Backed by many years of practiced experience in business, H. Patricia Whalen-Shaw, LMT, BCTMB, RCST, serves as the co-founder and the former president of Optissage Inc. Additionally, she excels as a trainer for Integrated Touch Therapy Inc., which specializes in teaching equine, canine and feline massage. With ITT, she is dedicated to the ethical and high-quality instruction in the art of massage for animals. Although she has many highlights throughout her 40-year career, Ms. Whalen-Shaw is especially proud of being selected as a massage therapist for the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, the 1999 Pan AM Games in Winnipeg, MB, Canada, and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
With a plethora of knowledge at her disposal, Ms. Whalen-Shaw has also taught equine massage at Otterbein College in their Equine Science Department and has published three books, two videos and two DVDs, including “Equine Massage: The Workbook,” “Canine Massage: The Workbook” and “Feline Massage: The Workbook.” Over the years, she has trained thousands of students about massage techniques for animals. Personally, Ms. Whalen-Shaw has worked with Grand Prix dressage horses, three-day eventers, ropers, racing greyhounds, and dogs participating in agility and obedience training, among others.
Nationally certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, Ms. Whalen-Shaw has graduated from the Central Ohio School of Massage and is sports massage certified. In order to remain aware of changes in the field, she is affiliated with the American Massage Therapy Association. For her professional accomplishments, she has been featured in Who’s Who in Executives and Business on numerous occasions. Looking forward, Ms. Whalen-Shaw aims to wind down and pursue writing on a full-time basis while teaching more online.
Ms. Whalen-Shaw wants people to know that we are all in this together and the animals were an intricate part of that. They may not be getting the virus that is going around at this time, but they are absorbing the stressors that people are feeling. They were giving back as they can to help us as a whole piece of the unit. Massage was part of the big circle of health and wellness, and often times people come in and look for a massage after they tried everything else. Ms. Whalen-Shaw wants people to know that they can do it, and they have the skills to be empowered and they don’t have to give that power away.