The Glasgow School of Massage

Finding Your “Sweet Zone” with Persistent Pain 💛

When you’re living with persistent pain, it’s easy to fall into two traps:
👉 Doing too much on a “good day” (and paying for it later)
👉 Doing too little to avoid flare-ups

The goal? Find your sweet zone 🍬

Your sweet zone is the level of activity where you’re:
✅ Moving enough to build confidence, strength, and function
✅ Not pushing so far that it triggers a significant flare

✨ It’s not about no pain, it’s about safe, steady progress
💡 Try this:
- Break tasks into manageable chunks
- Stop before pain significantly ramps up
- Keep activity consistent (even on tougher days)
- Gradually build up over time

Think of it like training your nervous system: Small, consistent wins!

Find out more here:
NHS A&A Management of Activity leaflet:https://www.nhsaaa.net/wp-content/uploads/managing-activity.pdf
Flippin Pain Sweet Zone leaflet: https://www.flippinpain.co.uk/resource/sweet-zone

This weekend marked the start of an exciting eight-month journey as students began the first of eight training weekends on The ST School’s Upgrade to Level 5 in Soft Tissue Therapy programme, led by Anna Maria Mazzieri.

It was a privilege to host Anna Maria in Glasgow. When we were looking for a Level 5 progression route for our graduates, as well as for the many Level 3 therapists across Scotland seeking to advance into clinical practice and injury rehabilitation, we wanted to partner with a programme that reflected the highest standards of clinical education and professional practice. We genuinely believe this is one of the finest Level 5 Soft Tissue Therapy programmes available in the UK, which is why we invited Anna Maria to travel from Exeter to Glasgow each month to deliver it.

Anna Maria’s commitment to raising standards within the profession, combined with her depth of knowledge and passion for developing therapists, aligns perfectly with the values we hold at The Glasgow School of Massage.

Over the coming eight months, students will continue their journey through eight intensive weekends of advanced clinical training, developing the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation skills required to work confidently with injuries.

We are also delighted that guest lecturers Mike James (The Endurance Physio) and James Earls (Born to move) , are delivering key anatomy and rehabilitation sessions that add enormous value to an already exceptional learning experience.

As a school, we are particularly proud to be able to offer our Level 3 graduates a clear and direct progression pathway onto this programme, enabling them to continue their education and progress towards working with injury, rehabilitation and musculoskeletal conditions.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended this first weekend. The energy, enthusiasm and professionalism in the room made for an inspiring start, and we look forward to following everyone’s progress over the months ahead.

Interested in joining the 2027 intake?

Expressions of interest are now being registered. For further information, please contact:

📧 [email protected]

Our July 2026 intake for the Level 3 Diploma in Therapeutic Massage is now fully booked.

Bookings for our January 2027 intake will be opening soon.

If you’re interested in joining this course but know that you have weekend commitments during the first part of 2027, please get in touch. We’re currently planning our teaching calendar and will do our best to take prospective students’ availability into account when scheduling course dates.

To register your interest or discuss your availability, send us a message.

📢 **Attention Oncology Massage Students**

If you are currently enrolled on our Oncology Massage course and still have coursework, case studies, or assessments to submit, please get in touch with us as soon as possible via email ([email protected]).

Following the closure of our previous online learning platform (An American company that experienced a cyber security alert), we have now moved over to another platform, where all course materials, consultation forms, case study guidance, and assignment submission areas are now located.

We are currently contacting students individually to provide access to the new platform. However, to help speed up the process and ensure nobody is missed, we would appreciate it if all students who still need to complete coursework could contact us directly.

Thank you for your patience while we make this transition, and we look forward to helping you complete your coursework and achieve your certification.

**Please share with anyone you know who may still be completing their Oncology Massage coursework.**

Please visit our website for further details and booking.

📣Today 1pm-4pm📣

Living with persistent pain can feel isolating,but support is available. 💙

Pain Concern offers a confidential UK-wide helpline, providing a safe space to talk and feel heard.

📞 Helpline: 0300 123 0789
📧 Email: [email protected]

When you get in touch, you can expect:
✔️ An empathetic listener
✔️ Information about pain and self-management
✔️ Guidance towards trusted resources and support
You can call anytime and leave a message, and a trained volunteer will get back to you the next working day.

💬 The helpline does not provide medical advice but can support you in understanding and managing your pain.

You don’t have to manage pain alone, reaching out can be the first step.

More information is available on their website: https://painconcern.org.uk/helpline/