Morales Method®
of Manual Therapy & Body Conditioning
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Morales Method® Course Catalog
*Course names may vary depending on where they're taught.
The Morales Method® is a NCBTMB (451212-10) and Florida Massage Therapy Board (50-31259) approved CE provider that offers a wide range of in-person continuing education workshops ranging from 1-3 days in length. Modalities such as Medical Massage, Deep Tissue Therapy, Structural Integration, Sports Massage, and Movement Education are covered in the workshops available through the method.
If you want to bring the Morales Method® to you, please let us know what workshops you're interested in below and send us an email at info@moralesmethod.com to get things started!
All manual therapy courses presented on this page are taught by Marty Morales, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, CMT, and Founder of the Morales Method®, Sharon Oshita, ATC, CMT, MMASI™ Practitioner, Julia Ward, CMT, MMASI™ Practitioner, or Caroline Moncure CMT, MMASI™ Practitioner. All movement education courses presented on this page are taught by Monica Canducci, Certified Rolfer®, Rolf Movement Practitioner™.
Medical Massage Workshops:
In the workshops listed below, you'll learn tried and true techniques used by advanced professionals that have helped get clients out of pain. You'll learn valuable assessments, anatomy and pathology knowledge, myo-fascial techniques, and effective muscle energy techniques. Instead of just learning one technique for these conditions, with the Morales Method® you'll be exposed to a synthesis of the most effective modalities and a myriad of techniques and approaches to working with these conditions we commonly encounter as practitioners.
All of the courses below (taught by Marty, Sharon, Caroline, or Julia) are eligible for credit in the Morales Method® Pain Specialist Certification Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Medical Massage- Carpal Tunnel & Elbow Tendonitis
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) Carpal Tunnel & Elbow Tendonitis are common conditions that we manual therapists encounter. In this one-day workshop, we’ll cover the pathology, anatomy, and contraindications related to these conditions. We’ll practice how to use the various approaches including deep tissue, nerve work, and joint mobilizations in order to bring relief to your clients who suffer from carpal tunnel and elbow tendonitis. Students will learn techniques to address the carpal bones, interosseous membrane, anconeus muscle, radial ligament, and more!
Medical Massage- Frozen Shoulder
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) Frozen Shoulder is a common disorder we encounter as manual therapists. In this workshop, we'll cover the anatomy, pathology, and contraindications related to Frozen Shoulder to better understand how to work with it. Students will then learn movement and palpation assessments to tailor their approach to each client's unique manifestation of this disorder. We will also demonstrate and practice manual therapy techniques to help clients' gain a more pain free range of motion by working territories commonly seen as potential culprits of Frozen Shoulder such as pectoralis, supraspinatus, teres and more. At the end of this workshop, students will know how to address Frozen Shoulder in their manual therapy practice with confidence, efficiency, and success!
Medical Massage- Headaches & TMJD
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) Did you know that the jaw has a close relationship to headaches? To better understand this connection, students will learn the pathology and anatomy of tension headaches and TMJD. We will also cover contraindications for working with these conditions. Students will learn how to apply this knowledge in combination with specific palpation and manual therapy techniques to work the muscles of the jaw, neck, and head to help alleviate these conditions. Last but not least, we will learn to work intra-orally in this workshop, so get ready to take your skills to the next level!
Medical Massage: SI Joint Dysfunction
Taught by Sharon Oshita
(16 CEUs) This 2-day class will cover sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which is a common culprit in back pain! You will learn basic mechanics of the pelvis and the sacroiliac joint, along with understanding the various ways it may be presenting itself to your clients. You will also learn quick and effective ways to evaluate and correct imbalances that may be contributing to low back pain, including a few muscle energy techniques. We will also consider the surrounding soft tissue and muscles and do hands-on practice to get an effective result in helping to relieve low back pain and sacroiliac joint dysfunction in our clients.
Medical Massage: Whiplash
Taught by Marty Morales or Sharon Oshita
(8 CEUs) Learn how to address Whiplash with confidence in your practice! This workshop will not only include a review of the anatomy, pathology, and contraindications for whiplash, but also other conditions that may arise in conjunction with this condition. Students will learn the basic spinal mechanics of the cervical spine and how we might use that knowledge in our practice to help to relieve these issues in our clients. We will also cover palpation and tissue techniques from the Morales Method® Concepts of Palpation to help us work more effectively with clients who are in more acute situations. This workshop will leave students with various techniques to add to their toolbox to maximize their success!
Medical Massage- Ankle & Knee Injuries
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) Students will learn about the anatomy, pathology, & contraindications for working the ankle and knee. We will cover specific palpation techniques and assessments for common conditions in the knees and ankles. After learning how to assess these areas, we will also cover specific manual therapy techniques to work with common areas of injury and dysfunction including talus, myo-fascial septum, fibula, and more! The techniques learned in this course will help students address common injuries in the knees and ankles with confidence.
Medical Massage- Common Foot Injuries
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) While the feet only make up a small portion of our bodies, knowing how to work this territory thoroughly can make a huge difference in your practice! In this workshop students will learn how to work common troublemakers in the feet including navicular, cuboid, plantar fascia, and calcaneus with ease and efficiency. We will then cover how to recognize and address some of the common injuries of the feet including plantar fasciitis, bunions, inter-metatarsal neuroma, and more. At the end of this workshop, students will be able to address foot injuries with confidence and proper body mechanics.
Relieving Low Back Pain 1
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(16 CEUs) - This two-day class helps practitioners become as effective as possible with clients suffering from low back pain. Students will learn the most effective assessment and treatment techniques that will alleviate your client's back pain fast. Our instruction will focus on three main territories that are common culprits of back pain: the lumbar spine, the sacroiliac joint, and the pubic symphysis. This class combines assessment and treatment techniques from Osteopathy, Rolfing®, and Neuromuscular Techniques to help identify the source of pain and improve joint mobility and muscle strength balance. After completing this course, students will have the tools to reduce their guesswork and increase success when addressing low back pain in their practice.
Relieving Low Back Pain 2
Taught by Marty Morales
(8 CEUs) - This one-day class continues with further exploration of spinal mechanics techniques for the lumbar vertebra and addresses issues of working with clients in acute low back pain. You will also learn different manual therapy techniques that work to deal with various nerve receptors in order to release contracted muscle tissue more effectively. At the end of this 8 hour workshop, students will know how to work with both acute and chronic low back pain with proficiency and confidence.
Visceral Bodywork
Taught by Marty Morales
(16 CEUs) - In this 2-day class we will be exploring Visceral Bodywork from a unique approach. First, we will be understanding how the viscera developed during our embryological development. Using this information, we will blend it with the Stages of Motor Development in babies to form a basis for how the viscera have an inherent motion. With this understanding of inherent motion of the viscera, we will start to seek and palpate the viscera, the Heart, Lungs, and Kidney.
When we find and palpate the viscera, we will feel for their inherent motion as we noted they might be moving as a result of their development. We will then seek to aid them in moving in all directions of their natural range of motion. Our understanding of this approach is that seeking to improve their natural range of motion may aid in more functional movement in the territory in which the organ resides and we hope resulting in a more functional movement for the body overall. This information is rarely taught in this accessible format for manual therapists! Students will know how to palpate and work the viscera with confidence in their practice at the end of this two-day workshop.
Advanced Trigger Point
Taught by Marty Morales or Julia Ward
(16 CEUs) - Using a Structural Integration perspective on fascia, this class combines classic Trigger Point Therapy with Morales Method® Concepts of Palpation to create an improved state of listening resulting in an efficient, effective, and unique approach to addressing trigger points. After this workshop, practitioners will have the skillset necessary to palpate and work trigger points using the Morales Method® Concepts of Palpation. They will also know what it feels like when a trigger point resolves and which Trigger Points to work for common complaints and injuries encountered by bodyworkers.
Advanced Neck Work 1
Taught by Marty Morales, Julia Ward, or Caroline Moncure
(16 CEUs) - This two-day workshop will take students deep into the intricate structural relationships of the muscles and the vertebrae of the cervical spine, how form and function influence one another, and how massage can positively support and improve these relationships. Students will be given the skills to track down dysfunction in the neck and the techniques to work deeply and effectively with clients’ trouble spots in order to restore balance, relieve pain, and improve range of motion and overall function.
Students will learn how vertebrae behave in movement using Fryette’s Law (a set of three laws pertaining to skeletal anatomy named after Harrison Fryette, DO.). We will then explore how to apply this knowledge of vertebral movement to our tissue work. Students learn how to work the tissue attaching to the spinous processes (and other parts of the vertebrae) along with gentle movements to bring about de-rotation of rotated vertebra. We will also cover how to visually assess a client to determine whether a vertebral rotation may be happening before confirming findings with palpatory assessment. At the end of this course, students will know how to use manual therapy techniques to work the soft-tissues in the neck and address rotations in the cervical vertebra.
Advanced Neck Work 2
Taught by Marty Morales
(8 CEUs) - This one-day class continues with further exploration of the spinal mechanics of the neck by addressing issues of the cervical spine- namely, anterior shift and sideways curvature. Additionally, the practitioner will learn how to bring greater range of motion to the atlas in order to address possible dysfunctions involving the atlas. We will also cover how to employ MET techniques to release deeper muscles to help with challenging issues of the neck.
Pelvic Floor Work
Taught by Marty Morales
(8 CEUs)- The pelvic floor is a territory rarely taught in any detail to Massage Therapists. In this workshop, you'll learn a wide variety of techniques to help you access the pelvic floor within your scope of practice as an LMT or CMT. You'll learn how to address the pelvic floor with specificity and confidence using breath work, manual therapy techniques, visceral work, and movement. These techniques will help you safely and effectively access some of the major pelvic floor territories including levator ani, obturator internus, coccygeus, pubic symphysis, coccyx, and more!
When I first became familiar with working this area, I quickly realized it to have been somewhat of a missing link in my practice over the years. I've used the techniques taught in this course to help my clients recover from injuries, to address postnatal issues, and to help with incontinence. Note: All work demonstrated in this workshop is done externally and clothed.
Muscle Energy Techniques
Taught by Marty Morales or Sharon Oshita
(16 CEUs) This two-day class covers Muscle Energy Techniques (METs) including Reciprocal Inhibition (RI) and Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR). In this class, we will cover several common injuries (Frozen Shoulder, SI joint dysfunction, Cervical Spine issues, etc.) and explore how changing the resting length of the muscle tissue via Muscle Energy Technique can bring about pain relief. Our approach to METs is unique. We will combine the principles of the Morales Method® Concepts of Palpation with these METs to increase our specificity of this approach. At the end of this course, students will understand how to integrate METs into their already existing practice.
Manual Therapy for the Thoracic Spine & Ribs
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs)- Take a deep dive into the mechanics of the thoracic spine and ribs, a rarely taught topic for manual therapists! Students will learn techniques to help them understand and apply these mechanics in order to bring about greater functionality in the thoracic spine and ribs of their clients. We will discuss how to work with rotated thoracic vertebra, inhalation and exhalation fixed ribs, and the soft tissues involved in breathing. By working with movement, breath, and the right knowledge students can become a master at working with clients who may be recovering from injuries to the ribs, a respiratory illness, dealing with a lack of mobility, and much more. At the end of this course, students will know how to utilize manual therapy techniques to work thoracic spine and ribs with confidence!
Advanced Palpation Techniques
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) Palpation is one of the most important tools we have as a bodyworker! This one-day class is intended to give students a solid base in the advanced palpation techniques used by Morales Method® practitioners. We will explore the current research with regards to fascia and myo-fascial tissue, understand the Morales Method® Concepts of Palpation (our unique way of palpating and working the tissue), and then put these concepts into action on the table! This way of working is foundational to any Morales Method® approach and it can increase the efficiency and efficacy of practitioners in various other modalities including Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Swedish, Structural Integration, and more!
Deep Tissue Workshops:
The Morales Method® approach to deep tissue is unique to the classic deep tissue approach taught in most Massage Therapy workshops and schools. In both our techniques for proper body mechanics and our palpation, the Morales Method® differs from classic deep tissue. In the courses below, you will learn the skills necessary to create detailed deep tissue sessions based on the unique needs of each client rather than approaching your sessions with a set of rote techniques. You will also learn how to generate deep force without straining or injuring your body.
Body Mechanics
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(8 CEUs) - Did you know that poor body mechanics are the most common reason for injury in Bodywork practitioners? Understanding how to use your body effectively, efficiently, and safely while performing bodywork can make the difference between a rewarding career and one filled with frustration, injury, and burnout. Come learn how to work with more ease. This workshop is meant to give bodyworkers not just the tools they need to perform Deep Tissue manual therapy with better body mechanics, but it will also introduce them to a concept that is rarely brought in body mechanics education, the mind-body connection. We will cover techniques, but more importantly, lay down a foundation of firm understanding as to why we go into improper body mechanics in the first place and how to combat them.
This class is based on the book, "Mastering Body Mechanics". It will cover the physiological, psychological, and cultural aspects of body mechanics; awareness exercises to understand the Newtonian aspects of body mechanics; and effective, efficient, and safe body mechanic techniques for Deep Tissue and seated manual therapy. This workshop is ideal for manual therapists at all levels of expertise, body structure, and abilities.
This class is eligible for credit within the Morales Method® Pain Specialist Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Deep Tissue 1
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(24 CEUs) This three-day class is exclusively designed to help massage therapists gain valuable Deep Tissue manual therapy skills that they can integrate into their existing modalities while utilizing proper body mechanics. Students will learn to work deeply, effectively, and safely on all areas of the body and with a myriad of different tools from soft fists to the ulnar ridge. While learning techniques students will also receive feedback on their body mechanics to learn how to safely and effectively create deep force.
This class is eligible for credit within the Morales Method® Deep Tech Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Deep Tissue 2
Taught by Marty Morales or Caroline Moncure
(24 CEUs)- This three-day workshop includes specific instruction on how to help clients get out of pain with Deep Tissue Techniques. We will take time to focus on commonly injured areas like the neck and the low back to take the application of your deep tissue skills to the next level! This course is great for the deep tissue practitioner who is ready to take their approach to the next level and understand how to bring more detailed work into their practice.
This class is eligible for credit within the Morales Method® Deep Tech Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Structural Integration Workshops:
The Morales Method® Academy of Structural Integration (MMASI), is a unique approach to Structural Integration. Our specific approach to palpation and body reading, as well as our non-fascia centric view of the body separates us from our peers in the Structural Integration world. In the courses below you will get a basic understanding of our way of practicing the art of Structural Integration. This work focuses on facilitating functional movement in your clients by addressing their whole body. The workshops below are introductory courses for the Morales Method® Academy of Structural Integration certification program should the student want to pursue further training.
Body Reading & Assessment
Taught by Marty Morales
(8 CEUs)- This workshop will introduce students to the practice of body reading an assessment from a Structural Integration perspective. Students will learn how to utilize gait analysis as an assessment tool in their practice. We will also practice other movement assessments that students can use to quickly understand the unique dysfunction of each individual client. In the Morales Method® Academy of Structural Integration, we utilize an articulation based approach to body reading. In this workshop, we will cover the main articulations including tibio-talar, tiobiofemoral, acetabulofemoral, Sacroiliac, vertebral, glenohumeral and more.
Core Integration
Taught by Marty Morales
(40 CEUs) This 5-day Structural Integration workshop covers advanced workings of musculoskeletal tissue along with body reading and assessment techniques in walking/movement. The practitioner will learn how to apply the concepts of body reading (based on the Stages of Motor Development) and palpation techniques to their work. This workshop is part of the Morales Method Academy of Structural Integration Certification program, but any student is welcome to join. There is an online prerequisite required for this class that covers the theory and philosophy that will permeate all techniques and approaches taught during the workshop. This course can be found here:
Structural Integration - Theory and Gait Assessment (3.0 CEUs)(teachable.com)
Note: The student will explore both gait analysis and tissue palpation by exploring each of the 10-territories that make up the 10-series. The student will not practice or receive a 10-series session in Level 1.
Sports Massage Workshops:
All of our Sports Massage workshops are created and taught by Sharon Oshita, ATC, CMT, MMASI Practitioner. Sharon's background as an athletic trainer heavily influences that material taught in these courses making them the perfect course for those who want to work with athletes and sports injuries. You will learn the science behind the approach as well as current protocols, research, and practices in the sports massage world. The workshops below are eligible for credit within the Morales Method® Pain Specialist Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Facilitated Stretching
Taught by Sharon Oshita
(16 CEUs) This class will discuss the basic neurological responses we are attempting to initiate to help muscles which may be contributing to a variety of symptoms release. It will focus on Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR) and Reciprocal Inhibition, (RI), two of the most commonly used approaches to getting muscles to relax and re-set to a more optimal length. The beginning of the class will be lecture so as to understand the principles being used. The remainder of the time will be used to review muscle anatomy and practice the techniques discussed in lecture. This class will enable you to use these techniques immediately on almost any muscle/muscle group in the body!
Sports Massage – Pre & Post Event for Client Peak Performance
Taught by Sharon Oshita
(16 CEUs) This class will focus on approaches for pre-event and post-event massage therapy. Students will practice a variety of massage strokes and will gain an understanding of intention through discussion and hands-on practice. All phases of sports massage will be discussed, with important detail given to timed sequences, which will be taught specifically for pre/post event sessions. These timed sequences are designed to be templates for the student to use immediately after class and to build on and create their own “signature” sports massage sequence.
Sports Massage - Shoulder Injuries & Dysfunction
Taught by Sharon Oshita
(16 CEUs) This 2-day class will focus on learning anatomy, pathology, and special tests and assessments for the shoulder complex. This comprehensive class will cover many aspects of what to consider when clients complain of shoulder discomfort and increase the practitioner’s confidence to work with these clients. Understanding what clarifies a sports massage, including evaluation steps with special tests, understanding tissue healing, and proper use of ice and heat will be discussed. We will also take time for hands-on practice with palpation and techniques for working the shoulder complex. Exercises of working case studies will also be implemented to put knowledge to use in real time. At the end of this course, students will integrate knowledge of anatomy, pathology, understanding the phases of tissue healing, and steps of evaluation to create an action plan for someone complaining of shoulder discomfort.
Movement Education Workshops:
Morales Method® Move In Mind™ is a unique approach to Movement Education. Move In Mind™ is a method aimed at increasing proprioceptive awareness, improving movement coordination and self-regulation, and achieving excellence in any kind of performance. It's an incomparable instrument for all those bodyworkers, movement trainers, instructors, physical therapists, movement teachers, and holistic therapists and coaches who want to increase their effectiveness by integrating a new approach, and for those "movement professionals" practicing and teaching performing arts (dance, theatre, etc.), sports, yoga, Pilates, etc. who want to get the best results in their practice and performances. The workshops below are eligible for credit within the Morales Method® Move In Mind™ Program should the student want to pursue further training.
Introduction to Move In Mind™
Taught by Monica Canducci
(6 hrs) This class will introduce the student to the foundations of the Move In Mind™ method. During this class, students will learn the importance of the integration of mental imagery and movement education to improve effectiveness, how choice of words can affect posture and movement patterns, how mental images, posture, breathing, and emotional states are intertwined, and finally how to help your client's navigate gravity through a few easy and simple movement explorations based on mental images and breathing.
This class will give you the opportunity to get a taste of what Move In Mind™ could offer your practice and give you some techniques to take home and play with to see the efficacy and application of the method.
Move In Mind™- Level 1
Taught by Monica Canducci
(24 hrs) In this three-day workshop, we’ll take a deep dive into the principles and movements that are foundational to the Move in Mind™ Method through lecture and practice. We'll explore how to create movement explorations tailored to your clients’ needs and goals through word choice and imagery. We'll practice exercises (that can progress from simple to complex) based on mental imagery that you can use to help your clients develop functional motor patterns and postural habits. These movements will educate your clients to functionally engage the postural muscles, move from “the core” to coordinate functional movement and breathing, and move mindfully, in order to create new functional motor patterns. You will learn how to increase your clients’ sense of safety to increase the effectiveness of your work. Finally, you will learn a basic floor sequence to take your clients through, applicable in one-on-one and group sessions.
At the end of this workshop, you’ll be able both to offer specific movement explorations and exercises to your clients in one-on-one sessions. You will also be able to teach one-hour basic sequence of movement exploration to your clients (one-on-one sessions and groups).
