Online Course by Ruth

10 TOPICS. 10 OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK MORE DEEPLY ABOUT PATHOLOGY.

2027 PRACTICAL PATHOLOGY SERIES

JANUARY 21
Revving Up or Slowing Down: Thyroid Disease & Massage Therapy
Explore hyper- and hypothyroidism, common treatments, signs and symptoms, and clinical considerations for massage therapists.

FEBRUARY 18
Be Heart Smart: Heart Attacks & Massage Therapy
Understand heart attacks, risk factors, treatment, recovery, and important considerations for massage therapy.

MARCH 18
Calm Within Chaos: Multiple Sclerosis & Massage Therapy
Understand MS, its symptoms and treatments, and how to apply clinical reasoning when working with clients.

APRIL 15
Movers and Shakers: Parkinson’s Disease & Massage Therapy
Explore Parkinson’s disease, common symptoms and treatments, and practical considerations for massage therapy.

MAY 20
No Bones About It: Osteoporosis & Massage Therapy
Learn about osteoporosis, fracture risk, treatment options, and how to make informed massage therapy decisions.

JUNE 17
Head Games: Massage Therapy & Headaches
Explore common types of headaches and migraines, contributing factors, treatment options, and massage therapy considerations.

AUGUST 19
Back to ABCs: Hepatitis & Massage Therapy
Understand hepatitis A, B, and C, including transmission, treatment, and what massage therapists need to know.

SEPTEMBER 16
The Pain Puzzle: Chronic Pain & Massage Therapy
Explore pain science and practical ways to apply critical thinking when working with clients experiencing chronic pain.

OCTOBER 21
Power Surges & Emotional Tsunamis: Menopause & Massage Therapy
Learn about perimenopause and menopause, common symptoms, management options, and massage therapy considerations.

NOVEMBER 18
Sweet Success: Diabetes & Massage Therapy
Understand diabetes, its complications and treatments, and how to make informed decisions about massage therapy

.

Pathology doesn’t always come neatly packaged in a textbook.

Your clients bring real health histories, complicated questions, unexpected symptoms, medications, diagnoses, and situations that require you to think beyond a checklist.

Practical Pathology: Real Questions, Real Answers gives you the opportunity to explore those questions directly with Ruth Werner in a small-group, interactive learning environment.

Across 10 live 90-minute webinars, you’ll explore conditions and health topics that massage therapists encounter in real-world practice—and learn how to apply pathology knowledge to clinical decision-making.

This Isn’t Just a Lecture.

Each session begins with a focused presentation from Ruth Werner covering the essential pathology, signs and symptoms, treatment approaches, and considerations for massage therapy.

Then the conversation opens up.

Bring your questions. Bring your challenging cases. Bring the things you’ve always wondered about.

Ruth incorporates participant questions into the presentation, creating an interactive experience where your questions can become part of the learning for the entire group.

With 20 participants per session, you’ll have meaningful opportunities to participate, ask questions, and learn from the experiences and perspectives of other massage therapists.

Participants will be able to…

• Identify and describe the definition, demographics, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and common treatment options for each of the conditions under discussion
• Discern the variables that inform clinical decision-making for massage therapy for each of the conditions under discussion
• Describe risks and benefits of massage therapy for each of the conditions under discussion

In this lively 3-hour class we will address some of the most common mental health and mood disorders seen in our culture today.

In addition to reviewing some of the pathophysiology and contributing factors to mental health and mood-related conditions, we will discuss common conventional treatment options, and what we know about how massage therapy can have the most positive impact for clients who live with these challenges.

In alignment with the newest edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), this class will examine various types of depression, bipolar disease, anxiety disorders, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and others as time allows.

The research about the positive effects of massage for mood disorders is strong and consistent, and it is our responsibility to deliver the safest, and most compassionate, and most effective massage therapy our clients can ask for. Don’t miss this chance to learn more about the conditions that affect your clients’ lives: you’ll be a better therapist for it!

Participants will be able to…

• Identify and describe the definition, demographics, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and common treatment options for each of the conditions under discussion
• Discern the variables that inform clinical decision-making for massage therapy for each of the conditions under discussion
• Describe special communication skills that are especially important for clients who live with mental and mood disorders
• Describe risks and benefits of massage therapy for each of the conditions under discussion

In this lively 2-hour class we will discuss why the strategy of “getting a doctor’s note” (or clearance, or permission) to work with clients who have complicated health challenges is not useful. Then we will use sample templates to initiate conversations that get us what we really need: relevant information so we can do our work safely

Participants will be able to…

• Explain why the strategy of “getting a doctor’s note” is not useful.
• Compare the concepts of “scope of practice”, “standard of care” and “code of ethics”
• Initiate HIPAA-compliant conversations with healthcare providers to support safe and effective clinical decisions.
• Use sample templates to support conversations with healthcare providers.
• Empower clients to be engaged and involved in discussions with their healthcare team.

This lively 90-minute class will take a close look at the issue of diabetes, with special emphasis on pathophysiology, complications, and the many, many ways this disease must inform massage therapy strategies and clinical decision-making for the best possible outcomes.

Participants will be able to…

• Briefly describe the pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus
• List and explain the major complications of incompletely treated diabetes mellitus
• Predict the risks and benefits that a client with diabetes might present, and structure a session to maximize benefits while minimizing risks