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 cancellations 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 6/1/23
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Shoulder (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
June 2, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3:15pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB Approved)
$90 ($100 after May 18, 2023)
*Come for CEs, stay for Ashland’s First Friday Art Walk!
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 shoulder & clavicle within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. This class will include hands-on techniques for the General Shoulder, two Specific Shoulder points, and the Clavicle.
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.
The Anterior Shoulder, Posterior Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist, and Hand mini classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Upper Extremities (Phase 4) class.This four hour “mini class” can be used for Phase 4 requirements for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International® Associate and Practitioner training programs.
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.
Harnessing the Power of the Lymphatic System: Lymphatic Drainage Techniques
Instructor: Helene Hill
June 17 & 18, 2023 (Friday) 9:00am–6:30pm (20 total CE hours, including 2 hour pre-class video preparation)
$425 ($445 after June 1, 2023)
In this 2 day hands-on class you will learn to understand and work with the lymphatic system as either an enhancement to your treatment or a stand-alone session. You’ll also learn easy to understand concepts and wording to share with even your “regular” clients as well as potential referral partners to help them clearly see the benefits this work can offer them.
When lymphatic processes become impaired, significant problems can develop, including metabolic waste and fibrotic tissue build-up, edema (fluid retention), chronic inflammation, and swelling. Lymphatic drainage work significantly enhances healthy lymphatic flow, and in cases where the lymphatic system has been damaged it can redirect the flow to other channels. This can significantly help a wide variety of conditions, from post-surgical edema to fibromyalgia, nerve entrapments, Lyme disease, immune challenges, systemic detoxification and beyond.
This course will dive into the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system and teach you basic Lymphatic drainage treatment sequences for mild, medically-uncomplicated axial as well as upper and lower extremity edema.
*Note: working with medically complicated Lymphedema requiring compression garments and bandaging will not be covered in this course.
Pre-class Preparation: Watch instructor’s 2 hour video lecture on lymphatic system A&P before class – link provided at registration
Helene Hill, LMT, is the owner of Body in Context Medical Massage Clinic based in Talent, OR, which specializes in results-oriented manual therapy. Helene is a dedicated body geek who loves to learn and share her discoveries so that others can help make the world a happier, healthier place. She has extensive training in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, pathology and multiple manual therapy modalities. She is constantly working with, teaching and learning from her awesome team of medical massage therapists in order to improve outcomes for all of their patients. Over the last decade Helene has been an instructor and guest lecturer at top therapeutic massage schools and is currently faculty at the Ashland Institute of Massage instructing Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology.
Register
Introduction to Insurance Billing for LMT’s
Instructor: Jennifer Vaughn & Crissi Berry
June 25, 2023 (Sunday) 9am–4:00pm (6 CE hours)
$135 ($145 after June 9, 2023)
Do you receive calls from potential clients asking if you take insurance? Are healthcare providers contacting you with referrals in hand? Don’t know where to start? In this newly-updated version of our popular Insurance Billing course, we have 2 instructors with years of combined knowledge of massage and Insurance billing that will help you navigate the basics: types of insurances; HIPAA requirements; medical terminology; billing codes and forms; documenting SOAPs; and checking for coverage. Integrating insurance into your practice takes knowledge and patience, but the rewards are great. Help make massage available for those who otherwise would not be able to receive treatment.
Jennifer Vaughn, LMT is a Southern Oregon Native and AIM graduate. Her practice focuses on Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Medical/Oncology/Post-Op Massage which align her with working with medical professionals and Insurance companies. Jennifer has been billing Insurance in her practice since opening in 2016. She has valuable experience to share in the trials and errors of navigating the world of insurance billing as a massage therapist. www.flowlymphatics.com
Crissi Berry is a native to Southern OR who graduated from Southern Oregon University.
Crissi started her medical billing business, Billing Rescue in 2016. Her business now provides medical billing services to more than 35 offices in Southern OR, Bend and Portland. Billing Rescue provides a wide range of services from credentialing, billing, insurance verification and insurance collections. www.billingrescue.com
Nonviolent Communication Skills - Listening Deeply & Expressing Clearly
Instructor: Joanne Lescher
July 1, 2023 (Saturday) 8am–12pm (4 CE hours)
$85 ($95 after June 15, 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 Shoulder - Posterior & Scapula (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
July 7, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3:15pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB approval pending)
$90 ($100 after June 22, 2023)
*Come for CEs, stay for Ashland’s First Friday Art Walk!
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 shoulder & scapula within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. This class will include hands-on techniques for six Specific Shoulder points and the Scapula.
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.
The Anterior Shoulder, Posterior Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist, and Hand mini classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Upper Extremities (Phase 4) class.This four hour “mini class” can be used for Phase 4 requirements for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International® Associate and Practitioner training programs.
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.
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Elbow & Wrist (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
August 4, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3:15pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB approval pending)
$90 ($100 after July 20, 2023)
*Come for CEs, stay for Ashland’s First Friday Art Walk!
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 elbow and wrist within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. This class will include hands-on techniques for the Periosteal Points for the Elbow, General Elbow, General Wrist, and General Hand.
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.
The Anterior Shoulder, Posterior Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist, and Hand mini classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Upper Extremities (Phase 4) class. This four hour “mini class” can be used for Phase 4 requirements for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International® Associate and Practitioner training programs.
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.
Ortho-Bionomy® First Friday Series : Releases for the Hand (Phase 4)
Instructor: Melissa Malm, Registered Ortho-Bionomy Instructor
September 1, 2023 (Friday) 10am–3:15pm (4 CE hours, NCBTMB approval pending)
$90 ($100 after August 17, 2023)
*Come for CEs, stay for Ashland’s First Friday Art Walk!
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 hand within 10-30 seconds. It is easy on the practitioner and can be integrated into any massage or bodywork session. This class will include hands-on techniques for the Carpals, Metacarpals, and Phalanges.
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.
The Anterior Shoulder, Posterior Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist, and Hand mini classes in combination are the equivalent of the 16 hour Releases for the Upper Extremities (Phase 4) class. This four hour “mini class” can be used for Phase 4 requirements for the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International® Associate and Practitioner training programs.
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
October 21&22 (Saturday & Sunday) 9:30–6:00pm (14 CE hours - 1.5 hour lunch break)
$295 ($325after October 5, 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
- Q+A and a demonstration of how I would incorporate all you’ve learned into 5-10 mins in a typical 1 hour massage
As well as 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
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.
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.
