Our Team

Meet the instructors and staff at Therapeutic Connections School of Massage.

Our Staff

We are excited to welcome you to TCSM! Our passion is to educate you to heal others through the practice of massage therapy and bodywork.

Rebecca Dragseth

Owner/Director, Instructor, LMT, B.A. Education

Rebecca Dragseth has taught in public schools, college classrooms and spent ten years coaching competitive gymnastics. In 2007, she expanded her business from full time massage therapist to owner/instructor of “Therapeutic Connections School of Massage.” She received her Bachelor’s in Education in 1996 and became a Licensed Massage Practitioner in 1999.

“Continuing education in the field of massage, energy and bodywork has inspired me to continue my dream of sharing information and knowledge in the evolving world of massage therapy. I have a passion for learning and teaching about the human body and I am so excited to share and exchange with my community.”

Gary Schwander

Instructor, LMT, Clinical Director

Gary is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork as a continuing education provider #294961. He has been practicing massage therapy since 1989 and teaching massage courses since 1992.

Gary has served as a member of the AMTA National Sports Massage Education Council, as an Athletes’ Medical Services Massage Therapist during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and as a member of the 2002 Winter Olympics Sports Massage Team. He has also worked in the NY Mets Rehabilitation Clinic in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He currently teaches and practices in Spokane, Washington.

Visit www.GarySchwander.com

Gary Schwander, Instructor, Clinical Director, LMT

Leina Walker

Instructor, LMT

Leina has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2000. In 2001 she helped open a Massage and Wellness Center in Downtown Spokane, which she continues to co-own and operate today. Leina brings with her many years of hands-on clinical experience and the expertise involved in building and maintaining a successful business and practice.

“I have always been fascinated by the human body and absolutely love sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm with our students. It’s so rewarding to watch each student take the skills they learn in the classroom and create a massage style completely unique to them. I started teaching at TCSM in the Fall of 2022 and quickly realized it was something that had been missing from my life.”

Becky Ryan

Instructor, LMT, Structural Integration Therapist

Becky Ryan is a dedicated instructor at the Therapeutic Connection School of Massage (TCSM), where she shares her deep knowledge and enthusiasm with the next generation of massage therapists. A graduate of TCSM in 2019, she is currently advancing her training through a four-year program at the Institute of Structural Medicine, with graduation anticipated in 2026.

Her clinical focus includes deep tissue massage, myofascial release, neuromuscular reeducation, posture and range of motion assessment, and the Structural Integration Ten Series. As a structural integrator in training, Becky studies the body’s connective tissue layers—how they connect and pull—and how to release each layer systematically for lasting change.

She brings this depth of study into both her teaching and her practice, helping clients overcome chronic pain, recover from injury or surgery, and enhance athletic performance. Becky says, “Massage therapy is fascinating and bodies are so cool—I’ll never get bored!”

Becky Ryan, LMT - Licensed Massage Therapist

Tobie Lien

Instructor, LMT, Assistant Clinical Director

Tobie has been a Licensed Massage Therapist and co-owner of The Main Touch Massage & Wellness center for almost 25 years/since 2000. In that time, her focus/style has gravitated to a mix of deeper tissue, therapeutic work utilizing hydrotherapies and herbal medicine to help people with their aches, pains, and stressors to achieve a deep sense of relaxation, calm, and well-being. She loves sharing her knowledge and experience with students to keep massage progressing in our area.

Born and raised in Spokane, she raised her son here too. She enjoys time with family, gardening, camping, swimming in local lakes, and has a special love for herbs and cats.

Joseph Gates

Teacher Assistant, LMT, Massage Team Coordinator

Joseph started out as a student at TCSM (while having previous education in personal training and body mechanics). He worked at Elements for a year to grow, then had an opportunity to provide medical massage at Lighthouse PT and sports rehabilitation. Just recently, he opened J&H Wellness in Kendall Yards on April 1st, 2025, with his wife, who’s an Esthetician.

He began teaching at TCSM in January 2024. The opportunity to share his unique perspective about breath work, empathy, and connectivity with the client on the table is incredibly rewarding. Seeing the tremendous personal growth of each student is an honor to be a part of. “Breathing is at the core of reconnecting with oneself, it bridges the gap between the conscious and sub-conscious mind. This connectivity can change a person life."