Continuing Education
Classes & Workshops
Welcome to the Ashland Institute of Massage Continuing Education page! We offer an evolving variety of high-quality continuing education classes and workshops for licensed massage therapists, other health care workers, and occasionally the general public. Held year-round, these classes range in topic from therapeutic treatment skills to new bodywork modalities, from ethics to insurance billing.
Things To Note:
** MASKS ARE NOW OPTIONAL ** Some individual instructors may require masks or proof of a negative covid test. This will be noted as a requirement under the specific course.
** We have a new classroom space located downtown Ashland in the Railroad District. You will be able to find directions to our new space in your “Welcome Email”. You can expect to receive this email about a week out from the course that you are enrolled for. The classroom space is up a flight of stairs, meaning continuing education participants must be able to safely climb a flight of stairs in order to attend.
We are very excited to be offering hands on, in-person CE’s and are looking forward to safely meeting with the community once again.
Registration
You may register online by clicking on the class of your choice below or calling 541.482.5134.
When you register online, you can expect to receive a confirmation email as well as a receipt once processed by the office. You will also hear from AIM staff with details on what to expect regarding your specific course about a week out from the scheduled date! If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to call the office number listed above.
Early Enrollment Discount
We offer an early enrollment discount for registrations paid in full by the noted early enrollment date for each course. See course descriptions for details.
Cancellations
All classes are subject to rescheduling, or cancellation due to COVID or insufficient enrollment of the course overall. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this. Personal cancelations from the course may be made via letter, email or phone. Cancellations with fewer than three (3) days’ notice will be charged half the seminar tuition. Other cancellations will be charged a $25 cancellation fee.
** There is a special COVID-19 cancelation policy in place in order to protect students and staff so that we may continue to safely meet in person. If you are sick please do not attend in-person classes. You will be given a refund in full if unable to attend last minute due to an illness.
Course Descriptions: Updated 1/10/23
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Thoracic Spine (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
February 10, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB Approved)
$90 ($100 after January 26, 2023)
Ortho-Bionomy® uses osteopathic-based, gentle, comfortable body positions and movements to stimulate self-correcting reflexes within the muscles and nerves. This method is specific and structure oriented. The techniques of this foundation class can alleviate tension patterns of the thoracic spine within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. The Releases for the Thoracic Spine 4 hour class will include hands-on techniques for the Upper, Middle, and Lower Thoracic Spine.
Included in the class tuition is access to a prerequisite online video with necessary information about Ortho-Bionomy, so that we can spend more class time doing hands-on work. If you have recently taken an Ortho-Bionomy class this requirement may be waived, please ask for more details.
This class fulfills a requirement for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International’s Associate and Practitioner training programs. The Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Pelvis classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Spine & Pelvis (Phase 4) class. You can take any of the Ortho-Bionomy First Friday classes in a series, mix and match them in any order, or take any individual course as a stand-alone class.
Ortho-Bionomy® is a registered trademark of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and is used with permission.
Please note: Participants will be asked to wear an N95 mask while in the classroom for this particular course. Masks will be available if needed.
Melissa Malm, LMT, Registered Ortho-Bionomy® Instructor, has been a student and practitioner of massage and bodywork since 1997. She studied in the Bay Area both at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville and the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley. In 2007, Melissa discovered Ortho-Bionomy and realized she had found her bodywork “home.” She is an Advanced Practitioner and in 2020 became a Registered Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy®. Melissa is thrilled to now be able to share this exciting bodywork with others through her teaching
Table Thai
Instructor: D'vorah Swarzman
February 11 & 12, 2023 (Saturday & Sunday), 9 am–5:30 pm (15 CE hours)
$320 ($350 after January 26, 2023)
Learn how to integrate Thai Massage stretches, compression, traction, joint mobilization and acupressure into your table/oil massage. There will be a strong emphasis on body mechanics and honoring the traditional spiritual roots of this ancient Thai healing art. This class will enhance your table massage but does not take the place of Traditional Thai Massage, which is performed on the floor.
D’vorah Swarzman, LMT, has studied the art and science of Traditional Thai Massage since 1993, returning regularly to Thailand for further study. She is a graduate of Heartwood Institute’s 750 hour Advanced Massage Therapist program. D’vorah has a private practice (Thai Therapeutics) in Ashland, Oregon and is an instructor with and founding member of the Thai Healing Alliance International. She integrates rhythm, improvisation and mindfulness into her teaching and practice.
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Lumbar Spine (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
March 3, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB Approved)
$90 ($100 after February 16, 2023)
Ortho-Bionomy® uses osteopathic-based, gentle, comfortable body positions and movements to stimulate self-correcting reflexes within the muscles and nerves. This method is specific and structure oriented. The techniques of this foundation class can alleviate tension patterns of the lumbar spine within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. The Releases for the Lumbar Spine 4 hour class will include hands-on techniques for all five lumbar vertebrae.
Included in the class tuition is access to a prerequisite online video with necessary information about Ortho-Bionomy, so that we can spend more class time doing hands-on work. If you have recently taken an Ortho-Bionomy class this requirement may be waived, please ask for more details.
This class fulfills a requirement for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International’s Associate and Practitioner training programs. The Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Pelvis classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Spine & Pelvis (Phase 4) class. You can take any of the Ortho-Bionomy First Friday classes in a series, mix and match them in any order, or take any individual course as a stand-alone class.
Ortho-Bionomy® is a registered trademark of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and is used with permission.
Please note: Participants will be asked to wear an N95 mask while in the classroom for this particular course. Masks will be available if needed.
Melissa Malm, LMT, Registered Ortho-Bionomy® Instructor, has been a student and practitioner of massage and bodywork since 1997. She studied in the Bay Area both at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville and the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley. In 2007, Melissa discovered Ortho-Bionomy and realized she had found her bodywork “home.” She is an Advanced Practitioner and in 2020 became a Registered Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy®. Melissa is thrilled to now be able to share this exciting bodywork with others through her teaching
The Art of Abdominal Massage
Instructor: Mali Jarvis
March 18-19, 2023 (Saturday & Sunday) 9:30am–6pm (14 CE hours, 1.5 hour luncbreak)
$295 ($325 after March 2, 2023)
This workshop is for hands-on practitioners who want to gain more familiarity and confidence incorporating abdominal massage into their treatments. Mali has a training background and strong influence from Chi Nei Tsang yet has adapted her approach to abdominal massage to be more gentle and meditative than traditional CNT making it well tolerated and nourishing to receive for most people.
Learning will include:
– guided warm ups to release tension and support a meditative state
– covering contraindications and benefits of abdominal massage
– guided practice for self abdominal massage including an experiential anatomy tour
– how to:
- create safety and trust before approaching this vulnerable area in your clients
- assist breath expansion including diaphragmatic release
- assist detoxification with gentle lymphatic massage of the intestines
- assist release of fascial adhesions in the organs
- work with the navel
- work with points and the meridian system in the abdomen
– Q+A and a demonstration of how I would incorporate all you’ve learned into 5-10 mins in a typical 1 hour massage
Mali Jarvis, LMT has been a practicing bodyworker since 2004, currently licensed in Oregon, New Mexico, and Colorado. She received initial training at The Oregon School of Massage in Portland specializing in Eastern Medicine and Shiatsu. She then trained extensively in Traditional Thai Massage and Chi Nei Tsang in Thailand. Other significant influences in her work are Breema, Craniosacral, Osteopathy, Body-Mind Centering, Contact Improvisation, 5 Element Chinese Medicine, Qigong, Taoist meditation and Soto Zen Practice. Mali offers ongoing classes in Movement and Meditation practices as well as bodywork training. Mali’s approach in all she does is an invitation to slow down and reconnect with one’s own deep inner rhythms and natural vitality. Mali is currently based in Salida, Colorado.
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Pelvis (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
April 7, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB Approved)
$90 ($100 after March 23, 2023)
Ortho-Bionomy® uses osteopathic-based, gentle, comfortable body positions and movements to stimulate self-correcting reflexes within the muscles and nerves. This method is specific and structure oriented. The techniques of this foundation class can alleviate tension patterns of the thoracic spine within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. The Releases for the Pelvis 4 hour class will include hands-on techniques for the Psoas, Ilium Rotation patterns, and the Sacrum.
Included in the class tuition is access to a prerequisite online video with necessary information about Ortho-Bionomy, so that we can spend more class time doing hands-on work. If you have recently taken an Ortho-Bionomy class this requirement may be waived, please ask for more details.
This class fulfills a requirement for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International’s Associate and Practitioner training programs. The Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Pelvis classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Spine & Pelvis (Phase 4) class. You can take any of the Ortho-Bionomy First Friday classes in a series, mix and match them in any order, or take any individual course as a stand-alone class.
Ortho-Bionomy® is a registered trademark of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and is used with permission.
Please note: Participants will be asked to wear an N95 mask while in the classroom for this particular course. Masks will be available if needed.
Melissa Malm, LMT, Registered Ortho-Bionomy® Instructor, has been a student and practitioner of massage and bodywork since 1997. She studied in the Bay Area both at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville and the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley. In 2007, Melissa discovered Ortho-Bionomy and realized she had found her bodywork “home.” She is an Advanced Practitioner and in 2020 became a Registered Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy®. Melissa is thrilled to now be able to share this exciting bodywork with others through her teaching
Nonviolent Communication Skills: Listening Deeply/Expressing Clearly
Instructor: Joanne Lescher
April 8, 2023 (Saturday) 9am - 1pm (4 CE hours Ethics.Communication)
$85 ($95after March 23, 2023)
We all want to be heard and understood! Our clients certainly do, and keeping communication clear and effective can be a challenge of its own. Join Joanne to learn some simple techniques that will help you discover the healing power of empathic listening—for both your professional and personal lives. We will also address your real-life experiences, and you’ll take home fresh ideas and techniques for expressing yourself cleanly and clearly. This course meets the 4 hour Ethics/Communication requirement for Oregon LMT license renewal.
Joanne Lescher, CT, is a certified trainer in nonviolent communication. As an experienced mediator and group facilitator, she equips people to dialogue with each other more effectively. Renowned for her warmth, empathy, and humor, Joanne teaches practical skills that clients can immediately exercise in their practices and lives. Her reputation has been affectionately summarized as an “ability to tame lions”.
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Cervical Spine (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
May 5, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB Approved)
$90 ($100 after April 21, 2022)
Ortho-Bionomy® uses osteopathic-based, gentle, comfortable body positions and movements to stimulate self-correcting reflexes within the muscles and nerves. This method is specific and structure oriented. The techniques of this foundation class can alleviate tension patterns of the cervical spine within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. The Releases for the Cervical Spine 4 hour class will include hands-on techniques for the Upper, Middle, and Lower Neck.
Included in the class tuition is access to a prerequisite online video with necessary information about Ortho-Bionomy, so that we can spend more class time doing hands-on work. If you have recently taken an Ortho-Bionomy class this requirement may be waived, please ask for more details.
This class fulfills a requirement for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International’s Associate and Practitioner training programs. The Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Pelvis classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Spine & Pelvis (Phase 4) class. You can take any of the Ortho-Bionomy First Friday classes in a series, mix and match them in any order, or take any individual course as a stand-alone class.
Ortho-Bionomy® is a registered trademark of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and is used with permission.
Please note: Participants will be asked to wear an N95 mask while in the classroom for this particular course. Masks will be available if needed.
Melissa Malm, LMT, Registered Ortho-Bionomy® Instructor, has been a student and practitioner of massage and bodywork since 1997. She studied in the Bay Area both at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville and the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley. In 2007, Melissa discovered Ortho-Bionomy and realized she had found her bodywork “home.” She is an Advanced Practitioner and in 2020 became a Registered Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy®. Melissa is thrilled to now be able to share this exciting bodywork with others through her teaching
If you would like to be added to our Continuing Education Mailing List, please send an email from our Contact Tab (here) requesting for future updates to be emailed to you directly. You may contact the office via email or phone with any further questions.
We hope you’ll join us for a refreshing experience within the bodywork education world. We are looking forward to seeing you all practicing in person once again!
Accommodations in Ashland
Stratford Inn Ashland honors 10% off for our guests.
Teaching Opportunities
Call us at 541.482.5134, email us, or complete our contact form if you’re interested in teaching Continuing Education classes at AIM.
