Irene Gauthier

Irene Gauthier was born June 20th, 1920. She was a massage therapist and instructor, and worked to develop massage into a mainstream profession in America. She died at the age of 90.

Irene (Simonen) Gauthier was born in Pelkie, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. After High School she left to attended beauty school Detroit in 1938. She became licensed as a cosmetologist by the state of Michigan in 1939. By 1947 she owned her own beauty parlor on Six Mile in Detroit. After an asthma attack two years later she started learning about natural healing techniques. In 1957, she began to formally study Swedish massage at the Steam Baths on Grand River Avenue in Detroit.

Gauthier began practicing foot reflexology massage on her cosmetology clients. After obtaining a portable massage table she made house visits to practice massage.

Ten years into her career, in 1968, Irene won the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Member of the Year Award. Two years later she helped found both the International Myomassethics Federationand the Michigan Myomassologist Association .

Irene continued as a student throughout life. In 1975 she studied under the Touch of Health Foundation in Pasadena, California and became a Touch of Health instructor in 1976. In 1981 she received a certificate in Polarity Therapy from Dr. Said. She also studied basic, intermediate, and advanced Craniosacral therapy from Dr. John Upledger of the Upledger Institute in Palm Springs, Florida.

Her first students learned massage in Irene's basement. Classes continued there until 1987 when she opened her first state licensed school. Two years later, in 1989, Irene wrote the book, "The Science and Practice of Myomassology". The book was added to the curriculum and is still in use at her institute.

Irene's Myomassology Institute, named after Irene herself, opened in 1993. The location was expanded four times, but ultimately was too small. In May 2000 construction of a new building began. In 2002 the 16,000 square foot facility had its grand opening.

At the age of 82 Irene continued to teach students at the institute. Through her work there, and at various workshops around the world she was able to help create a better understanding of health through massage therapy and holistic health practices. She received multiple awards including: a Certificate of Tribute from then Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and a Certificate of Tribute from then Mayor of Southfield Brenda Lawrence in 2009, and a joint resolution for her many contributions both locally and globally on June 18th 2010 from the Mayor of Southfield and the City Council.

Celebrating her 90th birthday, Irene held an event to try breaking the world record for longest massage chain ever. She continued to work at the school as both teacher and massage therapist. Later that year, on October 25th, she died.

In 2012 she was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to the art and science of massage therapy at the World Massage Festival. The school she had created won the Best of Detroit award from Hour Detroit. The following year it went on to win Massage School of the Year.