2021 was a huge year for Level Up Massage! My education and knowledge grew by leaps and bounds over these past 12 months. Up until this year my training was only in muscular and skeletal anatomy including soft tissue mobilization(massage). Over my first 4 years as a massage therapist I pursued other forms of massage related techniques such as: deep tissue, cupping, gua sha, breast & chest massage, intraoral and much more. This year however I expanded my scope of work and knowledge of movement assessments, exercise, and most of all...functional neurology.
In January and February I completed my CPT and CES through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). As a licensed massage therapist it is out of my scope to teach clients any stretches, exercises, and rehabilitation aftercare. Now that I am trained through NASM this is now within my scope of practice. While I have not heavily incorporated this into my treatment sessions as of now I do have big plans for it in the future to help my clients achieve long lasting results. One area I want to work heavily on is corrective exercises and stability work to recover from and prevent injuries.
I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago in April for NKT Level 1 and again in June for NKT Level 2. While I did incorporate this a couple times during sessions I found P-DTR to be a much more comprehensive and versatile technique. There is a rather large community throughout the world though and I know of a physical therapist who enjoy this as well as it gives the clients and opportunity to do self-care and maintenance work if issues arise again. I plan to explore this technique more in 2022.
The one big thing I focused on this year was P-DTR. This required daily studies since April 2021. For both NKT and P-DTR I have had to learn muscle testing, push my anatomy knowledge of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones to new heights. I was finally introduced to the nervous system which has been an amazing journey. This complex neurologic reflexogenic technique involves locating dysfunctional receptors throughout the body and re-calibrating your nervous system to help eliminate incorrect patterns going to your brain that can lead to improper movement or pain. This has allowed me to tackle those chronic issues people have been dealing with for years and improve their quality of life.
My Education for 2021 was as follows:
Jan: NASM Certified Personal Trainer (exam passed, studies started in 2020)
Feb: NASM Corrective Exercise Specialization (exam passed, studies started in 2020)
April: NKT Level 1
May: P-DTR Foundations 1/3
June: NKT Level 2
Aug: P-DTR Foundations 2/3
Nov: P-DTR Foundations 3/3
Dec: P-DTR Masterclass: Common & Uncommon Pathologies Module 1/2
View all my upcoming and past trainings here: My Educational Journey
2022 Goals:
2021 was an intense year of a lot of different high level topics. 2022 will be all about better incorporating these topics into my practice and drastically increasing my: efficiency, accuracy, versatility, and knowledge of all these amazing skill-sets. I plan to take the intermediate and advanced modules of P-DTR while also passing certifications and theory exams related to P-DTR to ensure I am meeting the quality and expectations expected of these techniques. Traveling to Canada to meet higher level practitioners including osteopaths, physiotherapist(PTs), and other holistic healthcare practitioners who blend these techniques into their practice will also be crucial to bettering my skills and absorbing as much as I can to grow as a therapist. I want to drastically increase my knowledge of corrective exercise assessments and rehabilitation as well.
2022 Classes and Certification:
-Jan 31- Feb 3: P-DTR Masterclass: Common & Uncommon Pathologies Module 2/2
-P-DTR Intermediate & Advanced Modules (120hrs) in fall if available
-P-DTR Theory Exam Passed: Basic
-Renew CPR Training
2023 & Beyond Planned Classes and Certifications:
-Visceral Massage (manual manipulation of organs)
-Kathy Dooly: Immaculate Dissection (Improve Anatomy & Neurology Knowledge)
-Closed Chain Biomechanics of the Lower Limb W/ Gary Ward
-P-DTR Theory Exam Passed: Intermediate
-P-DTR Theory Exam Passed: Advanced
-P-DTR Certificate of Proficiency (Foundation Level)
-NASM Behavior Change Specialization (BCS) or NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC)
-Functional Movement Systems & Assessments (FMS)
Huge Thanks Again
I am happy to see I have so many clients that have been extremely supportive during this amazing journey. I look forward to bettering myself even further in the future to make sure my clients always have the best healthcare available so they can live their life to the fullest and pain free.
Thanks for helping me.... Level Up :)