Welcome to Shiatsu...

Are your ready to be part of the Natural Health Movement? Guide your family, friends and clients to a healthier life, with less stress. If the majority of illness is stress-related, imagine what Shiatsu can do to improve the quality of life for all people.

Shiatsu training, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania,  prepares graduates for a career as a Shiatsu practitioner. Shiatsu, Shiatsu massage, and Asian bodywork therapy all refer to the use of thumb or finger pressure on meridian pathways to balance the body's energy systems. In many places, Shiatsu is considered a form of energywork. 

Shiatsu relieves stress, low back pain, digestive discomfort, headaches and so much more. It also helps with fertility and reproductive issues. How does it work? Shiatsu moves stagnant energy, removes blockages and creates balance in the body's energy systems. By applying firm pressure to energy points, the flow of "chi" or "life force" is restored. Shiatsu practitioners help facilitate this change. The body then begins to heal itself. All major systems begin to improve: digestion, respiration, circulation, elimination and the immune system. The receiver of Shiatsu begins to feel more empowered and responsible for small changes. Over time, the body begins to feel calmer, rejuvenated, balanced and more energized.

Continual stress leads to pain and illness. Ignoring the body's signals for sleep, exercise, nourishing foods, and equally nurturing relationships cause more stress and  illness. People who realize the importance of change seek Shiatsu as a framework to help them make changes in their lives. Imagine having the skills and expertise to help yourself and others make better choices every day.  Do friends and family come to you for suggestions?  Do you enjoy working with people? Are you wanting to make changes in your own life?

Learn this life-enhancing skill that will become a way of life--not just a career. Feel energized, relaxed and empowered! Develop your own specialty and set your own schedule.  Help clients re-connect with their real energy.

The International School of Shiatsu has been training excellent Shiatsu practitioners since 1977.  Shiatsu is energy-based therapy, using pressure from hands and palms to balance the flow of chi in the body. Courses are based upon the theories of Masunaga Zen Shiatsu, Kushi Macrobiotics, & Saul Goodman's Shiatsu Shin Tai. 
Students from all parts of the globe study & practice Shiatsu here at the International School of Shiatsu.  If you have a desire to help others and to improve your own life,  study Shiatsu! If you've never experienced Shiatsu, attend our clinics, a Beginner's Weekend or find the nearest I.S.S. graduate and feel the difference in your own body immediately.  Shiatsu takes into consideration the whole life story of the receiver, personally nurturing each individual, thus enabling them to live their optimal potential.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SHIATSU MISSION:
         1. Train, nurture and support our students while developing their skills to               become excellent practitioners of Shiatsu and Shiatsu Shin Tai.
         2.  Provide on-going training and support in advanced bodywork.
         3.  Provide the experience of Shiatsu to the general public. 
         4.  Educate the public to improve wellness and lifestyle choices.
         5.  Provide a training program for teaching assistants.
         6.  Train, nurture and support  teachers of  Shiatsu.

  Shiatsu is an energy-based  therapy that originated within the Asian Healing Arts. It incorporates the theory of acupuncture which proposes that energy, known as "Chi" ( or "Ki") moves through the body along well defined passageways called meridians. Creating balance in these energy flows is considered to be essential for health and well-being. Shiatsu, which involves application of pressure on energy points and energy pathways, has been found exceptionally effective for stress-reduction, reducing fatigue and alleviating a wide spectrum of symptoms.

 
Shiatsu Shin Tai, created by Saul Goodman, releases deep stress patterns within the body and recovers life force energy, allowing the client to live more fully in the present. Saul's courses are available to bodyworkers who have completed a minimum of 300 hours of study.

Why study Shiatsu?
Shiatsu offers an antidote to our stress-filled  lives. Touch is essential to life! The faster the pace of living, the more exhausted we become. We live on adrenaline,
Our fast paced society has immediate access to all forms of communications, yet people find their lives empty, their careers unfulfilling. They seek more from life, not sure how to find it. There is an overwhelming need for bodyworkers who are the catalyst for change. By bringing the receiver's attention to their bodies, people begin to seek healthier lifestyle choices.  

Who studies Shiatsu?
Anyone interested in energy work, seeking change may be attracted to shiatsu.
Students, ages 18 to 73, from  many varied backgrounds find shiatsu a powerful protocol for transformation. In the Beginner's Weekend, Intro to Shiatsu, students learn to apply palm and thumb pressure following the sequence called Whole Body.
Students also learn Do-In, an ancient technique for self-development as well as theory and philosopy of Shiatsu.  Adding Do-in to daily practices brings great changes to the physical body. Using the Whole Body sequence to help family and friends brings greater awareness of body mechanics and brings out the potential  of  shiatsu  to create greater community health and wellness.

Students of Martial Arts, who are already familiar with the concept of energy, seek to learn the healing qualities of energy. Yoga instructors, nurses, physical therapists, and teachers are attracted to Shiatsu and find many ways to integrate the material to enhance their current career path.

Continuing education hours are available for those who need NCBTMB hours for renewal of licenses. Contact the school for available courses. Check with your association to be sure they'll accept our CE hours.

Click here to see our complete course listing.

Open House:
Come to visit Shiatsu Center and the Doylestown.  Observe the students and feel the energy in the classroom.  Ask questions and share some time with the current students. Bring your family too.  As our thank you, you'll receive one free session at the clinic. Future appointments in student clinic are  $35. Reservations required as we limit the number of observers.  215-340-9918.  Contact us.

Link Resources

Time commitment:

The Shiatsu Foundation and Practitioner Programs are more than 700 hours. Students may take one course at a time or take several courses in one semester. By taking intensive format courseses, it may be possible to complete the first part in seven months. Depending on your background, it may be possible to complete the entire program in 19 months or less. However, the information is intense and most students take about 30 months.

The Foundation Program, 300 hours, of Shiatsu technique, hands-on practice, development and refinement of skills. If started in January, it is possible to take all intensives and complete this program in 7 months. Students receive a certificate for completion of Foundation Program.

The Practitioner Program creates a nurturing  environment where  students refine skills, learn advanced techniques, and gain clinical experience and professional confidence. This level requires 18 months; courses are usually on weekends and some weekdays.

Some students require a longer period of time for studies, please see the Director of Admissions to select the best schedule for your needs.

Housing:  Students are responsible for their own arrangements for housing. Request the local housing list. We recommend that students make housing arrangements as early as possible.