Cupping for the Modern Practitioner
3.5 Hours CE/CPD | Online Course with Vicki Ramsdell, LMT
Cupping therapy can be a valuable addition to massage, manual therapy, rehabilitation, and integrative bodywork practice when applied with clear understanding, appropriate pressure, and careful clinical reasoning.
Cupping for the Modern Practitioner is a practical online course designed for therapists with or without previous cupping experience, introducing the primary mechanisms, therapeutic benefits, pressure considerations, contraindications, and hands-on applications of modern cupping therapy.
Presented by Vicki Ramsdell, LMT, this course combines Eastern cupping knowledge, Thai Medical Massage principles, Traditional Chinese Medicine influences, and modern cupping techniques into a structured approach for professional practice.
Course Overview
Across this 3.5-hour CE/CPD course, participants will explore the foundational principles and practical applications of cupping therapy, including how cupping works, when it may be appropriate, how pressure is managed, and how safety considerations guide treatment.
The course includes more than 2.5 hours of HD video tutorials presented by Vicki Ramsdell, demonstrating step-by-step cupping techniques for common conditions and treatment goals.
Participants will study cupping applications for asthma, frozen shoulder syndrome, sciatica and sciatic pain, ITB syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and trigger points, while also learning how to adapt treatment based on client response, comfort, and professional scope.
Supported by course notes, an illustrated cupping guide, a companion learning course, lesson quizzes, online exam, certificate of completion, and lifetime access, this course provides a structured and practical introduction to cupping for modern therapeutic practice.
What You Will Learn
Topic Focus Cupping Foundations Understanding the primary mechanisms, therapeutic benefits, and clinical role of cupping therapy Pressure & Safety Learning how to manage cupping pressure, client comfort, contraindications, and treatment response Modern Cupping Techniques Applying practical cupping methods informed by Thai, TCM, and modern cupping approaches Condition-Specific Applications Using cupping protocols for asthma, frozen shoulder syndrome, sciatica, ITB syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and trigger points Client-Centred Treatment Adapting cupping applications based on client presentation, goals, comfort, and tissue responseCourse Content
The course combines cupping theory, treatment safety, therapeutic reasoning, condition-specific applications, practical video demonstrations, course notes, and companion learning support.
Module Focus Foundations of Modern Cupping Primary mechanisms, therapeutic benefits, and the role of cupping in bodywork practice Safety, Pressure & Contraindications Cupping pressure, precautions, contraindications, treatment planning, and client comfort Technique Development Step-by-step cupping techniques and professional application strategies Condition-Specific Cupping Applications Applications for asthma, frozen shoulder syndrome, sciatica, ITB syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and trigger points Professional Integration Using cupping within massage, manual therapy, rehabilitation, and integrative bodywork settingsWho This Course Is For
This course is suitable for rehabilitation professionals, massage therapists, manual therapists, chiropractors, nurses, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, athletic trainers, and other qualified hands-on practitioners.
It is especially valuable for professionals who want to add cupping to their practice, strengthen existing cupping skills, or apply cupping techniques more confidently for common musculoskeletal and soft tissue presentations.
About Vicki Ramsdell
Vicki Ramsdell, LMT, is an educator and practitioner with extensive experience in Thai Medical Massage and cupping therapy.
She has served as an adjunct professor of Thai Medical Massage and Cupping at the New York Institute of Massage in Buffalo and the Onondaga School of Massage in Rochester and Syracuse, and is a core teacher for the L.M.T Success Group.
Combining cupping knowledge learned in the East with training through the International Cupping Therapy Association, Vicki has developed a unique cupping system that blends Thai, TCM, and modern cupping techniques.
Included With This Course
Included Details HD Video Classes 17 HD video classes presented by Vicki Ramsdell, LMT Course Texts Cupping for the Modern Practitioner course notes and illustrated cupping guide Companion Course Structured companion learning designed to reinforce and deepen course understanding Lesson Quizzes Knowledge checks designed to reinforce learning throughout the course Online Exam Multiple-choice exam with save-and-return functionality Certificate 3.5 Hours CE/CPD following successful completion Lifetime Access Study at your own pace and revisit the material whenever requiredCE Finder
This course has been approved for continuing education by numerous professional boards and associations worldwide. Scroll sideways to find your board or association.
Course: Cupping for the Modern PractitionerApprovals Listed: 64
CE Broker Provider: #20-860248 Scroll right to view all approvals in alphabetical order → Alabama Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Alabama Board of Physical Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy *General* Approved Hours
3.5 Alaska Board of Massage Therapists Approved Hours
3.5 Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy *General* Approved Hours
3.5 Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Arkansas Board of Massage Approved Hours
3.5 Association of Massage Therapists (AMT) Approved Hours
3.5 Australian Traditional Medicine Society Approved Hours
3.5 Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) Approved Hours
3.5 Canadian Athletic Trainers Association (CATA) Approved Hours
1.4 Canadian Massage & Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA) Approved Hours
2 CEU/CPD Self-Cert Approved Hours
3.5 Chiropractic Board of Australia Approved Hours
3.5 College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia (CCHPBC) Approved Hours
3.5 College of Massage Therapists of New Brunswick (CMTNB) Approved Hours
3.5 College of Massage Therapists of Newfoundland and Labrador (CMTNL) Approved Hours
1.75 College of Massage Therapists Ontario (CMTO) Approved Hours
3.5 College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia (CNPBC) Approved Hours
3.5 Connecticut Board of Chiropractors Approved Hours
3.5 Connecticut Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Deleware Board of Massage and Bodywork Approved Hours
3.5 Distrcit of Columbia Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Florida Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 (Hands On credits) Georgia Board of Massage Therapy *General* Approved Hours
3.5 Georgia Board of Nursing *General* Approved Hours
3.5 Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy *General* Approved Hours
3.5 Indiana Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Iowa Board of Chiropractic Approved Hours
3.5 Iowa Board of Massage Therapists Approved Hours
3.5 Kansas Chiropractic Association Approved Hours
3.5 Maine Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Maryland Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Approved Hours
3.5 Massage Therapists' Association of Nova Scotia (MTANS) Approved Hours
3.5 Massage Therapy Assc of Manitoba (MTAM) Approved Hours
3.5 Massage Therapy Assc of Saskatchewan (MTAS) Approved Hours
3.5 Mississippi State Board of Massage Therapy (MSBMT) Approved Hours
3.5 Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage Approved Hours
3.5 Missouri State Board of Chiropractic Examiners Approved Hours
3.5 Montana Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Approved Hours
3.5 National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) Approved Hours
3.5 National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork - New York (NCBTMB-NY) Approved Hours
3.5 Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC) Approved Hours
3.5 Nebraska Massage Licensure Board Approved Hours
3.5 Nevada Board of Massage Therapists Approved Hours
3.5 New Hampshire Advisory Board of Massage Therapists Approved Hours
3.5 New Jersey Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 North Carolina Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 North Dakota Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Ohio Chiropractic Board Approved Hours
3.5 Oklahoma Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners Approved Hours
3.5 Oregon Board of Massage Therapists Approved Hours
3.5 Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Prince Edward Island Massage Therapy Association (PEIMTA) Approved Hours
3.5 Registered Massage Therapists' Association of Ontario (RMTAO) Approved Hours
3.5 South Carolina Massage/Bodywork Panel Approved Hours
3.5 South Dakota Board of Massage Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 Tennessee Board of Massage Licensure Approved Hours
3.5 Virginia Department of Health Professions (Massage Therapy) Approved Hours
3.5 Washington Board of Massage Approved Hours
3.5 Washington Board of Physical Therapy Approved Hours
3.5 West Virginia Massage Licensure Board Approved Hours
3.5
Approval requirements can change. Please confirm acceptance with your own board, association, employer, or regulatory authority before registration.
Cupping for the Modern Practitioner
Professional Reviews & Feedback
The reviews below represent feedback provided by students and practitioners through Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and Judge.me.
★★★★★ 4.6 average rating across reviews collected via Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and Judge.me“Vicki Ramsdell presents cupping in a clear, practical way that feels immediately useful in the treatment room.”
Sarah M., LMT“The course gave me a better understanding of how to adapt cupping for different clients and treatment goals.”
David R., Sports Therapist“I appreciated the mix of traditional concepts and modern clinical application. The course felt very well balanced.”
Emily V., RMT“The demonstrations were easy to follow and helped me refine my cup placement, movement, and pacing.”
Michael J., ATC“A very practical cupping course. It gave me more confidence using cups as part of a structured treatment plan.”
Karen K., Massage Therapist“Vicki explains pressure, client comfort, and treatment flow in a way that is easy to apply.”
Paul E., Manual Therapist“The course helped me understand cupping beyond just placing cups on tight tissue.”
Rebecca P., LMT“The clinical examples were helpful, especially for common conditions like plantar fasciitis and shoulder restriction.”
Anthony S., PT“I liked the careful attention to contraindications, skin response, and client communication.”
Laura T., RMT“The course felt complete without being overwhelming. The techniques were presented in a very usable way.”
Mark C., DC“Vicki’s teaching style is straightforward and grounded in real practice. I found the course very worthwhile.”
Natalie L., Massage Therapist“The treatment sections helped me think more clearly about when to use static cups and when to use movement.”
Owen H., PTA“This course gave me a much more professional framework for adding cupping to my sessions.”
Julia B., LMT“I found the discussion of suction levels and tissue response especially useful.”
Simon F., Sports Therapist“The practical demonstrations made the techniques feel accessible and easy to integrate.”
Rachel D., RMT“A strong course for therapists who want cupping to be purposeful rather than simply decorative.”
Benjamin W., OT“The content helped me approach cupping with more confidence, better communication, and clearer treatment goals.”
Samantha A., Manual Therapist“I appreciated the blend of Thai, TCM, and modern cupping influences. It made the course feel broad but still practical.”
Thomas Q., LMT“The course was clear, well paced, and very relevant to everyday massage practice.”
Erin G., Massage Therapist“Vicki Ramsdell gives therapists a sensible way to use cupping safely, effectively, and with clinical purpose.”
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