MISSION

The mission of the Acupressure Therapy Institute is to provide a comprehensive education in Asian Bodywork Therapy. The Acupressure Therapy Institute is dedicated to training professional practitioners with sensitivity, skill, knowledge and compassion so that they can provide health care to the public in complementary and alternative medicine.

ACUPRESSURE SHIATSU CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Acupressure Therapy Institute is licensed by the Mass. Department of Education to offer a comprehensive program for training professional Asian Bodywork Therapists in the Acupressure Shiatsu style. The 720-hour program fulfills the educational standards set by the national professional associations: the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Asian Bodywork Therapy is recognized as an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs.

WHAT IS ACUPRESSURE SHIATSU?

Acupressure is a healing modality that emphasizes balancing the body's energy or "Qi" on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level by applying gentle yet firm pressure to specific acupoints using hand, elbow, knee and barefoot techniques. Traditional Japanese Shiatsu and classical acupuncture theory are the foundation for assessment skills and treatment planning. Corrective exercises, magnet therapy, moxibustion, cupping, herbal plasters and liniments are adjunct therapies.

Graduates of this program will be professional practitioners capable of assessing, evaluating, treating and following the care of the individual.

The aim is to develop not only technical expertise but also self-development as a healer. We wish our graduates to be healers in the global sense, able to foster peace and health within themselves in order to share it with others.

FOUNDING DIRECTOR BARBARA BLANCHARD
Lic. Ac., Dipl., Ac.& Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM), ABT & CI (AOBTA)

Ms. Blanchard brings a wealth of experience to the Acupressure Therapy Institute as a Certified Instructor of Asian Bodywork Therapy (AOBTA) for more than twenty years and as a founder of previous Acupressure schools and programs. She was a founding director of the New England Shiatsu Center (NESC 1986-1991). She played an important role in developing the NESC curriculum and created an Acupressure track that included Extraordinary Vessels for constitutional treatments. The NESC provided the basic model for the academic curriculum standards now adopted by the AOBTA. She has taught at several schools and was Director and primary instructor for the Acupressure Certification Program at OMNI, The Institute for Optimal Health in Hingham, Ma. for 1997 to 1999.She was a founding member of the AOBTA and one of the first to be grandfathered as a Diplomate of Asian Bodywork Therapy by the NCCAOM. A licensed acupuncturist in Massachusetts, her studies with Dr. Yoshio Manaka, Steve Birch, Kiiko Matsumoto, Shizuko Yamamoto, Jeffrey Yuen and others have influenced her style in integrating classical and modern Japanese meridian theory with Asian bodywork and acupuncture. The curriculum at ATI is a reflection of Ms. Blanchard's continual refinement of academics and hands-on teaching methods. The quality and integrity of the program assures a successful education in the Asian Bodywork Therapies.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Detailed course descriptions are listed in the ATI catalogue. A calendar and schedule of classes is available upon request.

• 16-month certification program
• 1 to 2 evenings a week & 1 weekend a month
• Additional weekend each quarter for elective workshops

720 hr Acupressure Shiatsu Therapy Certification Program
100 hr. Anatomy & Physiology*
498 hr. Core Classes in Acupressure Shiatsu Therapy
30 hr. Adjunct Therapies
24 hr. Business Management
13 hr. Ethics
13 hr. Chair Acupressure
32 hr. Electives
10 hr. CPR/First Aid*
* requirement to be fulfilled as outside classes

Core Classes in Acupressure Shiatsu Therapy consist of 5 Levels, a minimum of 100 hours of student clinic, 50 hours of independent case studies and a final thesis. Each Level includes theory, demonstration and hands-on application.

Levels 1 through 4 provide a foundation in Japanese meridian theory, classical Chinese medical theory, Shiatsu, clinical acupressure, and Extraordinary Vessel Acupressure.

CLINICAL REQUIREMENTS

Level 5 students participate in a public Student Acupressure Clinic. As advanced students they will be able to take client histories, to do assessments based on interviewing, observation and palpation skills & to plan appropriate treatments for individual clients. Student Clinics will be supervised by an instructor at all times.

In addition, an off-site ATI Student Acupressure Clinic at Mass. Hospital School is offered. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with a special population of disabled adolescents. Acupressure sessions are given in a team approach with students assisting the supervisors during the treatments.

FOR INFORMATION AND TO HAVE BROCHURE MAILED TO YOU, CALL: 617-697-1477
Mention that you read about Barbara and ATI on OfSpirit.com.

_______________________________________________________