Deep Tissue of the Arms
Our arms and hands are tough, dextrous, and exquisitely sensitive. As massage therapists, they are perhaps our primary vehicle for sensation and communication-- and we use them (and sometimes overuse them) intensively. Our clients' hands and arms often take a beating as well, especially with so much computer use in the workplace and at home. For all the work that they do, our forearms and hands seldom get the time or skilled attention that they deserve. In this class, you will learn some simple but effective ways to make your arm massages more specific, potent and satisfying-- and receive some good work yourself.
Instructor: Brian Utting
CE Hours: 4.5
Location: Therapeutic Training Center
Tuition: $90 if registered by February 7th, $110 thereafter
Upcoming Dates:
- Wednesday, February 29th, 2:30-7pm, Register
Breathwork for Balancing and Stress Relief for LMP's
Hands-on therapy is a balancing act of physicality, focus and compassion. Too often, holistic healers overlook their own sense of vitality in order to be more available for their clients needs and in the process become run down, exhausted and stressed by the very work that used to inspire – eventually leaving both client and practitioner less than served.
In times of stress and exhaustion the breath (our life force!) becomes restricted and shallow, contracting our bodies and perspective. Cleansing breathwork is a simple and effective tool to purge the body of unnecessary emotional baggage, to clear physical and energetic blockages, to bring us into the present moment and into a more clear and focused relationship with ourselves, our work and our clients.
This 3 hour CE class is open to all Licensed Massage Therapists and is specifically relevant for those whose primary occupation is one-to-one bodywork. We will explore:
- A 2-part pranayama based breathing practice
- The mental and physiological benefits of the breath
- Clarifying what you need to heal
- A self-care breathing practice
Press “reset” and recommit to your own health and wellbeing.
Instructor: Tanya Hughes
CE hours: 3
Location: 8 Limbs Yoga Studio, Phinney Ridge
Tuition: $60
Registration: Send a non-refundable $25 check made out to PNWSM, 7511- 25th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Upcoming Dates:
Understanding the Somatic Nervous System and Proprioception
When we are at our best in a massage, we are skillfully engaged in a conversation with our client's nervous system, including the autonomic and somatic components. In this class we will focus on the somatic nervous system, including proprioception, cortical-limbic influences, coordination, the gamma efferent system, implications for bodywork, and how to skillfully and effectively apply this knowledge in your practice.
Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 4.5
Location: Ballard, WA
Tuition: $85 if registered by March 3rd, $100 thereafter
Registration: Send a $25 deposit check to Pacific Northwest School of Massage, 7511 25th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Upcoming Dates:
Give Your Clients Wings: Restoring Scapular Mobility
The scapula is meant to float freely along the ribcage, suspended on all sides by the 16 muscles that attach directly to it. Often, our scapulas effectively get immobilized and 'glued' down to the ribcage, inhibiting the freedom of the entire shoulder girdle. The intent of this class is to give you a digestible set of tools to treating five key structures for scapular mobility: serratus anterior (especially the upper aspect which rarely, if ever, gets treatment); subscapularis (and its relationship to the serratus anterior in scapular binding); pectoralis minor; rhomboids (and the fascial continuum with the serratus anterior); and levator scapula.
There will be a concise and insightful anatomy review of these structures with an eye toward fascial continuities and the functional relationships between them. When this work is applied effectively, your clients will invariably hop off the table and exclaim, "I feel like I have wings!"
Instructor: Benjamin Lee
CE hours: 5
Location: Ballard, WA
Tuition: $100 if registered by March 8th, $120 thereafter
Registration: Send a non-refundable $25 check made out to PNWSM, 7511- 25th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Upcoming Dates:
Taxes and Tax Strategies for LMP's
As a self-employed person, about 20-40% of your net income will go to taxes, including social security. This is a small business person's largest single expense, and it behooves us to know how to skillfully manage this expense. In class we will focus on how to "think Schedule C" and legally maximize our allowable business deductions. We will also cover tax planning, tax estimating, avoiding audits, and hiring contractors or employees. Believe it or not, the class is fun and entertaining, and you will easily recover your tuition in tax savings. Bring clipboard, pen, paper, and a pocket calculator.
Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 7.5
Location: Cortiva Institute, Seattle
Tuition: $120 if registered by March 3rd, $150 thereafter
Registration: Contact Cat North at 206-204-3143 or cnorth@cortiva.com
Upcoming Dates:
- Saturday March 17th, 10am-6:30pm
Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Iliopsoas, Diaphragm and QL
"The Core" is a popular term these days. You hear, "you must strengthen your core" quite often. These muscular structures support the core—they are integral to maintaining balance, structural alignment, ease of breathing, and the ability to function without lower back pain.
You will learn specific, potent, and effective Deep Tissue techniques to release the iliopsoas, diaphragm, quadratus lumborum, lower multifidus, and the lumbodorsal fascia. For each structure, several Deep Tissue techniques will be provided to give you multiple treatment choices when working with your clients. These are straightforward, muscle-specific techniques that can be immediately applied in practice. We will also focus on proper use of fingers, knuckles, and elbows for optimal results and to save wear and tear on joints.
Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 4.5
Location: Therapeutic Training Center
Tuition: $90 if registered by February 28th, $110 thereafter
Upcoming Dates:
Massage and Prostitution: What's Going On?
One of the great frustrations legitimate massage therapists face is the confusion in the public eye between massage therapy and prostitution. We like to believe that there is less of this confusion than there used to be, and that massage is much more accepted as legitimate therapy by the general public. The truth is that the overlap has actually gotten worse in one significant respect: there are more prostitution businesses fronting as massage businesses in Washington than ever before. Some of these businesses are engaged not only in sexual massage, but in human trafficking.
Come and learn why the problem has gotten worse and what we can do about it. Our instructor will be Butch Watson, LMP, a massage therapist and retired police detective who has been studying the problem for over 3 years. The situation we find ourselves facing in Washington is a perfect storm of legal, legislative, enforcement, and economic issues. This class is a call to action—our response to the problem will need to be organized, nuanced, and multifaceted if we are to disentangle our profession from prostitution.
This class satisfies the new Washington State Ethics requirement, and fulfills 4.5 hours of the NCBTMB Ethics requirement.
Instructor: Butch Watson
Ethics CE hours: 4.5, with a 30-minute lunch break
Location: Ballard Health Center, Seattle, WA
Tuition: $80 if registered by March 15th, $100 thereafter
Registration: Send $30 non-refundable check to Lavon Watson, 8360 165th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
Upcoming Dates:
Deep Muscle-specific Work of the Anterior Neck
Many people learned in massage school to avoid this area, but it responds safely and well to skilled and precise touch. We will focus on the scalene, suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and longus capitus and colli groups. This is really helpful work for clients who have been in car accidents, have emotional issues with their throats, or use their voices professionally (e.g., singers). Prerequisite: DT Posterior Neck, or instructor approval.
Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 3.5
Location: Ballard, WA
Tuition: $75 ($60 reviewers and BUSM grads) if registered before March 22nd, $90 thereafter
Registration: Send a non-refundable $25 check made out to PNWSM, 7511- 25th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Upcoming Dates: