The second and third year of the Practitioner diploma course follows on from the shiatsu bodywork certificate and will focus on improving the practical skills learnt during that first year.  You will develop a sound understanding of Chinese medicine theory and diagnosis. Years two and three are each run over 12 weekends. The syllabus will include but is not limited to:

Five Elements:
A large part of year 2 will be spent reviewing and expanding upon the Five Elements and their use in understanding illness and dis-ease in the body and assessment and treatment protocols based around this theory

Vital Substances:
Understanding the function and pathology of Qi, Blood, Jing and Body Fluids according to the principles of TCM.

Eight Principles:
The eight principles provide a model for understanding the relationship between bodily signs and symptoms and the movement of Qi in an individual.

Causes of Disease:
The effect of the emotions and environment on the human body in Chinese Meicine – Six External, Seven Internal and Others

Zang Fu patterns of disharmony:
Patterns or syndromes are a way of categorizing signs and symptoms into groups that reflect the underlying disharmony of the body which manifests as illness.

• TCM PATHOLOGICAL PATTERNS –1 Deficiency Patterns according to the Vital Substances. Deficiency of Qi, Blood, Yin, Yang in relation to the Zang-Fu.

• TCM PATHOLOGICAL PATTERNS – 2 Excess Patterns according to the Vital Substances in general and in relation to the Zang-Fu

• HOW TO GIVE A TYPICAL TREATMENT FOR THE ABOVE PATTERNS

Introduction to BI-Symdrome:
Treating Shoulder, Knee and Hip pain

The Four Examinations – Diagnostic Skills
Looking, Listening, Asking and Palpation (touch). Ways to gather information including traditional Oriental Hara, pulse and tongue diagnosis.

The Therapeutic Encounter
Client-Practitioner skills, building rapport, how to take a case history, record keeping, ethics and practitioner development.

Meridians Revisited
Practical reviews of the meridians from a 5 Element and six division perspective. How to choose and pair meridians for a full body treatment

Point Location
Reviewing and locating all the points required for the final exams. There will be ongoing point location assessments and a point location test at the end of the year.

• Tsubo categories and how to teach yourself which tsubos to select – (well, spring, sea, gathering and command points)

Location and diagnosis practice via Yu, Bo, Source and xi-cleft points

Regular practical feedback and evaluation:

One to one feedback on your technique.

Practice treatments and case histories:
You will be required to complete 2 case histories and 50 recorded shiatsu treatments to complete this stage of the course

Written Exams:
The Final theory exams will be taken at the end of year 2