Course Title: Accessible & Creative Massage for Cancer & Supportive Care

Dates:  November 27th to November 29th 2023

Course Aims:

To develop the skills of assessment, contracting, providing, and evaluating massage sessions, including accessible areas (hands, feet & head/neck) and creative massage approaches for patients, carers and staff within oncology, supportive and palliative healthcare settings. The 3-day workshop and online resources will enable therapists to:

• Consider indications and creative adaptations for the intervention e.g., working with a seated patient, identify and work with accessible areas (e.g., hands, feet, head/neck and covered back) and combining massage with the voice (storytelling)
• Identify and discuss possible myths, concerns, and absolute contraindications for the use of massage interventions
• Review and demonstrate assessment, contracting and consenting for massage and touch
• Consider safety and comfort issues in preparing self, the environment, and any equipment required when working with a patient or carer
• Utilise the available research literature to review the experience of both giving and receiving massage – including access to handouts, videos & literature, as online resources.
• Practise the safe delivery of massage interventions, individually and in pairs, with support from the two facilitators.

About the facilitators:

Dr Peter A Mackereth PhD MA Dip (N) London RNT RGN

Currently Peter is an Hon. Lecturer/Researcher at The Christie, where he was previously the Clinical Lead for Complementary Therapy & Wellbeing Services. Peter is also a therapist at St Ann’s Hospice, providing massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, and HEARTS. He is still a registered nurse, and has worked in intensive care, neurology, and oncology.

Peter has an MA in Medical Ethics and a PhD which examined reflexology and relaxation training for people with multiple sclerosis.  Peter has published numerous articles, chapters, and edited six books.

 

Gwynneth Campbell BA (Hons) PGCE Dip Th Mass (APNT) MIPTI

Gwynneth worked as a Complementary Therapist with patients, carers, and staff at The Christie for over 14 years and co-facilitates the Adapting Massage for Cancer Care and Adapting Chair Massage for Supportive & Palliative Care course with Peter Mackereth and other members of the Complementary Therapy Department.

Gwynneth led the practice development project in providing chair massage to carers at The Christie. For several years she was also clinical supervisor for volunteer therapists.  She co-authored with Peter Mackereth chapters and papers on massage for carers (see reference list), and now dedicates her time to her private practice offering therapeutic massage and Chiron Healing®.  She teaches various courses including Chiron Healing® and related courses elsewhere, face-to-face, and on-line.

 

Materials and equipment

Please bring a pillow, a large towel, 2 hand towels and a pillowcase. If you have access to a portable massage chair, please also bring it into the workshop.  Please note do not bring in nut-based oils – grapeseed or sunflower oils would be ideal lubricant.

Please email info@goldeneggholistic.com for booking /further information

Day 1.

10.00 Introductions

10.15 What is cancer?

11.15 Adapting massage for cancer care (and other health concerns)

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Workshop 1 positioning, timing, creative touch techniques, working over textures etc

14.40 Minibreak

14.45 Accessible areas – hands & arms, seated and chair/seated work

15.30 Practice plus paired work

17.00 Q & A

Close

 

Day 2.

10.00 Check in

10.10 Evaluating the evidence

11.00 Working with the head, neck, shoulders and chair/seated work

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Working the back – couch, bed and chair/seated work

15.30 Minibreak

15.45 Completing a 20-minute seated session

17.00 Q & A

Close

 

Day 3

10.00 Check in

10.10 Working with complex symptoms

11.00 Legs and feet: assisting with gravitational oedema – paired work

12.20 Lunch

13.15 Workshop: abdominal massage – using the ILU protocol

15.00 Storytelling massage

16.15 What next? – and online resources

16.30 Final Q & A

17.00 Closure

 

Course Fee: €375 (€100 Booking deposit secures a place)

 

Examples of Papers

Ferguson A Mackereth P Carter A (2021) Microbes and massage. International Therapist. Winter Edition p. 38-41.

Mackereth P (2020) Losses and lessons in a COVID-19 www.fht.org.uk/covid-mackereth   International Therapist FHT July Edition p.44.

Mackereth P Carter A (2020) Finding Your Voice in a Pandemic. International Therapist FHT July Edition p.57

Mackereth P Carter A (2019) The Material Therapist.  Internationalist Therapist.128:12-15.

Carter A Mackereth P (2018) Gloves on or off. The Link Newsletter. The National Association of Complementary Therapist in Hospice & Palliative Care. 54: 8-9.

Mackereth P (2018) Easing the breathing body.  Journal of the Association of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists. 19(2): 9-12.

Mackereth P (2015) Being curious: the touch therapy researcher.  The Art of Healing. 1(50): 28-31.

Mackereth P Hackman E Knowles R Mehrez A (2015) The value of stress relieving techniques. Cancer Nursing Practice. 14(4): 14-21.

Roberts D Wilson C Todd C Long AF Mackereth P Stringer J Carter A Parkin A Caress AL (2013) Complementary therapies in cancer: Patients’ views on their purposes and value pre and post receipt of complementary therapy – a multi-centre case study. European Journal of Integrative Medicine.  5: 443-449.

Mackereth P   Parekh J Donald G (2012) Providing therapies to the opposite sex:  views of complementary therapists working in clinical and private practice settings.  Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 18: 154-158.

Mackereth P Sexton J (2011) Working in Cancer Care: challenges and possibilities for bodywork therapists. The Journal of the Association of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists. 14: 5-9.

Mackereth P Campbell G Maycock P Hennings J Breckons M (2008) Chair massage for patients and carers: A pilot service in an outpatient setting of a cancer care hospital. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 14, 136-142.

Mackereth P Mehrez A Carter A (2008) Saying ‘Yes’ to massage. International Therapist. 81:22-23.

 

 

 

Books/Chapters

Carter A Mackereth P (2019) Combining Touch and Relaxation Skills for Cancer Care: the HEARTS process Jessica Kingsley Publications. London.

Carter A Mackereth P (2017) Aromatherapy, Massage and Relaxation in Cancer Care: An Integrative Resource for Practitioners. Jessica Kingsley Publications. London

Mackereth P Carter A Stringer J (2014) Complementary therapy approaches to pain. (Ed. H van Griensven) Pain – a Textbook for Clinicians. Elsevier Science. London.

Cawthorn A Mackereth P (2010) Integrated hypnotherapy: a complementary approach to clinical practice. Elsevier Science.

Mackereth P Carter (2008) Complementary Therapies. In:  Payne S, Seymour J & Ingleton C (Eds). Palliative Care Nursing: Principles and Evidence for Practice. 2nd edition McGraw-Hill Press: Maidenhead

Mackereth P Stringer J (2007) (Ed. Barraclough J) Massage. Enhancing Cancer Care Oxford University Press Oxford

Mackereth P Carter A (Eds) (2006) Massage & Bodywork: adapting therapies for cancer care. Elsevier Science.