In this one day practical course you will learn a full body treatment using motions such as passive movements, rhythmic mobilizations, oscillations, gentle fascial work and light stretching. It is partially based on the classic “general osteopathic treatment.” The purpose of which is to assist the body in recruiting its own healing potential. It is very supportive for those who are ill, in chronic pain, or desire a “wellness treatment.” Adaptable to many types of clients while also being easy both on them and on the therapist!
While addressing general well-being, this approach has the ability to become focused and detailed when dealing with specific impairments encountered during treatment because of its unique ability to both assess and treat. Further, when treating a specific impairment we often overlook the whole network of compensatory actions that the whole body takes on. And often, when we treat specifically we forget to re-integrate the part back into the whole. Overcoming these is the purpose of putting the body in motion.
Much of the benefit comes from improving fluid movement (arterial, venous, lymph, axonal) throughout the body by addressing the fascial network through motion, and from addressing the “Thoracic Pump” – the respiratory system via the ribs and its musculoskeletal elements. This and other benefits will be discussed throughout the day.
Treating Headaches and Migraines
This one-day course looks at practical techniques available for the treatment of headaches in general, and migraines in particular. Includes extensive handout.
There will be short discussions during demonstrations and between table-work, concerning what structures in the neck and shoulder girdle have to be addressed and taken into consideration when treating headaches and migraines; either in between episodes or during a headache/migraine. The course is meant to be practical, and so attendees should be ready to start working on each other soon after the seminar starts. The techniques demonstrated and practised come from a variety of disciplines, and are chosen for their safety, ease of use, their ability to fit neatly into any therapist’s style, and above all, for their effectiveness!
We will be discussing the structures (articular, muscular, vascular and neurological) being treated; and how to affect in a positive and healing way the function of these various tissues.
Assessing and Treating the Pelvis through Motion
This one-day workshop will provide you with some powerful tools to assess and treat the pelvic complex by integrating motion-palpation and a variety of treatment techniques that employ rhythmic motion. This will include some simple but effective techniques for treating the entire pelvic region along with approaches that the therapist can use to address nerve, blood and lymph flow impairments to the pelvic organs. This unified approach is highly effective in helping to address pelvic dysfunctions and (chronic) pelvic pain syndromes.
The modalities chosen come from various manual therapy traditions and are meant to be simple, effective, and blend easily with every massage therapist’s choice of techniques. The course will be mostly hands on, with some short periods of essential anatomy review.
Bring sheets and pillows so that these motion techniques can be combined seamlessly into a traditional Swedish massage treatment. You will also be able to use these techniques with clients who are loosely dressed for on-site treatments.
A Two Day Course:
Treating the Pelvis: A Detailed Assessment and Treatment of the Sacroiliac Joints and the Pelvic Girdle
This module presents a much more detailed examination for the therapist who wishes to treat those difficult sacroiliac cases and pelvic pain issues or syndromes. The participant will learn how the sacrum and pelvis function as a unit in concert with hip joints (and the lower limbs) and the lumbar spine (and the upper body). Further, we will look at the motion of the pelvis during gait, and so help those with difficulty walking or running whether they be children, seniors, or athletes trying to improve their performance. There are roughly equal amounts of lecturing and hands on in this module, with the emphasis on understanding what is dysfunctional (assessing) and how to address the issues found (treating).
While a number of treatment modalities will be discussed and demonstrated, Muscle Energy Technique is the core of this course. The instructor’s purpose is not to just show how he would treat but also give you the ability and skills, along with understanding, so that you can devise your own unique treatment plans specific to each client, and invent your own techniques!
Further courses to Nurture Your Organic Growth as a Therapist
When teaching courses to massage therapists over the last decade, My preference is to teach very practical techniques, based on an understanding of anatomy and function, which the therapist-student can learn and apply immediately in their practice. Moreover, I like to demonstrate techniques that are meant to compliment any tools that any therapist already has in their toolbox, rather than provide routines or recipe treatments that ask the therapist to replace their current skills with a brand new set. I believe that all good massage therapists come about by an organic growth, not by a ‘surgical’ removal of some values and techniques, and a make-over by implanting different values and techniques.
Module 1 – Treating the Cervical Spine and the Shoulder Girdle
The participants should have available attire that permits free movement and as much visibility of the shoulder and thoracic & cervical spine as is comfortable. Be prepared for lots of hands-on each day!
Day One: Treating the Shoulder & Cervical Spine as a Functional/Interdependent Unit
The first day of this course is to assess and treat the shoulder as an integral component of the upper body. Usually we assess the body in a static way, yet we can learn a great deal more when we palpate the body in motion. This (one-day) course will teach you some specific techniques to assess and treat the shoulder as one fluid unit instead of a collection of parts. We will explore how such a unified treatment can address all the usual suspects: rotator cuff dysfunctions, frozen shoulder, tendinosus of the biceps etc., postural imbalances, and so on. You will immediately be able to take this information and apply these techniques with your clients the very next day.
We will begin to explore the anatomy and treatment of the neck. Understanding the unique structure and function of the upper cervical spine (occiput to C2) as well as the lower cervical spine (C3 down to T2) will enable the participant to apply the wide variety of techniques taught in a knowledgeable and efficient way. You will no longer be guessing what to do in acute or chronic states, hoping for the best. Classic orthopaedic assessment of the cervical spine will be discussed, but the bulk of time for this is the demonstration and practice time for "motion palpation" of the cervical spine, from the osteopathic tradition. This is very helpful to know what techniques and modalities are appropriate at any given time, and how to provide maximum benefit
Day Two: Specifics of Treating the Cervical Spine
The techniques taught are practical and easy to understand. Techniques include positional release, muscle energy, ligamentous articular release (‘unwinding’), a brief reference to some general cranial osteopathic applications (specifically related to blood and CSF flow in and out of the cranial vault), and myofascial release. Further, this course will show you how to maximize your basic Swedish techniques through alternate positioning.
We will also explore the neurological and vascular implications of appropriately treating the cervical spine. A partial list of these is the impact on the vagus nerve (parasympathetics), the eye, ear, sinuses and the role of the suboccipital area in contributing to migraines and other headache complaints. And yes, you can treat migraines as they are occurring!
During all of this there will be discussed the value of treating both the shoulder girdle and cervical as a functional unit, benefiting both. Of course, we will explore how easy it is to meld the modality treatments of both so that when called for, one of these areas can be the primary focus of treatment and how even a brief attention to the other amplifies treatment of either. Participants will understand immediately how easy it is to flow between the two areas, and how a multitude of combinations of modalities is available that allows for very specific treatment of each individual client's unique presentation and needs, throughout the course of a treatment plan. In turn, how each therapist can bring their own approach and techniques and blend those easily into what has been shown in this course.
All of this is meant to augment, not replace, each therapist's assessment and treatment skills. The purpose is to enhance your adaptabilty to meat each of your client's needs.
Module 2 – Treating the Lumbopelvic Complex
Day One: Treating the Hip (Innominate) and the Sacroiliac Joints
This one-day presentation focuses on correction imbalances around the hip and levelling the sacral base, upon which the spine sits. Without ‘levelling the base’ any corrections to the spine, shoulder, girdle or head and neck, not to mention your work on knees and ankles, will often be thwarted. We cannot, in one day ,go into detail about sacral function and testing, but we can learn simple oscillatory, joint mobilization and some muscle energy techniques that can address many sacroiliac joint impairments and innominate imbalances.
Day Two : Treating the Lumbar Spine
A two-day course designed to provide a deeper understanding of how the lumbar spine functions, how to test by motion palpation, and treat using a variety of techniques. Low back pain is one of the most common complaints that clients of massage therapy present with. Yet it is estimated, that only in 20% of cases can orthopaedic physicians and physiotherapists find the cause of the pain and other dysfunctions. Motion palpation assessment and treatment has great success in finding the various impairments that make up these ‘unknown dysfunctions.’ In turn, by clearing away numerous ‘red-herrings’ and compensatory issues the real cause can often be found and be treated successfully. Specific techniques for scoliosis, hyper- or hypolordosis and facet joint dysfunctions are taught and practiced.
Module 3 – Treating the Thoracic Spine & the Rib Cage
Day One: Treating the Thoracic Spine
A two-day course designed to provide a deeper understanding of how the thoracic spine functions, how to test by motion palpation, and treat using a variety of techniques. The thoracic spine is intimately connected with the sympathetic nervous system and therefore dysfunctions in the thoracic spine can affect the neural, vascular and lymphatics of the head and neck, the upper limb, and the organs. Affecting the thoracic spine, and modulating the sympathetic chain can therefore increase the body’s self healing capacity. Motion palpation assessment and treatment has great success in finding the various impairments can be found in the thoracic spine. Specific techniques for scoliosis, hyper- or hypo-kyphosis and facet joint dysfunctions will be taught and practised.
Day Two: Treating the Ribs
Rib dysfunctions can be particularly hard to treat by the usual Swedish massage techniques. This part of the course provides instruction in how to address many rib dysfunctions with gentle techniques, along with variations on classic rib springing methods. We will explore the practical implications that appropriate rib mobilization has, and not only to breathing alone, but to fluid movement within the body as a whole.