Course Description:  Citing his development of Visceral Manipulation, Jean-Pierre Barral was named one of TIME magazine’s Top Healing Innovators to watch for in the new millennium. 

The visceral system relies on the interconnected synchronicity between the motions of all the organs and structures of the body. At optimal health, this harmonious relationship remains stable despite the body’s endless varieties of motion. But when one organ cannot move in harmony with its surrounding viscera due to abnormal tone, adhesions or displacement, it works against the body’s other organs, as well as muscular, membranous, fascial and osseous structures. This disharmony creates fixed, abnormal points of tension that the body is forced to move around. And that chronic irritation, in turn, paves the way for disease and dysfunction throughout many systems of the body – musculoskeletal, craniosacral, nervous, and more. 

This course is presented through lecture and demonstration followed by supervised practice. This format allows for the most complete study and practice of the core VM techniques, and it provides a solid foundation of Barral’s evaluation and corrective methods.

VM1 includes the models and theories of functional biomechanics as viewed from Barral's innovative approach.

• Learn proven VM techniques that will advance the efficiency and effectiveness of your treatments – greater results in less time. 
• Learn manual skills to locate, evaluate and normalize primary areas of dysfunction within the abdominal cavity, and understand why this is necessary for the majority of your patients. 
• Explore the dynamics of motion and suspension in relation to organs, membranes and ligaments.
• Examine the relationship of organs and structural or neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction – 90% of all musculoskeletal disorders have a visceral component, according to Jean-Pierre Barral.
• Learn new techniques that may be the answer to clients’ lingering pain or dysfunction, and most importantly, evaluation tools that will determine where to work first and why! 
• Expand your practice into new areas or enhance the areas in which you already specialize.
• VM techniques can be easily integrated into all types of manual therapy practices.
• Due to the gentle nature of VM, you preserve your body while helping your clients. 

Recommended Advance Preparation: Visceral Manipulation by Jean-Pierre Barral, RPT, DO; Atlas of Human Anatomy by Frank Netter, MD, or A Regional Atlas of the Human Body by Carmine Clemente.