BYRON THAI MASSAGE SCHOOL
COURSES

ABOUT THE COURSE

This course brings to Australia the hands-on techniques taught by ITM and the Old medical hospital in Chiang Mai. It provides students with the practical skills to perform the Art of Thai Yoga Massage in the traditional Northern style of Thailand, but with the addition of a very specific understanding on how to use the body, the weight, the pressure.
The focus, through the course, in fact, is on the practitioner's postural alignment and the use of correct
body-weight so to avoid injury and make the massage even more pleasant for the receiver.

Thanks to the Pilates and Yoga knowledge accumulated through years of personal practice, teaching and massage experience, Valentina has been able to break down each massage exercise and create a unique course manual full of detailed drawings; precise pictures and instructions; anatomical and therapeutic references, which make extremely easy to understand, study and remember the sequence once back home.

The use of Western anatomical terms will be kept to a minimum, as students are encouraged to be in touch with their feelings and develop their intuitive sense, but a few initial pages of the manual will be emailed, as a pre-study, a few weeks before course commencement.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

1st week:
Level I - Basic Thai Massage (40 hrs, 5 days)

On the first day of the program, students will be introduced to the philosophy of Thai Massage, the working rules, precautions, techniques (using of palms, thumbs, feet, elbows and knees) and correct practitioner's body positioning.
During the first week, students will learn how to move and unblock energy in the body through feet work, energy line work (meridians) of the legs and arms, pressure points and stretches. Special emphasis is on leg work and leg stretches, for the hips and hamstrings and the mobilization of the joints.
A simple, but extremely deep and powerful technique for the abdominal work, or internal organ massage, is learnt to unlock the energy in the core/Hara of the body.
All students will learn to perform a complete massage on the front part of the body (feet to neck).

2nd week:
Level II - Nuad Bo-Rarn (40 hrs, 5 days)

The second week will guide students through the use of reflexology, energy line work, pressure points and stretches on different positions: client laying on the side, back and sitting. Similar techniques are learnt on different positions to allow massage on pregnant women, injured, or simply to create variations of treatment.
Main acupressure points are introduced for therapeutic treatments.
Special emphasis is on the whole back and shoulders, through meridian work and stretches, spinal twists and many different back bends, so to improve flexibility of the whole spine. Pelvis mobilization, hip points, safe quads and psoas stretches and more are all part of this second week. The program closes with the pressure points of the face massage.
At the end of the second week, students will have all information to perform a full body Thai Yoga massage of up to 3hrs long.

3rd week:
Supervised practice of levels I and II (40 hrs, 5 days)

This week focuses on consolidating and integrating what has been taught in Levels I + II.
Students are given the chance to practice the sequence over and over with each other and the teacher.
They will deepen their experience of how Thai Massage feels to give and receive; learn from feedback; memorize movements, stretches and sequences; fine tune their movements, pressure, use of the body weight etc.
It is a great chance for students to focus on their own body, posture and techniques.
On the last day students will prepare few different 2hrs sequences (ex: lower back pain and shoulder and neck pain treatment) to perform in a final test.

REQUIREMENTS

Students on the course will be required to bring comfy, soft, lightweight clothing such as t-shirts and loose fitting pants with no pochets or side zips. Please bring to class both a singlet (for when you are working) and a t-shirt (for when you are receiving).

If you own a yoga mat, please bring your own.

Sequence manual, workbook, notes and charts will be provided. Students will need to bring their own note pad, colored pens, pencils and highlighters.
A passport size photo will be required for filing purposes, please bring one with you, if you already have it.

ACCREDITATIONS

Byron Thai Massage School is accredited by:
The Massage Association of Australia Inc. (MMA)
The Oriental Health Practitioner Association of Australia (OHPAA)

Graduates of the 3 week intensive course are eligible for their Memberships. This quailifies students for Insurance cover. The certificate of attendance is awarded only on completion of Level I + II + Practice week (120 hrs).

Byron Thai Massage School is also accredited by the Australian Traditional Medicine Society Ltd (ATMS) and Australian Association of Massage Therapist Ltd (AAMT) for Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

COURSE SCHEDULE

NB: 3 hours lunch break in the middle of the day is planned in winter to allow students to enjoy Byron Bay's beautiful beaches, sun and warm winter weather.

*Click here to read about the Course Assistants and Yoga teachers.

AFTER THE COURSE

This 3-week intensive course will give you all the practical knowledge you need to start practicing Thai Massage. How long it will take you before you feel ready to start charging clients is up to you. Each person's ability to retain information and apply it is unique.
My suggestion is that you finish the course, and then practice as much as you can on as many people as possible. Only you will know when you are ready to start charging for your work.

• By cheque or money order:
  payable to Valentina Gombi, sent to Byron Thai Massage School, 76 Sunrise Blvd, Byron Bay, NSW Australia.

• Or by direct deposit:
  into the account of Valentina Gombi, BSB: 062 514 Account Number: 10156880 Commonwealth Bank, 56 Jonson St, Byron Bay NSW 2481 Australia.
  Please make sure to put your surname in the ‘To transaction Description'.

COURSE FEE

A $400 deposit is to be paid upon registration to book a place in the course. The remainder of the fee must be paid in full prior to the commencement of the course. If the deposit is not received at least 5 weeks before the commencement of the course, a student's place may be offered to someone on a waiting list.

Full Fee - $2100 (including deposit), applies within 30 days of course commencement.

Early Bird 1* – Fee: $1800 (including deposit), paid in full at least 60 days prior to course commencement.

Early Bird 2* - Fee: $1950 (including deposit), paid in full at least 31 days prior to course commencement.

* Early bird discounts require fees to be paid in full as per the discount periods above.

CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY

In case of cancellation:
a) before 30 days of course commencement, the student will receive a full refund of all money paid, minus an administration fee of $150.
b) within 30 of course commencement, the student will loose their deposit; any other payments will be refunded.
c) within 7 days of course commencement, the student will receive no refund.

In case of withdrawal after course commencement, the student will receive no refund.

In case of cancellation due to compassionate circumstances a student may: