The Art of Thai Yoga Massage, An Introductory Workshop

I am so excited to welcome my dear friend Sunny van der Star to the studio this June. Sunny introduced me to Thai Yoga Massage years ago. Receiving a Thai Yoga Massage is just about one of the best experiences you can have, but learning how to give one is invaluable. I gave Thai Yoga massages to my kids when they were young to help them relax and calm before bed. I’ve shared it with many friends and probably some of you! You do not have to be a certified massage therapist to learn these techniques and share them with your loved ones.

In this 4 hour workshop designed specifically for beginners, you’ll learn a soothing 20–30 minute Thai Massage sequence to use with loved ones to foster connection and relaxation. This invaluable skill can easily become part of your weekly routine or serve as a gentle way to support loved ones during times of stress. My loved ones look forward to this nurturing practice, and it has truly become one of my favorite ways to say, "I love you."

Saturday June 13th

12:30 - 4:30 PM

$90, pre-registration required

Sunny van der Star is a massage therapist, educator, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience guiding transformational healing experiences in diverse settings around the world. Her work weaves together somatic healing, neuroscience, nature-based wisdom, creativity, and spiritual inquiry.

After graduating from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 2001, Sunny fell in love with Thai Bodywork and spent the next 15 years returning to Thailand to study and immerse herself in this ancient healing art. Traditionally practiced fully clothed on a mat in communal settings, Thai Bodywork is both portable and accessible—qualities that inspired Sunny to bring this work beyond conventional wellness spaces.

In 2006, She founded the Zia Project, a nonprofit dedicated to offering healing arts education and services to marginalized and underserved communities. Through this work, Sunny has facilitated free workshops, scholarships, and community healing initiatives with tsunami survivors in Thailand, homeless single mothers in South London, rural villagers in Tibet, HIV-positive communities in Chiang Mai, children with special needs in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, members of the Zia Pueblo in New Mexico, and LGBTQ teens in Boulder, Colorado. These experiences deepened her belief that healing is most powerful when it happens in community—an ethos that continues to inform all of her offerings.

In parallel, Sunny has spent over two decades facilitating women’s circles, creating spaces for connection, exploration, and transformation. Her approach is intuitive, playful, and experiential—blending ancient practices, expressive arts, and time in nature while allowing space for spontaneity and emergence.

Her personal healing journey—particularly after becoming a mother to twins at 43—has further shaped her work, deepening her understanding of the body, nervous system, and the process of transformation. Today, she brings that lived experience into her practice, supporting others in reconnecting with their own resilience, creativity, and inner wisdom.

Sunny holds degrees and certifications in geology, environmental policy, massage therapy, yoga, integrative coaching, and psychedelic support. A native of Pittsburgh, she currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband and 11 year-old twins.