Mindful Massage For Palliative And End-Of-Life Care

Date: May 21, 2022 - May 22, 2022
Time: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Felicia Newsome, LMT

Rebecca Smith, LMT, LLCC

Yvette Quintana Pascale, LMT

Lecture / Hands – On
$480

 CE hours 12,  NCBTMB / NYS-certified
Prerequisite: Introduction to Oncology Massage
Contact michael@catanyc.com to Register

Day one of this course is designed to explore the concept of empathy and the role it plays in working with cancer patients. Through lecture, discussion and example, students will explore the role boundaries play in maintaining a healthy, safe and compassion-led work environment.

Day two of this course is designed to prepare massage therapist with specialized training the ability to offer informed and compassionate end-of-life support for clients and their caregivers. Coordination with multiple partners in the care team is emphasized within development of a care plan. Lecture and discussion will acquaint students with an overview of end-of-life as it is delivered in the United States, including definitions of palliative care, end-of-life and hospice, the interdisciplinary team approach to care, and stages of dying.

Approaches to hands-on work for clients at end-of-life will be demonstrated, including session intention, session length, modified techniques and precautions.

At the end of the course, students will be able to discuss and compassionately set healthy boundaries, discuss understanding of palliative/supportive care, end-of-life and hospice, understand the roles of the interdisciplinary team, and demonstrate skill in developing a treatment plan with consideration of the setting.

Students will learn:

•  The importance empathy plays in working with cancer clients and the adverse effects when it is not a consideration in the overall cancer journey, including end-of-life
•  The importance of setting clear boundaries for working with the cancer population
•  Discuss feelings, values, attitudes and expectations on the topic of cancer, death, grief within the context of individual, family, cultural and spiritual beliefs and traditions
• Verbalize experiences of personal loss, suffering, grief and bereavement in developing appropriate professional boundaries around own experiences
• Understand ways to communicate effectively and with sensitivity with clients and families
• Describe basic principles regarding a multi-dimensional care model including, physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual needs
• Differentiate between palliative/supportive care, end-of-life and hospice
• Describe the stages of dying using clinical terminology
• Acknowledge end-of-life signs and symptoms to identify appropriate measures to alleviate suffering
• Verbalize the usefulness of touch therapies as a palliative/supportive care intervention to the interdisciplinary team
• Demonstrate skill in developing a plan for end-of-life touch therapy needs within a variety of settings to participate in the coordination of care
• Demonstrate skill in developing a plan for end-of-life touch therapy needs within a variety of settings to participate in the coordination of care

Felicia Newsome, LMT, is a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in oncology massage since 2005. She began oncology massage training at Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Integrative Medicine Center (2005 – 2011) working in both the outpatient and hospital settings. She then joined the integrative health team at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center (2009-2016) in the chemo-infusion setting, which rounded out her comprehensive clinical training. In 2014, Felicia began creating oncology massage training classes, and in 2015, partnered with the Center for Advancement of Therapeutic Arts. The mission for the oncology training program is straightforward: educate massage therapists about the latest concepts in cancer care, and facilitate the investigative, critical thinking, and communication skills necessary to work safely and effectively with cancer clients. Felicia is Managing Director of the CATA OM Training Program, and Managing Partner at Advanced Massage Specialty Group, Inc.

Rebecca Smith, LMT, LCC, 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.

Yvette Quintana Pascale, LMT is a licensed massage therapist and Reiki Master Teacher Practitioner. She is a graduate of the Swedish Institute in NYC and has been in practice for 21 years. Immediately upon graduating, she received her Perinatal Certification and in 2015 completed certification in massage for the Oncology client.  In the Spring of 2018, Yvette studied with the Liddle Kidz Foundation and became certified in Pediatric Massage Therapy.  Cumulatively, she has over 29 years of experience within the health, fitness, wellness, and medical fields.  In her more recent years, she has found her passion working primarily in palliative and end-of-life care settings.

Michael Alicia, LMT is the Founder and Director of CATA, NYC, The Center for the Advancement of Therapeutic Arts in New York City. CATA has a diverse group of healthcare practitioners in residence and operates an oncology massage studio for cancer patients at all levels of treatment and a Thai massage clinic for Thai massage enthusiasts.

Additionally, CATA is an education provider and training facility with programs in Swedish massage, Thai massage, and Oncology massage.

Michael has been a licensed massage therapist since 1992 with a practice in Manhattan. He works with oncology patients from NYC’s cancer hospitals to alleviate the impacts of cancer treatment and patients from the Broadway and ballet communities, to help with acute injury, chronic pain, stress reduction, and performance enhancement.

Michael has been a teacher of Swedish massage, shiatsu and Thai massage at the venerable Swedish Institute since 1994. He has been a visiting faculty member at the Therapeutic Massage Training Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, and teaches massage classes at CATA, his treatment and training center in Chelsea.