workshops

***In-Person Workshops Happening!! – subscribe to newsletter below to stay in the loop!!***

*To expand accessibility for folks who are facing financial hardship and/or have been marginalized, tuition is offered on a sliding scale for independently held classes. Please honestly consider your own situation and pay what you can. You may find this guide by Alexis J Cunningfolk to be a useful tool.

* All classes listed will be in 3D! While we are still wading through this pandemic all workshops will be masked.

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Traditional Thai Massage & Bodywork; Foundations

Ready to delve into the amazing world of Thai bodywork?  Have you already had a taste, but need a refresher to give you the confidence to share your gifts?  Perhaps you are feeling stagnant in your work and want a completely different angle to approach the body or maybe you are experiencing pain/repetitive injury from the way you are currently using your body, and would like to discover some new tools (feet, knees, femurs, etc.).  Join us!

In this workshop you will:

• Learn the basic theory and foundational techniques needed to give a 90 minute to 120 minute Traditional Thai bodywork session, working in supine, prone, side lying and seated position
• Learn sequences that focus on ease of transition and maximize the efficiency of proper body mechanics
• Explore new ways of using leverage, your body weight and movement to create pressure, lifts, mobilization and stretches to create therapeutic & relaxing sessions
• Explore using the tools you already have (like feet, knees and femurs) to deliver comfortable, appropriate and effective pressure and rely less on your hands
• Free your creative juices to different ways of approaching the body and different ways of using your own body, working from a whole new angle – from a comfortable firm mat on the floor!
• Open yourself to a rich world and body of work, theory & culture  

This workshop is suitable for LMTs with an introductory level to Thai massage as well as those with no prior experience. **please note, this is a mat-based class

Traditional Thai Massage & Bodywork; Foundations. 5 Saturdays, 20 CE hours/ 4 CE hours each day.  If you have a small group of 6- 8 people interested in this class series, please contact Lauren at mettapdx@gmail.com

Equitable Sliding Scale Pricing:

$575 – actual cost of the class (pays for you)

$525 – discounted rate *2 tickets available at this rate

$600 – sustainer rate (pays for you + supports a community member)

10% of profits will go to supporting my teacher Pichest’s school, Boonthumme Thai Massage School in Northern Thailand.

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Thai Herbal Steam Compress [Luk Pra Kob] in Practice

These healing assistants come from the rich tradition of Thai folk healing arts dating back several hundreds of years. Combining the medicinal properties of plants, heat and manual therapy, these poultices are powerful healing assistants and can be incorporated into a variety of therapeutic modalities, as well as for self-care use at home.

While all of the therapeutic benefits of these bundles are too numerous to list, here are some of the fundamental ones:

• increase circulation
• increase energy flow in stagnant tissues
• decrease pain and discomfort in the body
• help to ease mental and physical tension
• help alleviate congestion and open the sinuses (aid in breath work!)
• they smell divine and calm the spirit (everyone in your building/wellness center/house will benefit!)

They are fun to make and easy to weave into your existing practice. We will first explore some main healing properties of these medicinal plants and herbs, and then respectfully chop, pound, shred, and shape these herbs into little bundles ready to be steamed. Rounding off our day we will experience their therapeutic benefits first hand as we practice using them on one another. 

Herbal Steam Compress Workshop [luk pra kob] , Saturday March 4, 2023 SE Portland, 6 CE hours 10am- 5pm. Tuition: $185 (all materials included).

Equitable Sliding Scale Pricing:

10% of profits will go to support The Karen Hilltribes Trust in Northern Thailand

**There is one spot left in this class! If you’d like to grab it, send me a holler mettapdx@gmail.com

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Thai Inspired Techniques Translated for the Table 

Traditionally Thai Bodywork is practiced on a mat on the floor. Luckily many Thai techniques are adaptable to the table which expands accessibility for practitioners and clients alike: For clients who would like to remain clothed; for therapists who are not ready or able to invest in a mat and ask their clients to move to a floor; for therapists and clients who would not be comfortable on the floor; for therapists who have overuse injury from using mainly hands, forearms and elbows; for therapists already practicing on a mat who would like to learn to adapt their techniques to the table; for therapists who would like to learn a new approach and get a glimpse into the rich world of Thai bodywork.

In this workshop you will :

Thai Inspired Techniques Translated for the Table. Upper Body & Lower Body. Attend one or both days. Saturday, May 6 & May 20. East West College of the Healing Arts, Portland, OR, 15 CE hours/ 7.5 CE hours each day. Registration will be through East West College of the Healing Arts. https://www.eastwestcollege.com

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Thai Based Rx for the Shoulder Girdle

 Out of all the joints in our body, the shoulder girdle offers the most movement possibilities.  It is also a very shallow joint and heavily depends on it’s soft tissue structures for stability and functional movement.  These factors make it highly adaptable and also vulnerable to a myriad of injuries and dysfunction.  In this class we will explore ways of feeling into imbalances and techniques aimed at bringing more balance to this complex joint.

Prerequisite; Foundational grasp of Thai Massage & Bodywork. If you are unsure if this class would be suitable for you please feel free to reach out.

*please note this is a mat-based class

Thai based Rx for the Shoulder Girdle.  Saturday August 19, 2023.  Details TBA, Portland, OR.  To join the waitlist contact Lauren at mettapdx@gmail.com. 

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Body Mechanics and Self-Care for the Mat-based Bodywork Practitioner

In this class we will explore the anatomical concepts behind what make our body mechanics efficient allowing us to stay happy in our bodies and direct our focus where it belongs; sensing, feeling, balancing lom in the bodies of our recipients.  We will practice stabilizing/ mobilizing exercises as well as self-massage ideas that we can add to our own self-care rituals which will help to support our bodies while we care for others.

Taking care of ourselves is a necessity – it is the key to longevity, allowing us to provide our community with our therapeutic gifts for years to come.  

Body Mechanics and Self-Care for the Mat-based Bodywork Practitioner. TBA, Portland, OR 3 CE

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In the Works!

I’ve got several ideas in the hopper and in the works. Below you’ll find a few. I’d love to hear from you! What are you interested in?

Thai based techniques; Working with the Hips

Thai based techniques; Working with Sciatica & Piriformis Syndrome

Thai based techniques; Working with the Ribs/Breathing issues

Thai based techniques; Working with Scoliosis

[metta] thai healing arts workshops

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**There are many reasons people face obstacles in seeking learning experiences, especially in group settings.  Feelings of not belonging — cultural differences, language/ communication challenges, financial hardship, existing in a body or community that has been marginalized and othered,  fear of being physically and or emotionally harmed and/or a number of other reasons.  Though none of us have complete control over any space or situation and we all carry with us our own blindspots, I do my best to create a space  in my bodywork sessions and classes where everyone feels, seen, heard, respected and welcome. I expect the same from those who choose to participate in the way we relate with one another.

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