Over this last school break, I attend a five-day seminar in a massage technique that I have been interested in for a long time. It was the first time that this course was offered in America, and since I have been looking at it, the timing of things couldn’t be more perfect.  As students, we can get discounted rates on most post-graduate education. This is beneficial as we shape our knowledge to fit the way that we hope to practice. There are just too many seminars and too little time!

Neuro-structural Integration Technique (NST), the subject of the seminar, is geared toward helping restore the body to its set point. This is done through a gentle series of soft tissue manipulations performed in patterns by the provider. I was drawn to it do to a personal experience being treated with the technique, and also because there is a minimum amount of effort put forth by the practitioner to achieve the benefit that can be seen in the patient. I am all for anything that can save my body and still let me help people. We spent our time in class learning how to use soft tissues an fascia to bring about neuromuscular changes.  Our instructor was none other than the fantastic Dr. Patricia Coe, who teaches here at National in the Massage therapy and Naturopathic medicine programs. She is has wealth of knowledge to share, and this was the first time that I was able to learn from her in a classroom setting.

Much like many bodywork courses, the class was exhausting and wonderful. I think that one of the best parts of the class was being able to talk with our volunteer patients about their experiences of having us work on them. Some came in the day after receiving the treatment, so we could see how each was affected by the work we did. At the end of it all, I was left wanting to know more. I might get my chance next year when an advanced course comes to town with one of the developers of this rendition of the technique traveling in from Australia to teach it.  Now all I have to do is save up some money I hope that it falls right after graduation!

; )