Anita Epple
QIMT, MGICM, MIPTI, MIEPT
Anita had a career in Information Technology from 1994 and studied IT at Wolverhampton University.
Her interest in Infant Massage was borne after the birth of her daughter and her subsequent enrolment on to a baby massage course when her daughter was five months old and suffering from constipation. They enjoyed the course so much that the baby massage teacher invited Anita and her daughter to join her on Gloria Hunniford's Open House television programme to promote the benefits! Her daughter is now 9 and still enjoys massage today.
After the birth of her daughter and a short career break of 2 years Anita became the membership secretary and administrator for the Guild of Infant and Child Massage (GICM) in 2001 and has been an active member since then, sharing the philosophies of the other committee members ensuring that Infant Massage Teachers are adequately trained and supported in their work in the UK. Until 2006 she held the posts of Editor of Connections (the quarterly newsletter) and Conference Manager, organising the well attended annual conference. She is now the membership secretary.
Due to her work with the GICM and her beliefs Anita was employed by Touch-Learn Ltd and is now a Director and Trainer. Anita's continuing professional development includes Massage in Education Programme training, attending the BrainChild Programme and attendance at many relevant study days and conferences. She has co-written three books: Teach Yourself Baby Massage and Yoga, Rhythm Kids: Rhymes and Fun-Time Exercises For Babies and Infant Massage: The Definitive Guide For Teachers. Other books due for publication in 2009 The Parents Guide to Baby Massage, The Parents Guide to Baby Yoga, and The Parents Guide to massage and the growing child.
In 2007/08 Anita and Pauline (Touch-Learn directors) collaborated with the University of Dundee (Psychology Dept) in carrying out research into maternal benefits arising from infant massage. They are delighted to contribute to the academic underpinning of the benefits arising from their trainings.
Anita Epple and Pauline Carpenter delivered a training in Bucharest, Romania in October 2008. There, she and Pauline trained 25 parent/child support workers who are working with vulnerable mothers, foster parents and childcare workers to become Qualified Infant Massage Teachers.
Anita maintains an active involvement with regard to teaching infant massage and has worked in the recent past with the charity PNiUK, teaching mothers suffering from post-natal illness.
She enjoys swimming, cycling and cryptic crosswords! For relaxation she enjoys Yoga and receives regular massage and reflexology treatments.
Articles
Epple, A. (2006) The Benefits of Infant Massage Today's Therapist Issue 38, Jan Feb 2006
Epple, A. (2006) The Benefits of Infant Massage Vitality (Magazine for BABTAC Therapists) Mar/April 2006
Epple, A. (2006) The Benefits of Infant Massage, The Therapist, Issue 13 Spring 2006
Epple, A. (2006) The Use of Emollients in Infant Massage Connections Vol. 2, Issue 3
Epple, A. (2006) Allowing Babies to Play on Their Front Connections Vol. 2, Issue 3
Epple, A. (2006) Best For Baby Embody Professional Summer 2006
Epple, A. (2007) The Benefits of Infant Massage MIDIRS Midwifery Digest Volume 17, Number 1 March 2007
Epple, A. (2007) Healing Power of Touch The Green Parent December/January 2008
Epple, A. (2008) Writing For Publication Connections Vol. 2, Issue 8
Books
Epple, A (2002) How Infant Massage Can Help The Guild of Infant and Child Massage, Staffordshire.
Carpenter, P. & Epple, A. (2007) Rhythm Kids: Fun-Time Exercises for Babies Ditto International Ltd, Nottingham
Epple, A. & Carpenter, P. (2007) Teach Yourself Baby Massage and Yoga Hodder and Stoughton
Carpenter, P. & Epple, A. (2008) Infant Massage: The Definitive Guide For Teachers Ditto International Ltd, Nottingham
