Create Balance
Colon Hydrotherapy Lymphedema Therapy
Massage • Yoga • Wellness
Continuing Education
Create Balance offers a variety of continuing education classes for Massage Therapists.
See our classes below and register soon, space is limited!
Meet the Instructors
Russell Afflerbach, LMT, NCMT, PDMT
Teaches: Thai Yoga Massage
Bio: Russell is a Pfrimmer Therapist and a certified teacher and a
practitioner of the prestigious Lotus Palm School of Thai Yoga Massage.
He is a nationally certified massage therapist and nationally certified
instructor for Thai Yoga Massage. As former owner and director of the
Alburtis Neuromuscular Institute, Russell uses his 22 plus years of
experience and training to provide you with the best techniques to use in
your practice - immediately.
Bio: Jim has been practicing massage since 1992 and started
teaching at the Pennsylvania Institute of Massage in 1996. In 2006, he
opened the Academy of Massage and Bodyworks in Pottstown, PA. He
also owns Rapunzel’s Salon and Spa which has been operating since 1999.
He has been trained in myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy,
cranial sacral, advanced pregnancy, Lomi Lomi massage, and many more
modalities. Jim started Forearm Fusion in 2015 after recognizing the need
for therapists to save their hands and thumbs from strain and repetitive
injuries.
Jim Funk, LMT
Teaches: Forearm Fusion & Lomi Lomi
Bio: Judy Rose Seibert became captivated by Trager® work in 1995, and has been a Practitioner for over 26 years. After many years of teaching Introductory workshops in the Washington DC area, and tutoring students in the Trager Approach, she became an Instructor in 2014. Her practice is located in Lewes, DE. Judy Rose's delight in teaching extends back many years. She taught biological science at Sidwell Friends School, in Washington, DC for eight years, and adult dance classes for a decade. She loves anatomy and is fascinated with the complexities and mystery of the human body/mind, and the new discoveries of neuroscience. She holds a degree in Biological Science.
Judy Rose Seibert, LMT
Teaches: Trager®
Chelsea Adams-Cook, LMT
Teaches: Nurturing the Mother® & Reflexology
Bio: Chelsea has been a Maryland Licensed Massage Therapist since 2012. She received her Associates Degree in Massage Therapy and is currently continuing her education to become an Acupuncturist.
Since graduating Chelsea has become certified in Prenatal/Postpartum, Fertility, Reflexology and Hot Stone Massage. The first continuing education class Chelsea took was Claire’s Nurturing the Mother® Pregnancy and Postpartum and she fell in love with the work. Chelsea has worked on building her business to help mothers through their pregnancy and beyond. Since then, she has studied fertility massage with Claire and is so grateful to be helping women throughout their journey from conception to birth. Chelsea is excited to be able to teach Claire Marie Miller’s Seminars and share all the knowledge that she has gained with others.
Raizelah Bayen, LMT
Teaches: Acupressure & Table Shiatsu
Bio: Raizelah Bayen has been a practicing healing artist for over 30 years, offering both Acupressure and Massage Therapy sessions, as well as instruction in yoga, massage and wellness. With axillary training in both aromatherapy and herbology, her approach to health is well-rounded and holistic with an integrative, responsive to a client's individual needs, and always in service of embodied awareness.
Raizelah is passionate about teaching, and has trained massage therapists for over 20 years, teaching not only skills, but also how to deliver compassionate touch with presence. Her education provides the foundation and instruction needed by massage therapists who envision blossoming into integrative health care by weaving tools from Chinese Medicine into Massage Therapy. Raizelah's classes are holistic in nature, empowering you with skills to combine Meridian Massage, Acupressure and Aroma Acutouch Therapy with any bodywork modality.
Class Overview
Thai Yoga Massage
Thai Yoga Massage on a table expands your business to a whole new world of clientele while helping to take even better care of your body. It brings the incredible benefits of Thai Yoga Massage including joint mobilization, profound relaxation and energy work to the comforts of a massage table. You will learn a full 1 1/2 hour massage sequence that incorporates all of the essential practices of Table Thai Yoga Massage.
Forearm Fusion
Forearm Fusion was designed to teach the massage therapist how to use maximum pressure with minimal effort and strain, preventing repetitive use injuries and burnout. The 1-day Forearm Fusion course will teach new and seasoned therapists foundations for improving body mechanics and how to use all aspects of the forearm and elbow. These techniques will allow the therapist to provide their client with a custom massage without using their hands or thumbs.
Lomi Lomi
Lomi Lomi is a traditional massage from Hawaii. The energy generated from a Lomi Lomi massage lulls the client into a peaceful and tranquil state, perfect for any spa environment. The practitioner uses their hands and forearms to create ironing, circling and soothing movements that feel like a ocean wave or tropical breeze. Proper body mechanics and strength-saving techniques will be taught as well.
Trager
Trager work uses gentle, pleasant rocking and stretching movements to lull the body and mind into a profound state of deep relaxation. During a session the client’s body is supported and moved in a way that feels enjoyable and safe. The practitioner will be taught to use wave-like movements and rocking to enhance the client's fluidity and comfortable range of movement, lulling into deep relaxation.
Nurturing the Mother
Nurturing the Mother® has certified 1000s of massage therapists in pregnancy and postpartum massage since 1990. This method utilizes a comfortable, secure side-lying position to avoid undue pressure on a growing abdomen and the lower back. Mothers are completely supported by pillows, keeping hip, knee and ankle on the same level to avoid pulling on the sacroiliac joint and to maximize blood and lymph circulation. Side-lying is the safest for mother and baby, and educates the client about the ideal sleeping position. This course also includes: Postpartum massage protocol, Anatomy and physiology for pregnancy, and Cautions and contraindications for pregnancy. LMT's are supported with marketing material to promote new skills.
Acupressure Points
Acupressure Potent Points for Common Complaints - Acupressure is the Chinese healing art of restoring balance to Chi (lifeforce energy) to optimize health. In this introduction to Acupressure course, you will learn more than the fundamentals. You will learn Potent Points and Acupressure sequences to address: shoulder and neck tension, headaches, insomnia, stress, low backache, sciatica, and fatigue. You will learn Chinese Massage techniques that will integrate with any massage modality to activate the points. Additionally, you will discover the power of Jin Shin, an Acupressure technique that is gentle on your body, but works deeply on your clients. This course is a recommended pre-requisite for Table Shiatsu to give you the skills to tailor your Shiatsu massage session to the individual needs of your client.
Japanese Shiatsu
Japanese Shiatsu for the Western World - Shiatsu is a style of pressure point massage that developed in Japan, based on principles of Chinese Medicine. Regulating the circulation of Chi through the Meridian pathways of the body is foundational in the Chinese approach to health. Tension, pain and disease are seen as a manifestation of Chi disharmony, while the remedy is directed at restoring its smooth flow.
In Japanese Table Shiatsu, you will learn pressure point massage techniques and passive stretches aimed at building and regulating Chi flow through the Meridian pathways to promote health and vitality. This course is complemented by Acupressure's Potent Points for Common Complaints to give you the skills to tailor your Shiatsu massage session to the particular needs of your client.
Integrative Reflexology
Integrative Reflexology® - Integrative Reflexology® is a foot and hand reflexology training that is designed to be a modality of massage and bodywork therapies. This method is a whole hand technique that is easier for the therapist to give and more enjoyable for the client to receive. In this foundational certification course you will learn the basic techniques of foot and hand reflexology through the 4-Theory Approach. The four theories include Structural Alignment Theory, Zone Theory, Meridian Theory, and Psychoneuroimmunology Theory.
Benefits of an Integrative Reflexology® session: A deeply relaxing and therapeutic response; Increased digestive response and constipation relief; Sinus Drainage, perhaps while still in session; Decreased bronchi and lung congestion; Endocrine and Organ stimulation; Uterine reflex stimulation can help to bring on overdue babies or late menses, and can relieve symptoms of PMS; Reduced muscular tension in the neck, shoulders, elbow, hips, sciatic area, and spine; Reduced swelling in the feet and lower limbs; Increased lymphatic nerve and blood circulation; Kidney stones have been reported to pass with the stimulation of the kidney reflexes. Many clients report they are relaxed as if they had a full body massage.