ADVISORY GROUP

Susan Findlay

Ex-Officio Member

Susan’s first love is dance, sport, anything to do with the joy of movement. She trained as a nurse in Canada but soon left the profession when she came to the UK as she wanted a deeper connection with her clients.  For many years she worked in both health and fitness, teaching 20+ classes a week and running GP referral schemes. She wanted to make better use of all her knowledge which led her to retrain as a Sports Massage and Remedial Soft Tissue Therapist.  Currently she is the director of NLSSM and specialises in teaching Oncology Massage. She is the author of Sports Massage: Hands on Guide for Therapists and is the a feature writer for Massage World. She volunteers her time as a board member of GCMT.  You can catch her on her weekly Massage Monday videos. 

Member of the Regulation and Standards working group.

Representing:

Contact Susan

Jane Langston (Amatsu)

ATIUK

Jane is the Amatsu Ambassador for Amatsu Therapy International UK and is also a Senior Teacher and Examiner for ATIUK. An internationally published author,  Jane is also a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences and has a love of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology.

Member of the Strategy working group.

Representing:

Contact Jane

Earle Abrahamson 

CNHC

Earle Abrahamson is a distinguished Professor of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at the University of Hertfordshire and a leading figure in soft tissue therapy and anatomy education.  Originally from South Africa, Earle’s work has spanned cultural, institutional, and international contexts, championing holistic, student-centred approaches to learning. His leadership in soft tissue therapy has seen him serve as Chair of the Massage Training Institute (MTI) and the General Council for Massage Therapies (GCMT), and as a practising therapist, Earle has long advocated for raising educational standards and professional practice across the sector.
Earle’s expertise in soft tissue therapy is widely recognised. He has authored several influential texts, includingSports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention (2010), Making Sense of Learning and Teaching Human Anatomy (2016), and Muscle Testing: A Concise Manual (2019). His work bridges education and practice, highlighting the integration of anatomy, physiology, and clinical reasoning to enhance outcomes in sports and exercise massage and rehabilitation. As a former therapist at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and at the 2017 World Athletics Event, Earle’s clinical experience informs his approach to soft tissue therapy education and practice, ensuring that it remains evidence-based and person-centred.
Beyond his work in therapy, Earle has driven impactful projects to empower students and promote social justice. He founded the Sports Mentoring Project, securing significant funding to support inclusion, access, and participation in higher education, while building students’ confidence and holistic development. His commitment to the student voice and partnership approaches has earned him Principal Fellowship of Advance HE, a National Teaching Fellowship, and an inaugural fellowship from the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL).
Earle’s leadership extends internationally. As co-editor of Teaching and Learning Inquiry (TLI) and former co-chair of ISSOTL’s advocacy committee, he contributes to global conversations about pedagogic practice and professional standards in anatomy and soft tissue therapy education. In 2023, he was appointed the first professor in SoTL at the University of Hertfordshire and is now Head of Anatomy for the MBBS at the new Hertfordshire Medical School, set to open in 2026.
A passionate advocate for soft tissue therapy and anatomy education, Earle continues to publish and deliver workshops internationally, ensuring the highest standards in teaching, learning, and professional practice.

Representing:

Contact Earle

Ruth Duncan

Advisor

Ruth trained as a licensed massage therapist while living in Florida, USA. She returned to Scotland in 2001 and continued to further her education with a Btec 5 sports and remedial soft tissue qualification, a sports therapy diploma and a hypnotherapy diploma. She also returned to the US to complete training in myofascial release adding to her soft tissue skills. Ruth has over 20 years of experience working as a myofascial release specialist and lecturer. She is the founder of Myofascial Release UK providing workshops for healthcare professionals. Ruth has authored her own book on myofascial release, now in its second edition, and has lectured at international and national conferences and trade shows. In 2021, Ruth gained a BSc First Class (Hons) in Health Sciences and a PGCert in Pain Science to further her own education and to enhance her training programmes. Ruth is the Scottish advisor for GCMT.

Member of the Regulation and Standards working group.
 

Representing:

Contact Ruth

Liz Nicholls

Advisor

Liz is currently the Lead for the BSc (hons) Physiotherapy Programme at the University of East London. Alongside this, Liz works as a Physiotherapist across a number of sports at national and international level (AELTC, WTA, London Marathon, Triathlon). In addition to her clinical roles, Liz has also worked on the organising committees for a number of major Games (for example: London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics; Glasgow, Gold Coast and Birmingham Commonwealth Games; London 2017 IAAF and WPA Athletics: European Games 2015, Baku). In recent years, Liz has also been working with the team at the English National Ballet and is looking forward to developing these links over the next few years. Liz is committed to working with colleagues across the Therapies to share knowledge and develop skills and expertise within our fields. She currently leads on soft tissue therapy within the Physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum.

Representing:

Contact Liz

Yvonne Blake

The SMA

Yvonne originally trained as a holistic therapist before qualifying as a Sports Massage Therapist in 1999. She went on to complete both a BSc and MSc in Sports Therapy at the University of Central Lancashire in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Her academic background, combined with a lifelong passion for fitness, has shaped a career dedicated to advancing therapeutic practice and education in the soft tissue industry.

In addition to her clinical expertise, Yvonne is a qualified personal trainer and Pilates instructor, and she serves as the mobility specialist at her local CrossFit gym. She runs a thriving private practice, where she specialises in treating CrossFit and Strongman athletes.

Yvonne has held several senior roles in education and professional standards. She served as a Senior External Verifier for VTCT and was instrumental in developing the National Occupational Standards for Sports Massage in partnership with Skills for Health.

Currently, Yvonne is the Chair of the Sports Massage Association (SMA), where she leads on educational strategy. Her commitment to raising industry standards and supporting practitioner development continues to make a significant impact on the profession.

Representing:

Contact Yvonne

Melvyn Eyres, FLCSP (Phys)

LCSP

After studying at The Northern Institute in 1977, Melvyn went on to gain diplomas in Massage and Physical Culture Remedial Massage Therapy, Manipulative Therapy and ultimately qualified as an osteopath in 1982. Melvyn was accepted on to the GOsC register in 2000 but then resigned shortly afterwards, feeling that his work was more physiotherapy and remedial massage based rather than osteopathic. He applied and was accepted to the chartered society of physiotherapy in 2005. He has been working in his own busy clinic for the past 35 years in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Melvyn was given a fellowship of the LCSP register in 1995 and was elected to the Governing Council the same year. He is now the Chair of the LCSP Register Disciplinary Board and is a founder member of the GCMT.






Representing:

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Jennie Parke Matheson

MTI

Jennie Parke Matheson is a soft tissue specialist and an accredited tutor, with 15 years’experience. She has a private practice in North London and runs workshops & courses for both newcomers & qualified therapists. She served on the Boards of MTI, GCMT and CNHC between 2019-2021, and co-wrote the operational guidance for therapists throughout the covid pandemic. Her specialities, for provision of support and advice are safe working environments, covid guidelines, working in hospitals, hospices and care environments, marketing guidelines (including managing the ASA), how to run a massage business, how to run a teaching practice,  GDPR and all supporting documentation, and mentoring and supervision.

Member of the Strategy, and Mental Health working groups.

Representing:

Contact Jennie