Thai Bodywork Thai Massage School

The art of Traditional Thai Massage

Learn the art of Traditional Thai Massage (also known as Thai Yoga Massage, Nuad Boran, Nuat Thai or Thai yoga therapy) from ITTA Certified Instructor Chuck Duff in certification training courses at the Thai Bodywork Thai Massage School in Evanston, Illinois.

Chuck, who is a faculty member at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, is an ITTA Certified Thai Massage Therapist and also is certified in Thai Herbal Compress (Luk Pra Kob) by the Thailand Ministry of Health, Bangkok. In addition to a very successful private practice, he is also part of Wellspring Integrative Medicine in Evanston. He is the originator of Clinical Thai Bodywork, a powerful therapeutic modality for chronic and acute pain and dysfunction. His teaching draws on extensive studies in Buddhism, martial arts, yoga, psychology and movement, and places heavy emphasis on self-care and healthy body mechanics. Chuck has trained hundreds of practitioners since 2001.

As a student, you will receive the highest-quality training in traditional Thai yoga massage while also learning the most complementary state-of-the-art clinical bodywork approaches. The core of our program is a 130-hour practical foundation in traditional Southern and Northern style Thai massage. After completing the core curriculum, advanced courses at Thai Bodywork School cover relevant anatomy and physiology, as well as advanced Thai asanas and principles of Clinical Thai Bodywork.

The Thai Bodywork School conducts certification trainings each month. Multiple courses are available, ranging from an Introduction to Thai Massage, with no prerequisites, to advanced practitioner trainings. Our program is certified by the International Thai Therapists Association (ITTA) and ABMP. NCBTMB continuing education approval is pending.

Our courses are structured as weekend intensives and are taught at our studio in Evanston, a vibrant community with excellent beaches, shops and restaurants on Lake Michigan, immediately north of Chicago and easily accessible via car or public transportation. We teach the Level 1 training almost every month, and students can enter at any time.

Our student population draws from both interested individuals seeking a new direction or career change, and bodyworkers wanting to acquire an additional modality. Students come from all over the country to attend our trainings, and we can provide hotel, B&B and other recommendations for places to stay.

Traditional Thai Massage, evolving from the ancient healing traditions of Ayurveda, yoga and Thai Buddhism, leads to greater physical awareness, grace, and spiritual energy. The practitioner uses hands, feet, arms, and legs to guide the recipient through a series of yoga postures involving fluid movements, gentle stretching, and breathwork.

Performed on a floor mat in comfortable clothes, this assisted yoga creates a therapeutic "dance" incorporating rhythmic motion, palming and thumbing along energy lines to invoke emotional calming and deep relaxation.

Thai massage has become one of the most sought-after treatment modalities. Therapeutic, relaxing and invigorating, Thai massage typically commands a 15-20% premium over conventional treatments on spa menus, and skilled therapists are in high demand.

Properly trained Thai body workers learn how to use their chi and body weight to do the work instead of muscle strength. The Thais have a saying that Thai massage should be as good for the giver as for the receiver. Therapists can have long working careers without the disabling symptoms in hands, arms and shoulders that so frequently occur in western bodywork modalities.

COURSE OFFERINGS

Level 1 -- Introduction to Thai Massage - 20 hours

2005 Dates: May 20-22, June 24-26, Aug 19-21, Oct 7-9, Nov 18-20, or Dec 9-11. 1 weekend.

An introduction to the principles and practice of Thai Massage, this 2 1/2 day workshop is suitable for new students or practitioners interested in acquiring an alternative modality. This course introduces the theory of energetic anatomy and physiology, Seven Chakras, Ten Sen or Prana Nadis, Wind gates, Asanas or therapeutic postures, Meridians, Acupoints and the Five Traditional Treatment Attitudes of the body. 19 different asanas or therapeutic postures are introduced. The student learns an effective 1-hour treatment sequence. There are no pre-requisites, and students can join any class.

Upon successful completion and practical assessment, the student will receive a 20-hour certificate recognized by ITTA and ABMP. $395.

Level 2 -- Thai Massage Southern Method - 40 Hours

Level 2 class dates: Sept. 9-11 and 23-25 -- 2 weekends.

This course establishes the foundation of a professional Thai Massage practice. 56 asanas from the oldest and most traditional Wat Pho and Wat Buddhai Sawan method are taught, along with additional theory, therapeutic applications, how to structure treatments, table applications, trigger points and pin referral, and much more. Southern method places more emphasis on working Sen lines and manual tissue release techniques. The student learns a 2-hour treatment sequence as well as how to structure an effective 1-hour session appropriate to client needs.

Upon successful completion and practical assessment, the student will receive a 40-hour certificate that is recognized by the International Thai Therapists Association (ITTA) and ABMP. $725.

Level 3 -- Thai Massage Northern Method - 70 Hours

Level 3: Oct. 14-16 and 28-30, and Nov. 11-13 -- 3 weekends.

This intensive 3-weekend course continues to build a foundation for a professional Thai Massage practice. 200 Northern method asanas are taught covering the Chiang Mai and hill tribe influences, along with theory, therapeutic applications, how to structure 1-3+ hour treatments, table and chair applications, and much more. Northern style places more emphasis on stretching and mobilizing joints, and is a wonderful complement to the tools from the Southern, Bangkok style gained in Level 2. The 200 asanas of Northern method comprise an additional 4 hours of treatment that can be integrated into the student's toolkit or delivered as a traditional sequence.

Upon successful completion and practical assessment, you will receive a 70-hour certificate that is recognized by the International Thai Therapists Association (ITTA) and ABMP. $1075.

Clinical Thai Bodywork 1: Introduction to Clinical Thai Bodywork - 20 Hours

2005 Dates: August 5-7. 1 weekend.

This course covers the fundamentals of Clinical Thai Bodywork, a modality developed by Chuck Duff that integrates the clinical and therapeutic aspects of Thai massage, trigger point therapy and microcurrent point stimulation. CTB is highly effective in reducing or eliminating patterns of pain and restriction, often in cases that have failed conventional medical treatment. CTB gives the student specific tools to assess and design effective treatments for the most common client complaints and can be integrated into a mat, chair or table-based practice. Topics include advanced asanas, common pain syndromes, trigger point therapy, using point stimulation, understanding pain referral pathways and their relationship to sen lines, TCM meridians and fascial connections, yoga therapy and much more.

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