The following is a list of courses I offer as an approved provider. Not all courses are offered every year. Tennesse Massage Law and Ethics: Past, Present and Future are both offered via ZOOM in an interactive live webinar format. Additional courses are pending.
TENNESSEE MASSAGE LAW - The course meets the requirements of the Tennessee Massage Board and follows the content policy established by the Board. The course is held via ZOOM in an interactive webinar format. (2 CE Hours)
ETHICS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - This course explores what ethics and morals are, how they evolve and change, and what influences changes to acceptable ethical behavior. American cultural values have been the primary basis for ethics but this continues to evolve. What are ethical standards were in America, what has changed in America, and what is changing are all explored. Hopefully, massage therapists will understand the dynamic influences on ethics and what role they play in the ethics of society. This course is offered in a live interactive webinar format. (2 CE Hours)
REFLEXOLOGY - This course covers the origin of reflexology. It discusses what it is and how it is used. Various techniques for both hand and feet are given. Therapists will be given opportunity to give and receive a reflexology session. Indications and contraindications will be discussed. The course is less than 20% lecture. Instructor is certified in Integrative Reflexology. (5 CE Hours)
REIKI ONE - Reiki 1 is taught by a Reiki Master Teacher trained in the traditional Usui Method. The course is less than 30% lecture and discusses: what Reiki is, the traditional story of Mikao Usui, an energy discussion and how to perform Reiki sessions. Traditional versus non-traditional Reiki training will be discussed. The three pillars of Reiki are provided. The therapists will receive four attunements. Traditional hand placements and bodywork techniques will be performed by therapist upon each other for specific issues and whole body services. Upon completion of the course the therapist will become a Reiki Practitioner. No lotion or sheets are necessary for this course. (12 CE Hours)
REIKI TWO Hands On - (Prerequisite Reiki One) Second Degree Reiki (Reiki 2) is a hands on course that continues the training that began in First Degree Reiki. First Degree Reiki provided the basic understanding of Reiki, Reiki history, the Usui story and how to use Reiki. Therefore, First Degree Reiki is a prerequisite for Second Degree Reiki. Reiki 2 traditionally focuses on preparing the Reiki Practitioner to become a Reiki Therapist through three attunement processes and therapeutic practice. This course is mostly experiential and hands on with less than 25% of the class spent in lecture. The practitioner will learn to use the basic hand positions while performing energy assessment and treatment. The practitioner will learn how to incorporate two of the traditional symbols into the session while performing hands-on bodywork services. The student will both give and receive Reiki therapy in a relaxed setting while fully clothed. (10 CE Hours)
CHAKRA THERAPY - The therapist will learn basic chakra evaluation in this course using their hands. A rudimentary understanding of what a chakras are and some of their many characteristics will be provided. During the course multiple ways to address the chakras for treatment will be demonstrated. The student will give and receive different hands-on approaches to chakra therapy. This course is less than 20% lecture. (6 CE Hours)
ACUPRESSURE MASSAGE - The use of a thumbs, elbows, knees or feet to apply pressure to a specific acupoint (location) on the body has been around for centuries. These techniques have been and still are used to address dysfunction. This course will help the therapist understand the background to how this works, what energy lines are, where this work is done and how to provide a basic acupressure or Shiatsu-style bodywork session. Therapists will give and receive full body acupressure sessions. Less than 30% of the course is lecture. (7.5 CE Hours)
THERAPY OF THE LOW BACK - In this course the therapist will learn how to assess and treat low back pain. The therapist will then implement a treatment plan using neuromuscular, direct connective tissue and indirect connective tissue techniques. This course is mostly hands on with the therapists working on each other. Less than 30% of the course is lecture. (5 CE Hours)
THERAPY OF THE HIPS AND THIGHS - This hands-on course is intended to provide tools for the therapist in assessing and providing medical massage for the hip and thigh. This course has less than 30% lecture. The therapist will learn how to evaluate the hip and thigh for dysfunction. Hip screening and evaluation will include the Thomas test, muscle firing evaluation and muscle range of motion evaluations using a goniometer. The therapist will then be shown advanced techniques in the treatment of hip and thigh using fascial release and muscle energy techniques. The therapist will synthesize the evaluation into a treatment for hips and thighs using local and systemic therapeutic techniques. (8 CE Hours)
RETHINKING NORMAL MASSAGE PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT USE - After years of experience working in many different clinics that many if not most massage therapist use only minimal basic techniques learned in school. They get by with the basics. There are so many more ways to use the table, head rest, accessory equipment and bolsters they just are not done. These non-normal practices can greatly enhance therapeutic performance and the quality of a service if implemented. This course provides new approaches, accessory techniques and bodywork techniques not normally seen. This course is 90% hands-on techniques. (5 CE Hours)
TMJ DYSFUNCTION THERAPY - This course shows the therapist how they can provide specific oral and external therapy to muscles involved with temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Masseter, temporalis, and the ptyergoids can be treated orally. Special therapeutic techniques can be used externally that specifically target relief for TMJ Dysfunction. This course is partially done wearing gloves inside the mouth. The course is mostly hands-on with only about 20% being lecture. (3 CE Hours)
NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING THREE COURSES DO NOT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER
MEDICAL MASSAGE 1 - Medical Massage 1 (MM-1) is the first in a series of three workshops designed to present medical massage concepts and practices for massage therapists who want to expand their basic Swedish massage training into therapy of various soft tissue medical conditions. MM-1 is the introductory course that includes both the basics of medical massage plus specific treatment techniques for the head, neck and upper extremities. MM- 2 continues where MM-1 left off with therapeutic treatment of the torso. MM-3 completes the series with therapeutic treatment of the lower extremities. This series does not need to be done in any order. MM-1 is 20% lecture and the remaining 80% of the course contains hands-on techniques to resolve specific common head, neck, shoulder, arm and hand issues. (12 CE Hours)
MEDICAL MASSAGE 2 - Medical Massage 2 (MM-2 is part two of a series) continues where Medical Massage 1 left off. MM-2 focuses on the medical treatment of the torso. Medical Massage 1 is the introductory course that includes both the basics of medical massage plus specific treatment techniques for the head, neck and upper extremities. Medical Massage 3 completes the series with therapeutic treatment of the lower extremities. This series does not need to be done in any order. In this course there is a brief review of what medical massage and how it should be applied. Emphasis of the course is on providing therapeutic techniques to common torso issues. Breast massage on a model will be demonstrated and indications/contraindications for this work will be discussed. Common conditions of the torso will be addressed. Less than 20% of this course is lecture. A full 80% of the course provides hand-on experience. (6 CE Hours)
MEDICAL MASSAGE 3 - Medical Massage 3 (MM-3 is part three of a series) continues where Medical Massage 1 and Medical Massage 2 left off. MM-2 focuses on the medical treatment of the torso. Medical Massage 1 is the introductory course that includes both the basics of medical massage plus specific treatment techniques for the head, neck and upper extremities. Medical Massage 3 completes the series with therapeutic treatment of the lower extremities. This series does not need to be done in any order. In this course there is a brief review of what medical massage and how it should be applied. Emphasis of the course is on providing therapeutic techniques to common to the torso: abdominal (groin) issues, mid-back, lumbar. Less than 20% of the course is lecture. A full 80% of the course provides hands-on experience. (6 CE Hours)
FASCIAL BASED MEDICAL MASSAGE - Recent scientific discoveries regarding fascia suggest that massage therapists may need to reconsider their approach to bodywork. This course will review the most recent fascial discoveries, the new organ interstitium and misconceptions regarding fascia. In addition, the therapist will learn an approach that is suggested for performing fascial bodywork which most therapists perform incorrectly. Normal therapeutic muscle-based massage is thought to release only about 20% of restrictions. Fascia work is necessary to release the remaining 80%. Working fascially is also easier on the therapist physically. Changing the therapeutic approach from muscle work to fascia may help prolong one’s career and provide more therapeutic options for clients. This course is more than 80% hands-on practice. (8 CE Hours)
ADVANCED STRETCHING FOR SPORTS AND MEDICAL MASSAGE - This course will introduce the therapist to Soft Tissue Release and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation techniques to both release and stabilize muscle tissue. (8 CE Hours)
