Fun, creative, and innovative courses to keep your practice and your energy going!
You need CE credits to keep your license…but you shouldn’t have to travel a long distance to get them.
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Port Townsend School of massage offers courses so you can get your credits close to home. Not only that–we want to truly add value to your practice.
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That’s why we’re always working to create fresh and fun courses that will increase your knowledge, save your hands, and help you bring in new clients!
Upgrade Your Technique
​Enhance your knowledge and offerings by learning new techniques.
Stand out from the crowd by staying on the cutting edge of massage techniques​.
Take pride in offering your clients a diverse array of therapeutic options.
Revitalize Your Practice
Freshen up the look, feel, and energy throughout your business.
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Attract new clients by offering newer, more diverse options in massage therapy.
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Retain clientele through your ability to offer continual and increased value to their lives.
Energize Your Life
Get your groove back! There’s a reason you went into massage–rediscover that passion!
Take charge of your future by continuing to improve your practice.
Regain your confidence knowing that you are offering the best that’s available in massage therapy.
Upcoming Classes for 2026​
As of October 1, 2025, a new Washington State law (ESSB 5814) will apply sales tax to “live presentations.” This definition has been interpreted to include continuing education class that are live/in-person.
Remember, we have moved to a new space at 2219 W. Sims Way here in PT, located between the roundabouts. So much more access and PARKING! We look forward to seeing you in class!
CPR Classes
Continuing Education
CPR classes are held intermittently during the year.
Stay Tuned for Next Class
9AM to 1:30PM
4 Credit Hours
2 Year Certification / First Aid Credential
$100
Call 360-349-4066 or email info@massageeducation.com for information
Introduction to Asian Theory and Practice
Continuing Education
Mary Lakes
9AM to 6PM
May 2 & 3, Saturday - Sunday
16 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$300
The Traditional Chinese Medical model views the body as a field of energy.
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Within this field, the energy moves through channels called meridians. When the energy is flowing freely throughout the body, there is health. When the energy flow is block, the area above the block “pools”, jams up and grows stagnant.
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Tradition Asian Healing systems are guided by holistic thought and are a study of health…how to maintain, support and preserve it. A balanced flow of energy throughout the body is key to health. Pain is viewed as a blockage of flow in a specific area.
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The modalities explored in Introduction to Asian Theory and Practice are from traditions thousands of years old that share common theoretical concepts. Tuina (Chinese Medical Massage) is the ancient massage of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shiatsu is the Japanese system of bodywork. Traditional Thai Massage is another hands on practice that dates back approximately 2,500 years. Qigong offers a personal tool for practitioners to bring themselves into a balanced state of well being from which to work.
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The techniques demonstrated and practiced in this workshop can easily be integrated into any style of bodywork!
Call or email for information
Manual Lymph Drainage
Continuing Education
Kelly Jo Webster
This is an intensive 3 day class with lots of information AND a clinic!
9AM to 6PM
June 5, 6 & 7
$1200
EARLY BIRD registration through March 31st
After March 31st the regular price is:
Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$1400
What exactly is Manual Lymph Drainage — and why are so many massage therapists adding it to their practice?​
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MLD is a gentle, rhythmic technique that supports the body's lymphatic system — helping reduce swelling, support immune function, and promote deep relaxation. It's not your typical massage. The pressure is light, the strokes are intentional, and the results can be profound.
For clients dealing with post-operative recovery, chronic inflammation, or simply feeling "stuck" in their body — MLD can be a game changer.
And for LMTs? It's one of the most requested specialty services out there
Two Specialty Technique Classes in June
Continuing Education
Brian Utting
SPECIAL DEAL - Take BOTH classes for $320
Introduction to Visceral
and Abdominal Massage
9:30AM to 6PM
June 20, Saturday
8 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$225
June 20, 2026 - Introduction to Visceral and Abdominal Massage – 8 CE hours $225​
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The viscera are at the very core of our body, and are, along with our nervous system, a primary source of life. They are at the center of our structure, our emotions, our biochemistry, and our life energy. There are over 500 million neurons in the belly (about 5 times more than in the spinal cord), and our enteric nervous system is a primary source of our intuition and "gut" feelings.
When we are anxious or distressed, our natural instinct is to protect our soft underbelly and "stuff" emotions there, causing multilayered problems throughout the body. The smooth muscles of the gut contract, pulling on the surrounding mesentery and fascia, causing not only gut pain, but back pain. In addition, surgery can create adhesions and multi-directional disruptions in the abdominal fascia and musculature. It is ironic that this vital healing area is often overlooked in massage.
The sensitivity and vulnerability of the belly is precisely why it is so receptive to safe, calming, and nourishing touch. We can soothe the enteric nervous system and the soft underbelly, sending waves of deep relaxation throughout the entire body. We can relax the smooth muscles of the intestines, which reduces pain, improves digestive function, and eases the fascial pull in the back and other areas of the body. We can sometimes separate post-surgical adhesions, creating balance and increased ease of movement at the very core of the body.
In this class you will learn simple and effective abdominal massage techniques that are easy to integrate into your massage practice. You will learn the basic layout of some of the area's major anatomical structures and how to identify, palpate, and treat them. This class will make your abdominal work more comforting, intelligent, and effective. You will be able to help your clients achieve deeper states of relaxation, relieve pain, improve digestive function, and help free up deep structural imbalances.
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"I was expecting a belly massage class and walked away with a deep understanding of the abdomen. This class was incredible.” - KC Johnston, LMP and Doula
“I’ve been massaging forever, and I learned so much today that I will definitely use in my practice. Honestly, I will feel like I’m cheating my clients if I leave it out!” - Fryth Rasar
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These classes are uniquely structured so you can CHOOSE to take one day or both!
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Call or email for information
Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Iliopsoas, Diaphragm, and QL
10 AM to 3 PM
June 21, Sunday
5 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$135
June 21, 2026 - Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Iliopsoas, Diaphragm, and QL – 5 CE hours $135
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These muscular structures support the core--they are integral to maintaining balance, structural alignment, ease of breathing, mobility, and the ability to function without lower back pain. You will learn specific, potent, and effective Deep Tissue techniques to release the iliopsoas, diaphragm, QL, lower multifidus, and the lumbodorsal fascia.These are straightforward, muscle-specific techniques that can be immediately applied in practice, often with profound results. There will be a concise and insightful anatomy review of these structures with an eye toward fascial continuities and the functional relationships between them. We will also focus correct placement and proper use of fingers, knuckles, and elbows for optimal results and to save wear and tear on joints.
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"The techniques in this class are choice; they're easy to learn and implement, and very effective for the client.” - Kate Day
“Such an effective class for creating spaciousness in the entire trunk…I felt more movement in my breath, and more circulation.” - Sylvie Kaul-Anderson
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These classes are uniquely structured so you can CHOOSE to take one day or both!​
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Call or email for information
SPECIAL DEAL - Take BOTH classes for $320
Two Myofascial Balancing Courses
Continuing Education
Richard Polishuk, LMT, APP and Lauren
Christman, LMT, CCST
MFB for the Spinal Facet Joints
9AM to 6PM
July 18, Saturday
8 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$180
MFB for the Extremities
9AM to 6PM
July 19, Sunday
8 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$180
The Myofascial Balancing courses, each dealing with a different region of the body, are based on a few simple ideas, delivered with a good deal of experience and sophistication. Some of the ideas are:
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• Muscular stabilization is the force that organizes our bodies in gravity. Improving stabilization is at least as important as improving relaxation or mobility.
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• Our posture turns our stabilization on or off; the best thing we can do to enhance our stabilization is to improve our alignment.
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• While most practitioners learn to evaluate alignment visually, we find that much more detailed and accurate information can be gathered through palpation of standing clients. Learning to palpate in this way often radically improves students’ visual evaluation skills as well.
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• Our alignment patterns reshape our myofascial tissues into unbalanced patterns. In our classes, students learn to feel the directional imbalances in the soft tissue and to use gentle, unlubricated techniques to balance the position and mobility of the tissues. We also use stretching and other self-care strategies to reinforce this balancing effect.
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• One of the most useful services practitioners can provide is to teach clients how to improve posture and movement patterns in daily life. Students in these classes learn a clear model of posture and movement strategies designed to improve clients’ understanding of their necessary role in achieving long-term results.
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• In many cases, orthopedic problems (the ones with diagnostic labels) are simply exaggerated versions of the imbalances present in most people. In other cases, the problems have a different sort of cause (for example, osteoarthritis). It’s extremely valuable to be able to tell the difference! These classes include an overview of common orthopedic problems, including both assessment and treatment options.
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Our primary focus is assessment-driven myofascial work. The work can be directed at deep or superficial layers, as needed. The amount of force used can be varied to be comfortable and appropriate for both the client and therapist. It is also non-lubricated, so it can be done on skin, through a sheet, or through clothes. Myofascial Balancing frequently uses the skeleton as a ‘handle’ and as a guide in evaluating alignment. The work is designed to keep the loop between evaluation and treatment as short as possible, so that the practitioner remains well-oriented and therapeutic goals can be attained quickly. We teach palpatory evaluation of the client’s alignment pattern in standing, and ongoing palpatory assessment of tissue mobility on the table. We also teach simple postural and movement strategies to help clients improve alignment and usage in daily life; we believe this is a critical aspect of successful treatment.
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We (Richard and Lauren) both have long teaching backgrounds, and we’re especially excited about presenting these courses. One of the best things about the material is that the core ideas can be usefully applied in many different ways. We’ve explored the possibilities enough so that we can really have fun helping students find the applications that are exciting and practical for them.
Call or email for information
SPECIAL DEAL - Take BOTH classes for $360
Myofascial Balancing for the Pelvis & Shoulder Girdle
Continuing Education
Richard Polishuk, LMT, APP and Lauren
Christman, LMT, CCST
MFB for the Pelvis & Shoulder Girdle
9AM to 6PM each day
August 1 & 2, Saturday & Sunday
16 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$360
Balance around the middle of the body is the heart of an optimal alignment pattern.
In this course, we will evaluate and treat many elements of this balance, including: hip joint mobility; the relationship between the pelvis and femur; and alignment, in detail, of the sacrum and lumbar spine. Strategies and structures include:
• weight-bearing dynamics and common postural patterns of the pelvis on
the femurs
• intra-pelvic patterns: tilts, inflare, outflare, and torsions
• sacral balance and SI joint mobility
• vertebra-by-vertebra alignment of the lumbar spine
• contribution of nerve bundles and spinal dura to fascial strain patterns
In the orthopedic realm, we will discuss hip arthritis, sacroiliac problems and sciatica. We'll also teach strategies for stable seated and standing posture
Call or email for information
Table and Chair Shiatsu Stretches
Continuing Education
Brianna Noach, L.Ac., LMT, MSW
8:30AM to 5PM 1/2 lunch break
August 16, Sunday
8 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$150
Shiatsu is a form of bodywork developed in Japan in the 14th century and first popularized in the early 20th century. Literally translated, it means “finger pressure,” but the method is often performed using a combination of fingers, palms, elbows, forearms, knees, and feet.
Shiatsu includes stretching of the body’s joints and, depending on the style, applying pressure to specific acupressure points or along certain pathways in the body, called meridians. The goal is to identify where there are physical and energetic imbalances and, through these methods, help the body return to harmony.
Although traditionally performed on a mat, many of the techniques are translatable to being done at a massage table or in a massage chair. It is generally done with the client fully clothed. In this workshop, you will learn shiatsu table stretches that can be done with the upper and lower body in prone, supine, and side positions, as well as stretches that can be incorporated into a chair massage.
This is a stand-alone course that allows you to incorporate these stretches into any form of bodywork that you practice. Learning how to assess which meridians to work on and how to do shiatsu along the meridian pathways is a much more extensive study and not possible in a one-day class. However, you will receive some general information as to how shiatsu is practiced in its entirety, including how practitioners assess which meridians to work on and techniques used to treat the meridians.
Shiatsu is based on traditional Chinese medicine theory, which establishes that there are meridians/pathways in the body that correspond to the various functions the body engages in (e.g., walking, breathing, digestion, elimination). When acupoints and meridians are stimulated, it helps to break up any disruption to these energetic flows so that the body can more effectively accomplish these processes. Pain or discomfort in the body is an indicator of an energetic blockage, as are symptoms such as tight muscles, constrained breathing, headaches, or digestive issues. Shiatsu can help with addressing these imbalances.
Attendees will learn shiatsu-style stretches that can be incorporated into a bodywork session on a table and chair
You will learn the history and philosophy behind shiatsu as a bodywork form developed in Japan
You will learn basic information about how shiatsu practitioners assess imbalances in the body’s energy field and use the information to determine how to treat the client.
Brianna first learned shiatsu (Zen style) with Beck Stephens at the Boulder School of Massage Therapy in 1992. She continued her shiatsu studies with Lindy Ferrigno in Portland, Oregon, and later went on to study acupuncture at the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Seattle, graduating in 2001. She has been teaching at the Port Townsend School of Massage since 2004. She also taught at Peninsula College’s Massage Therapy Program (1995-2011) and at Bellevue Massage School (1998-2008).
Call or email for information
Essentials of Intraoral Work
Continuing Education
Richard Polishuk, LMT, APP and Lauren
Christman, LMT, CCST
This class is good for the endorsement for your license!
9AM to 6PM each day
August 29 & 30, Saturday & Sunday
16 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$360
Essentials of Intraoral Work This class prepares you not only to receive the state's intraoral endorsement, but also to offer your clients excellent work in intraoral and anterior neck work. In this class, we will:
• review anatomy and kinesiology of the face, anterior neck, cranial base and TMJ • increase evaluation and hands-on skills for addressing TMJ disorder, headaches, whiplash, and other musculo-skeletal problems • learn fundamental assessment and myofascial techniques to balance the jaw and anterior neck (including the hyoid sling and upper cervicals) to improve bite and chewing and to decrease stress on the TMJ • understand the consideration needed for the psychological and emotional loading of the face and mouth in order to responsibly treat emotionally-related jaw problems • learn specialized intake, charting, hygiene and client management skills that are necessary when working in such a vulnerable area Each therapist receives a detailed workbook as a reference for practice, as well as master copies of specialized chart notes and client education sheet for self-care massage. At the end of class, each therapist will receive their intraoral endorsement application form from the instructor to be submitted to the WA State Dept of Health to obtain their intraoral endorsement. Instructions are on the form and are easy to follow
Call or email for information
Craniosacral Therapy 1
Continuing Education
Steven Heinrich
9AM to 6PM each day
December 12 & 13, Saturday & Sunday
16 Credit Hours
NCBTMB approved
$399
This course will teach the practitioner highly advanced treatment skills that go far beyond the expectations for the normal weekend seminar.
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Craniosacral Therapy skills will give the health care practitioner the confidence and proficiency to develop a truly masterful touch whatever their profession.
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At the end of this advanced workshop, therapists will be able to assess the Craniosacral System and accurately and effectively treat bodily restrictions and cranial lesions with confidence and skill.
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This is an important and revolutionary work.
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Steve Heinrich, PT has been a practicing physical therapist for over 35 years and has been teaching Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release Seminars for over 30 years.
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He was a senior clinical instructor with Myofascial Release Seminars. Inc. and has studied with John Barnes, PT and the Upledger Institute for many years.
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Steve’s articles on Craniosacral Therapy have been published many times in dental, physical therapy and massage therapy journals.
Call or email for information
More classes to be announced for 2026 soon!
Want us to notify you when we have more classes?
Leave your name and email and we’ll let you know when they happen!
Important Notes:
Payment for the class is due at time of sign up. Cancellation up to14 days prior to the class, a refund, less $50 cancellation fee, will be given. If cancellation is 7 days or less, no refund will be given. We adhere to our cancellation policy strictly, as we contract with Continuing Education Instructors who travel and we need to guarantee seats are sold in order to proceed with these classes. If you call to cancel because of illness, you will be refunded the class payment, less the $50 cancellation fee.
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PTSM reserves the right to cancel a workshop at any time. If a class is cancelled, students will receive a full refund within two weeks of cancellation. No refunds or credits will be issued for students who miss portions of or fail to attend a class. If you have any further questions, please call us at (360) 379-4066. We look forward to seeing you.