The 100 hr. Esalen® Massage Certification is designed to train certified bodyworkers holding the equivalent of a 150 certification in a recognized bodywork modality to the practitioner level in the art of Esalen Massage. The skill sets taught in this training are divided into the following categories:
1. Esalen Massage Skills/Technique/Theoretical Foundations
2. Communication Skills
3. Applied Anatomy/Physiology
4. Professional Ethics
5. Movement Practices/Meditation/Self Care
Each of the above categories is composed of sub-categories described later in this document.
The intent of this program is to support the growth of Esalen Massage throughout the world by training and supporting practitioners in California, the United States and other countries, who adhere to the highest standards of professional/ethical conduct.
Structure in Terms of Hours per Subject
This is a 15 day program, with required coursework between Modules I & II, and post graduate. Most days consist of 8 classroom hours, with allowances for one excursion off campus . In this training, the total number of supervised classroom hours is 100. Following is a specific description of hours spent on different knowledge areas:
· Esalen Massage Skills/Technique/Theoretical Foundations (70 hours)
o Understanding the experiential nature of this method
o Defining the experience of presence; of awareness & attention
o Opening and closing your massage
o Understanding the Long Stroke, front and back, and it’s relaxing, integrating function
o Detail work on the front body
o Detail work on the back body
o Adequately draping clients and dealing with nudity
o Special Cases
§ Working with injuries
§ Working in the side lying position
§ Geriatric Massage
§ Perinatal Massage
· Communication Skills (5 hours)
o Basic understanding of Gestalt Process Communication skills
§ Gestalt Language
§ Basic dialogic communication skills
o How to deal with conflict/misunderstanding when it arises within the client/practitioner relationship
o Communicating the ethical boundaries of the professional relationship.
· Applied anatomy and physiology/pathology (10 hours)
o Integrating anatomical knowledge of a given area of the body into one’s massage work
o Applying relevant anatomical/physiological information into the overall flow and structure of a session with a given client
o Understanding the Gamma-Motor System, Muscle-Spindles, and Golgi Tendon Organs
o Understanding how tissue changes in relation to touch
o Recognizing pathological conditions that contraindicate touch and/or massage
· Professional Ethics (5 hours)
o Understanding Transference and Counter Transference
o Understanding appropriate boundaries within the client/practitioner relationship
o Learning how to deal with difficult clients
· Movement Practices/Kinesiology/Self Care (10 hours)
o Strengthening the body through Yoga and or other practices like Chi-Gong, 5 Rhythms, etc.
o Relating those practices to movement around the table, while working
o Using meditation to improve focus, concentration and presence while working
