About Us
Built by Experienced Therapists and Educators
IBI was created by professionals who have spent decades in the field treating clients, teaching students, and working behind the scenes in school administration. They understand what it takes to be successful.
Our Philosophy
As therapists, we know the body is constantly communicating. Ease, tension, compensation, and adaptation all provide meaningful information - when you know how to listen.
At IBI, we teach students to recognize patterns, interpret what they feel, and respond with clarity and purpose.
We teach you how to think, not just what to do.
Why This Institute Exists
IBI was built by therapists who saw graduates enter the field trained in spa routines but not in anatomical understanding. That gap affects confidence, decision-making, and the quality of therapeutic care.
So we built a program centered on anatomy, palpation, assessment, and clinical reasoning. Not surface-level repetition.
What We Stand For
Professionalism. Boundaries. Communication. Respect. Kindness. Integrity.
These are not supporting ideas. They are embedded in the training.
We want graduates to leave with skill, judgment, confidence, and a professional standard that elevates the industry.
Educational Philosophy
The body is not a script. It is a system you learn to read.
We believe listening is a clinical skill. Intention is the foundation of effective treatment. Technique is only as valuable as the reasoning behind it. That belief shapes how we teach anatomy, bodywork, assessment, and therapeutic decision-making across the entire program.
Listening is a clinical skill
Students learn to observe, palpate, assess, and respond rather than rely on memorized routines.
Intention directs technique
Every intervention should have a reason behind it, not just a sequence to perform.
Understanding builds confidence
When students understand what they are feeling and why it matters, they work with more precision and clarity.
Meet the Founders
Your instructors. Your mentors. The people who built the standard behind IBI.
Heather Graeme
Co-Founder & Executive Director · LMT
Heather Graeme brings 23 years of clinical experience and more than a decade of teaching to her role as Co-Founder and Director of Integrated Bodywork Institute. As the founder of the Therapeutic Massage Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, she has spent years developing a clinical practice recognized for its thoughtful, results-driven approach to pain and dysfunction. Her work integrates neuromuscular therapy, myofascial techniques, and stretching-based modalities, allowing her to tailor treatment to the specific needs of each client.
Heather’s path into education began in 2011 when she joined the faculty at the Cortiva Institute. She taught foundational skills, neuromuscular therapy, myofascial release, ethics and communication, hydrotherapy, special populations, and clinical practice. Over nearly a decade of teaching, she became known for her ability to bridge theory and application helping students not only learn techniques, but understand how and when to use them. In 2018, she began developing and teaching continuing education courses for licensed massage therapists. Through this work, she continues to mentor therapists in refining their skills and deepening their clinical understanding.
Her approach has been shaped by advanced training with leaders in the field, including Neuromuscular Therapy with Judith Delany, Orthopedic and Clinical Massage with Whitney Lowe, and Active Isolated Stretching with Aaron Mattes. She is also certified in Thai massage, further expanding her approach to movement and therapeutic application. These influences have shaped a style of work that is precise, adaptable, and grounded in clinical reasoning.
At the center of her work is a clear philosophy: the body is always communicating. Heather has developed a refined ability to recognize patterns of tension, restriction, and compensation, and to interpret what those patterns reveal. Her approach emphasizes listening both to the client and to the body and responding with intention to support lasting change.
Heather holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado in Classics. This academic foundation informs her structured, analytical approach to both teaching and clinical work.
Integrated Bodywork Institute was founded as a direct extension of her clinical and teaching experience. Alongside co-founder Sharon Sunde, she recognized the need for a more rigorous, anatomy-driven massage program in the Tampa Bay area one designed to develop thoughtful, capable practitioners. Their guiding belief was simple: if this level of training did not exist, it was their responsibility to create it.
Sharon Sunde
Co-Founder & Executive Director · LMT
Sharon Sunde entered the field of massage therapy after a deeply transformative personal experience revealed the profound impact that therapeutic touch can have on healing and well-being. She graduated from Humanities Center in Pinellas Park, Florida, in 2003 and became licensed that same year. Over the course of her career, Sharon has continued to expand her clinical education through advanced study in neuromuscular therapy, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, stretching techniques, and craniosacral therapy. Her continuing education with Judith Delany and the American Version of Neuromuscular Therapy has strongly influenced her anatomy-driven and therapeutically focused approach to bodywork.
Before returning fully to the massage profession, Sharon spent two decades in a corporate environment where she developed extensive experience in operations, quality systems, purchasing, and internal auditing for internationally recognized quality certifications. Those years helped shape the professionalism, organization, and attention to detail that she now brings to both clinical practice and education. Since re-entering the massage field, she has worked in spas, chiropractic offices, wellness centers, and private practice, serving clients with a wide range of needs including chronic pain, injury recovery, mobility concerns, and therapeutic relaxation. In 2025, she joined Aveda Institute as a massage instructor, where she discovered a passion for teaching.
As co-founder of Integrated Bodywork Institute, Sharon is committed to creating a massage education program that combines clinical rigor with compassion, professionalism, and critical thinking. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that massage therapists should understand not only where muscles are located, but how the body functions as an interconnected system. Through IBI, Sharon and Heather will develop thoughtful, skilled practitioners who are confident in their abilities, grounded in ethics, and prepared to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their clients.
Core Values
The professional standard behind the training.
Integrity
Honest teaching, responsible clinical thinking, and evidence-informed decision-making.
Professionalism
Real standards in conduct, communication, documentation, and preparation.
Communication
Clear expectations, clear feedback, and real accountability in how we teach and work.
Boundaries
Scope-of-practice clarity, ethical care, and a structured environment built on respect.
Kindness
High standards delivered with care, support, and a learning environment designed for growth.
Respect
Respect for students, clients, the body, and the responsibility that comes with the work.