N1.) PTSD, Mood Disorders, Mental Health, and the Role of the Body Worker: Lecture

In this class you will learn the clinical definitions and presentations of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD (CPTSD), and other prevalent mental health conditions. Discussions and lectures will be led on brain chemistry for these conditions and how they present in the physical body from symptoms that are obvious and symptoms that are unknowingly hidden by a massage therapy client.

Whether you want to work directly with clients with PTSD or other mental health conditions or you want to know how to handle those situations that can occur when patients don't disclose mental health issues (or even realize they have them), this class teaches massage therapists the basics of trauma-informed care, which includes the following:

• providing a safe and consistent environment for the client and yourself
• creating trust with your client
• creating transparency about what will happen during the massage
• giving your client voice and empowerment in making decisions for their own treatment

Massage therapists will also take away the following from this class:

• the knowledge and skill to safely practice massage for individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions while maintaining your scope of practice
• the ability to effectively "hold space" for these patients in an effective and appropriate way
• the science, role, and importance of bodywork for clients going through mental health treatment
• the ability to maintain energetic boundaries
• the ability to recognize transference
• the ability to maintain healthy personal boundaries
• ways to modify your massage plan to be more effective and safe for these patients

Note: This class is a lecture class with interactive and dynamic discussions and can be used towards your 24 CE hours to renew your massage license. Satisfies 2 of the 4-hour ethics requirements in Washington State.