At the Cork School of Shiatsu  we run three separate stages of training.

The first level is a one day  introduction to basic Shiatsu principles, techniques in prone (face down) position for home use, stretching and breathing exercises.

The next is a short, 4 day Foundation Course that introduces the student to simple techniques to practice at home on family and friends in prone (face down), supine (face up), and sitting position.  There is also an introduction to some of the meridians, point location and their first aid use, contra indications for Shiatsu, Qi Gong, breathing and stretching.  This serves as the First Stage of the professional training course and is also a stand alone workshop.

The Second stage of the Practitioner training course is completed over 160+ hours and continues from Stage One (above).  Included in this stage is correct application of techniques including sidelying position, classical meridian location, point location and action, Qi sensitivity, theory of 5 elements, basic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) & Yin/Yang, case history taking, feedback on homework, anatomy, ongoing practical assessments.

The Third Stage is completed over 200+ hours and includes development of technique, extended meridian location, diagnosis, continuing TCM, supervised clinic practice days, client practitioner dynamics, physiology, Qi gong practice.

The Fourth Stage is completed over 180+ hours and includes further TCM, Zen Theory, refinement of technique, further diagnosis (including introduction to pulse diagnosis), pregnancy and childbirth, supervised clinic practice, final written work and exams (practical and written).

The Practitioner Training programme follows the required guidelines as set out by the Shiatsu Society of Ireland.  It is taught on a part time basis - 4-day weekends about once a month, over approximately three years at 'The Teaching Rooms',  6 Sidney Place, Welllington Rd, Cork.  Sometimes there can be a short wait between stages.  Graduates are equipped with the necessary experience and confidence to treat members of the public.

The course is designed to take those with no previous therapist's experience to Shiatsu Practitioner level.  Those who are already established in other areas of health care will find our courses highly complementary to existing skills.

OTHER COURSES

From time to time, we run Workshops that help in the understanding of various techniques to augment training already completed or still in progress.  To date these have included 1 day workshops on Thai Massage - with Gill Croft, Qi Gong - with Paul Lundberg, 2 or 3 -day and residential workshops with Katrina Billings - the use of Tiger Warmer in Shiatsu practice, Okinobu Kishi - Seiki,  Michael Rose - Shiatsu, Daverick Leggett - Food energy (Residential) based on the priciples of TCM.