Shiatsu foundation for midwives, doulas, bodyworkers & lovers of shiatsu

Would you like to expand your skill set by learning more about the shiatsu form of touch?

Would you like to learn how you can use shiatsu to support you through exercise and breathwork as well as touch?

This course is relevant for you if you would like to learn more about the basic principles of shiatsu touch and how you can apply it to your life and to your work.

Shiatsu can not only relieve physical symptoms but enable people to tap into their own resources, on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. This different approach to our body and to maternity care will enhance not just your touch skills but the way you support women with breathing, exercise and visualisations.

It includes some techniques which are especially helpful for supporting women, babies and their partners to be more connected to their inner wisdom during pregnancy and birth. These techniques however, can be relevant at other times of our life.

Learn how shiatsu is based on the concept of nurturing the body as a whole. The body is seen as a microcosm of the earth/universe and therefore influenced by the rhythms of the seasons and the outside world. We learn to nurture the body like a garden.

Learn basic theoretical and practical principles of Chinese medicine and shiatsu in a simple and safe way, so that you can immediately start applying this approach to your life and your work

Learn how shiatsu foundation skills can support during pregnancy, birth and postnatally.

Understand birth in a new way, which will enhance your work with your clients, not simply adding in additional touch based skills, but a new approach to breathing, visualisation, movement and exercise

This Shiatsu foundation course can also be a good way to prepare or to review material from any of the in person courses.

You get feedback on your assignments from Suzanne and can ask her questions at any time. There are also occasional live sessions with Suzanne.

You get life time access for the course and a certificate of completion which you can use for your CPD.

What is in the Shiatsu foundation on line course?

The course is set up with 6 lessons and in each lesson, there is a mix of videos, audios and text documents.. At the end of each lesson is a quiz to check your learning and an assignment, which is either some practical work, or reflective piece. You can work through these topics and the assignments at your own pace and review any material as often as you want.

You have life time access to this course.

The whole course will take about 10 hours for the on line activities, excluding your extra practice time. You receive a certificate of completion.

Lessons content

1: What is Shiatsu and General principles of Chinese medicine

You learn the theory behind shiatsu: the powerful system of Chinese medicine, which acupuncturists also use. You will also learn what shiatsu is: why we do what we do, and what kind of touch we are using.

2: 12 meridians

You will learn some exercises and visualisations to experience the 12 channels in your body to support your own well being as well as to learn how to prepare yourself to give shiatsu. I hope this section will inspire you to make shiatsu, part of your daily life. There is also some theory about the 12 meridians as background.

3: Extraordinary Vessels

You will learn some more exercises to experience The Extraordinary Vessels which support your body in other ways. You will also learn some theory about the Extraordinary Vessels. You don’t need to remember all of this: it is more there to help you understand the depth of shiatsu and something that you can come back to as you work more.

4: Foundation shiatsu techniques

Now you have understood more about what shiatsu is we can start to apply our knowledge to working with other people. You will learn more about shiatsu touch and developing the way you touch so that you can already add shiatsu into the way you work.

5:Techniques for birth

You will learn some more specific shiatsu techniques like some of the most important points and connections which can be used in the birth period. This includes work supporting the last few weeks of pregnancy. You will also learn a little about the eastern approach to birth like how the different phases of birth relate to different elements

6: Professional issues

This topic is about drawing everything together so that you can have some ideas of what you can integrate into your practice.

Videos, audios, forums, documents, quizzes, reflective assignments: on line is a wonderful way, in some ways better than in person, to learn why and in what situations you can use your practical skills. You can work through the theory at your own pace and explore exercises and meditations to prepare you for hands on work. Discuss with Suzanne and other students on the course forum. For hands on skills and techniques, on line videos and support give you useful tools to start integrating new work into your practice and get feedback about relevant issues. However, do remember, to fine tune your skills the best way is to have some face to face supervision to gain specific feedback of how YOU are connecting and using your body. If you like the practical work presented in the on line courses, I strongly recommend that you attend an in person course or arrange a personal supervision with me or a Wellmother teacher to take your work to the next level!

More detail

Shiatsu offers a specific form of healing touch and a different approach to maternity care which can enhance your work.

Suzanne has been teaching aspects of shiatsu which are relevant to midwives and other maternity health professionals since 1999 and has developed it through teaching in many different birth settings both in the UK and internationally.

She has put together some of the highlights of this training in HD videos so you can learn with her

This course is a great foundation if you want to do the in person shiatsu for midwives and bodyworkers course, or if you have taken the in person Pregnancy Massage course with Suzanne and want to deepen your knowledge of shiatsu.

"Many therapists are passionate about learning and developing their craft, but struggle to take the time out of busy clinics to attend courses. Suzanne’s course is as deep and thorough as her in-person course and is well worth signing up for.

The online option is flexible, allowing you to work at your own pace and recap on any topics you wish to revisit. Online courses are also helpful if you take in information by listening or watching rather than just reading."

Avni also attended the in person course and wrote a blog

Avni Trevidi

Osteopath

You are already a professional working the maternity field (midwife, doula, pregnancy yoga teacher, pregnancy massage therapist). This course does not cover in detail western maternity theory. If you want to cover this then you might want to do the birth on line or in person course.

You can also choose to do this course if you simply want to learn more about what shiatsu is. Most of it is relevant for anyone. There are some techniques more specifically for late pregnancy and birth: which again, can be useful for anyone
Depending on your profession and your employment status, you need appropriate insurance if you want to put the skills into practice. Wellmother can support you in supplying relevant certificates of attendance and course syllabus.