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Nicole Miller
Compassion in action, leading the next generation of Massage Therapists
Central Region
Twenty years ago, Nicole left her career as an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to become a massage therapist, and she hasn’t regretted it since. Bright spots in Nicole’s career include educational and community outreach activities as a massage therapy educator, continuing education provider, and community volunteer. Collectively, these experiences have fostered many wonderful memories, all of which continue to fuel and excite her every day.
Nicole has experienced incredible clinical experiences as a massage therapist at the Syracuse VA (Veterans Administration) and Crouse Health. “At the VA, my encounters included Veterans from the spinal cord injury unit, female Veterans who live with Military Sexual Trauma, Trans Veterans, Veterans living with exposures, and other subpopulations. At Crouse Hospital, I supported high-risk obstetric patients, perinatal anxiety & depressive patients, patients living with obesity, patients living with chemical dependencies, and patients living with cancer,” Nicole remembers. These experiences nurtured a fundamental educational philosophy for Nicole: the patient makes for the best teacher.
One of the most meaningful experiences for Nicole was when she was serving as a ‘Compassion-in-action Trauma Massage Therapist’ at both Crouse Health and Syracuse VA hospitals between 2020-2022. During this time, she provided care for nurses, first responders, doctors, unit staff, and other personnel who worked under the most brutal of circumstances. Nicole recalls, “They were working the ‘front lines’ of a war, and their mind, body, and spirit were pushed beyond limits you and I will never know. I volunteered on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve nights and days, which was particularly meaningful to them and, dare I say, more supportive than the hands-on care I provided. Yet, the care and services they provided were immeasurable, and the valor they earned is invisible.”
This month, Nicole was nominated for the spotlight by Kyle Hierholzer. “From U.S. military veterans to the terminally ill and individuals across all ages, Nicole has touched lives and elevated the profession. As the new Director of the Massage Therapy program at Northeast College of Health Sciences, she is poised to guide the next generation of massage therapists serving the Central New York region,” Kyle stated.
Currently, Nicole is heading the program at Northeast College of Health Sciences. “We are fostering our first group of massage therapy students on campus as they traverse their 2nd trimester. Our Upstate NY massage therapy profession has been bruised by Covid and school closings. All of my planning, activities, and intentions surround the desire to provide the best educational experience possible for our students and to help our profession recover and thrive,” Nicole states.
Nicole has been an AMTA member for 14 years and has been honored with the AMTA National Humanitarian and AMTA NYS Meritorious Awards. Nicole reflects fondly on her experiences as a National Convention Closing Panel presenter, a National Convention session presenter, and a presenter at several State chapter events and conventions.
The AMTA-NY chapter is proud to have Nicole Miller as a member who continues to advance the art, science, and practice of massage therapy. If you know Nicole, make sure to say thanks for everything she does to strengthen our profession!
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