This is a foundational Level 1 course is open to all Manual Therapists.

It is worth 20 hours (15 theory hours and 5 hands-on practice hours) applicable towards your CEU/CPD requirements.




The first few chapters will teach you the foundational principles that govern the movement and function of the digestive organs.  You will need this basic knowledge in order to become competent when performing Visceral Osteopathic Assessments and Treatments.  You will also understand the unique mechanics of the Upper Digestive Tract according to Osteopathic Mechanical Principles.  Then, you will learn how to apply these principles when manually assessing and treating the thoracic area of the upper GI tract.



How this course works:

This is self paced course that you can enroll in and start at anytime and learn from anywhere.  


 The course contains two quizzes and some hands-on practice assignments that will qualify you for your Certificate of Completion.

To learn more about the course curriculum, scroll down on this page.


Mentoring Sessions with your Instructor

If you would like to review any aspect of the course material, whether it be an aspect of your hands-on homework practice, or another set of questions, you can request paid one-on-one virtual mentoring sessions with your Instructor.  Simply email us at [email protected] and our Registration Coordinator will help set it up.  And although our Instructor is located in the Eastern Time Zone of North America, she can be flexible about setting up a time that works for you both.



What else will I learn in this course?

 Some additional important principles that will help guide you in your treatments is the Functional Anatomy of the of the thoracic viscera and its referred pain pathways and easily identifiable dermatomes. 

Next, you will learn about the unique tensions that the esophagus and thoracic cavity are subject to, from an osteopathic viewpoint, and how these tensions contribute to acid reflux.

Then you will learn how to palpate and assess your clients and patients for signs of Upper Gastro Intestinal Dysfunction. 
 

You will learn how to treat the thoracic area of the Upper GI Tract to relieve abnormal tensions in this area using gentle visceral osteopathic techniques to provide immediate symptomatic relief to your clients and patients. 


Click here to watch your Instructor talk about how Osteopaths & Manual Therapists can reduce the symptoms of some of the most common Upper GI Tract dysfunctions naturally using the gentle techniques fo visceral manual therapy.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Chapter 1. Nature Abhors a Vacuum and Other Interesting Principles

    • 1.1 Introduction

    • 1.2 The Principle of Volume Pressure

    • 1.3 Organ Mobility versus Motility

    • 1.4 Organ Mobility

      FREE PREVIEW

    • 1.5 Visceral "Motility"

    • 1.6 Physiological Conditions that Lead to Organ Dysfunction

    • 1.7 The Motility Cycle or Phases of Motility
  • 2

    ch 2. The Viscero-Somatic and Somato-Visceral Concept

    • 2.1 The Viscero-Somatic / Somato-Visceral Effect

    • 2.2 The Viscero-Somatic / Somato-Visceral Reflex Chart

    • 2.3 How Viscero-Somatic Reflexes creates Facilitated Segments

    • 2.4 Physiological Dermatomes of Visceral Dysfunction

    • 2.5 DOWNLOAD - The Viscero-Somatic / Somato-Visceral Reflex Chart

    • 2.6 DOWNLOAD - Viscero-Somatic / Somato-Visceral Reflexes According to Gastro Intestinal Tract Segments
  • 3

    Chapter 3. Examples of Causes of Visceral Organ Dysfunction

    • 3.3 Introduction to chapter 3

    • 3.4 Hypotonia - Underfunctioning of the GI Tract

    • 3.5 Hypertonia - Overfunctioning of the GI Tract

    • 3.6 Upper, Midddle and Lower Portions of the GI Tracts
  • 4

    Chapter 4. Other Mechanical Principles that Govern Visceral Mobility and Motility

    • 4.1 Introduction to chapter 4

    • 4.2 Acute versus Chronic Visceral States of Dysfunction

    • 4.3 The Emotional & Psychological Component of Visceral & Digestive Dysfunctions

    • 4.4 Other Mechanical Principles that Govern Visceral Mobility and Motility
  • 5

    Chapter 5. Goals & Contra Indications to Visceral Osteopathic Treatment

    • 5.1 Introduction to Chapter 5

    • 5.2 Goal of Visceral Osteopathic Treatment

    • 5.3 Copy of Final Treatment Considerations

    • 5.4 Working in Collaboration with your Client's Physician or Other Primary Care Practitioner

    • 5.5 Contraindications and Precautions
  • 6

    Chapter 6. Quiz #1

    • 6.1 Information about Quiz #1

    • Quiz #1

    • Completing Quiz before Moving on to Next Chapters
  • 7

    Chapter 7. Visceral Osteopathy Principles of th4e Upper GI Tract

  • 8

    Chapter 8. Referred Pain Pathways & Dermatomes of the Upper GI Tract

    • 8.1 Intro Video with your Instructor: Referred pain pathways

    • 8.2 Typical Referred Pain Pathways – Dermatomes

    • 8.3 Demonstration Video - Locating the Posterior Dermatomes of the Upper GI Tract

    • 8.4 Demonstration Video - Locating the Anterior Dermatomes of the Upper GI Tract

    • 8.5 Video: How to do your Hands-on Practice

    • 8.6 Hands-on Practice Assignment: Locating the Organs of the Upper Gastro Intestinal Tract and their Corresponding Dermatomes

    • 8.7 Download - Practicing Locating the Upper GI Organs & their Dermatomes

    • 8.8 Did you do our Hands-On Practice ?
  • 9

    Chapter 9. Physiologic Motion of the Esophagus & its Sphincters

    • 9.1 Intro Video with your Instructor: Physiologic Motion of the Esophagus & its Sphincters

    • 9.2 Functional Anatomy of the Esophagus & Key Points to Locate

    • 9.3 Video Demonstration - Locating Key Points of the Esophagus

    • 9.4 Hands-On Practice: Learning to locate the Key Points that will help you identify the pathway of the esophagus

    • 9.5 Download - Practicing Locating Key Points of the Esophagus

    • 9.6 Physiologic Motion of the Esophagus and its Sphincter

    • 9.7 Subjective Symptom Evaluation - What your patients tells you

    • 9.8 Did you do our Hands-On Practice ?
  • 10

    Chapter 10. Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Acid Reflux by another name

    • 10.1 Intro Video with your Instructor: GERD or Acid Reflux Disease

    • 10.2 Overview of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease

    • 10.3 Understanding the Medical Context and Your Role in Treating GERD

    • 10.4 What is our treatment goal in helping GERD & Acid Reflux?

    • 10.5 How Dysfunctions of the Diaphragm contribute to Acid Reflux

    • 10.6 Symptoms of Gastric Reflux due to Pharyngeal or Laryngeal Irritation

    • 10.7 How Visceral Osteopathy positively affects the mechanics AND the biochemistry of the aesophagus and stomach

    • 10.8 Postural Causes of Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease

    • 10.9 Reflux and Myofascial Torsions of the Body or Spine

    • 10.10 Cycles of Decompensation of the Body that can cause Reflux
  • 11

    Chapter 11. Esophageal Reflux Treatment Techniques

    • 11.1 Intro with Instructor Learning Techniques

    • 11.2 How to listen to the lessons then watch the demonstration videos

    • 11.3 Explanation - Assessing for Myofascial Restrictions in the Gastro- Esophageal Area

    • 11.4 Training Video - Assessing for Myofascial Restrictions in the Gastro-Esophageal Area

    • 11.5 Releasing Myofascial Restrictions in the Gastroesophageal Junction - Explanation

    • 11.6 Training Video - Releasing Myofascial Restrictions in the Gastro-Esophageal Area

    • 11.7 Download for Hands-On Practice - Assessing & Treating Myofascial Restrictions of the Esophagus

    • 11.8 Explanation - Anterior Thoracic Fascia Release Supine Position

    • 5.9 Training Video - Anterior Thoracic Fascia Release Supine Position

    • 11.10 Download for Hands-On Practice - Perform an Anterior Myofascial Stretch

    • 11.11 Explanation - Recoil Technique to Rebalance Intra-Thoracic Volume Pressure & Release Any Adhesions

    • 11.12 Video Demonstration - Recoil Technique to Rebalance Intra-Thoracic Volume Pressure & Release Any Adhesions

    • 11.13 Download for Hands-on Practice - Recoil Technique

    • 11.14 Download - Practicing Assessment & Treatment Techniques
  • 12

    ch 12. Quiz #2

    • 12.1 Introduction to the Quiz with your Instructor

    • 12.2 Quiz #2
  • 13

    chapter 13. Homework Assignments

    • 13.1 Introduction to the Homework Section with your Instructor

    • 13.2 Introducing the Training Videos of Upper GI Visceral Treatment

    • 13.3 Instructions for your Hands-On Practice Homework Assignments

    • 13.4 Download - Instructions for your Hands-On Practice Homework Assignments

    • 13.5 Homework #1 Download - Practicing Locating the Upper GI Organs & their Dermatomes

    • 13.6 Homework #2 Download - Practicing Locating Key Points of the Esophagus

    • 13.7 Homework #3 Download - Practicing Assessment & Treatment Techniques

    • 13.8 Where & How to Submit your Homework
  • 14

    About your Instructor

    • Maureen Norah Maher, BA, DO(Qc), DOMP Osteopath Practitioner and Educator

    • How to Contact us

About the instructor

Educational Director & Instructor

Maureen Hannah Maher

Since Maureen began teaching, she found that not only does she have a natural gift for it (her parents were both teachers, so let hear it for genetics!), she found that she also holds a great desire to give back to the community and a profession that has been so fulfilling to her, and share over twenty years of acquired experience and knowledge.   Maureen brings extensive knowledge in Osteopathy  to her educational seminars.  Throughout her career which began in Montreal in 2003, Maureen has been an accredited member in good standing in several provinces across Canada, including the CPMDQ (Quebec), OsteopathyBC (British Columbia), OFOP (Ontario) and SCMMAC (Quebec). Like many classically trained Manual Osteopaths in Canada, Maureen wrote a thesis as part of her Osteopathy training. Hers was within the field of Cranial Osteopathy, on the Prevalence of Muscle and Myofascial Chain Link Dysfunctions and the Temporal Bone. Maureen was also an Associate Overseas member of the Australian Osteopathic Association (AOA) from 2008 to 2011.  After undergoing accreditation evaluation for foreign trained Osteopaths in Perth, Western Australia, Maureen was offered a position in one of Singapore's leading Osteopathic Clinics, giving her the distinction of having been the first Canadian trained Osteopath to be approved to practice  in South East Asia.   Right before the worldwide economic collapse in 2010, Maureen was offered a position in Shanghai China, which required accreditation with the GOSC, UK, which she began, but as prevailing economic conditions worsened, the position was put on hold, and Maureen decided instead to settled in Toronto, Canada, where after reluctantly accepting a poorly paid teaching contract, her students began asking her to design courses in more specialized subjects within Osteopathy, including Women's Health and Pediatrics.  It was not long after that Maureen founded the Center for Continuing Education of Osteopathy & Manual Therapy where she continued to innovate every day! Today, Maureen still teaches continuing education courses in specialized fields of Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Her students say that Maureen's teaching style is animated, engaging, but most importantly, informative.  Her gift lies in communicating complex theories in simple terms and analogies.  Her students come away with a clear grasp of Osteopathic concepts for treatment, and practical knowledge of how to apply them.  In more recent years, Maureen has created online versions of some of her most popular courses, and it is thanks to this new era of online learning that Osteopaths throughout Canada and throughout the world have been able to use Maureen's teachings and treatment protocols to help women, infants, and the general public find relief from the bodily dysfunctions that are so amenable to osteopathic manual treatments. Practitioners who enroll in any of our continuing education courses can contact Maureen at any time by email or pre-arranged phone call with clinical questions.  As a result, many Osteopaths worldwide still consult with her today regarding challenging Osteopathy cases.