Continuing Professional Development – for qualified massage therapists

You’ve qualified, now what? Keep going! The Sheffield Centre for Massage Training offers a range of professional courses to help qualified massage therapists develop their practice.

Online Supervision Group - with Vicky Gaughan

Thu 21 Oct 2021, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Book here


This is an online event using  Zoom and is by invitation after the booking has been received.

Here is some feedback received from participants:

‘…for me it was a great way to connect with different therapists/a wider massage therapist community (and the online approach enables this), your hosting of it primarily too; how you managed the space.. there was room for everyone to speak..I wondered how mics off would feel as, like you said when you introduced it, you felt it needed to be facilitated a bit more ‘rigidly’ but it didn’t actually feel rigid at all, it felt like it flowed and everyone had space if they wanted it. For me too, having you as a facilitator, with your background and my interest with and in trauma and how you frame a lot of things resonates a lot as well as stimulates and increases my own learning/development. Thanks’ – Kathryn Smith

‘I’d certainly second everything Kathryn has said. Having had Vicky as my tutor, it’s not just how much she knows, but also the sensitivity with which she treats everyone that makes the session special’ –  GA

‘So good to connect – thank you Vicky and everyone’  – LH

‘Thank you so much for facilitating a wonderful supervision group, it was a truly a magical space and I so appreciated connecting with other massage
therapists. I loved the structure of the space, and the five min sharing with the offering of the questions, as well as the readings you offered. I think it was very beautifully and lovingly held and that care really came through on the zoom’ – Marianna Musset

Outline:

The model of supervision I’m using on Zoom is not hands-on practice as such even though what we work with requires our hands. There will be activities to help support concerns, issues, and ideas, using the whole group, small groups & pairs using the zoom breakout rooms. The middle portion of time gives people the space to interact and help each other find solutions or feel a bit more into a knotty issue with your massage work. This approach is both broad and deep.

I’m offering a space to share how you are feeling in this time of change, probably like you’ve never experienced before and where your practice of massage might have changed forever. This space is also to celebrate achievements and maintain inspiration and look for silver linings too.

I have a plan in mind to offer us some structure for our meeting, as I’ve found this worked well in the last meetings, but I’m open to suggestions too.

As we are all qualified massage therapists and we’ve already got a wealth of experience and though it might not be apparent, this past year or so has a very real offering for us all to gain from. Let’s explore this together!

My credentials:

Age is my first offering – I’ve been around for a long time. I even took my turn at being chair of MTI a few years ago! I’ve never faced anything like the Covid 19 crisis but as a practitioner and trainer, I’ve survived several financial recessions and other storms. As well as being a massage trainer and the Principal of SCMT, I’ve been a body psychotherapist for nearly 30 years. I have extensive training and experience with academic qualifications to MA level in Counselling and Psychological therapies as well as Hakomi, which I also teach in Lancaster.

So let’s dive in together!

When you join please consider:

• Yours and others privacy for the duration of the meeting and keep other people’s details confidential after the meeting.
• We will move around a bit so think of a space where you will be able to move for a short time – we offer an embodied therapy and our body is also a resource.
• Have pen and paper for any notes you might want to make.
• Maybe have a glass of water or a cuppa at hand.
• Be prepared to contribute.
• On zoom, you should have your microphone on mute unless you’re talking. We’ll try not to talk all at once or over each other.
• Be patient, some of us might not have great bandwidth (whatever that means!) so there might be delays and glitches.

Places limited so please book early. The cost to you for this group is £10

 





Online Supervision Group - with Vicky Gaughan

Thu 21 Oct 2021, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
More info


How are you getting on working? Keep yourself buoyant and resilient in body and mind, by using the opportunity of group supervision as a source of support.





Hot Stones Massage

Sat 04 Dec 2021 - Sun 05 Dec 2021,
Book here


Hot Stone Massage is a unique treatment, which uses the relaxation effect of deep heat to penetrate deeply into muscles and connective tissue. It cannot only be used for therapeutic and remedial purposes, but also be a highly spiritual experience. Clients report that the heat enables them to relax more easily and more deeply and that there is less soreness if combined with a deep tissue massage.

For therapists, hot stone therapy offers a way of protecting fingers and thumbs from injury, whilst performing deep work. Hot Stones allow you to incorporate other types of techniques in your work, and to create a completely unique treatment for each client. It is a great way to attract new clients, especially with the colder months coming up.

The emphasis is on handling the stones and massaging with the stones, body use and session planning for a flowing treatment.
There will be various sets of stones to work with on the course. It is recommended that you do not buy any stones or hot stones kit before the course.

This workshop will appeal to the deepest, sensual nature of Massage Therapists. Beautiful basalt pebbles imported from Israel are used in this unique approach to Massage. This weekend will be popular so please book early.

Please note: the cost of the course does not include basalt pebbles or any associated equipment. SCMT will be providing pebbles to purchase and try out on the course. Please enquire to the training school if you would like more information about heaters and other tools. 





Hot Stones Massage

Sat 04 Dec 2021 - Sun 05 Dec 2021,
More info


Hot Stone Massage is a unique treatment, which uses the relaxation effect of deep heat to penetrate deeply into muscles and connective tissue. It cannot only be used for therapeutic and remedial purposes, but also be a highly spiritual experience. Clients report that the heat enables them to relax more easily, allowing the therapist to work more deeply whilst saving their hands.





Online Supervision Group - with Vicky Gaughan

Thu 09 Dec 2021, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Book here


This is an online event using  Zoom and is by invitation after the booking has been received.

Here is some feedback received from participants:

‘…for me it was a great way to connect with different therapists/a wider massage therapist community (and the online approach enables this), your hosting of it primarily too; how you managed the space.. there was room for everyone to speak..I wondered how mics off would feel as, like you said when you introduced it, you felt it needed to be facilitated a bit more ‘rigidly’ but it didn’t actually feel rigid at all, it felt like it flowed and everyone had space if they wanted it. For me too, having you as a facilitator, with your background and my interest with and in trauma and how you frame a lot of things resonates a lot as well as stimulates and increases my own learning/development. Thanks’ – Kathryn Smith

‘I’d certainly second everything Kathryn has said. Having had Vicky as my tutor, it’s not just how much she knows, but also the sensitivity with which she treats everyone that makes the session special’ –  GA

‘So good to connect – thank you Vicky and everyone’  – LH

‘Thank you so much for facilitating a wonderful supervision group, it was a truly a magical space and I so appreciated connecting with other massage
therapists. I loved the structure of the space, and the five min sharing with the offering of the questions, as well as the readings you offered. I think it was very beautifully and lovingly held and that care really came through on the zoom’ – Marianna Musset

Outline:

The model of supervision I’m using on Zoom is not hands-on practice as such even though what we work with requires our hands. There will be activities to help support concerns, issues, and ideas, using the whole group, small groups & pairs using the zoom breakout rooms. The middle portion of time gives people the space to interact and help each other find solutions or feel a bit more into a knotty issue with your massage work. This approach is both broad and deep.

I’m offering a space to share how you are feeling in this time of change, probably like you’ve never experienced before and where your practice of massage might have changed forever. This space is also to celebrate achievements and maintain inspiration and look for silver linings too.

I have a plan in mind to offer us some structure for our meeting, as I’ve found this worked well in the last meetings, but I’m open to suggestions too.

As we are all qualified massage therapists and we’ve already got a wealth of experience and though it might not be apparent, this past year or so has a very real offering for us all to gain from. Let’s explore this together!

My credentials:

Age is my first offering – I’ve been around for a long time. I even took my turn at being chair of MTI a few years ago! I’ve never faced anything like the Covid 19 crisis but as a practitioner and trainer, I’ve survived several financial recessions and other storms. As well as being a massage trainer and the Principal of SCMT, I’ve been a body psychotherapist for nearly 30 years. I have extensive training and experience with academic qualifications to MA level in Counselling and Psychological therapies as well as Hakomi, which I also teach in Lancaster.

So let’s dive in together!

When you join please consider:

• Yours and others privacy for the duration of the meeting and keep other people’s details confidential after the meeting.
• We will move around a bit so think of a space where you will be able to move for a short time – we offer an embodied therapy and our body is also a resource.
• Have pen and paper for any notes you might want to make.
• Maybe have a glass of water or a cuppa at hand.
• Be prepared to contribute.
• On zoom, you should have your microphone on mute unless you’re talking. We’ll try not to talk all at once or over each other.
• Be patient, some of us might not have great bandwidth (whatever that means!) so there might be delays and glitches.

Places limited so please book early. The cost to you for this group is £10

 





Online Supervision Group - with Vicky Gaughan

Thu 09 Dec 2021, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
More info


How are you getting on working? Keep yourself buoyant and resilient in body and mind, by using the opportunity of group supervision as a source of support.





How To Become A Trauma Savvy Practitioner - morning

Thu 10 Feb 2022 - Thu 03 Mar 2022, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Book here


Supercharge your practice by becoming a Trauma Savvy Practitioner.

Learn why it is essential to promote massage as a viable approach to working with people who are traumatised.

Mental health services are dealing with a rise in urgent and emergency cases, there is a fear that there might be a ‘tsunami’ of mental illness after the pandemic – Royal College of Psychiatry.

We, massage therapists, know without a doubt that massage can calm & soothe people. But do you know how?

This course is based mainly on Deb Dana & Stephen Porges’ work on the Polyvagal Theory plus other trauma savvy experts.

Polyvagal theory tells us that being under chronic threat has a direct impact on our body and our mind. When we meet a stressor, known or unknown, it takes us out of loving connection with ourselves and others and into either shutdown or fight/flight. Moving from a loving connection to one of the other fearful states is called dysregulation, but it is not a state that is ‘wrong’. It is not wrong to protect yourself when you sense that you are not feeling safe, it is necessary for survival. Shifting states is a protective and sophisticated dance and like any dance, it’s good to know the steps well.

Course Content:

• Learn about the essential conditions massage therapists should provide for clients with trauma.
• Explore embodiment & how your nervous system communicates to your traumatised clients’ system.
• Learn signs & symptoms of trauma.
• Self-exploration of your autonomic nervous system using mindfulness practices.
• Exploratory exercises in small groups & pairs.
• A fundamental framework that includes brain science & anatomy.
• Strategies for self-care for working with traumatised clients.

This course is on Zoom and is experiential using many of the interactive features of this online platform. The course will be held over four weeks on Thursday morning for two hours per week.

Scope of the course: please note that while How To Become A Trauma Savvy Practitioner is offered with an intention to upskill you on the subject of trauma, it is not designed specifically for attendees currently struggling with traumatic or post-traumatic stress. While I will teach about trauma – and the importance of integrating an understanding of trauma into our practices and lives – this is not a course to learn massage techniques to heal trauma as the healing that takes place is a unique experience for each client.

 

In Praise of How To Become A Trauma Savvy Practitioner:

Loved your choice of upbeat music and the openness and kindness of your teaching – KM

‘I liked the self-reflection on me and on my work; connection with others; the physiology of trauma; resources given out to help me to continue with this work’ – CF

‘Re delivery – it was excellent Vicky, great repetition of information (as there was a lot) – applying all the principles of working with trauma in your presentation’ – LH

‘Very informative, essential knowledge and understanding for anyone working with clients, particularly at this time’ – LR

‘I’m in awe of your zoom/technical knowledge and use of it’ – SM

‘Enjoyed the ‘bringing up to date’ with the intergenerational trauma – so important. Also the effect of that ‘drip, drip’ trauma which many probably don’t even think it’s trauma but is reflected in them in some way’ – CD

‘The digital presentations were the best I`ve seen on zoom. The moving diagrams and so on were of an exceptionally high standard. Great use of different mediums to engage interest and appeal to different learning styles’ – AM





How To Become A Trauma Savvy Practitioner - morning

Thu 10 Feb 2022 - Thu 03 Mar 2022, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
More info


Supercharge your practice by becoming a trauma savvy practitioner. Learn why it is essential to promote massage as a viable approach to working with people who are traumatised.