Massage For The Breast Cancer Client

Date: Jan 22, 2022 - Jan 23, 2022
Time: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Bookings are closed for this event.


Rebecca Smith, LMT, LLCC
$480
12 CEs NCBTMB/NY Certified

Online bookings are not available for this class, please see registration info below.


Prerequisite: Introduction to Oncology Massage
Contact michael@catanyc.com to register

This course is designed to guide massage therapists through the critical thought process needed to offer safe and effective touch therapy to clients with breast cancer.

Through lecture and discussion, participants will receive an overview of the basic pathophysiology of breast cancer, including the concepts of disease progression and staging. Lecture material will include identifying the types of breast cancer, standard treatment approaches, and the physical/emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Discussion will include identifying postural imbalances and common complaints post diagnosis, surgery, radiation treatment, and more. Discussion will also include the interdisciplinary team approach to care.

Hands-on instruction and practice will focus on palpation, assessment, and massage techniques for addressing the muscles and fascia of the targeted area in a focused and specific way. Therapists will learn how to help clients restructure their holding patterns to generate pain relief, fluidity, and ease of movement.

Therapists will leave the class with tools to critically think through all the information provided by the client and design a safe, effective, therapeutic massage treatment.

This course is appropriate for licensed massage therapists who are considering entering the field of oncology massage, whether in a paid hospital-based position or a volunteer capacity. It is also designed to help support LMTs in private practice who may encounter serious breast cancer-related issues in the course of working with clients.

Rebecca Smith, LMT, LLCC, is a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Lymphedema Therapist (LLCC), NCBTMB recognized oncology massage specialist, holding a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and an AS in Occupational Sciences from the Swedish Institute in NYC.

In 2011 Rebecca joined NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center’s Integrative Health team as a Senior Massage Therapist and Senior Lymphatic Therapist, providing Lymph Drainage Therapy and CranioSacral Therapy treatments in the Integrative Health clinic and massage to patients during their chemotherapy infusions. In 2014, she was a collaborator in the initial creation of the Oncology Massage Training program, a founding faculty member after the program partnered with CATA in 2015, and served as the program’s Oncology Studio Director overseeing procedures and protocols. She joined Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Integrative Medicine Service (2016-2020) as a specialty therapist addressing lymphedema, post-mastectomy pain syndrome, axillary web syndrome, radiation fibrosis, and post-mantle field sequelae.

Rebecca is a Managing Partner at Advanced Massage Specialty Group, Inc.  Her private practice, Body Craft Massage Therapy, PLLC, focuses on treating lymphedema and oncology patients during all stages of treatment and recovery.

Registration / Cancellation Policies