The NVR curriculum integrates techniques, perspectives, and practices from structural integration, osteopathy, and clinical massage.
In Part 1, our focus is on improving balance, mobility, and stability within the upper body, including head, neck, shoulder girdle, rib cage, and lungs:
We will work gently and precisely with the vascular system to normalize tone in hypertonic muscles that are shortening the myofascial tracks, distorting posture, and limiting movement.
We will work with restrictions of the cervical plexus, brachial plexus, intercostal nerves, accessory nerve, vagus nerve, phrenic nerve, and dura with the goals of reducing pain and improving structural and functional balance.
You will also:
As you add techniques to your tool bag, we will discuss applications and strategies for working with thoracic outlet syndrome, the residual effects of whiplash, jaw issues, problems leading to anterior head shift, shoulder mobility issues, upper body stiffness, hypermobile clients, and scoliosis.
Over time, your clients or patients will notice improved proprioception, interoception, and nervous system regulation, and they will grow in their appreciation for how smart and adaptive their bodies are.
This course is for all licensed manual therapists, including massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, and structural integrators.
The next four courses in the NVR Curriculum are scheduled to take place at this same location in Taos during the next two years.
Recorded and live sessions total 28 plus hours, spread across five weeks
Spread out your learning over time. Practice the techniques and strategies you just learned and then return to class the following week with questions.
Reduce your travel costs!
For each week of class, watch four hours of recordings and attend a 90-minute live mentoring session.
How to plan for your full participation
Understand the components of this course:
Manual NVR Part 1 in the online format is divided into five classes. Each class includes four hours of class recordings from a previous online course, edited into short segments, and one live online mentoring session. Before each live mentoring session, you will need to watch approximately four hours of video and practice the techniques for that week.
You will get the most out of our live mentoring sessions if you have a model scheduled to join you during class. In these sessions, we will begin and end class with questions and discussion. About 30 minutes into class, we will spend 30-45 minutes on guided practice of the week's techniques.
Recordings of supplemental Q&A sessions from a previous distance-learning course are also included in this course as a bonus, but you don't need to watch these before our mentoring sessions. (They are offered to you to support you in your review of the course material.)
Additionally, the live mentoring sessions for this course will be recorded for your future reference.
This course includes a downloadable Part 1 Technique Manual in two versions: English and Deutsch. If your primary language is Deutsch, you will want to work with that version first, but the English version is available to you as well.)
Mark your calendar:
**Start watching the Class 1 recordings by March 26, so that you have a week to practice the techniques before our first class on April 1. We will discuss the Class 1 techniques during the first live mentoring session.**
Each week, you will need to practice with a model before the live class:
Additional dates to note in your calendar:
April 23, May 21, and/or July 16-- Bring your questions to the NVR Community Seminar (meeting at 9 am and 4 pm Pacific time in April and May, and only at 9 am Pacific in July). Enjoy the benefit of hearing the questions of other NVR students and program graduates outside your cohort. Choose to join on the dates that work for you. (When you register for Part 1, you will be automatically registered for the Seminar series.
June 11 -- If you are attending Part 2 in Bremen, Germany, plan to register for and attend a one-day review of the Part 1 techniques the day before Part 2 begins.
June 12-14 -- Register for and attend the next course, Manual NVR Part 2: Lower Thorax, Pelvis, and Hips in Bremen, Germany.
July 18 -- If you are attending Manual NVR Part 2 in Bremen, plan to attend the online post-course Q&A session (9 am Pacific Time / 6 pm Central European Time).
The Bremen cohort will be consulted before dates are selected for Manual NVR Parts 3 and 4 in Bremen, Germany, in 2027. These will likely take place in the Spring and Autumn.
November 13-15 -- Alternatively, register for Part 2 in Taos, New Mexico.
As you progress through the curriculum, you can alternate between distance learning and in-person courses.
Parts 1 and 2 are the first level of your Manual NVR training and need to be taken in order. In Part 1, we will focus on neck, shoulders, and upper thorax mobility, including some work for the lungs and vagus nerve. In Part 2, we will continue our work with the torso, focusing on the pelvis, hips, and thighs.
In Parts 3 and 4, the next level within the curriculum, we will study the distal extremities in detail, review techniques for the proximal extremities and thorax, and continue working with neurovascular restrictions affecting the organs. Because we will be building on skills learned in the first two courses and expanding your understanding of session strategy and lower and upper body patterns, Parts 1 and 2 are prerequisites for Parts 3 and 4.
Manual NVR Part 5 is a practicum focused on assessment and practical application. In full sessions with outside models, you will apply all that you have learned in Parts 1 through 4, practicing session strategy under Kier’s guidance. This is a great opportunity to bring family members with you to receive work!
Checklist: What to do after registering
FREE PREVIEWAnatomy Resources: Netter, Thieme, and the Complete Anatomy App
FREE PREVIEWIntro to videos that prepare you for Part 1: Cultivating Interoception
Intro Video 1: What is Neurovascular Release? Why are we doing this?
Intro Video 2: Basic neck techniques, "Balloon lift"
Intro Video 3: Technique - "Wilted Flower" and the upper intercostal spaces
Intro Video 4: Is wilted flower technique addressing nerve or artery?
Intro Video 5: Internal thoracic artery technique demo (recorded in 2018 during an in-person Manual NVR Part 1 class)
NVR Contraindications and Cautions - notes for discussion
Nerve and Artery Study Guide - neck and upper thorax
English edition Technique LIst with page numbers
English language edition, Pages 1-15
English language edition, Pages 16-30
English language edition, Pages 31-45
English language edition, Pages 46-55
English language edition, Pages 56-68
German edition Technique LIst with page numbers
German language edition, Pages 1-15
German language edition, Pages 16-30
German language edition, Pages 31-45
German language edition, Pages 46-55
German language edition, Pages 56-73
Orientation to full class recordings
Class 1 Video 1: anatomy and intro to internal thoracic artery technique
Class 1 Video 2: demonstration of internal thoracic artery technique
Class 1 Video 3: guided practice for internal thoracic artery technique
Class 1 Video 4: demonstration of lower intercostal artery release
Class 1 Video 5: lower intercostal space bolstering and technique variations
Class 1 Video 6: anatomy for occipital artery technique
Class 1 Video 7: occipital artery technique
Class 1 Video 8: guided practice for occipital artery technique
Class 1 Video 9: questions after practice of occipital artery technique
Class 1 Video 10: demonstration of deep cervical artery technique
Class 1 Video 11: discussion after practice of deep cervical artery technique
Class 1 Video 12: technique manual and guidelines for adding NVR to your practice
Class 1 Video 13: anatomy - cross-section of neck
Class 1 Video 14: demonstration ofSCM techniques plus superficial nerve anatomy
Class 1 Video 15: guided practice for SCM techniques
Class 1 Video 16: anatomy and self-palpation:treatment for occipital nerves
Class 1 Video 17: guided practice - working occipital nerves on client
Bonus (review): guided practice and discussion - internal thoracic artery
Bonus: questions after internal thoracic artery practice
Bonus (review): lower intercostal arteries
Bonus: tips for working with the occipital nerves on yourself
Bonus: 2023-07-13 Part 1 Class 1 Q&A, plus additional guided practice for internal thoracic artery
Bonus: 2024-01-30 Part 1 Class 1 Q&A plus new technique for intercostal nerves
Class 2 Video 1: Check in and questions
Class 2 Video 2: Anatomy - artery to trapezius and scalenes, palpation and self-treatment for scalenes
Class 2 Video 3: demos 1 and 2, then guided practice - artery to trapezius
Class 2 Video 4: discussion after practicing artery to trapezius
Class 2 Video 5: comments from experienced students, demo of artery to scalenes
Class 2 Video 6: guided practice for artery to scalenes
Class 2 Video 7: questions, anatomy of brachial plexus, subclavicular artery impingement
Class 2 Video 8: anatomy for supraclavicular nerve
Class 2 Video 9: demonstration - supraclavular nerve release
Class 2 Video 10: demonstration - dorsal scapular artery release
Class 2 Video 11: demonstration - dorsal scapular nerve release
Class 2 Video 12: demonstration - suprascapular artery release
Class 2 Video 13: demonstration #1 - suprascapular nerve release
Class 2 Video 14 : demonstration #2 - supraclavicular nerve release
Class 2 Video 15: guided practice - supraclavicular nerve release
Class 2 Video 16: anatomy - dorsal scapular artery and nerve
Class 2 Video 17: guided practice - dorsal scapular artery and nerve
Class 2 Video 18 - anatomy - suprascapular artery and nerve
Class 2 Video 19: guided practice - suprascapular artery and nerve
Class 2 Video 20: discussion, what to expect next class, two more questions
Bonus: 2023-07-20 Part 1 Class 2 Q&A
Bonus: 2024-02-06 Part 1 Class 2 Q&A
Class 3 Video 1: introduction to brachial plexus and dural work, explaining to clients what we are doing
Class 3 Video 2: questions about working with clients
Class 3 Video 3: anatomy of brachial plexus
Class 3 Video 4: self-palpation of brachial plexus (identifying handholds in the upper arm)
Class 3 Video 5: demonstration on a person - brachial plexus handholds in the upper arm
Class 3 Video 6: guided practice - brachial plexus handholds, round -1
Class 3 Video 7: two additional handholds near elbow (for radial nerve and brachiomusculocutaneous nerve)
Class 3 Video 8: guided practice for brachial plexus handholds, round -2 with addition of scalenes as a handle
Class 3 Video 9: questions regarding brachial plexus alternative handholds
Class 3 Video 10: anatomy to introduce vertebral artery technique
Class 3 Video 11: introduction to questioning in preparation ofr vertebral artery practice
Class 3 Video 12: demonstration on skeleton - vertebral artery
Class 3 Video 13: demonstration on person - vertebral artery
Class 3 Video 14: guided practice - vertebral artery
Class 3 Video 15: questions after guided practice - vertebral artery
Class 3 Video 16: Demonstration - using manual listening and questioning for brachial plexus and dural mini session
Class 3 Video 17: Demonstration:guided practice - brachial plexus and dural glide (with Shaylynn)
Class 3 Video 18: Demonstration:guided practice - brachial plexus and dural glide (with Gary)
Bonus: 2024-02-20 NVR Part 1 Class 3 Q&A
Bonus: 2024-03-07 Mentoring session on Listening and Questioning
