“Once I decided I wanted to go back to school, I returned to Great Bay. I had such a great experience before. There were so many resources and help for students, which I really appreciated.”
Shantel Surles enjoyed her first student experience at Great Bay Community College so much, she enrolled a second time. And now, she’s back again, this time as an instructor in the Massage Therapy certificate program.
“I love Great Bay. It’s such a supportive community, and I’m excited about sharing my knowledge as a business owner and massage therapist and my experiences as a former student with the current students,” she said.
Surles owns The Loyal Path, a women’s muscle therapy and wellness clinic in Portsmouth. She began the business right after graduating from Great Bay’s one-year massage therapy certificate program in August 2021. “When I decided to enroll in massage therapy, I knew I was going to have my own business. That was my intention from the beginning, to go to school for massage therapy and then start my own business. It’s worked out well.”
At The Loyal Path, she offers therapies that she learned at Great Bay and others that she has learned over the course of her career – myofascial release, deep tissue, trigger-point therapy, and sports massage. She adds ancient healing techniques like aromatherapy and cupping with the goal of relieving pain and inducing relaxation.
During her first student experience at Great Bay, Surles earned an Associate of Science in biology in 2014, then transferred to the University of New Hampshire, where she received her Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and behavior.
After working in her chosen field, she opted for a more holistic approach to wellness. “That got me interested in massage therapy. Once I decided I wanted to go back to school, I returned to Great Bay. I had such a great experience before. There were so many resources and help for students, which I really appreciated.”
She also liked that she could complete the massage program in a little less than a year, enabling her to start her business sooner. “It was more intensive, but it was efficient, cost-effective, and convenient,” she said.
She began teaching at Great Bay in January, joining a dynamic group of educators in the massage therapy program with a range of professional experiences. Before she began her own business, Surles managed another Seacoast massage therapy clinic.
In addition to her teaching duties this past semester, she also assisted in the program’s hands-on massage therapy clinic that provides services for the Great Bay and larger community.
It’s a good field, she said, with lots of jobs and opportunities. Her story proves it.
“It’s definitely a growing field. That’s why I got into it. I predicted that people would recognize and appreciate hands-on body work after experiencing a lack of interaction and touch with Covid. I felt there would be this boomerang effect, and there has been,” she said. “I’m so glad I came back to Great Bay.”
