Description of our Diploma Courses

Swedish Massage is the gentle manipulation of the body’s soft tissues, to bring about improvements in health, such as relaxation, a reduction in anxiety, improved sleep, and physical benefits such as relief from muscle aches and pains (Vickers et al, 2001). Swedish massage can be relaxing or invigorating and consists of various techniques which form the basis of all massage work, including effleurage, friction, pettrissage, vibration and tapotement. It can be used superficially to produce an all over relaxing effect, enhancing feelings of wellness and contentment. Massage can help to trigger the release of endorphins, dopamine, seratonin and oxytocin, the body's natural painkillers, helping to alleviate physical discomfort and muscle pain. 

Our course in SQA Accredited and contains 2 Higher National units: Human Anatomy & Physiology at SCQF Level 7 and Body Massage at SCQF Level 6.

Remedial & Sports Massage involves the manipulation of the body's deeper tissues to reduce muscle tension, increase muscle flexibility, and generally improve recovery. Remedial & Sports Massage can help relieve conditions such as back and neck pain, sciatica, repetitive strain injury, and frozen shoulder. It is great for reducing and preventing the pain of sports injuries, experienced by most athletes of all levels, at some point in their career.

Remedial & Sports Massage includes techniques such as Myofascial Release (MFR), Soft Tissue Release (STR), Muscle Energy Techniques (MET), Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Faciliation (PNF), Deep Transfer Frictions (DTF), Compressions (Comp), Trigger Point Release (TPR), Positional Release Techniques (PRT) and Mobilisations of the joints (Mobs). These techniques can be used to manage pain, improve movement and promote recovery.

Our course is SQA Accredited and contains 3 Higher National Units: Basic Subjective & Objective Assessment at SCQF Level 7, Functional Anatomy at SCQF Level 7 and Clinical Sports Massage at SCQF Level 8. 

Advanced Remedial Massage involves specific techniques to assess, test and treat lesions of joints. Advanced Remedial methods and protocols build upon those learned in Swedish and Remedial & Sports Massage, and work mainly on the mechanics of the body and the circulatory and nervous systems. The student will learn that the correction of structural imbalances can have far-reaching effects on many conditions and dysfunction within the body, and will thus learn how to correct these structure imbalances to achieve some wonderful effects of clients' health.

Sports Event Therapy leads the student through more specific anatomy of sports injuries and the stages of healing, examination procedures, classification of injuries, injury management and risk reduction strategies, and specific techniques for injury and rehabilitation of sports people. Sports "Pitch-side" First Aid, taping & strapping, working with heat & ice are all included in this course, as well as attending various sporting events to support sporting participants.

Our course is SQA Accredited and current contains one Higher National unit: Pathology & Aetiology of Sports Injuries at SCQF Level 7, however we are currently working on a couple of other units, including Sports Taping Techniques.
 

Reflexology involves applying pressure to reflex points on your feet and/or hands. A deeply relaxing and effective therapy for all ages, intended to create balance, restore and maintain health, mainly through improving sleep. Reflexology can help with physical and emotional complaints, including arthritis, asthma, backache, digestive disorders, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, PMT and menopausal problems, while also relieving stress and anxiety, inducing relaxation and generally maintaining health and wellbeing.

Clinical Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to provide therapeutic effects. The oils work with the body's natural processes, to create spiritual, emotional, mental and physical effects, to treat the whole person and not just a symptom. Plants and flowers have been used for their properties as incense, in cooking, for their medical properties, embalming and in luxury perfumes throughout history and in different cultures. Clinical Aromatherapists are qualified to make up essential oil blends for their clients, tailored to the client's needs. Massage is often used, but not always - sometimes a lighter form of application may be more appropriate such as a steam inhalation, a cream or warm compress.

On-Site Chair Massage involves the use of a specially designed chair to support the fully clothed client who then receives an acupressure massage. The specific massage routine is based on Amma Massage and lasts 15-20 minutes. The client is first relaxed and then re-energised by working over 100 acupressure points on the back, neck, shoulders, head, arms and hands. Therapists can be found nowadays in offices, shopping malls, airports, and at sporting events. The benefit of this massage is that it is performed over clothes using acupressure techniques, so no oil is used. The routine is quick, relaxing and then reinvigorating.

Indian Head Massage is a traditional method of easing tightness in the scalp and upper body, in a non-intrusive manner. Indian Head Massage (IHM) has been practiced for thousand of years and brings many physical benefits including releasing tension headaches and eye strain, providing relief from mental and physical stress, relieving sinusitis, migraines, and easing jaw, neck and shoulder pain. Though IHM is traditionally performed on a chair, it can also be adapted to being delivered with the client lying on a couch.