By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the physiological and emotional effects of cancer, cancer treatment, and terminal illness on the body
• Identify contraindications and precautions for working with clients in various stages of treatment or decline
• Modify positioning, pressure, and pacing to support safety, comfort, and dignity
• Communicate with clients, caregivers, and care teams using clear, compassionate language
• Use massage to support symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, pain, anxiety, grief, and touch deprivation
• Recognize and regulate your own emotional responses as a practitioner offering care at life’s edge

Licensed massage therapists and advanced massage students

Bodyworkers drawn to compassionate, palliative, and comfort-based touch

Therapists interested in supporting clients facing chronic illness, cancer, or end-of-life transitions

Practitioners ready to bring presence, attunement, and reverence to their clinical skills

To ensure student safety and learning success, the following are required:

• Completion of a foundational massage therapy program
• Anatomy & Physiology coursework (must include musculoskeletal and respiratory systems)
• Prior hands-on practice with palpation and basic massage techniques
• Current or past licensure as a massage therapist, or enrollment in an advanced massage training program Note: Students must be comfortable giving and receiving hands-on work on the chest wall, sternum, ribs, diaphragm, and neck, and must agree to uphold a trauma-informed, consent-based practice environment.