica, dancing, and watching stand-up comedy.