Online Learning in the Foundations in Manual Therapy: Voice and Swallowing Disorders Curriculum
Before 2020, if you had asked if the manual therapy concepts taught through the in-person classes could be learned in an online format, I would have answered with a resounding “no!” But with the global shutdown and transition into online work and learning settings, we’ve seen that much can be presented online and absorbed by the learner. Since launching my online classes in late 2020, hundreds of clinicians have completed these trainings, with solid feedback from them regarding the value given.
Voice and Swallowing Disorders classes (Introductory, Balancing the Body, and Advanced Voice and Swallowing Disorders). This coursework has a target audience of SLPs/Voice Professionals, SLPAs, Massage Therapists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and other appropriately licensed health professionals. The Foundations in Manual Therapy: Voice and Swallowing Disorders Online Courses have a recommended progression. All learners should begin with the Introductory Voice and Swallowing Disorders class (online or live), regardless of the degree of prior manual therapy experience. Next, the Balancing the Body class offers a broader look at using manual therapy to influence issues of voice, swallowing, breathing, postural control, oral motor issues, and tongue-related problems. Finally, the Advanced Voice and Swallowing Disorders class deepens technique acquisition and working from the shared decision-making perspective. This Voice and Swallowing Disorders coursework is offered singly or bundled as a reduced-rate 2 or 3-course package. The 2-course bundle is found here, while the 3-course bundle is here. This course line also includes the Oral Motor Dysfunction and Rethinking Manual Therapy and Exercise for the Tongue classes, as well as many short courses.
All Foundations Seminars Online Courses have no time limit for you to view and review any course.
Manual therapy, myofascial release, vocal massage, laryngeal manipulation, and other forms of manual care are often stated to eliminate or improve a tissue, postural, or biomechanically-based problem. Patients and clinicians frequently share these beliefs, reinforced by education models and social media 30-second sound bites. However, every person's case is complex. When high muscle tension is used to explain laryngeal problems, what drives that tension? A nearly unlimited number of contributing factors set the issue in place, and an equally complex tapestry of factors contributes to successfully remedying the problem. These courses take you down this rabbit hole of complexity, allowing you to see the myriad possibilities for impact and creating comfort in not knowing. Though this last statement may seem contradictory, knowing more often means admitting uncertainty. Filling the void left by not knowing is the therapeutic alliance, and understanding how successfully applying its principles can drive intervention success.
1. Foundations in Manual Therapy: Voice and Swallowing Disorders Online Course (Introductory class, ABIQ 2024)
Link to Introductory Voice and Swallowing Disorders Online Course (ASHA-approved version): $200
Link to Introductory Voice and Swallowing Disorders Online Course (NCBTMB-approved version): $200
2. Foundations in Manual Therapy: Balancing the Body (Level II, ABIQ 2014)
Link to Balancing the Body Online Course: $200
3. Foundations in Manual Therapy: Advanced Voice and Swallowing Disorders (Level III, ABIQ 2015)
NOTE: Regardless of training and experience level, learners are advised against starting this coursework through the Advanced class. This Advanced class lacks context without the material presented in the Introductory class. Questions? Send an email.
Link to Advanced Voice and Swallowing Disorders Online Course: $250
Bundled Course Packages
a. Bundle 1: All three classes listed above can be purchased for $550 (save $100 off the individually priced courses),
b. Bundle 2: For those who completed the Introductory Voice and Swallowing Disorders course (in-person or online), you can get the Balancing the Body and Advanced Voice and Swallowing courses bundled for $375, a $75 savings. Both bundles may be found here.
4. Rethinking Manual Therapy and Exercise for the Tongue
Course Description: Manual therapy has long been seen as an expert-driven stretching or tissue impact model that reduces or corrects local pathology. However, newer research positions manual therapy as a form of communication to the patient’s brain, allowing them to contribute to change. This course uses newer multifactorial impact research to position tongue-based manual therapy under the umbrella of such evolutions.
Using a shared decision-making intervention model, this course will allow the learner to incorporate manual therapy in the tongue region for issues relating to articulatory disorders, oral motor delays, post-surgical and post-radiation disorders, airway issues, and swallowing/voice concerns.
This course is approved by ASHA (0.2 CEUs) and NCBTMB (2 CEs), and is two hours in length.
Note: The content in this course is included in the Introductory Voice and Swallowing Disorders online course.
Link to the course Rethinking Manual Therapy and Exercise for the Tongue
5. Foundations in Manual Therapy: Oral Motor Dysfunction
Course Description
This non-credit class teaches manual therapy for oral motor issues. Included is a complete introduction to the evidence behind this shared decision-making approach. Note: Material is duplicated from the Introductory Voice/Swallowing class. The course cost is $100.00
Link to the Foundations in Manual Therapy: Oral Motor Dysfunction Online course.
6. Free Class: Deeper Dives: A Look at Manual Therapy for Voice and Swallowing – with ASHA CEUs (ABIQ 2017)
A brief introductory online course for introducing the learner to how manual therapy can be utilized within the framework of the SLP’s clinical encounters. After completing this online course, the learner will understand the historical and current inclusion of manual therapy for related disorders in the SLP literature and experience self-guided, hands-on examples of the work.
0.1 ASHA CEUs are approved. There is a quiz after the short course.
Learning Objectives
After successful completion of this online class, the therapist will:
Be able to explain the historical roots of manual therapy in the SLP literature.
Be able to describe the disorders that may be amenable to manual therapy intervention.
Instructional Methods
There is a 2-question quiz after the online course that the learner must pass with a grade of 100%
Timed Agenda
10 minutes: Introduction to the history of manual therapy and appropriate diagnoses.
10 minutes: Comparison of shared decision-making vs. the clinician-as-expert model of manual therapy
40 minutes: Hands-on experiences
1.0 total instructional hours
Disclosures
Walt Fritz has the following relevant financial relationship to disclose: he receives royalties from similar course content delivered through Medbridge Massage and TalkTools. He has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose. There are no content disclosures; financial/in-kind disclosures may exist and will be stated for each live seminar.
Target Audience
Intended for SLPs/Voice Professionals, SLPAs, Massage Therapists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and other appropriately licensed health professionals.
This FREE class will air live on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at 12:30 pm EST and will be 60 minutes long. It will available in a recorded fashion for those who cannot make the live event. You must pass the 2-question quiz to receive the ASHA CEUs.
Click here to register for this free course
Deeper Dives: One-Hour Short Courses
This video series will explore topics of interest to SLPs, voice professionals, orofacial myofunctional professionals, MTs, PTs, and OTs. All will be presented live and include hands-on content. They will also be available for viewing at a later date.
The Deeper Dives catalog includes:
The Neck
The Diaphragm Region
Manual Therapy with Dysphagia
“What’s Your Beef With MFR (myofascial release)?
Shared decision-making in the Manual Therapy Setting
You can explore the Deeper Dives offerings here.
Complaints
If you have concerns or complaints, please email us from the “Contact” link in the top menu bar. Please include the best way to contact you and we will reply within one week. Our goal is to provide quality continuing education to all, and your concerns will be addressed and a solution made towards that end. Once a complaint is received and rectified to your satisfaction, we will ensure that gaps noted in our programs are addressed, with modifications made to ensure the issue does not reoccur.
Full Range of Instructional and Information Videos on YouTube
General Videos
To view a wide range of Podcasts, click here.
Instructional and Self Help Videos
Below is a sampling of the video content found on my YouTube channel. While every disorder or area of the body is not covered, having your patients (or yourself) view the presentations and how the treatment and self-stretch is applied should allow you and them to generalize to other areas of the body. Click on any of the videos to be taken to the YouTube channel. Dig deep and find video content to meet the interests of the SLP, MT, PT, and OT.
[embed]https://youtu.be/97QO9X3CaNY[/embed]
Click here to view the entire videos supporting the Voice and Swallowing Seminar.
Internal views of the laryngeal region when manual therapy is externally applied
[embed]https://youtu.be/wDV6O15W5Zw[/embed]
Taking traditional techniques and modifying them to better suit your patient populations.
[embed]https://youtu.be/9OFmXr_l5-I[/embed]
Another view of manual therapy application
[embed]https://youtu.be/vXTa5Y_39-s[/embed]
How a patient-centered model might look
[embed]https://youtu.be/1wuTFJ_vBtg[/embed]
Lumbar lift (older video)
[embed]https://youtu.be/JgZxcCPqUUs[/embed]
Treatment of the foot, The Foot Sandwich (older video)
[embed]https://youtu.be/Beo4EhLGRrk[/embed]
Lower abdominal region treatment
(older video)
[embed]https://youtu.be/YiAGPZYWBsA[/embed]
Leveling the landscape of the posterior thorax (older video)
[embed]https://youtu.be/qgcQ1xcA5nk[/embed]
Seated shoulder drape (older video)
[embed]https://youtu.be/Sj9adCsyPJs[/embed]
Intra-oral treatment to the lateral jaw region
[embed]https://youtu.be/tAk0hySVEys[/embed]
Therapeutic taping simplified
[embed]https://youtu.be/CRV4yWs-GOI[/embed]
Lumbar traction
[embed]https://youtu.be/6BLgFFWzpf0[/embed]
Anterior neck
[embed]https://youtu.be/o3BJcpuZoRA[/embed]
Occipital lift
[embed]https://youtu.be/N10w9r6zhLo[/embed]
Upper thoracic region (2)
[embed]https://youtu.be/0qPgVyMqbK8[/embed]
A synopsis of Walt Fritz, PT’s approach to manual care
[embed]https://youtu.be/i2gG56zG7dA[/embed]
Anterior shoulder/intercostal region
[embed]https://youtu.be/-plMgPhCZDs[/embed]
Instructional Videos
Below are a few examples of the instructional content I've shared through the YouTube channel. For more information, click on any of the videos below to be taken to YouTube. [sliderplus instructional]
A Sample session, evaluation and treatment
[embed]https://youtu.be/8pS4YyZ2ldw[/embed]
Doing nothing: How to begin
[embed]https://youtu.be/OJNmmmXV6AQ[/embed]
Upper thoracic region
[embed]https://youtu.be/NAJ9RseZ8d0[/embed]
SELF HELP VIDEOS
Lumbar traction (alternate version)
[embed]https://youtu.be/M40C2PL4soU[/embed]
Self-treatment to the lower thoracic region
[embed]https://youtu.be/6QMwxjci2I0[/embed]
Self-treatment to the jaw and face
[embed]https://youtu.be/DSxZBxI7Flk[/embed]
Self-treatment to the general neck region
[embed]https://youtu.be/TX7IwnGKbMU[/embed]
The Foundations Approach Online CE Courses through Medbridge Massage
Eight video courses on The Foundations Approach to Myofascial Release are available through Medbridge Massage. Though older, these videos provide the therapist a solid understanding of the beginnings of my patient-centered model of care. The eight video courses include
Bridging the Gap: An Introduction to the Foundations Approach
The Cervical Region
The Anterior Cervical and TMJ Regions
The Shoulder Region
Upper Extremities
The Thoracic Region
The Lumbar and Pelvic Regions
Lower Extremities
All have CEUs available for Massage Therapists across the United States. Medbridge Massage has been the leading provider of quality online continuing education training for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and athletic trainers for a number of years and have just released their new Massage Series. Medbridge has made available a special offer; one full year of unlimited access to the full range of Foundations in Myofascial Release Approach Courses, as well as all of the other quality massage CE trainings for $49 (regularly $149), but you must use the following code: FRITZmassage
You can view the Medbridge Massage Foundations Approach Trainings, and take advantage of the special discount, by clicking here.