RECORDED WEBINAR: Thai Steamed Herbal Compress Facial Massage: Professional Workshop for Acupuncturists

THAI STEAMED HERBAL COMPRESS FACIAL MASSAGE: PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP FOR ACUPUNCTURISTS

Thai Steamed Herbal Compress Facial Massage: on the table and on self

Professional Course for Acupuncturists. No formal CEU credit, but class description will be available along with course materials.

Materials: Class cost includes one Thai steamed herbal facial compress, which will be mailed to you as soon as you sign up for the class.

This course is best for practitioners who have a familiarity with facial work but crave a deeper engagement in fascia/ musculoskeletal work using the steamed herbal compress. The steamed herbal compress is a stellar treatment tool for many kinds of skin conditions as a topical herbal treatment, so anyone specializing in dermatology would benefit greatly from learning optimal technique in its application. This class will be a sensory delight and you will be inspired by the deep changes that happen when these treatment modality is combined with acupuncture or facial gua sha.

You will also receive a two-hour Powerpoint lecture on the theory and history of the Thai steamed herbal compress. This will form the foundation for the practical portion.

This course will address when various techniques are best used, how to adapt for differing presentations, and how to teach it to patients online or in person in a group or individual setting. This class will include a clinical treatment demo and an example one-on-one treatment demo, so you will both FEEL how to treat your own face and know how to teach it to your patients for home use. 

What will this class cover?  

This complete training in Thai steamed herbal compress facial massage technique will cover all you need to know to begin teaching it to patients in person or online, and incorporating it seamlessly into treatment plans for a wide variety of conditions and cosmetic concerns. You will understand why and how it works, when to use it, and how to educate your clientele about the many beauty benefits of a treatment course, including after-care and client self-care classes.

The Goods: 

1) Two Hour Lecture on Thai Steamed Herbal Compress Facial Massage: I teach the history and context of the use of steamed herbal compress massage in Thai Traditional Medicine, along with its development more recently in hospital settings, and relevant overlap between Thai and Chinese theory and herbs. I describe my clinical experience and how it can be easily used as a treatment modality in an acupuncture clinic or as a recommended home-care treatment for a wide variety of patients.

2) Recorded Live Video (with accompanying detailed manual):

1) Welcome and Intro to Thai steamed herbal compress massage, 30 min.

2) Discussion of herbs, how it can be used in context of an acupuncture practice, when to use it, and q + a 60 min.

3) Clinical demonstration of facial steamed herbal compress massage, 100 min.

4) Reconvene and Questions, 30 min.

5) Demonstration of how to use the herbal compress on self, 60 min.

6) Treatment planning, expectations, and other clinical considerations, 60 min.

Will this class only apply to one type of tool? Nope!

This class is aimed at the beginning-intermediate level introducing to the advanced level. This includes ease of usage of multiple varieties of tools and techniques in subtle ways that greatly influence the treatment outcome. The anatomy and theory learned in this course will benefit any acupuncturist who wants to learn about facial care broadly, and take it to the next level of detail. 

Are there specific skincare products that must be used?

No, this facial can be done with any type of lubricant such as a neutral squalane or argan oil. However, in order to individualize treatment, I encourage the use of a variety of different toners, moisturizers, masks, and pearl powder, suited to different skin and constitutional presentations. We will go over this in class, with some reference materials for further reading, including herbal formulas. 

What are the benefits?

The Thai steamed herbal compress routine consists of treatment of the decolletage, shoulders, neck, face, and scalp. This advanced class addresses body herbal compress massage in conjunction with facial compress massage for optimal results. This detailed technique combines the rigor and techniques of multiple influences and can:

• reduce wrinkles and fine lines
• tone and firm skin to help lift cheeks, neck, and chin
• diminish blemishes and dark spots; prevent acne
• brighten skin color to promote a radiant glow
• contour face, reduce puffiness
• increase collagen production and stimulate skin repair
• provide the face with greater blood flow and tissue hydration + oxygenation
• stimulate strong shifts in the channel system
• influence the parasympathetic nervous system
• relax muscles and relieve tension-related pain

The treatment effect generally takes 24-48 hours to reach peak impact, since the body continues to process the treatment and heal at night. The effect can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and with regular treatment that time span will lengthen.

Who is teaching the course? 

Beth Griffing Russell, LAc, Dipl.OM., the founder of Studio Sapaan Portland. She has worked with facial renewal industry leader Cecily Braden for over 5 years, learned Thai Traditional Massage in 2012, and learned the facial herbal compress massage technique in 2014. She then learned facial gua sha directly from Dr Ping Zhang in 2017, and has been authorized to teach Dr Zhang's protocol at the professional level. Beth began specializing in facial renewal techniques after observing the transformative effect of Thai steamed herbal compress facial work and Nefeli style facial gua sha on acupuncture clients, developing her own facial gua sha technique meticulously in a clinical setting for the past 3 years. She is a natural teacher and will go to great lengths to make sure that each student grasps the technique with confidence.

Beth is a graduate of Reed College (BA, 2005) and the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (Mac[O]M, 2011), and received Thai Traditional Massage Certification from Wat Pho Chetawon School of TTM in Bangkok 2012. She also has advanced training in Connective Tissue Massage, Shiatsu (Zen and Quantum) and Sotai (Japanese movement and breath work).