with
Jason Erickson
What is DermoNeuroModulation?
DermoNeuroModulation (DNM) is a structured, interactive approach to manual therapy that considers
the nervous system of the patient from skin cell to sense of self. Techniques are slow, light, kind,
intelligent, responsive and effective. Positioning of limbs and trunk affects deeper nerve trunks, and is
combined with skin stretch directed toward cutaneous fields of nerves that branch outward into skin.
Manual handling of a patient's physicality is only a small part of developing a complete therapeutic
context for change - while optional, it can also be optimal. Included are simple ways of explaining the
nervous system and pain mechanisms to patients prior to treatment.
"When the Primary Complaint is Pain, the Treatment of Pain Should be Primary."
~ Barrett Dorko PT
Dermoneuromodulation (DNM) is a method for handling the human
body and, most of all, its nervous system, in order to facilitate
change, particularly in terms of its pain and motor outputs. It
provides the participant with a novel approach to handling that is
patient- and nervous system-friendly.
DNM is based on Melzack’s Neuromatrix model of pain, the most
clinically useful pain model in existence from an interactive manual
therapy standpoint. DNM is a fully interactive treatment model:
unlike a strictly operative model, in which, for example,
biomechanical “faults” must be found, then “corrected”, DNM
considers biomechanical expression as defense, not defect.
By putting “pain” first; i.e., we put the nervous system of the patient
(not their anatomy) front and center in the treatment encounter.
Subsequent improvement in motor output is assessed and regarded
as a sign that the nervous system now works with less intrinsic stress.
Who is Jason Erickson?
Jason Erickson graduated from the Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU)
School of Massage Therapy in 2006 and has been nationally certified (NCTMB) since 2007.
He also holds a B.B.A. in Marketing and a B.A. in Economics.
He is President of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Minnesota Chapter and a member of the
Alliance for Legislation of Massage Therapy (ALMT) and the International Association for the Study of Pain
(IASP). Erickson is best known for his work with chronic pain, complex injuries/health conditions, and with elite
athletes. In 2015, he served as Master of Ceremonies for the San Diego Pain Summit.
Erickson is an ACE-certified personal trainer (CPT) and NASM-certified corrective exercise specialist (CES), a
nationally certified Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) Therapist, and a former Circular Strength Training Instructor.
He has maintained a part time personal training practice since 2004, and has taught group fitness classes.
Erickson practices massage at Keep In Touch in Eagan, MN, a large multi-therapist practice which he co-owns. He
works with athletes at events such as Grandma’s Marathon and the Half Marathon National Championships, and
at other events. He started practicing Dermoneuromodulation (DNM) in 2010 and in 2012, Diane Jacobs, PT
encouraged him to begin teaching it. He started with small workshops and has served as Jacobs’ seminar
teaching assistant since 2013. He has received invitations to teach throughout the USA.
Jason Erickson is also active online: writing, studying, moderating massage discussion sites and Facebook pages.
He can be reached at [email protected] or via Keep In Touch Massage, 3424 Denmark Avenue,
Eagan, MN 55123. (Tel) 651-452-0246.
Visit Dermoneuromodulation.com for more information and scheduled seminars.
Dermoneuromodulation Seminar
July 11 & 12, 2015*
East Brunswick, NJ
16.5 Contact Hours
Tuition: $350 ($250 prior to 5/1/15)
*Schedule:
Saturday 7/11, 9am-6pm w/ 1 hr lunch
Sunday 7/12, 9am-6pm w/ 1 hr lunch
Details and Registration at DNMSeminar.info
Participants will be exposed, perhaps for the first time, to the extensive branched system that
innervates skin. DNM will provide participants with an expanded frame through which they can
set up the all important treatment relationship, assess patients and their pain problems from the
brain’s perspective, teach the patient about pain production without faulting them, recruit their
cooperation for manual handling, and put them in charge of their own recovery.