Filed under: Programs and Course Offerings
by Cathy Black
When I was practicing massage in the 1980′s, I was privileged to assist a midwife with her clients. I would give massage to the mom-to-be, her partner, even the other children if they wanted it. Sometimes I was fortunate enough to be at the birth and offer support during the labor. It was a natural progression to take the Infant Massage Training and facilitate courses for parents to help them share the benefits of massage with their children. Much later, Keith and I took the Peaceful Touch training, a program that teaches children how to touch one another with care and respect. These experiences showed me the deep value that massage and touch hold for us as developing human beings.
Over the years, I have worked with people through many stages of life. The need for massage and touch never ends - it just changes in how it is applied. When we look at massage from a Stages of Life perspective, several phases stand out; pre-natal through early childhood in family systems; adulthood and the effects of stress and health/injury related issues; elder care and hospice. And of course, the need for caring touch never changes.
One of the visions of this school is to establish programs that allow massage therapists to specialize in certain arenas of study within this Stages of Life framework. As a result, in addition to the core 700-hour massage certification program, Scherer Institute will be offering new additional 300-hour trainings. The first two are being offered in 2010 – Holistic Medical Massage: An Integrative Approach to Working With Pain, and the Circle of Life: Healthy Touch for Families.
Many of us who are involved in the world of touch and massage know it is important to continue to expand the horizons of healthy and healing touch throughout our lives. Wherever you are, keep sharing with everyone who wants to know the comforting, relieving, healing quality of touch. We are all part of this human family, and now, more than ever, our family needs to feel cared for. Thanks to all of you who are taking your hands to the world.
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