CE Courses

How do the ribs rotate?
How does the rib cage dictate the movement of the thoracic spine?
How do we work with Asthmatics within the physical and emotional material that arises from the chest?

Together the respiratory diaphragm and rib cage guide the spinal dynamics of the thoracic curve, encase the vital organs of the lung and heart, govern our sense of self and space, and is moved by the vital lumbo-dorsal hinge.

Although our thoracic body contains 38 joints and various highly mobile connective tissues, we often do not account for the specific elements that allow the tensegrity of these structures to inspire.

Jesse will guide you through specific work with the respiratory diaphragm including ideas for rib/facet release, sternoclavicular work, breathwork and breathing assessment along with upper psoas, abdominal visceral and lung release. He will share his insights regarding the diaphragm as well as perspective on the possible impacts and goals achievable through advanced diaphragm work.

Date & Time:

November 13-14, 2026
Friday-Saturday, 9am-6pm

Cost:

$400 Early Bird Special until Oct. 12th
After that, full price is $450
Payment plan available until Oct. 12th. Sales tax not included in price.

CE Hours:

16 CEs (2 Ethics)

Instructor:

Jesse Guerrero— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Lead Instructor and Co-Director of the Soma Institute

Applied Tuning Fork Therapy for Structural Integration & Massage with Leah Grossman

This class is for bodyworkers and massage therapists who want access to a tool that often works with more speed and finesse than working with manual pressure alone. For those who are curious about the influence of planetary medicine with the body/mind, this class is an essential building block in the world of energy medicine and frequency healing. These gentle and profound tools make immediate change to the physical and emotional bodies.

In this course you will learn:

• Why tuning forks work, and how they enhance bodywork and massage
• The role of frequency and resonance in emotional and structural healing
• History and development of planetary tuning forks
• Structural vs. energetic applications in bodywork
• Using planetary intervals to support balance and flow
• How to work with acupressure points as well as patterns in the tissues (muscle, fascia, tendon, ligament, bone)
• Relieve pain and tension patterns
• Regulate the nervous system
• Improve joint mobility
• Address headaches and jaw tension
• Support emotional release safely
• Work deeply without strain – save your hands
• Track real-time changes in the body

This course will include lecture, demonstration and a trade. Please bring appropriate attire to give and receive bodywork. You must be an LMT or BCSI to attend this course.

Supplies to Bring:

• Massage table sheets
• Massage giving and receiving attire
• Whatever you use for glide (massage oil, cocoa butter)
• Acutonics® Tuning Forks are available to purchase before the class, or you can bring your own forks if you have them—forks that are weighted at the top are preferred. Please contact Leah if you have questions.
• You are not required to buy tuning forks to attend this class—Leah will have one of each kind of fork with her that you can borrow during the class.

Date & Time:

March 20, 2027
Saturday, 9am-5pm

Price:

$200 Early Bird Special until Feb 26th, $225 full price

CE Hours:

7 CEUs each

Instructor:

Leah Grossman—Certified Advanced Soma Practitioner, LMT, Licensed Hypnotherapist Leah Grossman has been doing massage and energy medicine since 1992.  Leah is a graduate from the Brian Utting School of Massage, and is also a Certified Advanced Soma Structural Integration Practitioner, BodyMind Shiatsu practitioner, Licensed Hypnotist/NLP practitioner, Theta Healing practitioner, and Reiki Master. A passion of Leah’s is to help her clients understand what the body is trying to communicate with the conscious mind, allowing the body to be understood, witnessed, and honored in its requests. www.somamassagebellingham.com

Past Courses

Past Course—Understanding Health Equity for Bodyworkers with Nirvana Kelly Scott

Advancing health equity as bodyworkers and healthcare practitioners is worthwhile and achievable. In this course, you will have space to explore how structural forces, such as bias, racism, and poverty, shape health outcomes, and collaborate on what to do to cultivate more equitable healthcare practices.

This course is intended to provide you as a massage therapist or bodyworker with grounded guidance and the relevant knowledge and skills to advance health equity in your own practice. Together we’ll examine how social and economic conditions shape health, identify the roots of health inequities, practice using inclusive language, and develop strategies you can adapt to your own clients and context.

Expect reflection, realistic scenarios, and collective problem-solving. All are welcome!

This course meets and exceeds Washington’s Health Equity continuing education requirement (RCW 43.70.613).

CE Hours:

4 Health Equity CEUs

Instructor:

Nirvana Kelly Scott, M.Ed.

Nirvana Kelly Scott is a public school educator and consultant. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology. She has worked for several years in Atlanta, GA, as an antiracist educator in K-12 school settings and with nonprofit organizations, including Pace Academy, where she served as Director of Equity and Inclusion. She recently completed a Master’s in Teaching at the University of Washington.

Past Course—Craniofacial Harmony: Systemic Relationships, Breath and Posture

Is tongue posture affecting the structure of your client’s mouth? How do allergies relate to forward head posture? Could these hidden details be the key to success in your clients with complex craniofacial disorders? And, what’s all the hype about nasal breathing and lip taping?

Kelsi Giswold and Jesse Guerrero will guide you in an exploration of the structural ramifications of tongue and lip position, head posture, nose vs. mouth breathing, and TMJ pathologies seeking to deepen our understanding of intraoral work. We will refine our palpation, assessment and treatment skills as well as learn specific movement education pieces that can be directly applied to our clients day to day experience. Important ethical considerations will be discussed for working in the mouth and nose as well. This course will deepen your skill, confidence and knowledge around this vital and influential part of the human being.

CE Hours:

16 CEs (2 Ethics)
This course is open to all massage and Structural Integration Practitioners that already hold an Intraoral Endorsement. Prerequisite WA Intraoral Endorsement.

Instructors:

Kelsi Giswold— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Co-Director and Instructor- Soma Institute
Jesse Guerrero— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Co-Director and Instructor- Soma Institute

This course meets Oregon and Washington state massage CEU requirements. For other states, please check your state requirements.

Past Course—Becoming Whole: Integrating the “Soma”
Exploring the essentials of body psychology, client relationships and self-integration.

How can we be more present while we work? How can, and does, our internal presence change the connection with our clients and the container for their transformations? What does Integration really mean and how can we support our clients (and selves) in finding it? Where does trauma and “emotional releases” fit in? Join us for four days of deep exploration, connection and awe.

Instructors:
Jesse Guerrero— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Co-Director and Instructor- Soma Institute
Jennifer Lovejoy— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Creator of the Embodied Presence Mastery Program & Practitioner Training
Kelsi Giswold— L.M.T., Advanced Soma Practitioner, Co-Director and Instructor- Soma Institute

CEUs: 32 hours (4 Ethics)

This course fulfills 1 of the 3 Core Modules required for the Advanced Certificate.

This course meets Oregon and Washington state massage CEU requirements. For other states, please check your state requirements.

Past Course—Ethics of Diversity: Naming our Isms
Visiting Teacher: Gracielx Lopez, Raiz Therapeutics

Do you feel a sense of something missing in your practice as far as how you can better support your community in your bodywork practice? Do you hope to learn tools to better serve your BIPOC and Transgender clients, and those with disabilities and bodies of size?

If so, I invite you to take Ethics of Diversity, Naming our Isms, a unique CEU course opportunity, as Gracielx will be coming all the way from NM to invite us to:

• Follow the lead of brilliant somatic, Racial and Disability Justice educators such as Resmaa Menakem, Sonya Renee Taylor, Layla Saad, Prentis Hemphill, and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna- Samarasinha.
• Look inwards to discover how bias has shaped our beliefs and nervous systems.
• Co-Create and practice somatic tools and resources to shift the ways racism & bias shows up in our physical bodies.

CE Hours: 4 NCBTMB approved Ethics CEUs
Open to all LMTs and bodyworkers.
Visiting Instructor:
Gracielx Lopez, Raiz Therapeutics (they/them/elle)

(Course not affiliated with the Soma Institute or its programs)

Washington Board of Massage Therapy

It is the responsibility of the Licensee to select CE courses that meet the Washington Board of Massage Therapy requirements for CEs, outlined in WAC 246-830-475, as the Board does not approve or pre-approve continuing education courses.

Refund Policy

Exposures or Illness:

• If an attendee is exposed or sick with Covid or another contagious illness within 10 days of the workshop they will be asked to stay home and be issued a full refund.
• If an attendee becomes sick or exposed after they have begun attending, then their registration will be transferred to another, future workshop, to be taken within 2 years.

General Cancellations:

• Cancellation made greater than 30 days before the start of the course—90% of payment refund.
• Cancellations made between 30 days and 12 days before the start of the course—50% payment refund.
• Cancellation made between 12 and 0 days before the start of the course—no refund.

A minimum number of participants is required to hold the workshop, if the number is not met you will be notified and refunded 15-30 days prior to the workshop.

Course Participant Forms

Please read, no need to print, the Soma Institute Privacy Policy, found here.

The following forms must to be completed prior to attending the workshop:
Consent, Draping Waiver, & Health History Forms