Please note, this is the LIVE WEBINAR version of this course.  Visit Live Classroom course to attend online. NCBTMB approved Continuing Education course.

2 CE - This Substance Abuse course provides massage therapists with a practical understanding of substance abuse, impairment, recovery, and the professional responsibilities associated with these issues in the massage therapy environment. Participants will learn to recognize common behavioral, physical, and emotional signs of possible substance abuse or impairment and review appropriate procedures for documenting concerns, maintaining client safety, and reporting an unsafe practitioner.

The course explores the physiology of addiction, trauma-informed care, and considerations for safely working with clients in recovery. Topics include nervous-system regulation, dissociation, grounding, therapeutic touch, self-awareness, professional boundaries, scope of practice, and appropriate massage modifications. Participants will also examine ethical situations involving intoxication or impairment, referral to other professionals, and the massage therapist’s role as a supportive member of a client’s recovery process without attempting to diagnose, counsel, or treat substance use disorders.

1. Recognize common behavioral, physical, and emotional signs of substance abuse and impairment.
2. Explain how addiction, trauma, and recovery can affect the nervous system, behavior, and response to therapeutic touch.
3. Apply trauma-informed massage principles and appropriate session modifications when working with clients in recovery.
4. Demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries, scope of practice, documentation, and reporting procedures related to substance abuse and impairment.
5. Identify when massage should be modified, postponed, or discontinued and when referral to an appropriate healthcare, behavioral health, or peer-assistance professional is necessary.