300-Hour CERTIFICATION IN ONCOLOGY MASSAGE

The 300-hour program is a comprehensive curriculum that includes comfort-oriented and treatment-centered bodywork approaches. Course work is presented that emphasizes safety protocols, the use of bodywork to ease the side effects of treatment, the relationship between cancer treatment and lymphedema, and the psychological experience of both patients and therapists. A number of hours are devoted to supervised work with a variety of cancer clients in a wide range of situations, including the hospital setting.

Following completion of all courses, practitioners will be eligible to take the final examination, which will include written and practical components. For convenience, the program is designed in separate modules, to be taken over a period of eighteen to thirty months. Most of the modules will be offered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and some will be offered in other parts of the country.

The following courses are all required for the 300-hour certification. The first two are prerequisites for application. Please note: any of the first four courses may be taken as CE classes without applying to the program.

Massage for People Living with Cancer:
24 hours

Oncology Massage Intensive:
An Eastern Medical Perspective
Module 1: 28 hours
Module 2: 25 hours

Manual Lymph Drainage:
45 hours

Massage in the Oncology Setting:
Hospital Intensive 40 hours

Working at Home and in One’s Community:
Ongoing Individualized Component
Module 1: Clinical Work           50 hours
Module 2: Community Work    25 hours
Module 3: Research Literacy     7 hours

Advanced Supervision and Closure:
Module 1:   24 hours
Module 2:   32 hours

Please note: All classes are required in their entirety for certification. The only class that may be challenged is Manual Lymph Drainage Certification. Contact us if you have done a Vodder program and believe you have equivalent or more training in this subject.

400-Hour ADVANCED CERTIFICATION IN ONCOLOGY MASSAGE

After completing the 300-hour program, students may take an additional 100 hours for an Advanced Certification. This program will deepen the therapist's knowledge and experience in working with people affected by cancer through more mentorship and supervision with the instructors, including specific mentorship in manual lymph drainage. It will support the therapist's professional progress through the development of a research or community project that contributes to the field of oncology massage.

All of the 100 hours may be completed in the student's own community so there is no need to travel for these additional hours.