The Balanced Body Winter 2022 Edition
President’s Letter
Dear Members
As we wrap up 2022, we celebrate another year of having the privilege of working in such a wonderful vocation and profession. Here at the PA Chapter, we had a successful Spring meeting and Conference, we presented Ethics and Trager classes around the state, we also provided many ZOOM Mandated Reporter Classes throughout the summer. We all enjoyed the AMTA National Convention in Cleveland. We are excited to plan next year’s activities and hope that all of you had a healthy and prosperous year. On behalf of the board, I wish you and your family Happy Holidays, and we look forward to seeing all of you and sharing time with you over the next year.
Sincerely
Fred Nault,
President, AMTA PA Chapter
Benefits That Work for You
The PA Chapter of the AMTA works to bring our members quality continuing education programs each year. We recognize that it is challenging to get the necessary CE hours completed in a cost-effective way. Each year we plan our Spring Meeting and Conference. This event always offers 16 CE hours at a minimum for a very reasonable price. The spring meeting that takes place in the even years also includes CE offerings for CPR and Ethics to help members prepare for license renewal. Our 2023 Annual Meeting and conference will feature two choices for CE classes, Immersion Intensive Principles Of Trager and Myofascial Release For The Cervical and Thoracic Spine. The cost for the two-day class is $125. In addition, the Chapter provides a dessert reception to kick off the event, as well as lunch for those in attendance on both Saturday and Sunday. We also reserve rooms at a discount at the venue where the conference is being held. If you have never attended one of our conferences, they are a great chance to be with other like-minded people and learn some effective techniques for your occupation. This is a benefit that works for you as a member of our PA Chapter. To find out more please visit our website at https://pa.wp.amtamassage.org and the event on our Facebook page.
Looking Forward to Spring Education
April 1 and 2, 2023 AMTA PA Chapter Annual Meeting and Conference
Our Spring Meeting and Conference will include 16 CE hours. Members will need to choose from one of the two educational offerings.
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Immersion Intensive – Principles of Trager
Description:
Restoring Poly-vagal Harmony and Core Muscular Integration Utilizing the Trager® Approach
Leverage Dr. Milton Trager’s seminal approach to touch and movement as a language and learn potent, proven, and most importantly, trauma-informed, non-invasive methods for reaching the unconscious mind and dissolving some of the deepest deletory effects of held trauma, those impacting the vagus nerve system.
Using the body as a handle to reach the mind for this dialogue and to establish a state of peace and safety, we’ll utilize a combination of compassionate, mindful attention, oscillatory mobilizations, and informed positional releases to address and integrate the implicated skeletal muscle groups associated with the fight, fight or freeze response—those including trapezius, diaphragm, and psoas.
On the shoulders of your own well-developed skills and coupled with a mindful presence, these concepts will enhance your capacity to restore tone to the Ventral Vagal System through the Neck/Shoulders/Rib cage of your clients to potentiate deep and positive interoception and social connection. And the down regulation of the Dorsal Vagal Response through the diaphragm, abdomen and psoas/QL, will help to restore visceral harmony. You’ll also learn how to empower your clients to further the neuromuscular gains from this protocol to ensure lasting change through simple Trager® Mentastics: mindful somatic exercises.
Proper balance of vagus nerve response is essential for optimum health and well-being. The longest nerve in the human body, the vagus nerve originates in the brain stem and extends into the chest and abdomen. Carrying both motor and sensory information, it supplies innervation to the heart, major blood vessels, airways, lungs, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
In addition, the vagus nerve stimulates the secretion of acetylcholine within the central nervous system. Acetylcholine plays a role in motivation, arousal, attention, learning, memory including muscle memory, and REM sleep. Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter as well as a neuromodulator, also aids in reducing inflammation in all organs. It modulates the release of other neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, impacting the mood and the energy level.
Instructor:
Michael Lear works with veterans and others managing effects of trauma and has been published on the subject. A Trager® Instructor, Michael has been practicing Trager® and other forms of bodywork since 1987. A dedicated mindfulness adherent (Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka) and Ashtanga Yoga Instructor, Michael’s lifelong commitment is to assist folks to be happy in their bodies and connected to those around them.
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Myofascial Release for the Cervical and Thoracic Spine
Description:
In this class techniques will be addressed to release the fascia throughout the anterior and posterior thoracic and cervical body. The therapist will learn approaches to address conditions restricting the movement of the spine. A brief summary of myofascial release will be covered as well as indications and contraindications before we learn and practice techniques. Prerequisite: Review anatomy of the anterior and posterior cervical and thoracic body.
Instructor:
Jennifer Bierbower
Jen is a Licensed Massage Therapist with over 24 years of experience, graduating from the Lancaster School of Massage in 1998. Throughout the years, she has worked in a range of therapeutic environments, including private practice, education, medical offices, and resort spas. Her specialties include Myofascial Release, Neuromuscular Therapy and Oncology Massage.
Oncology massage therapy has become a passion for Jen. Experiencing a loved one’s journey through cancer care as well as past clients has helped her realize how important massage therapy throughout cancer care can be. Jen has completed advanced training in massage therapy for cancer care.
Early on, Jen found her passion in massage therapy education as well as hands-on work. She enjoys the classroom dynamics in massage therapy as well as the mentoring of future massage therapists. She teaches myofascial release, assessment, range of motion, and integration at Lancaster School of Massage. In her clinical work, Jen enjoys working one-on-one with clients to help ease pain and discomfort, feel better (both physically and mentally), and help bring awareness to their body as a whole.
Before Jen pursued a career in therapeutic massage, she graduated from Gettysburg College with a BA in Psychology. Jen spent from a young age through college as an athlete, specifically swimming. This active background is what led her to learn and understand more about the body. This curiosity gives her a unique perspective in understanding the body, as does her training as a Peak Pilates Instructor as well as her education in a 200 her certification in yoga instructor training from Om My Yoga in Camp Hill, PA.
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To register for either of these classes please click the register button above or the event on our Facebook page.
How To Reach Us
Email: pennsylvania@amtamassage.org
Phone: (570) 507-5720
Website: https://pa.wp.amtamassage.org
You can also find us on Facebook