ON-SITE CHAIR MASSSAGE

This extremely versatile oil-free, seated massage treatment is now commonly being used in the workplace as well as in more traditional clinic environments with, for example, pregnant women no longer comfortable lying down.

Just as with any other form of holistic bodywork, OSM treatments should be moulded to fit the exact needs of the individual client and not merely be a set routine guided solely by length, as seems to be popular in the marketplace these days. The treatment takes its inspiration from the ancient health-promoting methods of acupressure and Japanese Anma techniques and focuses on the back, neck, head, shoulders, arms and hands. It can be soothing or very deep in intensity. 

The weekend will incorporate a wide variety of on-site massage techniques, some basic acupressure techniques, a selection of more advanced soft tissue release techniques, ‘hands free’ methods using forearms and elbows, stretches suitable for a seated treatment, as well as working with breath-release and with holistic intention. The workshop will also take a look at consultation, contraindications and treating in the workplace.

WORKING DEEPER

Weekend 1 is a closer look at how to work more deeply with clients, in particular on the common ‘problem’ area of the back, hips and shoulders. This very practical weekend includes thai yoga massage specially adapted for work on the couch, as well as hands free massage, more advanced no oil massage techniques specifically focussing on and around the spine and reinforced Swedish strokes. This weekend will be taught by Katya Langmuur and Sharon Bull.

Weekend 2 is, in many ways, a continuation of the work begun in Weekend 1 and is most certainly complementary to it. In this weekend we will venture further into the world of remedial massage with particular focus on trigger points, Muscular Energy Technique (MET) and other advanced soft tissue release techniques. This weekend will be taught by Kyra de Coninck.

Fee: For the 2007 weekend, the fee will be £130; for the 2008 weekends the fee will be £140 per weekend. A 50% deposit is required to save your space. Please be aware that, for this course in particular, we have very limited spaces available.

HOLISTIC PULSING

This is a very popular course of a very unusual form of massage! Sometimes referred to as the ‘tai chi of massage’, pulsing is a dynamic and releasing and joyful method of bodywork that can either be integrated into your existing massage practice or can be used as a stand alone style of massage in its own right. In this weekend you will learn to give a full body pulsing treatment that you will be able to adapt to physical or to a more subtle energetic focus with your clients. This weekend will be taught by Katya Langmuur.

Fee: £140. A 50% deposit is required to save your space.

MASSAGE FOR PREGNANCY

We have been offering advanced supervision work in pregnancy massage for some time but this will be the first weekend fully devoted to working with pregnant women. Not only will you become more confident on working with pregnancy physiological (and emotional) considerations and on adapting techniques to suit different stages of pregnancy, but you will also get a chance to try these out on real live pregnant women!

A very up-and-coming field in complementary health care at the moment is that of immunity care. Indeed, even the NHS now employs therapists for the benefits of the holistic tools that we have to offer, providing compassion and care to those living with the challenges of HIV, of AIDS and of Cancer.

Whilst working with potentially very sick patients might appear overwhelming at first sight, in actual fact, with the correct education and some experience, such fears can be laid to rest. This day workshop is designed to provide participants with exactly that as well as to offer a taste of what it might be like to work in a specialist and popular field such as this. 

Topics covered on the day will include what actually is HIV, AIDS and Cancer, what sort of conventional treatments are currently being offered by the NHS, what issues and physical conditions you might encounter as a bodyworker in this field and how to treat people with different immunity issues. The workshop will also focus on how the therapist should look after him or herself while working in this field and how to access ongoing immunity support, resources and education. 

However, further to this, participants will then get to meet with patients living with HIV and AIDS and, under supervision, will have the opportunity to practice massage on these patients.

As a direct response to students’ wishes to have more time and space in which to connect and experiment with subtle energetic methods of working, this popular day is now being offered as a whole weekend.

The workshop is intended to give a pretty thorough grounding in the fundamentals of energy work and of energy medicine and also to move students into experiential exercises and forms of bodywork that they will then be able to take away and include in their own massage with their own clients.

The day will include an examination of the energy system and an in-depth look at the individual chakras, a consideration of what physical disease tells us about energetic dis-ease, and which physical conditions are potentially linked with which chakras.

Furthermore, the workshop will provide space in which participants may find an energetic connection between their hands and their whole body, how to nurture and strengthen that connection, and then how to use it within massage itself whilst remaining grounded.

The Academy of Natural Health is please to offer Specialist Workshops for Office Workers. We will come to your office environment and teach you:

• basic principles of massage
  
• quality of touch
  
• safety
  
• basic strokes for neck, shoulders, back and arms
  
• short massage sequence at the desk

The duration of the course is for two hours and can be for a group of up to six people. We will provide handouts and specialist guidance for your work environment and stress management.

Please contact us for special requirements and bookings at our office in Covent Garden.