Bowen College UK Logo white with colour swirls

Spine, Scapula & Thorax: Fascial Dynamics for Upper Body Integration

by | Apr 16, 2025 | Continuing Professional Development, News, Practitioner Training, Upcoming Courses | 0 comments

Struggling to get lasting results with spinal tension, shoulder issues, or postural holding patterns that just won’t shift?

Steven Goldstein’s Spine, Scapula & Thorax masterclass gives you practical tools to work more precisely and effectively with these complex regions. You’ll explore how facet joint restrictions, rib dynamics, and scapular fixation contribute to global compensation—and how to release them using fascia-led, nervous-system-aware techniques.

This two-day, hands-on training introduces a focused application of the Fascial Therapy (FT) method, building on selected core principles from Steven’s Foundations course. You’ll revisit the muscle and ligamentous anatomy of the spine, dive into Fryette’s Laws of Spinal Motion, and learn to identify Type I and Type II patterns, as well as how facet joints become fixated.

The course also explores the Lovett Reactor model of coupled motion, the Rule of Three for identifying thoracic vertebral levels, and how these spinal mechanics relate to real-world therapeutic outcomes.

Book your space now: Early Bird Offer

Save 10% when you book by 31 May 2025 with code EARLYBIRDSG

Course Overview


You’ll revisit key spinal anatomy and motion principles, including Fryette’s Laws, Type I and II dysfunction, and the Lovett Reactor model of coupled motion. The course draws on work by Jeffrey Maitland, applying palpation and compression techniques to assess and influence spinal segments.

Through a combination of hands-on practice and clinical discussion, you’ll learn how to:

Topics and techniques include:
  • Palpation of vertebral segments using the work of Jeffrey Maitland, with varied compression applications.
  • Spinal and thoracic METs, including lateral translatory and co-activation techniques.
  • Ease-bind assessment and body rolling in side-lying to identify the “unlatching” position for facet joint release—often incorporating rotation.
  • Osteopathic stacking, gathering multiple planes of ease to address form-oriented barriers.
  • Myofascial seam work along the erector spinae, with emphasis on the iliocostalis thoracis.
  • Receptor enhancement using both short and long humeral levers.
  • Assessment of rib motion, with diaphragm techniques introduced and further explored in FT5: Deep Front Line.
  • Release techniques for the SC, AC, and GH joints, supporting improved scapular kinesis and thoracic integration.

Who This Course Is For

This course is ideal for manual therapists, bodyworkers and practitioners who want to:

  • Understand and address spinal, thoracic, and scapular restriction through fascial and joint-focused approaches.
  • Integrate structure with function—combining spinal mechanics with nervous system-informed touch.
  • Deepen their understanding of how thoracic and upper body dynamics influence postural compensation and restriction throughout the whole system.
  • Address chronic or recurring restriction in the spine, rib cage, or shoulder girdle
  • Expand on Foundational Fascial Therapy skills with region-specific applications
  • Understand spinal biomechanics in real clinical scenarios
  • Work more subtly and effectively with complex postural patterns

Open to practitioners with some manual therapy experience, including those who have completed the Foundations course or equivalent clinical background.

Why It Matters

When facet joints become fixated, they don’t just impact the spine—they affect the rib cage, the shoulder girdle, and the body’s ability to move and breathe freely. This course provides the anatomical understanding, practical techniques, and tactile fluency to work with these patterns at depth—without force.

Each technique taught is grounded in Steven’s decades of experience teaching fascia-led, nervous-system-informed approaches around the world.

Don’t miss this opportunity

This is a rare chance to study in person with Steven Goldstein. His work has influenced thousands of therapists across the world. Steven rarely teaches in the UK, and when he does, his courses tend to fill fast.

Each training is intentionally kept small to ensure high-quality, hands-on learning and plenty of one-to-one feedback. You won’t be lost in a crowd—you’ll be seen, supported, and guided through techniques you can immediately integrate into your practice.

Spaces are limited for this hands-on training. Book before 31 May 2025 using code EARLYBIRDSG to save 10%. A payment plan is available and you can secure your place with a 50% deposit now and pay the rest on the 1st September 2025 – we’ll send you a reminder with a payment link closer to the date.

BTPA CPD certification for the Steven Goldstein courses will come under “other training”

Bowen College UK is more than just an educational organisation; we are a community of dedicated professionals and learners committed to holistic well-being. Our programmes are accredited by the Bowen Therapists Professional Association (BTPA) and the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT), ensuring that our training meets the highest national standards internationally.

Deep Front Line: Psoas, Diaphragm and Visceral Integration

What do the psoas, diaphragm, and mesentery have in common? They sit at the centre of how we move, breathe, and feel. When restrictions in the deep core go unaddressed, they can affect everything from hip mobility and breath function to visceral health and emotional...

Core Connections: Polyvagal Theory in Practice

How do we create safety, trust, and connection through touch? This two-day course introduces Steven Goldstein’s fascia-led, Polyvagal-informed approach to hands-on therapy—exploring the vagus nerve, social engagement, and nervous system regulation through ethical,...

Foundations in Fascial Therapy: A 4-Day Training with Steven Goldstein

Ready to deepen your manual therapy skills with fascia-first, nervous-system-informed tools that work? Join internationally respected educator Steven Goldstein for a transformative 4-day immersion in Foundations in Fascial Therapy (FT1). We're offering a choice of two...

Steven Goldstein: Rethinking Bodywork Through Fascial Therapy

This autumn, internationally respected educator Steven Goldstein returns to the UK. He will be teaching a series of in-person fascial therapy and manual therapy CPD trainings with Bowen College UK. So, if you're a Bowen therapist, manual therapist, or bodyworker...

Better Breathing for Better Health: A Simple Practice for Lifelong Wellbeing

At Bowen College UK, we’re proud to support tutors who bring rich knowledge and heart to their teaching. Tutors who are out there in the world, sharing that wisdom to support community health and wellbeing. In this blog, Bowen Tutor Laura Van Tatenhove introduces her...

How Teaching Bowen Therapy Helped Me Discover My Voice

At Bowen College UK, we’re proud to have dedicated tutors who bring their passion for holistic health into everything they teach. In this blog, Bowen Tutor Amanda Philipe-Savage shares her journey from practitioner to teacher—how she overcame self-doubt, found her...

The Gentle Power of Bowen Therapy: Learn How to Help & Heal in Just Two Days

At Bowen College UK, we’re proud to have dedicated tutors who bring their passion for holistic health into everything they teach. In this blog, Bowen Tutor Helen Cooper shares what it’s like to learn Bowen Therapy for the first time. From her own journey into bodywork...

The Map is not the Territory: Bowen Therapy, Art and Dissection

Laura van Tatenhove, a seasoned Bowen therapist with over 16 years of experience, brings her unique perspective to the fascinating interplay of science, art, and holistic health. In this blog, Laura takes us on a journey into the profound mysteries of the human body,...

Bowen Therapy in Slovenia: Sharing Skills, Building Connections

In September, Bowen College UK launched a new course teaching Bowen in Slovenia. Read on as Bowen College UK Founder Jihan Adem shares more about this fulfilling experience that surpassed her expectations - and we are just beginning this journey! As Bowen Therapy...

Embracing Summer: A Note from Joanne Hewitt, Bowen Tutor

It's summertime, and that means it's a busy season at the clinic! We're here to help with everything from hay fever, sports injuries, sports performance, and general aches and pains, to providing relaxation and rebalancing. Our goal is to ensure you enjoy this vibrant...
Bowen College Icon