Ricky Williams joins The ABMP Podcast to share his journey from elite athlete to lifelong student of healing. After experiencing the power of massage therapy early in his football career, Ricky began exploring craniosacral therapy and other modalities as a path toward true wholeness—physically, emotionally, and mentally.

In this conversation, he discusses the connection between performance and healing, the role of listening and curiosity in bodywork, and how subtle, hands-on work can unlock profound change. Ricky also reflects on his ongoing mission to bridge the gap between professional sports and holistic healing.

About Ricky Williams:

Ricky Williams has devoted his life and career to inspiring greatness in himself and others. A Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL running back, he played most notably with the Miami Dolphins, finishing his career with over 10,000 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns before retiring in 2011. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

After football, Williams turned his focus to healing and wellness, studying Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine and co-founding Real Wellness in 2018. In 2021, he launched Highsman, a cannabis brand rooted in his belief in the plant's ability to support both physical and emotional well-being.

Resources:

Highsman Website: https://www.highsman.com/

Upledger Institute: https://www.upledger.com/

Lila Astrology App: https://www.lilaverse.app/

Instagram: @williams

Host:

Angie Parris is a licensed massage therapist and is the advertising director for ABMP. She is Chopra Center Certified in meditation and ayurvedic lifestyle. Her training explores physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Angie is also the founder of the nonprofit, Project Inti, an organization that provides aid to low-income Peruvian families and communities. For more information, visit www.projectinti.org.

Sponsors:

Upledger CranioSacral Therapy addresses deep restrictions, supports neurological and fascial systems, and enhances whole-body function—by working with the body's natural healing processes.

For over forty years, Upledger Institute International has led the field of CranioSacral Therapy—setting the global standard for education and clinical application. With trained therapists in more than 120 countries, CST continues to evolve through ongoing clinical experience and alignment with current scientific understanding.

CST integrates seamlessly into any manual therapy practice and supports common to complex and chronic conditions—orthopedic, neurological, pediatric, geriatric, and beyond.

Learn from our International Teaching Team—experienced clinicians who help you develop your skills, expand your clinical reasoning, and achieve greater clinical outcomes.

Begin your training for as little as one hundred dollars a month.

Find a class near you at upledger.com/courses or call 800-233-5880, extension 2—and begin your CranioSacral Therapy journey with the leaders who continue to shape the profession.

Website: upledger.com/courses 

Email: upledger@upledger.com 

Phone: 800-233-5880 Ext 2 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upledger.institute 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upledger_institute_intl/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSIFELbP6Jsp55cb9puZigQ 

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

Website: anatomytrains.com    

Email: info@anatomytrains.com          

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA 

Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.

Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country.

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Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.

Heights Wellness Retreat is redefining whole-body wellness through an innovative, integrated approach to physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Built on more than two decades of Massage Heights expertise in massage and skin therapy, this next-generation wellness destination represents the evolution of our mission to transform lives through wellness.

At Heights Wellness Retreat, we believe every person is an unstoppable force, whether navigating daily demands, pursuing goals, or striving to be their best. This drives everything we do. We go beyond traditional spa services by creating a purpose-driven environment where wellness professionals are empowered, valued, and positioned to grow. With steady clientele, support, and a wellness-forward culture, Heights Wellness Retreat is where therapists build meaningful, sustainable careers while shaping the future of the wellness industry.

www.massageheightscareers.careerplug.com/jobs

www.heightswellnessretreats.com

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Ep 560 – The Power of Listening in Bodywork with Ricky Williams

The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

Ep 560 – The Power of Listening in Bodywork with Ricky Williams