About Lahela

Lahela Hekekia is born-and-raised in Hawaii and has a mixed Therapeutic Massage and Pilates practice in Honolulu, and Kailua, Hawaii. She works alongside Physical Therapists; and gets referrals from Chiropractors, Physicians, PTs, and also from Clients. She teaches that "Yes, Change IS Possible." Some of her techniques are designed to have clients feel a noticeable change in just a few minutes.

Lahela helps people in solo and small group classes to address and prevent injury; and to help improve flexibility, coordination, and balance. Her passion is to help people with injuries; spine issues such as Scoliosis, and aches that linger -- to understand the root of the discomfort, and how to change it. She has developed proprietary work featured at Pilates studios -- such as "Lahela's Spine Class" (Pilates for Scoliosis and other spine issues); and "Lahela's Pilates and Bodywork" class that combines mindful movement with self-applied Bodywork techniques to reduce tension, gain flexibility, and improve balance. Lahela also helped to develop and grow a movement class started by a Physical Therapist called "Balance and Bones" -- which she still teaches.

Lahela has been in the Wellness Industry for almost 20 years, earning her state massage license and Board Certification through the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) in 2001.

Lahela discovered Pilates in 2007 and earned her first certification in 2008. She used modified Pilates and Bodywork on herself, to correct her spine (which was diagnosed with Scoliosis at age 10) and get rid of her own chronic pain that she had endured from ages 19 to 37. She likes to joke, "Who gets taller at age 40? This person!" Yes, she stands about an inch "taller" at age 50, than at 37. Lahela's story got the attention of leaders in the Pilates field, and she was invited onto the Board of Directors of The Pilates Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to education and outreach.

Lahela has worked with a wide variety of clients both in Therapeutic Massage and Pilates -- from stroke and spinal cord injury survivors, to competitive athletes, and Cirque du Soleil acrobats -- and all sorts of people who are in between. She has worked with all ages, from 3 to 90. And she has some favorite techniques from Secrets of Medical Myotherapy™ and Secrets of Deep Tissue™, for clients.

Lahela is thrilled to bring you workshops in Secrets of Medical Myotherapy™ and Secrets of Deep Tissue™, in Hawaii. She is so amazed at how these techniques have provided so many ways to grow as a therapist. She looks forward to meeting you and helping you grow too.

Credentials:

Licensed Massage Therapist (Hawaii - MAT#6286)

Board Certified (NCBTMB #307766-00)

Fully Certified Pilates Teacher (Pilates Method Alliance and STOTT PILATES®) -- with a specialty in Injuries, Scoliosis, and other Spine issues

Board of Directors, The Pilates Initiative

Franklin Method® Level 3 Certified Movement Educator

Certified Graston Technique® Specialist

Certified Medical Myotherapist™

Approved Instructor of Secrets of Medical Myotherapy™ and Secrets of Deep Tissue™

HAASE MYOTHERAPY® COURSES TRANSFORMED ME AND MY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

How did I get here? I saw an ad for a Haase Myotherapy® course on social media -- and out of curiosity, clicked on the link. What drew me in were the techniques for "Carpal Tunnel" and Plantar Fasciitis.

I attended multiple times. That first year, I had thought a years-old injury to the right hand was long gone -- but I felt a strong, painful spasm one week before class started -- and I got worried about stamina. Classmates while learning the forearm and hand treatments in the first hour restored my hand -- and I was able to participate fully through the whole 2 days. So I signed up again. And again.

A favorite treatment is for the Diaphragm -- partly because I have seen and felt how BREATHING affects functional movement, flexibility, and posture. And partly because I saw how well it worked for clients in pain (since pain can lead to shallow breathing). I look forward to teaching you this treatment.

What have been career-changing are the incredible Hip Decompression and Low Back treatments. They made a local M.D. one of my biggest advocates. I'm so thrilled to share this work with you all. And I look forward to meeting you.

Lahela Hekekia, Approved Instructor of Secrets of Medical Myotherapy™ and Secrets of Deep Tissue ™.