Please note, this is the LIVE WEBINAR version of this course.  NCBTMB approved Continuing Education course.

8 CE - The Science of Touch examines what happens beneath therapeutic touch by exploring sensory processing, neuroscience, mental health, pain, stress physiology, and psychoneuroimmunology. The course translates scientific concepts into practical considerations for massage therapists while emphasizing evidence-informed practice and appropriate scope. Participants learn to distinguish plausible mechanisms from unsupported claims and apply scientific concepts to communication, session planning, and client education.  This is the LIVE WEBINAR version of this course.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain basic sensory pathways involved in the experience of touch.
2. Describe major physiological and psychological factors that influence touch perception.
3. Explain the difference between pain and nociception and identify major contributors to pain.
4. Describe relationships among stress, the nervous system, endocrine function, and immune function.
5. Identify appropriate scope-of-practice considerations when discussing mental health and physiological mechanisms.
6. Evaluate massage-related claims using basic evidence-literacy principles.
7. Apply science concepts to client communication and individualized massage planning.
8. Distinguish established evidence, emerging evidence, and unsupported claims when discussing therapeutic touch.