1. Why should I get certified? What does certification mean for
my practice?
For
clients, the words “I am a certified Love Your Guts Seminars practitioner,” will mean very little except that
“certified” often denotes a level of professionalism,
commitment, dedication and practice.
Your clients will, however, associate your hands-on work, your skill
set in creating treatment plans, and your broad knowledge base as
something that feels trustworthy, reassuring, comforting and effective.
This commitment and effort to certify will come back to you many times as you continue to practice
this work. You will become a practitioner that people talk about and
refer to because of your specialty focus.
For yourself, certification means that you have committed your time,
effort, and spirit to something that touches you deeply. If that
“something” is belly work, then the Love Your
Guts Seminars Certification program is a program which will take you to a place in your practice
where few people go. You will distinguish yourself as a therapist
that can talk about belly work AND perform that work skillfully.
You will move towards expertise in a field that is virtually
untapped, and in many ways nearly limitless in its applications.
2. How do I market this work to my current clients and colleagues?
This broad question and a number of marketing ideas will be
explored in the Certification Course weekend.
Below is a list of easy marketing tips to implement right away.
Remember that no one will ask you about this work because they do
not know that effective massage therapy for the abdomen actually
exists. You will nearly always be starting this conversation yourself.
Marketing and selling is talking about what you do, what you are
passionate about, and what you know best. Effective marketing and
selling is funneling information into a clear and understandable
nugget.
Practice your 30-second “elevator speech” on the
next 10 people you meet. Answer the ubiquitous question “what
do you do?” in a way that is interesting, fun, short and
easy to remember. This is not as easy as it sounds. Practice
with friends and family
Tell clients and colleagues you are training in this work.
People love to talk about their own stuff, and oftentimes
will agree to try something if they think it will help them
out personally or professionally.
Sell clients and colleagues on a series of 3 belly massage
sessions to participate in your case studies. Make a treatment
plan and discuss what you will do for these 3 treatments.
Change your health history intake form to ask questions regarding
digestive and reproductive system health status. Get people
thinking about their own belly as an appropriate place to receive
manual therapy.
3. What will I learn in the Certification Course?
This is the “put it all together” training where
you learn how to create treatment plans, market your belly
massage skills, create ”full body” awareness by working
in the belly, and further enhance your palpatory anatomy and applications
skill sets.
Yes there will be a test, and also a fun graduation ceremony!
4. Where and how do I continue my studies in manual therapy for
the belly?
Love Your Guts Seminars prepares you well for any other belly massage
training out in the world. Where you go with this work really depends
on what your focus will be in this vast field.
Other types of training applicable to abdominal work include lymphatic therapy, Thai massage, Tuina and Shiatsu, nutritional therapy,
homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, and various energy modalities.
Emotional processing work like Rebirthing, Hakomi, the Tara Approach,
Holographic Breathwork, the Rosen Method and many others are also
excellent places to take this work.
If you really resonate with the Love Your Guts Seminars, you may
consider being a TA or teaching this work to others. There will
be teaching opportunities for this work in the near future. Please
contact me about what this means.
Love Your Guts Seminars courses are NCBTMB credentialed through Advanced Educators, LLC, Approved Provider # 450826-08. Click here for more information.