Infant Massage Expert - Tina Allen

Tina Allen, LMT, CPMMT, CPMT, CIMT

With over a decade of service to children and families, Tina Allen, founder of leading children’s health and nurturing touch organization Liddle Kidz™ Foundation, has become an internationally respected educator, author and expert in the field of infant and paediatric massage therapy.
She is a Pediatric Massage Master Teacher, Developmental Baby Massage Teacher, a Licensed Massage Therapist with specialized training in providing massage therapy for infants and children with special healthcare needs and has been a senior trainer with the International Association of Infant Massage. Ms. Allen understands the varied physical and emotional needs of hospitalized and medically complex infants, children and their families. Because of her dedication to the well-being of the entire family, she has studied and become certified in pregnancy massage and is a Trainer of Peaceful Touch®, which implements a healthy touch approach for children in school based environments.
Ms. Allen began her charitable work as a volunteer massage therapist with The Heart Touch Project, a nonprofit educational and service organization dedicated to the delivery of compassionate touch to homebound and hospitalized men, women and children. As a volunteer, she has provided massage to individuals with advanced HIV/AIDS, children with special needs and senior citizens at the end of life.
Most recently, as Director of the Children’s Program for The Heart Touch Project, she provided specialized education and inspiration for massage therapists committed to addressing the needs of medically challenged infants and children who are hospitalized or in hospice care. To date, approximately sixteen hundred volunteers have participated in The Heart Touch Project, their ranks including massage therapists, physicians, physical therapists, and nurses.
In addition, Ms. Allen managed the nation’s first comprehensive paediatric massage program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), where she trained volunteer massage therapists and medical professionals to work with hospitalized Rehabilitation patients, medically complex infants in the Center for Newborn and Infant Critical Care (CNICC), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Children with Retinoblastoma, Spina Bifida and Cerebral Palsy. She developed paediatric massage programs at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, as well as developed a program focusing on introducing gentle compassionate touch to women and children who have survived domestic abuse.
Her innovative approach to children’s health has allowed her the unique opportunity to educate families and professionals throughout the world in the many benefits of nurturing touch. At personal request Tina has taught throughout the United States, England, France, Sweden, Canada and Thailand.
In 2006, Tina led a group of volunteer massage therapists to Thailand where they provided care to infants and children affected by HIV/AIDS and living in orphanages. These children, often considered untouchable, received much needed touch therapy and compassionate care. Their caregivers were taught by Tina to provide healing touch for these children, so they would continue to receive much needed “TLC” long after the volunteer group returned home. She has plans to travel with another volunteer group to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and India to provide similar care.
A widely known expert in her field, Tina has appeared on NBC, The Learning Channel’s “Bringing Home Baby”, KCET and PBS’ “A Place of Our Own”. She has received recognition as First 5 California’s Champion for Children, has been honoured with the Richard Ryder Award for her dedicated and passionate service and is a 2009 Massage Therapy Hall of Fame Inductee. She is an invited speaker to major conferences and has presented for organizations such as Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, First 5 LA, Infant Childhood and Relationship Enrichment Network, Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, Valley Presbyterian Hospital, Glendale Memorial Hospital, The International Association of Infant Massage, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center and major school districts internationally.
Born and raised in California, Tina met, and then later married her husband, notable Canadian singer songwriter Shad Hills in 2000. Tina is very excited about sharing her innovative children’s healthcare programs with all of the wonderful Canadian families. Tina will be offering extensive trainings throughout Canada. Please view her website for upcoming training dates near you: www.liddlekidz.ca