Thai Bodywork provides traditional Thai massage practitioner certification trainings and therapy sessions by certified instructor and therapist Chuck Duff. Our highly-rated program combines a strongly traditional approach with the most current western clinical knowledge.

Chuck Duff received his B.A. from the University of Chicago, where he focused on Tibetan Buddhism and the ways in which Buddhist and yogic theory had informed Western psychology. In the year following his graduation, Chuck studied Kundalini yoga and attended Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, founded by Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche to further the study of Tibetan Buddhism and its relevance to Western creative and therapeutic disciplines.

When he discovered Thai massage in the late 90s, he found a discipline that integrated the physical and energetic therapeutic effects of yoga with the tradition, lineage, and formal practice of martial arts. It was a powerful combination that seemed to be an antidote to the toxic effects of stress, and was an exciting adjunct to the various exercise modalities that many people were turning to: yoga, pilates, dance, running, and working out. He resolved to become a Thai therapist, and became certified through the International Thai Therapists Association and Dr. Anthony James, who was one of the first individuals to practice and teach Thai massage in the U.S.

After establishing a highly successful Thai Massage practice, Chuck began teaching Thai massage and conducting practitioner workshops to train others as Thai therapists. Chuck provides three levels of Thai Massage Certification Training (Fundamentals, Southern Method, and Northern Method), and upon successful completion the students receive certificates that are recognized by NCBTMB and ABMP.

A Thai massage treatment is a positive, energizing, uplifting experience for the client as well as the practitioner. A session is a flowing dialog between client and practitioner, akin to a dance or martial arts form.

"Chuck's work facilitates an optimized energy flow in your body. I have found him to be very intuitive, present, and focused. He knows how to guide the body and flow with the energy of the work."

Arthur Newfli, bodyworker and leader, New Warrior Trainings

Part of a uniquely Thai medical tradition involving proper nutrition, physical exercise, the use of medicinal herbs and therapeutic massage, Traditional Thai Massage, also known as Nuat Thai, Nuad Boran or Thai Yoga Therapy, is a therapeutic bodywork technique that dates back thousands of years.

Thai Massage involves gentle stretching and pressure techniques, used to release held patterns and blockages in the body and to treat persistent pain. Being a strongly Buddhist tradition, the practice of Nuat Thai is a practical expression of compassion toward oneself and others.

(20 Hr. Certificate/20 CEUs) A basic introduction to Thai Massage, this intensive 2-1/2 day Thai Massage training is suitable for new students or practitioners seeking an alternative modality from a spiritual perspective. This in-depth certification training covers the basic concepts of hands-on healing in a balanced session. At the end of this course the student can perform a complete beginner Kata with a partner. The concept of body work as a meditation and nineteen different asana or therapeutic postures are introduced, along with theory, practice, and therapeutic applications. Upon successful completion, the student will receive a 20-hour certificate recognized by NCBTMB, IPTA, and ABMP.

(Southern Method, 40 Hours/40 CEUs) Continuing the work begun in Level One, this course establishes the basis of a professional Ayurvedic Thai Massage practice. Level 2 is the core Thai Massage Practitioner level training. Fifty-six treatment Asanas are taught, along with theory, therapeutic applications, how to structure treatments, and much more. Upon successful completion, the student will receive a 40-hour certificate that is recognized by NCBTMB and ABMP. No prerequisites.

(Northern Method, 70 Hours) Explore in detail the Chinese and Hill tribe influence on hands-on healing, by learning the seven basic katas of the Northern (Chiang Mai) School. Additional Oriental and Western Anatomy and Physiology is introduced. The course is predominantly hands-on. During this 7-day intensive, there is additional practice of the meditative and spiritual aspects of training, ie: Vipassana (Insight Meditation) and Puja. This course completes the student's basic complement of working tools. Over 200 distinctive Asanas or therapeutic postures are covered in detail.

This course covers the fundamentals of Clinical Thai Bodywork, a modality developed by Chuck Duff that integrates the clinical and therapeutic aspects of Thai massage, trigger point therapy and microcurrent point stimulation. CTB is highly effective in reducing or eliminating patters of pain and restriction, often in cases that have failed conventional medical treatment. CTB gives the student specific tools to access and design effective treatments for the most common client complaints and can be integrated into a mat, chair or table-based practice.