Post-Traumatic Stress and Chronic Pain in Neuromuscular Therapy

Chronic pain is shaped by more than tissue findings alone. Physical injury, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and the demands of daily life may interact in ways that affect movement, comfort, and function. This course gives neuromuscular therapists a practical biopsychosocial framework for understanding those connections and responding with thoughtful, client-centered musculoskeletal care.

Through focused instruction, case-based discussion, and integrated hands-on practice, participants will explore trauma-informed communication, client choice and consent, adaptable neuromuscular therapy techniques, reassessment, documentation, and collaboration or referral. The emphasis is on working within scope and adapting care to each client’s needs and preferences.

This course does not train participants to diagnose or treat PTSD. It focuses on how neuromuscular therapists can provide respectful, scope-appropriate care for musculoskeletal concerns while coordinating with other professionals when needed.

Who should attend

This course is designed primarily for:

• Neuromuscular therapists
• Licensed massage therapists who work with clients experiencing persistent or chronic pain

It may also benefit professionals involved in musculoskeletal or coordinated pain care, including:

• Physical and occupational therapists
• Athletic trainers
• Chiropractors
• Physicians and nurses
• Mental health professionals who collaborate with manual therapists or support people living with chronic pain

Interdisciplinary participants are welcome to learn about the role, adaptations, and scope of neuromuscular therapy in coordinated care. Hands-on techniques should be practiced or applied only within each participant’s professional training and scope.

This is not an introductory anatomy course.

This is a skill-refinement and clinical-elevation workshop.

Cynthia Ribeiro

Cynthia came to the United States from Brazil, where she had attained a degree in Physical Education and studied Surgical Nursing. In the U.S., she graduated from two massage schools, and now specializes in Neuromuscular Therapy and Orthopedic Massage.

A highly dynamic teacher, she has taught advanced anatomy and injury rehabilitation skills since 1988. Her in-person Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy workshops are in high demand throughout U.S. and Canada. Cynthia frequently presents at state and national massage therapy conventions and has had great success with both her in-person and online course offerings.

As founder and owner of Western Institute of Neuromuscular Massage Therapy (WIN) in Southern California, Cynthia developed highly effective therapeutic bodywork, and has brought that material to NHI for the 450 hour program in Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy.

In 2003, she was appointed Honorary Clinical Professor at the University California Irvine Medical School.  In 2012 she became National President for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). In 2017 she received the Jerome Perlinski, Teacher of the Year Award.

Cynthia has also served as a Board of Directors member of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

A continual inspiration to her students, she nevertheless says, “I am always a student myself, and I strongly believe in lifelong learning.”