Creating Empathetic Touch Series
This event is being hosted by the Alabama AMTA. I am very grateful for their trust in offering me the opportunity to present my classes to them and their members. For all questions regarding the event please reach out to Sara Jackson via her email.
(As soon as their registration page is live I will add a registration button here as well.)
Location: Island House Hotel Orange Beach 26650 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach, Alabama, 36561
Date: May 2 - 3 2025 (8:30am - 5:30pm)
This series of classes aims to explore the subtle and often overlooked aspects of massage therapy that contribute significantly to client outcomes. By delving into what is termed the "theatre of therapy," therapists can gain a deeper understanding of how various elements beyond the technical aspects of massage—such as placebos, rapport, therapeutic environment and education—play crucial roles in shaping the effectiveness of the treatment.
This holistic approach acknowledges that effective therapy isn't just about technique but also about creating a conducive environment that enhances the therapeutic relationship, trust and predictable outcomes for clients. Understanding these nuances can empower therapists to refine their practice and optimize the overall impact of their sessions.
Includes:
• Touch is a communication tool
• Re-examining our palpation skills
• Pain! The other 4 letter word
• Is Touch Enough? Using Neuroplasticity To Treat Our Clients Through Language
• I am placebo positive
• Problem-solving in the clinic - A pathway to effective treatment
• Integrating evidence-based medicine and patient-centred care
Course title: Integrating evidence-based medicine and patient-centred care
Date: April 11 2025 8:30am - 9:30am
Course description: For many years, evidence-based medicine (EBM) and patient-centred care (PCC) have been in opposition to each other. The reason for this conflict could be due to their underlying philosophies, or possibly due to the profession's medical interpretation of these concepts, or even due to misconceptions. However, recent studies have shown that the best outcomes for patients are achieved when both EBM and PCC are integrated into their treatment plan instead of being isolated from each other. We will strive to bridge this gap and bring some harmony to these two seemingly opposing forces.
Course title: Placebo effects in massage therapy
Date: April 11 2025 9:30am - 10:30am
Course description: Understanding the mechanisms and factors influencing placebo effects is crucial for optimizing their use in pain management and improving client outcomes. By combining the benefits of manual therapy with the placebo effects, practitioners can create a supportive and empowering environment that fosters trust and collaboration between themselves and their clients. This proactive approach not only addresses immediate symptoms but also promotes long-term health and well-being.
Course title: Re-examining our palpation skills
Date: April 11 2025 10:30am - 12:30pm (Lunch 1 hr) 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Course description: Therapists are often taught palpation techniques in school and as their time in the profession grows these techniques are rarely revisited. Manual therapists will spend time learning new modalities, refreshing their anatomy and yet forget to practice their pressure, speed and grip. During these 4 hours students will have a chance to practice hands-on techniques that focus on pressure, speed and texture. Each practice will be related to up-to-date research on why pressure, speed and texture play an important role in the effectiveness of treatment.
Course title: Pain! The Other 4 Letter Word - Pain Science
Date: April 11 2025 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Course description: This 2 hour course is designed to help therapists and the public gain a better understanding into our relationship to pain. Why do we try to avoid pain when time and time again it has been shown to be a beneficial and positive experience that is solely designed to protect us from harm. This 4 letter word has the potential to derail our daily lives but by gaining a clearer understanding of the mechanisms and behaviours around pain we can modify our experiences to incorporate pain and begin to reduce it.
Course title: Problem solving in the clinic - A pathway to effective treatment
Date: April 12 2025 8:30am - 10:30am
Course description: Proper assessment can significantly help our treatment outcomes, but proper assessment goes well beyond orthopaedic tests. Understanding tissue resistance as it relates to stages of healing, pain levels as they relate to injury and proper intake all play into our assessment, ultimately leading to more effective intervention. In this class, we will create a list of probabilities and priorities that allow us to isolate pathologies and tailor our intervention to each client.
Course title: Touch is a communication tool
Date: April 12 2025 10:30am - 12:30pm (Lunch) 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Course description: The more we learn about massage, pain and their interactions the more we are beginning to understand that touch alone is insufficient to help those living with chronic pain. In this 4 hour class we look into both the non-touch and touch related aspects of massage therapy and their effects on our clients. Participants will spend 2.5 hrs doing hands-on labs with the rest being lecture.
Course title: Is Touch Enough? Using Neuroplasticity To Treat Our Clients Through Language
Date: April 12 2025 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Course description: The more we learn about massage, pain and their interactions the more we are beginning to understand that touch alone is insufficient to help those living with chronic pain. In this 2 hour class we look into the non-touch related aspects of massage therapy and their effects on our clients.