COURSE SYLLABUS


Anatomy & Physiology

The anatomy and physiology course is designed to give the student a comprehensive overview and experience of the human body. The format for this 60 hour program is lecture with required reading from Braun’s “Introduction to Massage Therapy”, and Clay’s “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy”. Visual presentations are utilized in the form of overhead transparencies, charts, handouts, and plastic models. Students will learn about the cells, tissues, organs and systems of the body as well as the anatomy and physiology associated with each of the massage techniques in the course. There will be intermediate quizzes and one final examination for the course. These examinations will be in the objective format, including true/false, matching, multiple choice and some fill in the blanks. A minimum passing score of 75% must be achieved. Any student not meeting this requirement will be scheduled for a re-exam or tutorial, depending on the student’s needs.

Pathology

CONTRAINDICATIONS
During these seventeen hours of lecture, students will learn to identify the more common medical conditions that need to be considered when interviewing a prospective client for treatment. They will become familiar with indications and contraindications to treatment under these conditions and when to refer to a physician. They will learn how to monitor results during treatment and possible future complications for each of the techniques taught in the course and massage in general. The focus will be on assessment and appropriate treatment for these conditions. Handouts will be incorporated in the lectures as well as assigned reading from the ‘Introduction to Massage Therapy” and “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy” texts.

PALPATION/ENDANGERMENTS
This eighteen hour course will, through lecture, handouts and demonstration, cover the endangerment sites of the body as they relate to massage therapy and the different massage techniques. The goal is to identify these sites and to understand the anatomy and physiology underlying them and then to demonstrate the ability to work with them safely. The course will include both practical and written examinations with a minimum score of 75% needed to pass. Reference will be made to the “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy” text.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
This fifteen hour course will be taught in the lecture format with visual aids and handouts, as will as reference to the “Introduction to Massage Therapy” text. At the end of the course the student will have a working understanding of the mechanisms of various pathologies and their relationship to the massage practice. Emphasis will be placed on identification of skin pathologies with a unit on precautions against the spread of infectious diseases. The student will learn to recognize signs and symptoms of conditions that should be referred out to the appropriate specialist. There will be a written examination at the end of the course with a minimum score of 75% needed to pass.

Kinesiology

This seventy hour program will focus on the superficial and deep muscles of the body, their origin, insertion and action both individually and as groups. Students will learn and apply range of motion, joint mobilization and interaction and physics of joint function. The students will also learn postural assessment. The format of this course is lecture, demonstration, and student interaction with supplemental handouts and reference to “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy” and “Trail Guide to the Body” texts. Periodic quizzes and a final written examination with a minimum passing score of 75% will be included.

Deep Tissue Massage

Twenty-three hours of instruction in this subject includes lecture, demonstration, handouts, reference to “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy”, and experiential receiving and performing of deep tissue massage strokes. Students will gain a working knowledge of the underlying physiology and effects of the various deep tissue techniques and their appropriate use, including contraindications and endangerments. There will be a final practical examination for students to demonstrate their grasp of the course. A passing grade of 75% is required to pass.

Swedish Massage
In this seventeen hour training module the student will become knowledgeable and proficient in the five basic Swedish strokes, their mechanical, physiological and reflexive effects on muscle, connective tissue and skin. Included in this instruction students will be taught body mechanics, hand care, proper draping, the effective use of lubricants, the history, terminology and purposes of the massage as well as their proper positioning, support, pressure, rhythm and duration of a therapeutic massage. Students will be monitored to ensure that they are developing a thorough understanding of the principals and techniques to perform an excellent full body massage at the end of the course. This massage will constitute a practical examination and will be graded and refined until each student scores at least 75% on the exam. Lecture, demonstration, and handouts will be utilized.

Hydrotherapy/Spa

This fifteen hour course will instruct the student in the therapeutic use of water’s three forms. The student will gain knowledge in a wide variety of types of water application for health and healing purposes as they pertain to injury and massage therapy. Students will also learn sanitation considerations, simple hand and foot treatment, paraffin dip, salt glow, body polish, loofah scrub, dry brushing, body wraps, and healing baths. Handouts, lecture, and reference to “Spa Bodywork” by Williams will be utilized. A written exam will be given to assess each student’s comprehension of the material.

Shiatsu

This twenty-one hour module will instruct the student in finger pressure techniques that are primarily used to create balance, health and well being. Students will learn what Shiatsu is, why it works, meridians, how to give a Shiatsu treatment and the proper pressure to use on different parts of the body. The format of this module consists of lecture, handouts, demonstration and hands-on work. Students will be monitored throughout the course for proficiency. There will be one practical examination at the end of this section.

Cranio/Sacral

Thirty-three hours of training will focus on the student being able to competently perform the basic ten step protocol of a Cranio/Sacral session and to understand the science behind it. Palpation skills, vault holds, hand positions, body fascia and how to address adhesions and restriction in the fascia, anatomical structure of the cranium, dural membranes and their attachments, the difference between osseous and membranous restriction to proper movement in the CST system and the protocol for evaluation and care of the client will be covered. To ascertain the competency of the student, they will be required to turn in two sets of session notes each week, perform hands on work each day of class to the instructor’s satisfaction, and pass a written examination. Lecture, demonstration, and handouts will be utilized.

Jin Shin Healing Arts

This thirty-eight hour module will instruct the student in how to choose and competently perform an acupressure session and to understand the science behind it. Students will learn breathing techniques for grounding and proper movement of energy, 45+ pressure points of the body and how to access them and their benefits, how to sense energy flow along the meridians of the body, a short form neck and back release, how to use at least four point flows along the meridians and what they address in the body, and how to facilitate proper energy flow along the major meridians of the body. The student will be required to turn in two sets of session notes each week, perform hands-on work each day of class and pass a written examination. Lecture, demonstration and hand-outs will be utilized.

Cervical Injury

This sixteen hours of training will deal with treatment of injury to the cervical soft and hard tissues of the body. Students will learn prescribed methods of treating specific injuries, as well as the anatomy, physiology, contraindications and endangerments associated with this type of work. Case management and associated treatment documentation as the patient goes thru the healing process will also be covered. Student work will be monitored closely and practical and written examinations will complete this module. Lecture, handouts, demonstration, and reference to “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy’ will be utilized.

Business
ETHICS
This eight-hour course will cover professional ethics and state and local laws as they pertain to the practice of massage therapy. It will also teach the student how to set and observe boundaries in the clinical setting, interrelationship dynamics between patient and therapist, and how to handle some of the more common challenges that come up. Lecture and reference to “Introduction to Massage Therapy” will be utilized.

RECORD KEEPING/BILLING
In this twelve hours, students will gain a comprehensive working knowledge of medical record keeping including soap charts, and forms peculiar to the different techniques taught in the course. Students will become proficient in learning to communicate and bill the state for Labor & Industries claims, insurance companies, and personal injury claims. Course format will be lecture, handouts, and reference to the text “Hands Heal’ by Thompson. A written examination will be given at the end of the section.

MARKETING STRATEGIES
This fifteen-hour module will cover a wide variety of marketing techniques appropriate to building a successful massage practice. Students will learn proactive networking and promotion. Advertising will be covered including business, cards, flyers, brochures, yellow page display ads and other forms. The course will focus on the cost effectiveness of the various types of marketing and will be able to discriminate between short and long range strategies. The student will be required to design and submit their personal marketing plan for their future practice. Lecture and handouts will be utilized.

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
This twelve hour lecture and discussion program is focused on patient and practice management. Various kinds of cases including injuries, acute and chronic conditions, and maintenance care are discussed. Patient education, compliance, and appropriate paperwork for the different types of cases will be discussed as well as how to deal with mixed cases and multiple injuries. Handouts will be provided.

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
This eight-hour module will focus on becoming familiar with medical terms by learning the meanings of the root work, the prefix and the suffix of those terms. Lecture, handouts and written exercises will be utilized.

Mysofascial Release

This seven hour training module will in incorporate lecture, demonstration, handouts, and student practice to teach the student how to release adhesions to the fascia including compressive opposing stretch, linear slide, pin and slide, skin rolling, raking, wringing, bone unwinding and unpatterned join mobilization. Students will apply these techniques to the back, shoulders and arms, with attention to technique, appropriate application, safety, body mechanics and proper alignment, client communication to include breath work for the client, joint support and timing. Students will exchange and practice all techniques. A practical examination will be given to evaluate each student’s ability to perform this work.

Pregnancy Massage

This eight hour module will cover assessment as it pertains to specific case history questions, and observation and palpation, applied anatomy as it pertains to musculoskeletal changes, postural changes, pulmonary system changes, and cardiovascular system concerns, and signs and symptoms during all three trimesters of pregnancy as it pertains to fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, constipation, weight gain, frequent urination, breast tenderness, emotional mood swings, back ache, abdominal muscles spasms, varicose veins and sore feet. Short and long term goals are addressed to include contraindications and pregnancy induced conditions. Technique training includes bolstering, positioning, endangerments, specific stroke contraindications and indications, essential oil contraindications and indications, appropriate hydrotherapy treatments, monitoring of client’s blood pressure, and appropriate joint mobilizations. Handouts, lecture, and demonstration will be utilized, with a practical exam to evaluate each student’s ability to perform this type of work.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

This five hour block of training will address a basic study of positively effecting the lymphatic system thru massage to include factors in stimulation and contraction of flow, building on their understanding of the system from the anatomy and physiology portion of the program. The practical portion of this training will include demonstration of MLD strokes with attention to proper application and attention to timing, pressure direction of strokes, and appropriate areas of application in reference to conditions present and health of the client. Both written and practical exams will be given.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

This eight-hour block of training will include signs and symptoms and etiology with attention to Scalene Anterior Syndrome, Pectoralis Minor Syndrome, and Costoclavicular Syndrome and their causes. Also explored is assessment as it pertains to case history, observations, palpation and testing. Techniques taught will include proprioceptive contract relax, myofascial release, trigger point treatment, active pin and stretch, active isolated stretching and deep frictions. Notes, lecture and demonstration will be utilized. Student will be given both written and practical exams to demonstrate knowledge.

Sports Massage

This eleven-hour training module will include an understanding of evaluating and treating injuries common to sports events. Students are taught application of trigger point therapy, proper use of heat and cold, pre and post event on-site massage, muscle cramps, and soft tissue injury, building on the student’s understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology concerns particular to this type of work covered in those sections of the course. Lecture, handouts and demonstration will be utilized.

Reflexology

This fifteen hour training module will train the student to perform hand and foot reflexology sessions focusing of the reflexive action of the various points in the hands and feet and their effect on the tissues, organs and systems of the body. Lecture, handouts and demonstration will be utilized as well as extensive practice on the student’s part. Business aspects of this type of work are covered in the business section of the course. A written examination will be given at the end of the course and a certificate of completion awarded to each student.

Reiki

Usui reiki levels one and two will be taught in this sixteen-hour module. History of reiki, symbols, grounding types, breathing techniques, movement of energy, hand positions will be covered. Students will perform treatment sessions on one another and will be required to pass a written examination, and a certificate of completion will be given out at the end of this module.

Lomi Lomi

This twenty-four hour introduction class will include the Hawaiian concepts and practices of integrating the use of bodies, minds, hearts and Spirits within all Lomi Lomi sessions. The class emphasizes use of aligned body mechanics to allow a therapist to very gently work deeply. Lecture, demonstration, reference to the text “Lomi Lomi, Big Island Massage” by Kahalewai, and hands-on practice will be utilized.

Chair Massage

This eight hour training program will teach the student a chair massage routine to be used mainly on-site at sports events, promotion opportunities, and other on-site situations. Techniques will be taken from various techniques including Shiatsu, trigger point, Swedish, Sports Massage and Myofascial Release and combined to give the students an effective routine that can be flexible in time depending on the situation. Practice building aspects of this work is covered in the marketing strategies portion of the course.

Energy Techniques

Various energy techniques and their application to the effect on the client will be explored in this sixteen hour program. Energy flow, chakras, the mental and emotional effects on the dis-ease process, and helping the client to address and correct imbalances in the energy field will be addressed. Information relative to scientific data in quantum physics and the effect of the observer on the observation will be discussed as well as the possible effect of the attitude and focus of the therapist on the therapy session. Lecture, demonstration and hands-on practice will be utilized.

Program Review

This four hour session will briefly review the training program just completed, discuss the student’s next steps after graduation in applying for the examination, the Washington license to practice, and steps each student can take in creating their ideal practice while waiting for certification. Student questions concerning any concerns will be addressed. The focus of this session is to help support the students on their paths as effective healers.

Student Clinic

Each student will log at least eighty hours of student clinic time. This requirement allows the student to gain experience in dealing with the various aspects of treating clients, and to become proficient in the different treatment techniques taught at the school. All work will be supervised and monies collected for these services will be turned over to the school, with only a few exceptions which will be discussed in class.