Refining Facial Gua Sha & Cupping:
Advanced Techniques for Clinical Precision

Format: Live, in-person class
Duration: 2.5 hours 
Credit: 2 AOM-AC PDA Credits for acupuncturists: NCCAOM (now NCBAHM!) provider #9463
Access: Private course content hosted on Thinkific (+ detailed lesson outlines). Exact address of the event will be provided upon registration. 
Cost: $80

Course Description

This live, hands-on training focuses on the safe and effective clinical application of facial Gua Sha and cupping, with particular attention to scar tissue, fascia, adhesions, and anatomical & safety considerations of the face and neck.

Participants will learn how guided load, pressure, and direction influence collagen remodeling and tissue response. Emphasis is placed on precision rather than force, clinical safety, and developing “listening hands” that respond to tissue feedback in real time.

This course is designed for licensed and student practitioners seeking to deepen their manual therapy skills within a trauma-informed, anatomy-driven framework.

What’s Included

  • Live, instructor-led training

  • Hands-on demonstrations and guided practice

  • Visual reference materials and diagrams

  • Pre-class educational content hosted on Thinkific

  • Certificate of completion (issued after course requirements are met)

Who This Course Is For

  • Acupuncturists and acupuncture students (2 PDA credits AOM-AC)

  • Massage therapists and bodyworkers

  • Other licensed hands-on practitioners

  • No prior facial gua sha experience is required, although it is helpful 

Registration & Access

Important Notes

  • This is an educational course, not a medical treatment session

  • Participation in hands-on practice is optional; self-practice, partnered practice, observation, or working with a model are all acceptable

  • Participants may opt out of any activity at any time

Preparation

  • Please complete all assigned pre-class materials before attending

  • Arrive with a clean face (no makeup or active skincare products)

  • Avoid facial injections, microneedling, or aggressive exfoliation for at least 2 weeks prior to class

Register Online for the Live Course

Respond With Power: a program on reactivity and intentional response

Format: Digital Download
Cost: $29

Respond with Power is an educational program focused on understanding reactivity and building intentional, capacity-aware responses. Grounded in nervous system science and real-life application, the course explores how triggers form, how the body responds under stress, and where choice becomes possible.

The printable worksheets pack is included as a practical companion, offering structured tools- such as trigger mapping, pause-and-respond scripts, and flare-day planning- to help you apply the material in everyday situations.

Download Here

 

Download the Guide Here

Facial and Scar Therapy with Cupping and Gua Sha: Clinical & Aesthetic Applications 

Format: Online, asynchronous course
Duration: 6 hours (self-paced)
Credit: 6 AOM-AC PDA Credits for Acupuncturists: 3 AOM-AC | 1 AOM-BIO | 1 SAF | 1 PE-CW
Provider: NCCAOM / NCBAHM-approved PDA Provider #9463
Access: Thinkific Learning Platform 
Availability: Immediate access upon enrollment
Cost: $240

Course Description

Elevate your manual therapy skills with our 6 PDA-hour Gua Sha & Facial Cupping Course, designed for licensed practitioners seeking advanced, evidence-informed techniques to enhance client outcomes in both clinical and spa settings. This focused program delivers practical, hands-on training that blends traditional bodywork principles with contemporary fascia-based and neuromuscular approaches.

Participants will explore the art and science of therapeutic gua sha and facial cupping, with emphasis on client safety, tissue response, and integrative assessment. The curriculum supports immediate clinical integration and satisfies continuing education requirements for many state boards and professional organizations.

What You’ll Learn

  • Foundations of Gua Sha & Facial Cupping: Theory, contraindications, indications, and safety protocols

  • Anatomy & Tissue Mechanics: Focused review of superficial fascia, lymphatics, scar composition and healing process, connective tissues of the face and neck, and related structures

  • Assessment Skills: Functional assessment strategies to identify restrictions, stagnation, and areas of fascial tension

  • Hands-On Technique Mastery:

    • Therapeutic gua sha strokes for the face, neck, and jaw

    • Facial cupping applications for lymphatic flow, tissue mobility, and relaxation

    • Integration of techniques with holistic client care

  • Client Communication & Consent: Best practices for intake, expectations setting, and culturally sensitive touch

Who Should Attend

This course is appropriate for licensed acupuncturists for PDA credit. Other professionials such as massage therapists, estheticians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, and other bodywork professionals seeking advanced training in manual therapy modalities. Participants should have foundational palpation and soft tissue skills.

Continuing Education & PDA Credits

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate for 6 PDA hours through NCCAOM, suitable for professional development and licensure renewal where applicable. Training aligns with standards for safe, ethical, and scope-appropriate practice.

Why Choose This Course

  • Expert instruction with emphasis on safely integrating gua sha and cupping into a broad range of client presentations

  • Practical, hands-on application with immediate clinical relevance

  • Supportive learning environment ideal for refining palpation, pressure modulation, and nuanced technique

Enroll Here

The Bendy Body Guide to The Galaxy: A Course for Any Body

Format: Online
Cost: Free

A practical guide for people with bendy, sensitive, or unpredictable bodies

If your body feels flexible, fragile, reactive, or confusing- and you’ve ever been told it’s “just anxiety,” “just stress,” or “just how you are”… this course is for you. And it’s Free.

Bendy Body Survival Guide to the Galaxy is an easy-to-understand educational series designed for people living in hypermobile, sensitive, or chronically uncomfortable bodies. You’ll learn why your body responds the way it does, how fascia, nerves, circulation, and connective tissue interact, and what actually helps you feel more stable, supported, and at home in your body.

This is not a workout program or a medical diagnosis. It’s a roadmap for understanding your body’s signals, reducing reactivity, and learning gentle, realistic strategies for daily life without pushing, forcing, or “powering through.”

Whether you’re newly discovering your bendiness or have been living with it for years, this guide helps you stop blaming yourself and start working with your body instead of against it.

Clinical Ethics & AI in Integrative Medicine

Format: Online, Asynchronous
Credit: 3 AOM-BIO PDA Credits through NCCAOM
Cost: $120
Access: Thinkific Online Course

This course addresses the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) as an emerging tool in integrative and East Asian medicine contexts. AI technologies may be used in professional settings to support education, research synthesis, documentation, and administrative efficiency. However, AI does not replace clinical reasoning, professional judgment, or the practitioner–patient relationship.

Scope, Accountability, and Professional Responsibility

The use of AI in integrative medicine raises important ethical considerations, including data privacy, transparency, accuracy, and practitioner responsibility. This course emphasizes that practitioners remain fully accountable for how information is interpreted, communicated, and applied in clinical or educational settings.

Participants are encouraged to critically evaluate AI outputs, cross-check information against reputable sources, and remain mindful of how technology can amplify both strengths and biases. Ethical AI use must align with existing professional standards, including patient safety, cultural humility, and evidence-informed practice.

Learning Emphasis

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI in professional practice

  • Apply ethical decision-making frameworks to AI-supported tools

  • Recognize limitations, bias, and verification requirements in AI-generated content

  • Maintain professional accountability when integrating emerging technologies

This course reinforces that AI-generated content should never be used as a substitute for diagnosis, treatment planning, informed consent, or direct patient care.

Facial & Scar Treatment at Home! Cupping & Gua Sha Techniques for Daily Use

$49 investment – Online – Asynchronous – Coming Soon!!!! 

See Dr. Mires' Learning Library