Back to All Events

Covid 101 for LMTs - An Interactive Webinar

  • Live webinar, via Zoom Seattle, WA, and your home. (map)

You are cordially invited to attend the continuation of our series of live webinars on Massage Therapy in the Age of Covid. This is a different class than our prior Covid-related symposiums, and will be smaller and more flexible.

We are finding that Covid-related concerns are currently the main issues that LMTs are reporting in practice. In this interactive panel, our goal is help you fill in any informational gaps for staying safe and adaptive in these changing times. You and your colleagues and mentors will be able to explore these issues in a way that will help you determine what changes (if any) can make your work environment safer and more supportive.

The course will begin with a brief overview of the current epidemiology in our rapidly changing times, and then move to your issues and questions related to practicing in the present environment. Some questions may include: How do I maximize my personal safety and the safety of my clients? What are my personal practice policies and how can I best articulate them? How do our state’s current rules and policies affect my day-to-day practice? How do I skillfully and graciously deal with clients, colleagues, or employers who are unwilling to wear a mask or follow other policies?

Are there any suggestions or things to consider if I’m returning to practice? Who should I contact if I’m exposed in a casual way to someone who tests positive? What do I do if a client tests positive, whether or not they become symptomatic? When is it safe for me to work with them again, and are there any cautions or contraindications? When is it safe for me to practice again if I contract Covid?

From there we will move into the topic of working with clients who have recovered from Covid. We will review intake processes and procedures, discuss the various issues that Covid-recovered clients might have, and suggested treatment techniques for clients who have had mild, moderate, or severe Covid.

We currently face challenges in society and massage therapy that are unprecedented in our lifetimes. At least 50 million Americans have been infected with Covid, and over 800,000 have died. Many massage practices have been shut down or idled, and there is often fear and confusion about how to practice safely and effectively.

As we face these practice-related challenges, and psychological stress and trauma on a massive social scale, a growing body of research suggests that massage/bodywork is first-line healthcare, and profoundly beneficial. Besides the many well-known benefits of bodywork (pain relief, improved function, recovery from injury), massage is one of the best, if not the best, treatments for anxiety, depression, and stress. This is our opportunity to act wisely, care for ourselves and others, and contribute to the greater good.

Quotes from the last Symposium:

“Incredible job with content, presentation and use of the platform. You have this dialed in with excellence. Please find ways to share this again with others. It is too valuable not to.” -Lindy Dewey

“I am in awe and so very grateful for the amount of work and heart that went into this. I received a hug of community that filled a vacancy that I forgot was so desperately needed. THIS was the booster shot. Thank you!” - Sarah Nicodemus


Instructors: Matthew Sorlie and Robbin Blake

CE hours: 4 CE hours, live via Zoom (NCBTMB-approved for CE credit)
Tuition: $70.