Animal Massage Certification

In this first module, you will ease into the program and discover some basic information. You will learn how animals perceive their environment and how this differs from our own human perception. You will also be given a refresher on what wellness massage is in general, as well as the benefits of this practice for animals.

As with human massage, animal massage places great importance on safety. You will therefore receive a list of precautions and contraindications. Finally, you will be given a preparatory questionnaire to personalize for your future sessions.

You will study:

• The human world and the animal worlds.
• What massage is and the different types of massage.
• What massage is for animals.
• Why massage animals.
• The energetic approach to animal health.
• Precautions and contraindications.
• A sample questionnaire to prepare for the session.

The second module begins with some advice on massaging animals. You will then learn how to prepare yourself physically, mentally, and energetically before performing a massage. This involves breathing, conscious relaxation, and grounding, as well as stretching and self-massage of your hands. In the same vein, you will receive some advice on how to maintain your vital energy.

You will then be introduced to the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which will help you assimilate the concept of energies into your animal wellness massage practice. You will finish this module with an introduction to Ayurveda—traditional Indian medicine—and in particular the chakras, which you may already be familiar with. Just like in humans, animals' chakras are energy centers. By massaging these areas, you can rebalance their overall energy for better physical, emotional, and spiritual balance.

You will learn:

• General advice for massaging all types of animals.
• Specific advice for each category of animal.
• Mental, physical, and energetic preparation before massages.
• The establishment of rituals and the importance of massage intention.
• The theoretical foundations of the energetic approach in TCM.
• The cosmogony of TCM.
• The definition of "Qi," Ying and Yang, the Three Treasures, the Three Burners, the Five Elements theory.
• The main meridians and acupuncture points.
• The foundations of the energetic approach with Ayurveda.

After learning the fundamentals of energy, in this third module you will explore the principles of animal anatomy and physiology. By gaining a better understanding of each animal's body structure, you will be able to massage effectively and safely, both for the animal and for yourself.

Diagrams of the most commonly massaged species (dogs, cats, horses) will also be presented so that you can name and locate each area of their bodies precisely. You will also learn about some of the specific features of massaging exotic pets: rabbits, birds, and reptiles.

You will cover:

• An introduction to animal anatomy; the differences between mammals and non-mammals, etc.
• Some basic animal anatomy vocabulary.
• The main anatomical features to know for each category of animal (dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, horses, reptiles, etc.).
• An introduction to animal physiology with the different systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, etc.).

Thanks to nerve pathways, there is a close relationship between the skin and internal organs. Thus, a skin condition can be a sign of internal imbalance. In this fourth module, you will study how massage can promote self-healing, particularly through a specific type of massage: shiatsu.

Shiatsu, which uses finger pressure, originated in Japan. The module introduces you to its main principles before continuing with a complete relaxing massage protocol.

Finally, you will begin to study the meridians, which are energy channels that run through the bodies of animals, just as they do in humans.

This module will introduce you to:

• The skin-visceral relationship, i.e., massage that connects the outside and the inside, the skin and the organs.
• An introduction to relaxation sessions using shiatsu.
• The difference between shiatsu and acupressure.
• Techniques specific to shiatsu.
• The shiatsu session.
• Relaxation as the starting point for any massage or treatment (and healing): a typical session step by step.
• Massages that are mindful of the connections with the meridians and focus on specific acupuncture points.

In Module 5, you will deepen your understanding of TCM by studying the meridians, and in particular acupressure. This massage practice is particularly well received by animals.

You will learn to sense the animal's energy imbalances and respond appropriately. You will see the different points to massage on each meridian. You will thus understand the relationship between the occurrence of a physical, emotional, or energetic disorder and the point concerned. Finally, you will learn to tone and disperse the energy of each point according to the animal's needs.

You will study:

• Acupressure in detail with the eight principles and five causes of disease.
• Constitutional factors according to the elements in TCM.
• A detailed and explained description of the meridians with associations and metaphors, and a list of the main points to massage according to imbalances.

Your health is essential for practicing massage on animals. The sixth module therefore begins with self-massage of the 12 celestial points. Once you know how to recognize and massage these acupressure points on yourself, you will learn how to do it on animals.

The module then continues with the study of meridians and their points on animals. You will also learn to master the Small Circulation meditation, which aims to harmonize the body and mind, improve emotional and physical health, and increase vital energy by establishing a continuous flow of Qi between the Governor Vessel and Conception Vessel meridians.

You will then learn about the Shu points on the back, used to treat imbalances in the underlying organs, particularly in dogs.

Finally, you will see in detail how an acupressure session for an animal is conducted, with the various issues that may arise and how to relieve them through massage.

The module will cover:

• The 12 celestial points of Ma Dan Yang, to be massaged in a specific order.
• The sequence of meridians and specific acupuncture points.
• The Shu points on the back.
• The list of essential points to know.
• How to respond effectively to all kinds of indications by massaging one or two essential points for each health problem.

In Module 7, you will discover the Tellington-Touch, also known as TTouch. This approach takes into account the emotional well-being of animals through massage. It consists of circular touches that activate nerve cells and strengthen the connection between animals and their humans.

One of the great advantages of TTouch is its ease of use. Once you have explained to your clients how to do it, they will be able to help their animals themselves, thus prolonging and enhancing the beneficial effects of your sessions.

You will explore:

• The theoretical basis of TTouch.
• The origins of TTouch with positive thinking and the importance of the Feldenkrais method.
• How TTouch works and its results on animals.
• The nine key points of TTouch (basic circle, degree of pressure, speed of circles, etc.).
• Safety tips for TTouch.
• Description of some TTouch maneuvers: shell, python, lying leopard, clouded leopard, raccoon, etc.
• The confidence course, a series of simple and fun exercises designed to help dogs and horses gain confidence and improve their balance and coordination.

In the eighth and final module, you will complete your exploration and enrichment of massage techniques. The course begins with the Masterson method, a technique specially created for horses. Its distinctive feature is that it focuses on the horse's subtle responses, such as yawning or relaxing the head, to guide the practitioner to the areas that need work.

You will then learn about the energy approach developed by Dr. Luc Bodin. In addition to the possible causes of illness, you will study the practice of energy healing itself: advice and precautions, energy cleansing, guidance from beings of light and protective bubbles, animal consent and energy testing, and various techniques. In particular, you will receive the complete protocol for basic energy healing.

Next, you will be introduced to Reiki. This energy technique, based on the laying on of hands, is very effective on animals, as they are particularly receptive to it. You will discover the different stages of a session, which will allow you to train more thoroughly in the future if you feel called to do so.

Finally, a bibliography completes this training and will allow you to further your learning if you wish.

The module will introduce you to:

• The origins of the Masterson method.
• The importance of listening to animals' responses in the Masterson approach.
• The basic principles of the method for massaging horses.
• The setup, the best conditions for practicing the technique, etc.
• The different techniques of the Masterson Method.
• Introduction to the approach of energy healing on animals by Luc Bodin.
• The energetic perception of the aura and chakras in animals.
• The stages of energy healing using techniques such as netting, handholds, etc.
• A typical energy healing session for animals according to Luc Bodin's approach.
• Introduction to Reiki and the course of a session for animals.