| Mia Elmsäter |
|---|
| Country | Sweden |
| Profile | Mia is the mother of three boys and has raised two stepsons. She lives in the
north of Sweden, very close to the Arctic Circle.
Mia studied sports in college in 1971 and took a training in Montessori
education for day care children in 1984. She owned and ran an alternative day
care centre for three years inspired by both Montessori and Steiner approaches.
She became a qualified Infant Massage Instructor with the International
Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) in 1986, pioneering infant massage in
Sweden and qualifying as an IAIM Instructor/Trainer in 1990. Mia is a member of
the IAIM Educational Committee and has served on the boards both internationally
and in Sweden, as well as running the IAIM International Office. She has also
been a qualified Baby Swim Instructor since 1987.
In 1990 Mia, together with a colleague in infant massage presented the program
in Romania. This led to the start of the Sunrise Day Care Center, which was the
first centre in Romania to mainstream children with special needs. Mia created a
sponsoring program for monetary support between Sweden and Romania.
Mia created and co-created several massage and touch programs, including
"Tactile Stimulation" for children and adults with special needs, "Touch
Therapy" used in nursing homes, "Child Massage" used in day care centres and
"Massage in Schools" for children of school ages. Additionally, the massage
program for day care centres has been introduced into Germany.
Mia has done volunteer work in neonatal units in Sweden, supporting parents and
helping them to bond with their baby. She has also created a support group for
parents who have babies born with Down Syndrome.
She has created two videos, one for infant massage and the other for massage
for infants, children and adults with special needs. Mia has also held several
lectures and talks promoting nurturing touch during conventions for doctors and
health visitors, health professionals involved with special needs and massage
therapists.
Mia has combined her experience, together her colleague Sylvie Hetu, to create
the "Massage in Schools Programme" and introduced it into the UK in 1999. |