MCLA and MassHire Partner to Support 2021 Berkshire Virtual Career Week

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — As part of the Berkshire Compact for Education, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, MassHire and other community partners will help showcase careers in the Berkshires the week of April 26-30 through Berkshire Virtual Career Week.
 
"It's great to see these opportunities for students to learn more about what they want to pursue in their future," Berkshire Workforce Board high school intern Nick Lopenzina said, "Workshops like this really give kids a chance to start finding their direction."
 
The event aims to engage high school students, mainly in grades 10-12, in career awareness and exploration through a blend of live Zoom sessions with local professionals and scheduled broadcasts on Pittsfield Community Television.  
 
Career Week programming is also open to Berkshire residents of all ages who are interested in learning more about the current labor market landscape in the Berkshires. Via PCTV, portions of the live sessions will be broadcast, and career-related content will air when there is not a live Zoom meeting. All videos will be available after the week-long event in PCTV's online educational library. A full schedule with all programming will be available prior to April 26 at www.masshireberkshire.com. 
 
The MassHire Berkshire Career Center will also host a Virtual Job Fair from noon-4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27. This event is for those ages 14-21 seeking jobs in the Berkshires. To register for the job fair, visit www.MasshireBerkshireCC.com and visit "Calendar of Events." 
 
Career Week will also feature daily, live Zoom sessions focused on different careers in the Berkshires including a STEM session organized by MCLA and the Berkshire STEM Network, plus sessions on Health Care and Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Communications, Building Trades, and Advanced Manufacturing.  
 
"MCLA is proud to partner on this program with MassHire," said MCLA Director of Corporate and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Joshua Mendel. "Through MCLA representation on the Berkshire Compact's Aspiration Committee and the Berkshire STEM Network, the College is able to contribute to these kinds of opportunities for students throughout the Berkshires, another part of our mission of public education, and another aspect of the work we do toward maintaining a thriving economy in Berkshire County."  
 
How to View: 
 
Head to PittsfieldTV.org to connect via cable, digitally or on demand to all programming. 
 
High school students (specifically grades 10-12) interested in registering for the live Zoom sessions should connect with their school guidance counselor and inquire about this event. 
 
  

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Myotherapy Practice Opens in North Adams

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Holistic Myotherapy in Greylock Works offers a calming area for clients to discuss their treatment and problems.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new mind and body therapist has opened for business in Greylock Works.

Owner of Holistic Myotherapy, Georgette Yannetti, started her muscle therapy practice in her native Brooklyn, N.Y., to help those with spinal problems like herself.

"I started my practice in Brooklyn in 2015 specifically to help teenagers with spinal deformities, scoliosis, because I myself struggle with that since I was an adolescent, I had four spinal surgeries and was disabled," she said. 

Yannetti worked as a massage therapist at the Greenwich Hotel and started doing myotherapy as a side project until it took off and she could focus on it full time. 

Myotherapy is a deep-tissue massage and stretching treatment that focuses on muscle and joint pain.

"The practice just took off, and it wasn't just for scoliosis," she said. "It branched out to other spinal deformities and just other kind of people suffering with other kind of disabilities, and not even just physical disabilities, but psychological, you know, anxiety, depression, anything that people really needed space to be held for."

She explained her process as building a connection with clients and being able to talk with her about their problems before they get on the table.

"It needs to be more than just like, well, you're gonna get undressed and now I'm gonna touch you for like 60 minutes. To go from I don't know you to now get on the table — you can't, there needs to be more," Yannetti said. "So I provided this seating area and tea and like a little bit of connection. So even though I'm not a psychotherapist, I mean, I am very clear with people, like I'm not your therapist ... but I provide the space for people to also share more about themselves, what's happening."

She said she couldn't find the type of service she is now giving and wanted for herself.

"I basically started my practice, and I was like, when I receive body work, this is what this is the kind of work that I would want because this is what I need when I'm receiving body work because of my trauma, and I can't find that," she said. 

Yannetti moved to Berkshire County earlier this year because she had always enjoyed visiting the area, saying this was her preferred vacation spot and even came here for her honeymoon.

"I've been visiting consistently for the past 10 years, specifically to Berkshire County, just because I love it here. It's been a safe space for me. I never wanted to leave," she said. "Every time I came, I was always like, I don't want to leave, and that said something to me. Whenever I had the opportunity to travel, if it wasn't internationally, I was like, I want to go to the Berkshires." 

She was looking online one day and found a house, and her husband agreed it was their perfect place. On a whim they decided to buy it and move out here. While she was not initially planning to restart her practice, she decided to do a free class with Greylock Yoga and fell in love with the renovated mill building. She immediately asked about a space for rent and signed the lease in early June.

She held her soft opening on July 1.

She hopes her clients know this is a safe space where she will support them.

"That I'm here to support them in whatever their process is. That this is a safe space. A lot of people release emotionally in here, because the body stores emotion. A lot of people are still learning that."

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