Carla Steptoe: A Pioneer for Infant Massage

This is training in the most effective paradigm of family-centered touch and massage - individualizing touch and massage for each infant/child and parent rather than performing a generic routine of strokes. You will learn to utilize practical skills derived from a knowledge of infant and child development and behavior, effective communication, and facilitation strategies and methods distilled from decades of experience developing touch and massage interventions with families.

You will learn an application of infant touch and massage instruction that is family-centered by design and individualized to fit the baby and family. Within this approach is a framework of assessment of the infant/child and family, neurobehavioral observation, and massage positioning that supports outcomes for the developmental progress of the child. This approach encourages parent-child interaction that builds attachment, as well as a trusting relationship between the instructor and the family.

You will learn to facilitate infant massage instruction for families with babies who are typically developing, and if desired, follow up with continuing education classes ranging from working with families with infants and children born biologically or environmentally at-risk, or with special needs, learning more in-depth facilitation skills to work with a wide range of parent populations and situations.