Core Course Descriptions

T101 - Introduction to Bodywork
An introduction to the wide range of bodywork professions. Lecture topics cover the history of massage, bodywork and somatic therapies, a descriptive overview of massage, the physiological and emotional benefits of touch, hydrotherapy theory, lubricants and their uses, the laws governing massage therapy, professional bodywork organizations, and preliminary instruction in working around the massage table. This course is excellent for those who are curious about, or considering a career in bodywork.

Instructor: Amanda Hooten, LMT
Grade evaluation: Weekly quizzes, final exam

 

T102 - Touch Dynamics
An introduction to the importance of touch, its dynamics, and the skills, knowledge and qualities necessary for the therapist to provide a safe and nurturing environment for touch therapy. The class focuses on the value of awareness, presence and intent in bodywork. Case histories will be provided for discussion, and students will explore their personal touch histories and how touch has impacted their lives. Lecture is combined with experiential exercises.

Instructor: Mary McDaniel, LMT
Assistant: Andrea Mindigo, LMT
Course text: Embodying Healing
Grade evaluation: Participation, research paper, touch history paper, final exam

 

T103 - Therapist Client Inter-Dynamics
Designed to assist students in developing appropriate therapeutic behavior and professional boundaries through tests and activities to develop self-awareness, exercises in storytelling and listening, role-playing, and analysis of case histories. Students will also begin to learn how to develop the therapeutic traits of empathy, genuineness, self-disclosure, respect, warmth, immediacy, concreteness, confrontation, potency, and self-actualization.

Instructor: Mary McDaniel, LMT
Course texts: Becoming Naturally Therapeutic
Boundaries and Relationships: Knowing, Protecting, and Enjoying the Self
Grade evaluation: Journal, participation, self-evaluation, and final exam.

 

T104 - Bodywork Ethics
A course focusing on the special ethical circumstances of the licensed massage therapist within the greater context of the helping professions. The course covers 3 areas of the ethical decision-making process: legal, professional, and personal. Developing a working knowledge of current licensure rules and regulations, and industry-wide standards is central to the course.

Prerequisite: Completion of one 300-level course
Instructor: Steve Sommers, LMT
Course text: The Ethics of Touch
Grade evaluation: Participation, 3 short papers, take-home exam on rules and regulations

 

T201 - Anatomy
A physical science course that educates the student to the three systems of the body most important to movement and structural function – the muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems. The lecture approach is collegiate-level and content specific to bodywork, including an introduction to medical terminology, and an overview of the physical structures progressing from cells, to tissue, to muscle groups, to the body in motion.

Instructor: Don Hassencahl, RN, LMT
Course text: The Massage Connection
Anatomy Coloring Book
Grade evaluation: Weekly quizzes, mid-term exams, and final exam

 

T202 - Physiology
A physical science course that educates the student to the following systems of the body – integumentary, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, and excretory. The lecture approach is collegiate-level and content-specific to bodywork, including an overview of the visceral organ systems. Additional focus is placed on bridging the western medical model with holistic approach of complimentary and alternative models.

Instructor: Don Hassencahl, RN, LMT
Course text: The Massage Connection
Anatomy Coloring Book
Grade evaluation: Weekly quizzes, mid-term exams, and final exam

 

T203 - Kinesiology and Applied Anatomy
A physical science course that integrates review of the muscular, skeletal and nervous systems with advanced study of muscle origin, muscle insertion, nerve innervation, and muscle action. Experiential portion of the course teaches the student how to test individual muscles for strength, weakness or imbalance along with muscular balancing techniques. Also discussed are the function and analysis of motion, the bio-mechanics of anatomy, and structural assessment.

Prerequisite: T201 Anatomy
Instructor: Robin Green, LMT
Assistant: Becky Buckman, LMT
Course text: Trail Guide to the Body
Grade evaluation: Weekly quizzes, mid-term exam, final exam and practicum completion

 

T205 - Terminology, Pathology and Documentation
An overview of medical terminology, pathological conditions most commonly confronted by massage therapists, the anatomy and physiology of these disease processes, as well as charting and documentation of subjective, objective, action and plan of treatment (SOAP) notes.

Prerequisite: T201 Anatomy
T202 Physiology
Instructor: Amanda Hooten, LMT
Course text: Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage
Pathology A-Z
Grade evaluation: SOAP notes completion, weekly quizzes

 

T302 - Swedish Massage
A foundation course of massage technique in which the student will learn a sixty-minute total-body Swedish massage routine. Areas covered will include massage techniques, professional draping, lubrication, client positioning, client intake, practitioner posture, presence and intent. Students will also discuss issues that arise in practice sessions.

Prerequisite: T102 Touch Dynamics
T201 Anatomy
Instructor: Andrea Mindigo, LMT
Assistant: Ed Jameyfield, LMT
Course text: Save Your Hands
Grade evaluation: Practicum massages, technique assessment, weekly quizzes, final assessment

 

T303 - Advanced Techniques
Building on the foundation of T302 SWEDISH MASSAGE, this hands-on course adds stroke techniques to address specific muscles and muscle groups. Students will advance their knowledge of Swedish massage, improve palpation and location of anatomical landmarks, fine-tune body mechanics, and learn specific skills for stretching, range of motion, clothed bodywork, and side-lying position for pre-natal massage.

Prerequisite: T302 Swedish Massage
Instructor: Suzan Sommers, LMT
Assistant: Steve Sommers, LMT
Course text: Trail Guide to the Body
Grade evaluation: Practicum completion, 5 quizzes, technique assessment, and final exam

 

T305 - Lymphatic Drainage Massage
A combination lecture and technique course training the therapist when, why, and how to integrate lymphatic drainage into a massage session. Lymphatic drainage massage is indicated for detoxification of metabolic waste stored within tissue and fiber of the body and can be of benefit for post-operative recovery and other edemic conditions. Lecture will focus on review of the lymphatic system, as well as indication and contraindication. Technique will focus on palpation, stimulation, compressive pumping, and flushing of the lymphatic system. E502 CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY may be substituted for this course requirement of certification.

Prerequisite: T201 Anatomy
T202 Physiology
Instructor: Belva Cunningham, LMT
Assistant: Denise Gleason, LMT
Grade evaluation: Technique assessment, practicum, exam, written paper

 

T306 - Acupressure for Massage
A combination lecture and hands-on introduction to meridian theory and the practical application of acupressure. The primary focus is teaching therapists to utilize acupressure as an integrative, adjunct modality in their massage practice. Students will be instructed in point location, both static and active acupressure skills, and a blended, “Acumassage” technique developed by Steve Sommers.

Prerequisite: T201 Anatomy
T202 Physiology
Instructor: Steve Sommers, LMT
Assistant: Suzan Sommers, LMT
Grade evaluation: Practicum completion, quizzes, qi gong journal, and final exam

 

T308 - Integrative Theraphy
This advanced hands-on course teaches the student how to assess the specific needs of a client visually, verbally, logically, and intuitively. Focus of technique integrates all mastered modalities by segmental regions of the body: back and chest, head and neck, hips and pelvis, knee and thigh, ankle and foot, shoulder, elbow, and hand. The approach is somatic and holistic, and includes discussion of the body-mind connection, the anatomy of injury, and sports massage technique.

Prerequisite: T302 through T306
Instructor: Mindy Oldham, RN, LMT
Assistant: Belva Cunningham, LMT
Course text: Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage
Trail Guide to the Body
Grade evaluation: Practicum completion, technique assessment, and quizzes

 

T401 - Business Marketing
A preparatory course for entering the marketplace. Topics include creating a business vision, identifying your target market, scheduling to balance personal and financial needs, writing a business plan, setting achievable financial goals for the first five years of practice, writing and designing a business card and brochure, composing a resume, and an introduction to strategies for marketing and advertising.

Instructor: Denise Gleason, LMT
Course text: Business Mastery
Grade evaluation: Completion of a business plan and weekly assignments, quizzes and participation in class discussion

 

T402 - Clinical Internship
This course provides the student a venue for integrating the skills from all of the previous training, before the transition into professional practice. Internship offers an experience of operating in a group massage therapy practice. While working in the Cumberland Institute Intern Clinic, interns handle all telephone contacts, set and confirm appointments, conduct client intakes and create treatment plans, perform therapeutic massage sessions, summarize and document SOAP notes for client files, manage the daily books, and maintain and supply the treatment rooms. Internship integrates thirteen (13) hours of in-class supervision with sixty (60) in-clinic hours.

Prerequisite: T205 and T302 through T306
Instructor: Mindy Oldham, RN, LMT
Grade evaluation: Assessment of duties performed, phone log management, record keeping, client evaluations, faculty evaluations, intern summaries, documentation, attendance
Orientations: Winter – December 10, 2004
Spring – March 18, 2005
Summer – June 17, 2005
Fall – September 9, 2005
Winter 2006 – December 9, 2005

 

Elective Courses

E502 - Craniosacral Therapy
A course of training in which the student refines the skill of palpation while learning the ten-step protocol of craniosacral approach, myofascial release, advanced unwinding, and somato-emotional release. Craniosacral therapy is a subtle-intent approach to releasing and balancing physical, emotional, and somatic imbalance within the body. E502 may be substituted as an option to T305 LYMPHATIC MASSAGE. See Academic Director, Mary McDaniel, for details.

Prerequisite: T102 Touch Dynamics
T201 Anatomy
Instructor: Mary McDaniel, LMT
Assistant: Andrea Mindigo, LMT
Course text: The Heart of Listening II
Grade evaluation: Documented practicum, technique assessment, quizzes

 

E505 - Cayce-Reilly Massage
This course is designed to bring Swedish Massage technique to a more advanced, holistic level. Cayce-Reilly Massage was developed by Harold Reilly and is based on his thirty years experience as a professional physiotherapist and his fifteen years as a peer to Edgar Cayce, the “father of holistic health”. Cayce-Reilly Massage focuses on rhythmic, vigorous pressure, continuity of contact, and compression for system-wide balance and integration.

Prerequisite: T302 Swedish Massage
Instructor: Steve Sommers, LMT
Assistant: Suzan Sommers, LMT
Course text: Edgar Cayce Guide to Drugless Therapy
Grade evaluation: Assessment, practicum completion

 

 
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