Continuing Education

Trauma shows up in bodywork more often than we’re taught to recognize.
This in-person, experiential ethics course supports massage therapists, bodyworkers, and healers in learning how to meet trauma responses with clarity, safety, and ethical confidence — without burning out or overextending themselves.

Trauma is not something that only appears in therapy rooms — it often shows up quietly on the massage table, through the nervous system, the breath, or the body’s protective responses.

As massage therapists and bodyworkers, we are already working with trauma physiology — whether we have the language for it or not.

This 8-hour, in-person ethics course offers a grounded, embodied understanding of trauma and the nervous system, and how to apply trauma-informed principles ethically and practically within massage therapy sessions.

Rather than focusing solely on rules or compliance, this course emphasizes relational ethics, nervous system awareness, and presence — supporting both client safety and practitioner sustainability.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this 8-hour course, you will be able to:

• Define trauma and understand its effects on the nervous system and body

• Recognize trauma responses that may arise during massage sessions

• Apply trauma-informed principles directly to bodywork and touch

• Create a safe, supportive therapeutic environment for trauma survivors

• Respond ethically and appropriately when trauma responses occur

• Strengthen consent, boundaries, and ethical decision-making

• Develop self-care strategies to reduce burnout and compassion fatigue

This course is experiential, reflective, and grounded in real-world practice.