Neuro-Adaptive Massage Therapy (NAMT)

NAMT doesn't teach you what to do to the body. It changes how you listen to it.

What if we approached massage therapy with less emphasis on knowing exactly what the body needs, and more curiosity about what it's communicating?

Neuro-Adaptive Massage Training (NAMT) invites massage therapists to explore the nervous system through the lens of adaptation. Our experiences shape how we perceive the world, how we respond to stress, pain, and touch, and the protective patterns we develop along the way. Through an exploration of neuroscience, perception, and the therapeutic relationship, we begin to understand massage not simply as something we do to the body, but as an ongoing exchange of information between two nervous systems.

At the heart of NAMT are curiosity, attunement, and adaptability. Rather than introducing another collection of techniques or protocols, this training encourages us to deepen our awareness of the person in front of us, recognize the assumptions and patterns we bring into the treatment room, and allow the information we receive to guide our clinical choices. It's an invitation to become more thoughtful, responsive practitioners, comfortable with not always knowing why, while developing greater trust in our ability to notice, respond, and adapt.

HYBRID OFFERING -

7 Online Modules:

• Mondays

• April 12, 19 & 26
  May 3, 10, 17 & 24

• 8:30am-12:30pm

• Zoom

In-Person Immersion:

• June 7-10

• 8:30am-5pm each day

• 30min lunch break

• At Balance Massage School

Enrollment fee of $300 to reserve your spot in the course (spaces are limited).

Tuition: $3,000

Total Program Investment:  $3,300

Curriculum Outline:

—> TRAUMA - definition, types, adaptive survival patterns, trauma-informed approaches, neuroplasticity + rewiring, re-traumatization and how to avoid it

—> NERVOUS SYSTEM - anatomy (pathways, mechanoreceptors, brain structures), nervous system states, neurology of touch, regulation/modulation, co-regulation, somatosensory system, window of tolerance, vagus nerve, HOW safe touch impacts nervous system patterns and trauma integration

—> THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP - scope of practice, inner experience, safe container

—> INTEROCEPTION - body awareness, interoception vs. exteroception, dissociation/disconnection from body

—> PAIN SCIENCE - sensitization, pain science basics, nociception, predictive brain model, gate control theory

—> ASSESSMENT - client nervous system tracking (not diagnosing), cues and clues

—> INTEGRATION - bringing the education to the treatment room, intake process, assessment, applying appropriate techniques for various nervous system states

Instructors:

Steph Haddox - BMSVT Founder and Lead Instructor

Dan Barone - BMSVT Instructor + Support Guide

VSAC APPROVED

ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN

FAQ's:

Do I need professional experience in the field before diving into this program?

Some degree of professional experience is recommended, as it will support deeper integration of the learnings. This program is designed for massage therapists ranging from novice to advanced practitioner. It is a course that deepens our knowledge and application, which is beneficial at every stage of our career.

What about VSAC?

The course is VSAC-approved, and students can apply for the Advancement Grant.

I'm hesitant about learning online. What does the structure for the 7 online modules look like?

I hear that and was once skeptical of online massage therapy education myself. I have taken numerous online courses, many of which centered around trauma-informed care. I've experienced what has worked (and what hasn't) when this type of content is delivered online. The structure will involve a flow through presentation/lecture, dialogue/discussion, small group breakout rooms for discussion and/or activities, and Q+A. The lecture/presentation portion of the modules will also be recorded and available to you to rewatch if further absorption of the material is desired.

What does the in-person integration entail?

This is where we put the learning into real-life. We will bring the information from the online modules into application with the intake/interview process, and how to adapt our approaches with clients in response to their nervous system state(s) through attunement and knowing what signs to look for. We will present various case studies and discuss approaches.

Is there a protocol this NAMT training provides in how to work with clients from a Trauma- and Nervous System-Informed approach?

No. In fact, a protocol is inherently not trauma- or nervous system-informed because it does not account for the vast range of nervous system states and individual shifts we will encounter as massage practitioners. Our work with clients is a practice rather than a one-size-fits-all formula. This course provides a foundational understanding in what to look for with clients, how to meet their nervous system where it's at, and invite a shift in the input-process-output loop if it supports the client.

ENROLL HERE