Individual Courses
With over 25 years experience in teaching bodywork, we currently offer our best distillation of the work we've been practicing and teaching in entry-level and advanced settings. We are committed to providing quality learning experiences for students of varied backgrounds and experience levels.
Teacher-student ratios are kept low to allow for ample attention during in-class practice sessions. Our classes include principle-based methods (assessment and treatment), clear and practical anatomy reviews, multiple teacher demonstrations and student exchanges. Some classes also include a clinical component where volunteer models come in for treatment. Detailed handouts are provided for each student; most classroom supplies are provided.
Classes are usually held in Seattle and coordinated through the Therapeutic Training Center. Click the button for up-to-date logistics and registration info on their site.
Lauren and Richard do an exquisite job of teaching complex anatomy and techniques in an effective manner that doesn't feel overwhelming or rushed. — Sue W
Craniosacral/Visceral
Craniosacral Introductory Workshop
This 3-day class provides a foundational set of craniosacral principles and techniques. We'll cover related anatomy and physiology, including the link between the cranium and sacrum, the cranial wave, and individual cranial bones. It serves as a pre-requisite to the Craniosacral Certification Program, Core Series and Elective courses.
Visceral Mobilization: Freeing the Fascial Layers among the Organs
The ability of the organs to glide freely around each other is vital. Explore the territory of the abdomen and thorax with clear, gentle fascial methods. Learn assessment methods that guide treatments which can be easily woven into other manual styles. (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren or other visceral training is a pre-requisite.)
Visceral Listening: Enhancing the Motility of the Organs
The organs have subtle movement patterns that were initiated during our life within the womb. These patterns can be assessed and balanced at any age, enhancing our underlying health and vitality. This class bridges the subtle physiological health of organ tissue with the fluid body (cranial wave or mid-tide). (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren or other visceral training is a pre-requisite.)
Supporting the Brain: Concussion, Centralized Pain and Select Pathologies
In this 3-day class, you learn to palpate the structures of the brain: the lobes, ventricles and central brain structures. Gentle fluid-body and fascial methods offer a chance for those structures to find better balance and freedom of movement. Discussion and strategies for pathologies are discussed. (Prerequisite: CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren, and consistent and confident palpation of inherent health—CRI or mid-tide.)
Cranial Nerve Mobilization: Freeing the Tethers
Take a tour of the cranial nerves, identifying their connection to the brain, passages through the cranial base and where they wind up 'outside' the skull. We address the neural tissue primarily by mobilizing its fascial layers and surrounding structures. Balancing with fluid methods helps the system integrate and sustain these changes. (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren or other visceral training is a pre-requisite.)
A deep thank you for your Intro to CST webinar. Your work has a deep impact far and wide: I am an osteopath in Ontario, Canada. Your grace, humor, and human-ness are very inspiring and the modules build so logically and give form to concept. I can expand my osteopathic work as I grow in my own discoveries. Thank you. — Nicole McC
Short Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy
In this webinar, students are given a general overview of the principles of craniosacral therapy, as well as basic anatomy and physiology of the cranium. They practice techniques to develop sensitive hands and inner stillness. It's a good bite-sized taste to see if you want to learn more.
We are pleased to be able to offer this webinar in association with Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains for Structural Integration (ATSI). Students can access this webinar at any time and review the material at their own pace.
Pediatric
Cranial and Fascial Balancing for Newborns
In this 3-day introductory course, we will look at the essential skills for working safely and effectively with newborns (up to 6 months). We address common challenges that present early on: latch and suckling challenges, digestive disruption, and restlessness among others. Students work with infants in pairs in a supervised setting. (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren is a prerequisite.)
Unwinding the Birth Pattern
Being born is a vigorous and dramatic change. How we make that passage generates an imprint in our fascial web as well as our psyche. Unwinding is a gentle, flowing method of relating to that emerging imprint and is ideally suited to support the integration and resolution of strains from the birth process. This 3-day course gives us time to explore unwinding fully, as a method that can be adapted as needed, and as a healing process. (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren is a prerequisite.)
Tots to Tweens: Access the Potential of Early Intervention
Children ages 3-12 are incredibly fun to work with; they are vital, mobile, and tremendously present. In this introductory webinar, we look at the essential skills for working safely and effectively with this age group. Methods focus on myofascial balancing, visceral mobilization and craniosacral methods to orient the nervous system. Short demonstrations of key skills along with on-line mentoring of student case studies give a liveliness to the presentation. Students receive an extensive workbook with principles, guidelines, techniques and resources.
We are pleased to offer this webinar in association with Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains for Structural Integration (ATSI) umbrella. Tom and Lauren share passion for bringing the best of bodywork to kids of all ages. It's a thrill to be able to offer this doorway to manual practitioners of all kinds, wherever they live.
I so enjoy being in a learning environment with Lauren. She is a dynamic and engaging teacher, with an abundance of information, which she imparts with colorful clinical examples to illustrate her precise technical expertise. I always feel encouraged and inspired to learn more. — Patricia H.
Mentoring
Work one-on-one with Lauren as you adapt your practice to include children. Depending on your particular skill set, she'll focus on fascial, cranial or visceral methods. Generally, sessions are held on-line (over zoom), which allows for flexible scheduling and recording the sessions for later review. Contact Lauren directly to have an exploratory conversation. (Fees for mentoring are listed on our Pay Online page.)
Intraoral
Essentials of Intraoral Massage
This 2-day course focuses on treating the musculature of the jaw, the hyoid muscles, the tongue, the TMJ, and the suboccipital muscles. We have a strong focus on mastering the anatomy of the region. This 16-hour course prepares manual therapists to meet the WA state requirements for endorsement.
Advanced Intraoral Work
Here we expand our skills by focusing on the deeper architecture in 1-day classes. Choose from several options: support balance and freedom in the TMJ by addressing the alignment and movement of the cranial base; discover the how to optimize airflow and drainage with gentle mobilization of the facial bones, sinuses, and sutures; and lastly, broaden your understanding of how the nerves interplay with the movement of the TMJ and tongue. Classes can be taken in any order; prerequisite Essentials of Intraoral Work and/or WA Intraoral Endorsement.
Balancing the Face for Structural Integrators
Free deep patterns in the cranium with this 3-day class! Treat both local fascial imbalances and problems of facial bone alignment and mobility. Learn varied assessments for the TMJ, mandible, facial bones and cranial base. Explore each facial bone in turn, creating a protocol for effective intraoral and intranasal approaches. Finally, we'll bridge from local cranial patterns to full body patterns, putting this work into the context of SI core sessions.
Ethics & Professionalism
Tending the Therapeutic Relationship: Trauma, Resilience and Honoring the Other
Understanding the complexity of the therapeutic relationship is critical for any integrative or holistic method. We explore our own experience as practitioners: our role, boundaries, needs and resources. This self-awareness helps ground our discussion of trauma and Polyvagal Theory, as a doorway for understanding health and clinical process. The class is open to manual practitioners, with an emphasis on those practicing in a therapeutic mode. The class is highly participatory—discussion, paired and small group exercises, and body-centered awareness exercises balance out the presentation of information via lecture or demonstration.
Myofascial Balancing
Individual and Small Group Mentoring
Myofasical Balancing is a unique model of gentle and highly-focused manual work that is efficient and effective. Beginning with simple, immediate methods of assessment, we learn about weight-bearing and the effective of gravity on the tissues and joints. Treatments are precise, flexible and gentle—to give and to receive. This approach shows that creating change in someone's system doesn't have to involve effort or pain.
Richard's skills are amazing in this work, simplicity in execution! — Judy K
To learn this approach, Richard offers self-directed mentoring for individuals or small groups. These tend to focus on particular tricky areas in the body and work well with those who want to learn in an on-going way (rather than a weekend class). Mentoring can be scheduled during the week, at the convenience of the participants. Rates are listed on our Pay Online page.
One-Day Classes
In our one-day courses, we include a quick protocol of standing palpatory evaluation that reveals details of segmental patterns. We explore common postural problems and related orthopedic conditions. (If you've taken MFB classes in the past, you can review the class at a discounted rate.)
I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciated your kindness and guidance. I've already integrated many of those techniques into my treatments! — Vikki P
Freeing the Axial Skeleton: Myofascial Balancing for Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy orients to the free movement of fluids and energy, particularly within the cranium, spine and sacrum. At times, the dense tissues of the body hold their restrictions firmly enough that it's helpful to address what Barral calls the 'hard frame.' Mobilizing bones, ligaments and my fascial layers in synch with the mid-tide or CRI allows a more vigorous tissue engagement to be accepted easily by the body. Postural and usage patterns are highlighted as we explore this level of structure and function. (The CST Introductory Workshop with Lauren is a prerequisite.)
Student Resources
Over the years, we've created our own content (videos, handouts) as well as gathered some favorite resources of others (books, DVDs, anatomy atlases). There's also a listing of where we find our key supplies (gloves, corks, self-care tools and toys).
Most of these resources can support your learning across a selection of our classes—check it out!
Fremont
4000 Aurora Ave N, Suite 114
Seattle, WA 98103
Shoreline
116 NE 194th St.
Shoreline, WA 98155
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