Nine powerful, information-packed lessons that are based on the book Safe Movement for All Spines take teachers on a deeper dive into movement and pain science. Monthly mentoring sessions provide real-time access to a collaborative environment for learning actionable techniques to apply to current clients, or oneself, right away.

What is The Dynamic Spine?

The entire curriculum is approved by American Council on Exercise (ACE), Yoga Alliance, and International Association of Yoga Therapists for 72 continuing education hours and National Pilates Certification Program (formerly PMA) for 60 continuing education hours.

Students may enroll at any time during the year, with immediate access to the entire course. 

The 41-hour original course is now available in smaller modules of 4 CECs each for ease of accessibility and to give you options to suit your busy schedule. You can now take each module separately to fulfill your Continuing Education requirements. Each module is accompanied by a Distance Learning component to complete prior to the live course. 

What’s included?

  • A copy of Safe Movement for All Spines
    A Guide to Spinal Anatomy and How to Work With 21 Spine and Hip Conditions 
  • Nine Pre-recorded PowerPoint lectures provide a foundation and expand on the textbook with additional research and information
  • In live, hybrid (in-person or Zoom) monthly mentoring sessions, join Gwen as she works with a model for assessment and program design in a collaborative learning environment.  This is where you can pre-arrange to bring a client, or volunteer to be the demonstration model for the meeting.  The live course is recorded for those who cannot make the meeting.
  • Practice The Language of Healing 
    Explore and deepen the ongoing work of how our language choices may affect others, and how our tone sets the stage for creating a safe space for healing. Explore what inclusion means from physical, cultural, and spiritual perspectives to lead with truly heart-centered and empathetic lovingkindness.
  • Access to private FaceBook group for pre- or post-module mentoring regarding specific clients and exercises.
  • FREE audits and lifetime access to the course materials.

What you will learn:

  • Assessments within the scope of practice of your profession that up-level your problem-solving skills
  • Best practices across multiple movement modalities for safe and effective program design
  • Create a safe environment to facilitate optimal healing and support of pain relief
  • Communication and cueing in non-judgmental, healing, inclusive language
  • Tactile cueing, muscle energy techniques, and neurodynamic techniques as potent strategies for reducing pain and increasing your effectiveness as a practitioner
  • Activities of Daily Living that are biomechanically sound and support quality of life
  • Develop our “teacher’s eye” to connect assessment with meaning in movement

Live Sessions

Live courses are built on the foundation of the Distance Learning curriculum, a space of valuable time and energy, a place for asking questions to increase the specificity and application of techniques for your clients in a real-time, hybrid learning environment.

Live attendance offers a dynamic learning experience wherein a deeper understanding is fostered and multiple learning styles are accommodated.

Light up your practice with the brilliance of energy exchange and ideas shared in the collaborative environment of live sessions.

Location

Live/Hybrid Mentoring Sessions are held at 
Breathe Diversity Pilates + Fitness and Zoom

2024 Live Session Dates 

January 28
The Flexion-Intolerant Spine: Working with Disc Derangement and Herniation

February 25
Beyond Mummification: Working with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

June 30
10:30 am – 1 pm — Spinal Stenosis: the Extension-Intolerant Spine
1:30 am – 4 pm — The Complicated Spine: Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis + Special Cases 

July 28
12 am – 4 pm — Effective Programming for Ankylosing Spondylitis + Spinal Fusion

August 25
10:30 am – 1 pm — Strategies for SI Joint Dysfunction and Sciatica
1:30 am – 4 pm — Beyond the Total Hip Replacement

October 27
10:30 am – 1pm — Hypermobility: New School Techniques
1:30 – 4 pm Confidence and Clarity working with Scoliosis

Live Sessions are included for Full Series and Individual Course enrollees. Digital Only Enrollees may purchase Live sessions separately at checkout or once enrolled.

The Dynamic Spine

Practical

$297

Single Subject Foundation +
Mentoring Session

9 Subjects to choose from

Includes:

  • Single-Subject Foundations Curriculum
  • Single-Subject Practical Curriculum
  • Student Assessment Sheet
  • Group Mentoring Session 
  • Facebook Group
  • Paperback or Kindle Copy of
    Safe Movement for All Spines

Certificates of Completion for:

  • 4 NCPT CECs
  • .4 ACE CECs
  • 4 IAYT CECs
  • 4 YA CECs

* Foundations Enrollees may purchase Practical
Courses at 50% off at checkout, or once enrolled.

Foundations

$497

Self-Paced Distance Learning

Includes:

  • 9 hours of Pre-Recorded Lectures
  • 9 Study Guides
  • 9 Student Assessment Sheets
  • Private Facebook Group
  • 50% off Practical Sessions
  • 20% off Mentorship Program
  • Paperback or Kindle Copy of
    Safe Movement for All Spines

Certificates of Completion for:

  • 19 NCPT CECs
  • 3.6 ACE CECs
  • 20 IAYT CECs
  • 19 YA CECs

Mentorship

$1,497

Safe Movement for All Spines®
Certified Trainer Pathway*

Includes:

  • 20 hour Foundations Curriculum
  • 40+ hour Practical Curriculum
  • Group Mentoring Sessions
  • Lifetime Access to Curriculum
  • Opportunities to Audit and Assist
  • Opportunity to Apply for Certification*
  • Facebook Group
  • Paperback or Kindle Copy of
    Safe Movement for All Spines

Certificates of Completion for:

  • 60 NCPT CECs
  • 7.20 ACE CECs
  • 72 IAYT CECs
  • 70 YA CECs

*Additional requirements for certification include application and completion of 2 case studies.

Course List

The following 9 courses are included in each Full Series option above.
You may enroll in single and multiple courses by choosing your options below and adding them to your cart.

The Flexion-Intolerant Spine:
Working with Disc Derangement and Herniation

The Flexion-Intolerant Spine: Working with Disc Derangement and Herniation is based on Chapter 1 of Safe Movement for All Spines.  Learn how to move beyond “no loaded flexion” into a realm of powerful, proven tools and techniques to help decrease pain and restore vitality. Apply assessments to differentiate the effects of disc herniation in movement, strength and sensation.  Learn when to refer to allied medical professionals and utilize proven techniques within the scope of practice of a movement teacher to help facilitate healing.

Beyond Mummification:
Working with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

Beyond Mummification: Working with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis is based on Chapter 2 of Safe Movement for All Spines. Learn about working with people who have osteopenia or osteoporosis, beyond “no flexion” strategies that basically mummify torso movement. Really understand the treatment options for bone density loss, and the most important factors to consider when working with this population. Explore movements designed to help prevent fractures and rebuild bone density, and exercises to strengthen muscles and reflexes involved in balance and fall prevention.

Spinal Stenosis: The Extension-Intolerant Spine

Spinal Stenosis: The Extension-Intolerant Spine is based on Chapter 3 of Safe Movement for All Spines. Learn how multidisciplinary approaches can organize movement effectively for pain relief, strength, flexibility, and long-term quality of life.  This module includes information about degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative joint disease (DJD), also called spondylosis, common causes of stenosis. 

Learn how to help the person with spinal stenosis find more comfort and ease in movement based on the causes for, and location of, their spinal stenosis.  Exercises to strengthen without exacerbating pain help the person find long-term solutions for an active life.

The Complicated Spine:
Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis + Special Cases

The Complicated Spine: Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis + Special Cases is based on Chapters 4 and 10 of Safe Movement for All Spines. Learn specific guidelines for safe movement and healthy maintenance of the spine with spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis and anterolisthesis or retrolisthesis.  Incorporate creative variations of Pilates repertoire that are challenging, inclusive and fun, while biomechanically safe for the “spondy” spine.

What do you do when a person has a complicated spine, with multiple conditions?  This course empowers instructors to learn, understand and apply a priority hierarchy when someone has multiple issues, and some of the contraindications are conflicting.  An example of the problem-solving and solution-oriented thinking for these special cases is illustrated by Susan’s story, a client case study that offers powerful lessons about how healing can occur.  

Effective Programming for Ankylosing Spondylitis + Spinal Fusion

Effective Programming for Ankylosing Spondylitis + Spinal Fusion is based on Chapter 5 of Safe Movement for All Spines, with additional information about working with people who have surgical spinal fusions. Learn about the stages of AK, a progressive form of arthritis, and become empowered to guide and experience healthy and appropriate movement at each stage.  Learn assessments that help refine your teachers’ eye when working with natural or surgical spinal fusions.  Understand what to watch for from various angles to determine appropriate ranges of movement.  Improve specificity in exercise selection and appropriate variations for the person with a partial or total spinal fusion. 

Strategies for SI Joint Dysfunction and Sciatica

Strategies for SI Joint Dysfunction and Sciatica is based on Chapter 6 of Safe Movement for All Spines. Explore the sacrum as the keystone for stability, movement, and force transference between the spine, pelvis, and femurs. Learn what issues can affect this delicate interplay, creating dysfunction and causing pain, and simple yet effective solutions to help restore and maintain pain-free movement.  Assessments that are within the scope of practice for movement teachers guide exercise and prop selection.  Learn effective strategies for both acute and chronic SI Joint dysfunction, and multiple techniques for alleviating sciatica that are immediately actionable in private or group sessions, and may be assigned as home programs.

Beyond the Total Hip Replacement

Beyond the Total Hip Replacement is based on Chapter 7 of Safe Movement for All Spines.  Confidently work with a variety of total and partial hip replacements by understanding the implications of their contraindications. Learn how to assess soft-tissue issues, hip degeneration, and structural variations in hip structure.  Understand how to apply intelligently designed movements for optimal function and healing.  Understand structural variants and explore what these mean in terms of ranges of movement and exercise selection.  Utilize specific guidelines and learn cueing for safe and inclusive exercise participation. 

Hypermobility: New School Techniques

Hypermobility: New School Techniques is based on Chapter 8 of Safe Movement for All Spines and takes a deeper dive into learning and understanding hypermobile physiology, neurology, and assessment.  A broader perspective, informed by pain science and biomechanics, takes the teacher beyond old paradigms of limiting range of motion as a solution for hypermobility.  Exploring multiple diagnoses in hypermobile populations gives valuable information that helps guide teacher and student in navigating health and movement environments.  Application of uniquely developed exercises and manual techniques prepare the client living in a hypermobile body for movement.  Move beyond the Old School myths of working with a person who has a hypermobile body and assess, understand and teach the body in front of you.

Confidence and Clarity Working with Scoliosis

Confidence and Clarity working with Scoliosis is based on Chapter 9 of Safe Movement for All Spines. So much is written and taught about scoliosis—how do you really know what to do? We move from a “fixing” mindset to facilitating a mutually empowering relationship with the person who has scoliosis. Instructors learn and understand the various considerations and ideas about working with the person who has scoliosis.  Overview of various methodologies, the theories that support them, and how to determine which methods to employ and when.  Learn what best practices to employ – and what to avoid – when working with a person who has scoliosis.  Learn techniques and exercises that can be easily incorporated into 1:1 or group sessions for elongation, de-rotation and strengthening.  This course is a great intro and overview with depth prior to participating in more intensive scoliosis – specific curriculum.