AMTA 2026 National Convention Speaker Handouts

Thursday, August 27

• Christine Bailor-Goodlander - When the End Is Near: Massage Therapy and End-of-Life Care
• Ericka Clinton - Competency and Compassion: Massage Therapy for Special or Vulnerable Populations
• Jennifer Esala, Diane Long, Sara Phillips - Research Discussion: Trauma-Informed, Culturally-Responsive Massage Therapy for Survivors of Violence
• Jennifer Flynn, Patricia Harmon - Managing Liability Risk in Your Massage Therapy Career
• Jarrod Fritz - Introduction to Sports Massage: History and Methods
• Matthew Gavzy - A Roadmap to Supporting Post-Surgical Hip and Knee Clients with Massage
• David Goldeen - Massage Therapy for TMJ-Related Headaches
• Robin Miccio - Advancing Practice-Based Research: Massage Therapists’ Role in MassageNet Case Series Studies
• Susan Salvo - Creating an Inclusive Massage Practice: Accessibility, Equity & Universal Design
• Ruth Werner - Mechanisms of Pain: Massage Therapy for Chronic Conditions

Friday, August 28

• Tina Allen - Hospital-Based Massage Therapy: Understanding the Who, Why, and How
• Julie Campbell - Building a Thriving Massage Practice with Smart Pricing, Marketing, and Client Retention
• Ericka Clinton - Introduction to Oncology Massage: Dispelling Myths and Preparing Practitioners
• Jared Cooper - The New Science of Trigger Point Release
• William Dickinson - Relieving Anxiety Through Massage Therapy
• Dustin Donahue - Progressive Stretching and Movement Therapy: Stretching Techniques for Your Clients’ Well-Being
• Jarrod Fritz - Ethics: A Focused Look on Professionalism in Massage Therapy
• Michele Holland - Pre- and Perinatal Massage Strokes for the Mama Folks
• Christine Hoober, Deborah Outlaw, James Specker, Martha Rinker - Building the Path Forward for Therapeutic and Clinical Massage Therapy: Policy, Education, Research, and Advocacy
• James Ivaska, Doug Nelson - The PNMT Palpation Games
• Paula Jilanis, Demara Stamler - 4 Keys to a Long and Successful Teaching Career
• Rob Kelly - Introduction to Lymphatic Drainage
• Josue Enriquez Lopez - Stronger Hands, Stronger You: Breaking the Overuse Myth for Massage Therapists
• Whitney Lowe - Customized Clinical Care for Musculoskeletal Conditions and Pain
• Jeffrey Montoya - Joint Movement Techniques for Massage Therapists
• Jeffrey Montoya - Reflexology: Techniques, Framework, and Research
• Frances Nicolais - Introduction to Myofascial Release for Pain and Injury
• Gabriel Posner - The Neurophysiology of Touch and Movement for Massage Therapists
• Susan Salvo - Pathology in Practice: 10 Conditions To Know
• Ann Teachworth, Lynn Teachworth - Exploring the Fundamentals of Fascial Therapy

Saturday, August 29

• Jill Burynski - Thai Massage for the Table: Techniques, Theory, and History
• Jared Cooper - Massage Therapy for Neck Pain, Headaches, and TMJ Dysfunction: An Interrelated Trio
• Matt Gavzy - Clinical Excellence: Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning for Massage Therapists
• James Ivaska - Effective Soft-Tissue Strategies for Plantar Fasciitis and Plantar Fasciosis
• Rob Kelly - Advanced Lymphatic Drainage
• Jennifer Leogier - Cultivating Stability and Presence: Grounding Techniques for Massage Therapists
• Whitney Lowe - Putting Pain Science Into Play
• Doug Nelson - Massage Therapy Techniques for the Arms and Hands
• Gabriel Posner - Massage and Movement: Integrating Pandiculations into Therapeutic Practice
• Scott Raymond - Ancient Tradition Meets Modern Practice: Introduction to Gua Sha
• Claudia Silva - Introduction to CranioSacral Therapy