Detailed Class Discription
In this class, students will learn massage of the ribcage, chest, and breasts, intended to support healthy, full breathing and overall well-being. This massage commonly benefits clients experiencing stress, musculoskeletal neck, chest and shoulder related weakness or injuries, and also clients with non-cancerous breast related conditions such as menstrual related tenderness, fibrocystic breast tissue and other non-cancerous conditions. This massage also commonly benefits clients preparing for and/or recovering from surgeries, including those for breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast removal/mastectomy and/or open-heart surgery.
The chest and breast massage taught in this class is intended to be easily integrated into a holistic, full body session to relieve tension, stress and pain, and to increase our clients’ ease of movement in both the upper and lower body. This work consistently helps clients feel and connect with their whole body in a wonderful way that many have not previously experienced. I envision normalizing full chest and breast massage within both treatment and relaxation focused massages. I am working for the day when massage of the full chest and breast area will be commonly offered as an option within full-body wellness massage sessions.
This class is not specific only to the breast as relates to breast feeding, breast health, etc., but is instead a way to incorporate this area of the body, and treat the chest wall, in any session for a person of any gender.
This course meets Washington State training requirements for specialized training in breast massage (WAC 246-830-555). More than half the class time is devoted to hands-on massage practice. The balance of the time is spent discussing the issues specific to breast massage listed below.
- Course training includes information on and discussion of the following:
- Indications and Contraindications
- Therapeutic Treatment Techniques
- Draping Requirements
- Appropriate Therapist-client or Patient Boundaries
- Expected Outcomes
- Client/patient Safety Related to Breast Massage
- Breast Anatomy and Physiology
- Pathology
NOTE: While this class provides introductory information about breast cancer, it is not intended to cover massage treatment for people living with, or recovering from, breast cancer. Additional cancer specific massage training is recommended prior to offering massage to people living with, or recovering from, breast cancer.
This class is open to trained massage therapists and other professional health care providers with breast massage in their scope of practice.