Neuromuscular Therapy Specialty 
Neuromuscular Therapy is a specialized form of soft tissue manual therapy. By assessing the postural dysfunctions that have developed in the body, the neuromuscular therapist can determine how to specifically work with the musculature to bring the body back into alignment. This is a very efficient and effective system of bodywork. It addresses five of the elements that may cause body pain: Ischemia (lack of blood supply to soft tissues), Trigger Points (irritated points in muscles which refer pain or sensation to other parts of the body), Nerve Compression or Entrapment (pressure on a nerve by soft tissue, cartilage or bone), Postural Distortion (imbalance of the muscular system resulting from the movement of the body off the longitudinal and horizontal planes), Biomechanical Dysfunction (imbalance of the musculoskeletal system resulting in faulty movement patterns, i.e., poor lifting habits, bad mechanics in a golf swing or tennis stroke, computer keyboarding, etc.).
Instructor: Venice Sullivan.
- Neuromuscular Therapy – Pelvis (20 hrs) An in-depth look at the pelvis and its mechanisms. Discover why it is often the center of other body pain and dysfunction. Learn the secrets of unlocking it and assist your clients to improved function. Understand the stages of Rehabilitation and how to enforce them. This is the first in a series of NMT classes that will allow you to offer very effective structural bodywork to your clients. Prerequisite: 100 hrs massage training.
- Neuromuscular Therapy - Neck & Upper Torso (20 hrs) Structural evaluation and neuromuscular technique to release the Upper Torso and Cervical area will be taught. Assess how one part of the body will continue to cause problems in other areas. Highly specific work to fully release each area worked on. Spine, intercostals, abdominal and chest and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, will be addressed. Prerequisite: 100 hrs massage training.
- Neuromuscular Therapy - Shoulders & Extremities (20 hrs) Structural evaluation and neuromuscular technique will be taught to release such conditions as thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, planter fasciaitis, and shin splints. You will learn to release all of the muscles involved and their pain patterns and begin rehabilitation. Also covered will be the forearms, hands, legs and feet. Prerequisite: 100 hrs massage training.
- Postural Analysis (8 hrs) Learn what the body’s position in space can tell you. Use your eyes to truly understand where the body pain is coming from so you can treat the cause and not the symptom. You will not only learn how to see the position, but also to determine which muscles are being utilized. This class is a “must” for anyone doing clinical massage or any kind of structural bodywork. Prerequisite: None.
- Rehabilitation for Cervical Pain & Injuries (16 hrs) Why do the problems of the neck not resolve, no matter what you do? Learn the well known and seldom practiced techniques that can truly relieve the pain of injuries of the cervical region. Prerequisite: 100 hours massage training, plus at least 40 hours of neuromuscular technique training and with instructor’s permission.
- Principles of Neuromuscular Therapy (8 hrs) This is a theory class. It covers the science and philosophy of neuromuscular therapy allowing an understanding of how and why it works so effectively. It covers the physiological principals of ischemia, trigger points, nerve compression/entrapment, postural distortion and dysfunctional biomechanics. Prerequisite: None.
- Visceral Massage (16 hrs) The internal organs or viscera have great impact on the function of the muscles. Trigger points can fire from muscle to muscle, muscle to organ, or organ to organ, organ to muscle. When we work on the muscles and the problems keep coming back, perhaps it is due to trigger points firing from organs to muscles. Learn how to recognize this phenomenon, and how to work the organs to relieve the spiral of dysfunction. Breaking the cycle of repeating symptoms will help them regain health and wellness. Prerequisite: 100 hrs of massage.
- Cranial Decompression (16 hrs) Learn effective techniques to normalize the soft-tissue components of structural imbalances in the cranium. Analyze cranial distortions that cause structural changes down the entire body. Look at scoliosis as an adaptation process designed by the body to maintain structural balance. This class examines soft-tissue causes of scoliotic patterns, how torsion and structural imbalances in the cranium, jaw, shoulders, pelvis and feet contribute to these patterns. Prerequisite: recommended 40 hrs of neuromuscular classes or with instructor’s permission.
UPCOMING CLASSES
NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY- SHOULDER AND EXTREMITIES (20 hrs) Fri eve, Dec 2 (6:15 pm – 10 pm), Sat & Sun, Dec 3 & 4 (9 am – 6 pm) Structural evaluation and neuromuscular technique will be taught to release such conditions as thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints. You will learn to release all of the muscles involved and their pain patterns and begin rehabilitation. Also covered will be the forearms, hands, legs, and feet. Prerequisite: 100 hrs of massage training. Instructor: Venice Sullivan
PRINCIPLES OF NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY (8 hrs) Saturday, January 7 (9 am - 6 pm) Learn what the body’s position in space can tell you. Use your eyes to truly understand where the body pain is coming from so you can treat the cause and not the symptom. You will not only learn how to see the position, but also to determine which muscles are being utilized. This class is a “must” for anyone doing clinical massage or any kind of structural body-work. Prerequisite: None. Instructor: Venice Sullivan
POSTURAL ANALYSIS (8 hrs) Sunday, January 8 (9 am - 6 pm) Learn what the body’s position in space can tell you. Use your eyes to truly understand where the body pain is coming from so you can treat the cause and not the symptom. You will not only learn how to see the position, but also to determine which muscles are being utilized. This class is a “must” for anyone doing clinical massage or any kind of structural body-work. Prerequisite: None. Instructor: Venice Sullivan
NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY- REHABILITATION FOR CERVICAL PAIN & INJURIES (16 hrs) Saturday & Sunday, January 28 & 29 (9 am – 6 pm). Why do the problems of the neck not resolve, no matter what you do? Learn the well known and seldom practiced techniques that can truly relieve the pain of injuries of the cervical region. Prerequisite: 100 hours massage training, plus at least 40 hours of neuromuscular technique training and with instructor’s permission. Prerequisite: 100 hours massage training, plus at least 40 hours of neuromuscular technique training and/or with instructor’s permission. Instructor: Venice Sullivan.
NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY-VISCERAL MASSAGE (16 hrs) Saturday & Sunday, March 24 & 25 (9 am - 6 pm) The internal organs or viscera have great impact on the function of the muscles. Trigger points can fire from muscle to muscle, muscle to organ, or organ to organ, organ to muscle. When we work on the muscles and the problems keep coming back, perhaps it is due to trigger points firing from organs to muscles. Learn how to recognize this phenomenon, and how to work the organs to relieve the spiral of dysfunction. Breaking the cycle of repeating symptoms will help them regain health and wellness. This is a Neuromuscular Therapy class. Prerequisite: 100 hrs of massage. Instructor: Venice Sullivan
NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY-CRANIAL DECOMPRESSION (16 hrs) Saturday & Sunday, April 14 & 15 (9 am – 6 pm) Learn effective techniques to normalize the soft-tissue components of structural imbalances in the cranium. Analyze cranial distortions that cause structural changes down the entire body. Look at scoliosis as an adaptation process designed by the body to maintain structural balance. This class examines soft-tissue causes of scoliotic patterns, how torsion and structural imbalances in the cranium, jaw, shoulders, pelvis and feet contribute to these patterns. This is a Neuromuscular Therapy class. Prerequisite: recommended 40 hrs of neuromuscular classes or with instructor’s permission. Instructor: Venice Sullivan
