Boundaries, Self-Care, and Meditation

This 3 day course will address research based holistic approaches for the practitioner wishing to broaden their approach to wellness and pain management in their practice. Participants will learn manual techniques that broaden the intuitive and receptive use of their hands. Learning new strategies to preserve their own energy, wellness and passion while practicing appropriate self- care and boundaries will lead to helpful relationships with complex patients.

This course will decipher what is anecdotal and what the research supports. This course will focus on: mind-body medicine, meditation, neural down regulation, increasing patient’s perceived locus of control, essential oils, yoga, external manual techniques to support and regulate the nervous system, pain theory, cognitive reframing and how to talk to patients about pain, provider boundaries and self- care. Providers will learn techniques to address the whole patient: mind, body, and spirit.

Instruction will include decision making strategies to decide which intervention is most likely to be received well with different types of patients. The course will be a balance of lecture and labs. Lab activities will include meditation and mindfulness activities, dialogue practice, manual techniques and practice instructing and integrating techniques effectively within a treatment session, in a timely manner.

Please begin the pre-course reading and home program of meditation exercises at least one month prior to the course, as listed in the course assignments attached. Participants who do the reading in advance and take time to begin the meditation work two months prior the course experience a deeper, richer, transformative experience prior to and during the weekend experience.

Audience:

This continuing education seminar is targeted to physical therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapist assistants, registered nurses, nurse midwives, and other rehabilitation professionals. Content is not intended for use outside the scope of the learner's license or regulation. Physical therapy continuing education courses should not be taken by individuals who are not licensed or otherwise regulated, except, as they are involved in a specific plan of care.

Assignments:

Please begin your meditation practice.  You will need to download the CD, “Meditations for Pelvic Health” from google play or itunes.  You can also search “Nari Clemons”. The CD is also available at Amazon, Current Tech, or Current Medical Technologies.  The downloaded form makes it easier to catch your 10 minute daily meditation during lunch at work, or wherever you have your phone.  Using earbuds will enhance the experience, as the music has binary beats that balance the two sides of the brain.  Please find the self practice logs at this link.   We would like you to use tracks 1-7 each three times before the course.  This way, at the course, we can dive deeper and work more on application into your practice, as you will have familiarity with each technique and how it affects you.  Please start sooner than later, trying to get a sitting in each day. 

Please order Self Care for the Self Aware by David Markowitz.  It is around $9 from online retailers.  Please read pages 3- 40.   We will use this pre-reading as a jumping point for conversations and discussions.  As you read, please take a few notes on whose stuff you are owning and what comes up when you think of giving it back to them.  Again, please enjoy the experience and read slowly enough to process the information and let it work through you, rather than doing it all the night before.  Let the transformation process begin now!