Dermo neuro modulating or Dermo neuro modulation (DNM) is an interactive manual therapy treatment model developed by Canadian Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist Diane Jacobs that focuses on the nervous system, aiming to facilitate change and alter pain and motor outputs.  It provides the participant with a neuroscience founded approach to manual therapy, that is patient and nervous system friendly.

DNM ignores mesoderm derived musculoskeletal structure and targets pain directly via modulation of the nervous system through direct interaction at the skin level via the cutaneous nerves. The skin is considered an extension of the brain, with a direct continuum from each skin cell via the nervous system modulation incorporating the sense of self. The approach focuses on the structures of the skin and the cutaneous nerves. Participants will explore the extensive branched nervous system that innervates skin.

DNM is a fully interactive treatment model that prioritises how the therapist and participant interact, including acknowledging the nervous system of the client, their sense of safety and comfort, their pain experience and how external influences impact both inputs and outputs. DNM utilises strategic novel stimuli (i.e. specific skin stretch), and a process focused on the clients interoception which triggers, and assists, the nervous system to self-regulate through specific physiological mechanisms. The method isn’t just ‘done’ to a person, it is done WITH a person and can also be self-administered making it an ideal technique for facilitating effective self-treatment and self-management. Ideally it is combined with movement and functional approaches. As Diane Jacobs often says ‘motion is lotion’.

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?

This course is ideal for any practitioners who utilise manual therapy including Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors who want to incorporate gentle, comfortable a different evidence based manual therapy approach into their practice.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Reframe manual therapy as SENSORY REHABILITATION;
• Help practitioners understand the complexities of the nervous system and establish rapport and psychological safety within consulting spaces;
• Facilitate practitioners to be responsive and provide sensitive, interactive manual therapy;
• Align manual therapy with current neuroscience and pain science, moving the manual therapist away from outdated biomechanistic dogma which views the body as a machine;
• Help patients experiencing pain to have a positive practitioner experience, and be treated gently, comfortably and non-nociceptively.

NEXT COURSE

DATE: 2026 Date To be announced

LOCATION: Energy and Motion Integrative Physiotherapy, Crafers, Adelaide, South Australia

EDUCATORS: Robin Kerr and Wendy Langshaw

ORGANISER: Wendy Langshaw 0422184667