ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE cervical ligaments

The neck is one of the most common areas of client complaint, injury and dysfunction, and it can be a challenging area to treat effectively. Injured or irritated neck ligaments can be particularly vexing; besides causing deep pain, they can provoke a guarding response in the nearby muscles, causing additional pain, tension, and limitation of movement.

In this class we will explore the deeper terrain of the neck, concentrating on the key ligamentous and related muscular and fascial structures that, when injured, often create chronic neck pain and tension. The cervical ligaments are every bit as important as the muscles, bones, and fascia, but are often overlooked by massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists.

You will learn assessment and palpation skills that will help you to identify the ligamentous structures that need treatment, make sure it is appropriate to do so, and treat the injured structures. A primary focus of this class is to help you refine your accuracy in both palpation and treatment, and to help you develop more confidence, specificity and thoroughness in your neck assessment and treatment. Clients notice the difference right away when they feel you touch the "right spots", and their chronic pain and tension begins to dissolve from the inside out.

"This was one of the most informative classes I've taken in a long time. The material is very useful for my clinical practice." - Sabrina Sargent

"I think more than any other technique or series of movements I've incorporated, this neck work has had the most consistent and specific effects. Every person who has received the work has said they've felt lengthened, their neck felt freed and that they slept very soundly that night, often feeling very relaxed the next couple of days. Thank you!" - Dawn Geula

“This class was ridiculously useful. I will be using these techniques immediately and daily." - Robin Mayberry

Instructor: Brian Utting

Location: Cotati, CA

Date and Time: Saturday, March 22, 2025, 10am-7pm

CE hours: 8 CE hours (NCBTMB-approved for CE credit)

Tuition: $200.

Masking: Masking is recommended but optional, each person can choose to wear a mask or not.

Intro to Neurofascial Work (Friday night Zoom meeting) and Neurofascial Work for the Back and Ribcage (Saturday Hands-On Class)

It may surprise you to learn that some of the hard and tender knots we've furiously been working on are actually swollen and potentially inflamed and tethered nerves. Neural mobilization skills will dramatically increase your results and set you apart. This class will be an introduction to working directly with the nerves and superficial fascia to restore joint mobility and decrease pain, and is based in part on concepts from JP Barral, Alain Crobier, and Don Hazen, DC.

In this class we will explore the nerves around the back and the lateral line. Learn how tethering of the dorsal rami, intercostal nerves and the long thoracic nerve can influence vertebral/rib rotations and scoliosis, and several strategies to release them. This is a good opportunity to enhance your nerve palpatory skills and you'll also learn a few effective self-care techniques.

"This is the most highly recommended CE class I have ever taken.” -Spencer Tribwell

Please note: The prerequisite for taking this class is Friday’s 3-hour “Introduction to Neurofascial Work” class, which is included in your tuition. You will not be able to attend Saturday’s technique class unless you have previously taken the introductory class.

Instructor: Steve Evanko, PhD, Advanced Rolfer
CE Hours: 11 hours total (NCBTMB-approved for CE credit)
Date and Time: Friday, September 20th, 6:30-9:30pm (Zoom webinar), and Saturday, September 21st, 9:30am-6:30pm (live hands-on)
Tuition: $240, with a $120 non-refundable deposit.

Please note that the Saturday class is currently sold out. There are still opening in the Friday night section, which qualifies you for future Neurofascial technique classes. If you’d like to be placed on the waiting list, please contact us at info@pnwschool.com. Thank you.

Prerequisite to this class: Introduction to Neurofascial Work (included in your tuition).

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE LUMBAR AND SACRAL LIGAMENTS

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than a million American workers suffer back injuries in a year, and that they account for about 20% of total work-related injuries. Back pain can be debilitating for many people, and even when it's just a nuisance, it can significantly impact their fundamental quality of life. Massage can often be a helpful tool in the recovery and rehabilitation process, but, unfortunately, it is also quite common for clients to receive massage that has a minimal impact on the source of their pain and discomfort.

One of the elements commonly missing when working with back injuries is a better understanding of, and ability to specifically palpate, the terrain of the low back and sacrum, particularly connective tissue structures like the various supporting ligaments. These ligaments are every bit as important as the muscles, bones, and fascia, but are often overlooked by massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists.

In this class, you will learn to palpate and treat some of the most commonly injured ligaments in the low back and pelvis, including the iliolumbar, intertransverse, sacroiliac, sacrotuberous, supraspinous, and interspinous ligaments, as well as a few key postural muscles. "Clients notice the difference right away when they feel you touch the "right spots", and their chronic pain and tension begins to dissolve from the inside out.

"I found this class extremely informative; it's something my own body needed, and I hadn't been able to pinpoint it." -Sabrina Barrera

"This class was taught by experienced instructors who had really thought through the progression of the class--the content made sense and flowed well, lending itself to really retaining the knowledge." -Meredith Condon

"Brian's teachings are intelligent, precise and effective. After receiving the work yesterday, my back feels more fluid and happy, and during the treatment, I went to that deep place of relaxation where drool happens." -Jen Elden

Instructor: Brian Utting
Date and Time: Saturday, August 24, 10am-7pm

CE hours: 8 CE hours (NCBTMB-approved for CE credit)

Tuition: $190, with a $90 non-refundable deposit.

This class will be held in a beautiful outdoor location, rain or shine. Plan on coming prepared for the day’s weather. If the weather is cooler, make sure to bring warm, dry clothing. Masking is optional.

Questions: Contact Leah in Bellingham at 360-510-0335 or clarkleah.lmt@gmail.com. Contact Brian in Seattle at info@pnwschool.com.

Please Note that this class is currently sold out. If you’d like to be placed on the waiting list, contact us at info@pnwschool.com

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE LUMBAR AND SACRAL LIGAMENTS

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than a million American workers suffer back injuries in a year, and that they account for about 20% of total work-related injuries. Back pain can be debilitating for many people, and even when it's just a nuisance, it can significantly impact their fundamental quality of life. Massage can often be a helpful tool in the recovery and rehabilitation process, but, unfortunately, it is also quite common for clients to receive massage that has a minimal impact on the source of their pain and discomfort.

One of the elements commonly missing when working with back injuries is a better understanding of, and ability to specifically palpate, the terrain of the low back and sacrum, particularly connective tissue structures like the various supporting ligaments. These ligaments are every bit as important as the muscles, bones, and fascia, but are often overlooked by massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists.

In this class, you will learn to palpate and treat some of the most commonly injured ligaments in the low back and pelvis, including the iliolumbar, intertransverse, sacroiliac, sacrotuberous, supraspinous, and interspinous ligaments, as well as a few key postural muscles. "Clients notice the difference right away when they feel you touch the "right spots", and their chronic pain and tension begins to dissolve from the inside out.

"I found this class extremely informative; it's something my own body needed, and I hadn't been able to pinpoint it." -Sabrina Barrera

"This class was taught by experienced instructors who had really thought through the progression of the class--the content made sense and flowed well, lending itself to really retaining the knowledge." -Meredith Condon

"Brian's teachings are intelligent, precise and effective. After receiving the work yesterday, my back feels more fluid and happy, and during the treatment, I went to that deep place of relaxation where drool happens." -Jen Elden

Instructor: Brian Utting
Date and Time: Saturday, March 23, 10am-7pm

CE hours: 8 CE hours (NCBTMB-approved for CE credit)

Tuition: $200.

Masking: Masking is recommended but optional, each person can choose to wear a mask or not.

The LMT Joy Rx: Bringing Back your Aliveness and Joy

Being a massage therapist is often hard work, simultaneously taxing the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic levels of the practitioner. As a result, burnout and injury are rampant, causing the majority of massage school graduates to drop out of the profession after about 5 years. Those who have made it past the first few years know how hard it can be to continually show up with the passion they once had for this work, something that they once felt deeply called to do. Without conscious intervention, massage therapy can become just as much of a slog as any other career.

Here’s the good news: joyful aliveness in your practice is entirely within your ability to consciously create and nurture. The LMT Joy Rx is a class unlike any Continuing Education class you’ve taken, because instead of focusing on techniques to practice on your clients, this class shows you techniques to benefit YOU as you benefit your clients.

This 4.5-hour hands-on class will teach you the exact tools that the instructor uses every day to keep his bodywork practice of 38 years alive and vital for himself and his clients.

Using movement, stretching, breathing, and music, The LMT Joy Rx class focuses on three main target areas to support and enliven your massage practice:

Priming— Bringing body, mind and spirit online via dynamic and enlivening exercises designed to get your body warm, flexible and ready for the demands of your practice.

Table Flow—Unlocking the principles of Feel, Flow and Fun through the use of evocative music to vitalize your massage practice.

Cool Down and Ground— Employing specific breath, movement and Qigong techniques to powerfully cleanse and refresh yourself after a full workday.

“It’s amazing how some simple changes can really have an impact on how my energy and body feel during a work day!” - Jack Seifert

“I’m having so much fun doing massage again!” - Cinny Burrell

Instructor: Jeff Blank LMT (License #MA 4259)

Jeff graduated from the New England Institute of Massage in 1985, and from the Brian Utting School of Massage in 1989, where he was a core instructor from 1989-92, and 1996-98. With over 38 years of experience between session-work and teaching, Jeff brings vast experience and expertise to his classes.

This class is in development as a full-fare CE class, and the tuition is deliberately low in exchange for your impressions and detailed verbal feedback at the end of class. You will receive a certificate of completion for 4.5 hours of hands-on training that is valid in WA.

Instructor: Jeff Blank
CE hours: 4.5 hours of hands-on credit

Date and Time: Saturday March 2, 10:00am- 2:30pm
Tuition: $65 for the full workshop ($40 deposit, $25 due at class).

Please note: this class is sold out. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please email info@pnwschool.com

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE LUMBAR AND SACRAL LIGAMENTS

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than a million American workers suffer back injuries in a year, and that they account for about 20% of total work-related injuries. Back pain can be debilitating for many people, and even when it's just a nuisance, it can significantly impact their fundamental quality of life. Massage can often be a helpful tool in the recovery and rehabilitation process, but, unfortunately, it is also quite common for clients to receive massage that has a minimal impact on the source of their pain and discomfort.

One of the elements commonly missing when working with back injuries is a better understanding of, and ability to specifically palpate, the terrain of the low back and sacrum, particularly connective tissue structures like the various supporting ligaments. These ligaments are every bit as important as the muscles, bones, and fascia, but are often overlooked by massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists.

In this class, you will learn to palpate and treat some of the most commonly injured ligaments in the low back and pelvis, including the iliolumbar, intertransverse, sacroiliac, sacrotuberous, supraspinous, and interspinous ligaments, as well as a few key postural muscles. "Clients notice the difference right away when they feel you touch the "right spots", and their chronic pain and tension begins to dissolve from the inside out.

"I found this class extremely informative; it's something my own body needed, and I hadn't been able to pinpoint it." -Sabrina Barrera

"This class was taught by experienced instructors who had really thought through the progression of the class--the content made sense and flowed well, lending itself to really retaining the knowledge." -Meredith Condon

"Brian's teachings are intelligent, precise and effective. After receiving the work yesterday, my back feels more fluid and happy, and during the treatment, I went to that deep place of relaxation where drool happens." -Jen Elden

Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 8 (NCBTMB-approved)
Date and Time: Sunday, January 14th, 10am-7pm

Tuition: $180. Take both Assessment and Treatment of the Lumbar and Sacral Ligaments and Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Torso for only $320.

Registration: This class is sponsored by the Therapeutic Training Center.

Click here to register for Sunday only.

To register for both Sat, January 13th and Sun, January 14th, click here.

Please note that students will be required to wear masks during class; either a surgical mask or one of the 94’s or 95’s. We recommend surgical masks, since they are easier to wear face-down.

MUSCLE-SPECIFIC DEEP TISSUE TECHNIQUES FOR THE TORSO (ILIOPSOAS, DIAPHRAGM, QL, AND PARASPINALS)

These muscular structures support the core–they are integral to maintaining balance, structural alignment, ease of breathing, mobility, and the ability to function without lower back pain. In the morning, you will learn specific, potent, and effective Deep Tissue techniques to release the iliopsoas, diaphragm, QL, lower multifidus, and the lumbodorsal fascia. These are straightforward, muscle-specific techniques that can be immediately applied in practice, often with profound results. There will be a concise and insightful anatomy review of these structures with an eye toward the functional relationships between them. We will also focus on correct placement and proper use of fingers, knuckles, and elbows for optimal results.

In the afternoon we will focus on some muscle-specific Deep Tissue techniques for the Paraspinals (erector spinae and transversospinalis) that are different from but complementary to what you learned in massage school or elsewhere. The emphasis will be on releasing and unbinding the erector spinae group, the transversospinalis group, the lumbodorsal fascia, and the quadratus lumborum. These muscle-specific techniques will improve the precision and effectiveness of your back massage, and can be easily integrated to your style of bodywork. Body mechanics will continue to be a focus of the class, as well as proper use of elbows, fingers and knuckles to save wear and tear on joints. Students who have taken this class have reported that they were able to apply the techniques in their practices right away and that their clients loved the results, feeling a newfound sense of freedom and ease in their backs.

“This is one of the most practical classes I’ve ever taken. Brian presented useful information and then taught practical application of this info. He walked us through how to find each muscle–something I have always wished other instructors would do. I left the training with expanded skills and knowledge, which I have been able to use right away with my clients.” - Evelyn Bass

“I absolutely love this work. I can hardly wait to bring it into my practice.” -Hannah LePiane

Instructor: Brian Utting
CE hours: 8 (NCBTMB-approved)
Date and Time: Saturday, January 13th, 10am-7pm

Tuition: $180. Take both Assessment and Treatment of the Lumbar and Sacral Ligaments and Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Torso for only $320.

Registration: This class is sponsored by the Therapeutic Training Center.

Click here to register for Saturday only.

To register for both Saturday, January 13th and Sunday, January 14th, click here.

Please note that students will be required to wear masks during class; either a surgical mask or one of the 94’s or 95’s.