American Gua Sha 1

This class introduces the Tools of traditional Chinese medicine and how they support a Massage therapist using a Western scientific approach. Including the benefits of using the scraping tools for Lymphatic draining, Myofascial release, and reducing inflammation.

This class helps massage therapists with IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization). Participants need to be aware that they will be working on each other and need to be willing to disclose appropriate health history issues that may be applicable.

Incorporating Gua Sha into therapeutic practice will help the therapist reduce wear and tear on their body, increase expected outcomes, and help you think outside of the box when it comes to getting improvement in your treatment plans.

Typical Learning Outcomes for American Gua Sha 1

• Explain the reasoning behind using Gua Sha, including when to use it and when not to — and be able to use the correct terminology for the technique.
• Demonstrate appropriate tool use and tool selection for different tools and body parts.
• Describe safe use of Gua Sha tools, including sanitation and client safety considerations.
• Demonstrate safe application of Gua Sha on multiple areas of the body — such as the back & neck, hips & legs, arms, hands, and feet.
• Explain how and where Gua Sha might be documented in professional contexts (e.g., in massage documentation/billing).

These outcomes are exactly the sort of competencies massage therapists need to safely and effectively add Gua Sha techniques into their hands-on work with clients.

What That Means in Practice

You will be able to:

• Select and use scraping tools with confidence
• Apply techniques safely in multiple common body regions
• Understand the why behind the technique from both traditional and Western-oriented perspectives
• Integrate the modality into your practical massage sessions within your professional scope

Instructor Bio

Nathan Nordstrom, LMT, BCTMB is a nationally recognized massage therapy educator, industry leader, and founder of Educated Touch, a continuing education company dedicated to advancing clinical skill, ethics, and professional development in the massage therapy field. A graduate of East West College of Healing Arts, Nathan has been teaching massage therapists since 2004 and brings more than two decades of experience as a practitioner, educator, and curriculum developer.