Important Information

The current pandemic requires a more stringent assessment of contraindications that could impact your participation, particularly in the cupping classes. A Health Attestation Form and Consent for Class Participation Form will be sent prior to the class and must be completed, signed and the hard copies brought on the day of class. If there are any YES answers to the Health Attestation Form, the therapist must contact the Instructor prior to the class. All participants will be required to follow current state protocols for massage therapy at the time of the class.

Cupping massage may be contraindicated for a student in the cupping massage class. When this occurs, you may not be able to receive work, but will be able to practice the skills taught in class. Cupping massage is not appropriate when health conditions pose a serious risk, such as: cardiovascular disease or other major organ disorders, blood clotting medications, hypertension, current infection, and pregnancy. Pregnant students and students with high risk medical situations will not be allowed to receive work. If you are currently taking medications for a medical problem, under medical care for a medical problem or have a serious or chronic medical condition, please consult your personal physician to ensure that receiving cupping massage in class will be safe for you. Some medical conditions should not be cleared and the instructor reserves the right to make the final decision to disallow a student to receive work in class.

Vouchers for a future class will be given to students who are too ill to attend class. You should absolutely NOT attend the class if you are actively coughing, sneezing, or had a fever within the last 24 hours.

Please consider your  physical health and also be considerate of other attendees 

when making decisions about whether to attend a class or not. Your physical health 

and the health of the other students will be the instructors priority when making decisions about allowing participation in the class. 

Other than chiropractic care, you should not receive any other body work including massage, cupping and acupuncture or any spa treatments including sun tanning (no facials for Face, Jaw and Neck class) within 48 hours of attending a cupping massage class as this is contraindicated for receiving cupping work. Avoid taking Aspirin,  Motrin, Aleve or other NSAID's (unless prescribed by a physician) on the  day of class and preferably avoid them for several days prior to the  class.

You will be getting on and off the table throughout the day. You should wear clothing that is easy to get in and out of and bring a robe to make transitions on and off the table go smoothly. 

The cups can be stiff to work with at first, especially the bubble top  cups. If you are working with brand new cups, it is a good idea to wash them thoroughly in hot sudsy water and to squeeze and work the cups to decrease their stiffness before you have to use them in class. 

I highly recommend using a medium thickness cream to help maintain suction and glide with the cups. Lotions are typically too light and gel and oil may accumulate on the cup edge and get gummy. Thick advanced  and deep tissue creams have too much "stick". I have also been  experimenting with high oleic organic sunflower oil and it is proving to  work well with the cups. Feel free to bring the product you normally use, but also have a medium cream or high oleic sun flower oil with you in case you don't like how your product works. Make sure to have a good  amount of whatever product you will be using, at least 10 oz. You will  go through a lot more product with cupping than with typical manual  work.