Teaching & Mentoring

Susan Shipton has been an educator for many years, offering continuing education for RMTs and other health professionals via:

presentations and webinars
online clinical coaching and mentoring
NEW! Oncology Massage course, offered in-person and online.

Oncology Massage

A continuing education course for manual therapists

"Grounded in science and guided by compassion, [Susan] makes the subject of Oncology Massage approachable and instills confidence..."

Did you know that 2 in 5 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime?

Do you feel confident and comfortable offering massage to someone following a cancer diagnosis?

Are you familiar with the side effects of cancer treatment, how manual therapy can help, and how to safely modify your treatment plan?

Join me to learn about the benefits and modifications of manual therapy through all stages of cancer treatment and beyond.

Course Content

Description:

Drawing on current research and over a decade of extensive experience, Susan presents valuable information for manual therapists on how to plan and deliver safe and effective treatments to help alleviate complications related to cancer treatment. Susan is an engaging and lively presenter passionate about sharing how massage therapy should be part of cancer care. This course will consist of lecture and interactive discussion, visual presentations and demonstrations, case studies and short group work.

Outline (subject to change):

Part 1

Understanding Cancer

What is oncology massage & why is it important

Pathophysiology of cancer & metastasis

Diagnosis, staging & grading

Important terminology

Cancer-massage myths

Part 2

Cancer Treatments & Side Effects

Surgery, post-surgical scar tissue, & scar massage

Chemotherapy

Common complications including peripheral neuropathy, nausea and how to effectively address them with manual therapy

Part 3

Cancer Treatments & Side Effects continued

Radiation, hormone therapy, immune therapy

Cancer-related pain & fatigue

Lymphedema

Psycho-emotional aspect of cancer experience

Common complications including radiation fibrosis

Part 4

Focus on Breast Cancer

Types of breast cancer

Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy

Surgical options for reconstruction & revision

Common complications, such as cording/axillary web syndrome, capsular contracture, fat necrosis, seromas.

Part 5

Clinical Integration / Palliative Massage

Group exercise: case study, intake questions, treatment plan, home care

Palliative massage, including changes in the dying body

Compassion fatigue and self-care for the therapist

Details:

What: A 5-part, 10-hour online course

When: Wednesday evenings, 7-9 pm Eastern Time

Part 1: October 1, 2025

Part 2: October 8, 2025

Part 3: October 15, 2025

Part 4: October 22, 2025

Part 5: October 29, 2025

Where: Via Zoom (recordings will briefly be available to registrants afterwards)

Cost: Early-bird discount (until August 31, 2025): $445 +13% HST

Regular price: $545 + 13% HST

Payment in full is required to secure your spot.

Please pay via etransfer to SusanShiptonRMT@gmail.com. Thank you.

*Approved in Alberta for 10 Primary Credits by MTAA

Space is limited! Click on the button below to secure your spot.

Learning Objectives:

Learn what cancer is and how metastasis occurs
Examine myths around massage and cancer
Discover what intake questions to ask and how to plan safe and beneficial manual therapy for someone following a cancer diagnosis
Become familiar with common treatments for cancer and their side effects
Learn how to adapt and apply your manual therapy skills to alleviate complications to cancer treatment, including those unique to breast cancer
Understand the potential psycho-emotional effects of cancer treatment
Appreciate the value of massage therapy in end-of-life care
Know the signs of compassion fatigue and burn out and effective self-care for manual therapists

Space is limited! Click on the button below to secure your spot.

Testimonials

"A thoughtfully laid-out course with a balanced mix of understanding cancer-related terminology, possible side-effects we may encounter, and busting old myths."

SUSAN SHIPTON, RMT, MClSc, CDT

Susan has been a registered massage therapist in Toronto since 2012 after graduating from Sutherland-Chan School. She was first introduced to the rewarding field of oncology massage in the post-operative breast massage clinic at the school. In 2015, she became a Vodder-certified combined decongestive therapist trained in managing lymphedema, a common complication to cancer treatment, through manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, and other means. She has maintained her certification by completing a three-day review course every two years.

For eight years, Susan was part of the oncology team at a well-established cancer rebab clinic in Toronto, where she successfully treated a great volume of patients with different types of cancer and a variety of complications and experiences. In 2021, Susan completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Health Care Practice – Interprofessional Pain Management from Western University.

Susan has written articles on breast cancer, trauma-informed care, compassion fatigue, and cancer-massage myths for Massage Therapy Today and presented on cancer-related pain, scar massage, lymphedema, and palliative massage for two RMTAO Education Conferences, the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba, the Knowledge Summit, and the Movement and Manual Therapists' Community. During her previous career in book publishing, Susan was an instructor for seven years in the publishing program at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University).

Questions? Please Email Susan to discuss.

Clinical Coaching & Mentoring

One-on-one online mentoring for RMTs looking for guidance with complex clinical cases, help evaluating current research, and suggestions on how to implement best practices in the arenas of general massage, cancer care, lymphedema and swelling, and aspects of pain management. Sessions are one-hour in length and are tailor-made for your needs. Please email Susan to discuss further.

Presentations & Webinars

Susan enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with other health professionals based on a foundation of current research. She has presented live and online on topics including massage and cancer, lymphedema management, and aspects of pain. She has appeared on the program of the RMTAO Education Conference three times, as well as the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba, the Knowledge Summit, and the Manual and Movement Therapists' Community. Enquiries may be emailed to Susan.