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Welcome to the Shiatsu Society's website

Page Headlines

NEW RESEARCH! read more...

For FREE Shiatsu and special offers click here

Congress 2008 & 2009 read more...

The Regulation of Shiatsu read more...

Shiatsu Society promotions and introductory offers read more ...

Media events read more...

The European Shiatsu Federation is conducting a research project read more ...

Are you studying Shiatsu but not a member of the Shiatsu Society read more...

Dr Hilary Jones talks about the benefits of Shiatsu read more...

There are several forms of Shiatsu and the Shiatsu Society is a non-profit organisation which represents all styles and the majority of Shiatsu practitioners, schools and students in the UK - promoting their work and professionalism.

A traditional hands-on Japanese healing art, Shiatsu can help in a wide range of conditions from specific injuries to more general symptoms of poor health. Shiatsu is a deeply relaxing experience and regular sessions help to prevent the build-up of stress in our daily lives.

Founded in 1981, the Shiatsu Society was probably the first such organisation in Europe. It works to promote awareness and practice of Shiatsu in the UK and its standards have served as benchmarks for European practice in general.

By using the links on this page you should be able to find answers to any of your questions about Shiatsu and the Shiatsu Society. If you cannot find the information that you need please contact us.

NEW RESEARCH - ESF RESULTS NOW OUT!

The long awaited results of the 3-year research project with the ESF (European Shiatsu Federation) and University of Leeds is now available! Very positive results! Confirms the benefits of Shiatsu we have known of all along.

VIsit the Research page for further information.

Congress 2008 / 2009

Wow, what a congress for 2008. Luxury hotel, 27 workshops, dancing, making new friends and spectular grounds!

We are now organising the 2009 congress which will be in the UK's only eco tented conference centre in Malvern, Worcestershire. 13th to 17th July 2009. Further details will be posted here shortly.

The Shiatsu Regulatory Group (SRG)

The Shiatsu Society is actively engaged in the process of regulation and protection of the public as more access to complementary therapies becomes available on the NHS.

This is the name of the new group that will be representing Shiatsu in the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health (PFIH) Regulation Programme. Regulation exists to protect the public, and representatives from a number of different Shiatsu groups and groups representing Shiatsu practitioners are members of the new group, including many members of the former General Shiatsu Council (GSC).

The SRG has been invited to join a new working party to develop the Federal approach for the voluntary regulation of complementary healthcare. Representatives from the other complementary therapies participating in the programme are also invited. The working party will meet monthly from January until September 2007, to discuss and explore and make recommendations for the implementation of a Federal Regulatory body which is acceptable to all.

The models for a federal regulator to be considered are those recommended in the feasibility study, which has been accepted following the recent public consultation. (www.fih.org.uk)

These initiatives have stemmed from the government moves to tighten up on regulation of any therapy within the public domain.

REGULATION UPDATE !

THE COMPLEMENTARY AND NATURAL HEALTHCARE COUNCIL (CNHC) has been launched! The website for the CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council) is up and running in a very basic interim form. See www.cnhc.org.uk. The site gives details and photos of all the 9 lay elected council Board members and the two lay co-chairs, Maggie Dunn and Maggy Wallace. It details the mission and objectives of the Council. The CNHC has an appointed part-time registrar, Susan Elizabeth, and an administrator, Peter Mitchell. On July 18th 2008, it hosted a meeting for all the Complementary Therapy Stakeholder associations, including the Shiatsu Society. 3 representatives from the Shiatsu Society, including one Director, and two SRG reps, attended. Representatives from many other complementary therapy associations also attended, including Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, massage, Alexander Technique, Cranio-Sacral therapy, Bowen, Homeopathy, naturopathy and nutrition. The CNHC website has the following introduction, copied below, in case you haven't time to explore the site yourselves:-

'Welcome to the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).
The CNHC was established in April 2008. It heralds a completely new approach to the regulation of complementary therapies in the UK. It builds on the excellent work already undertaken by many of the professional bodies within complementary and natural heath care. Upholding the highest professional standards, the creation of the CNHC will provide a boost to consumer confidence and public trust which will in turn benefit all practitioners. Significantly, the roles of the professional associations and the regulatory body are now separated in order to give increased clarity of function.'

The key function of the regulator (CNHC) is to ensure public protection. This will be achieved by driving up standards set by the professions themselves; ensuring access to continuing professional development for all practitioners; and providing a route for enquiries about complementary therapy practitioners, and, if necessary, for making a complaint about a practitioner.

The key function of the professional associations will be to continue to provide support for the practitioners themselves. This will be achieved variously in the form of standard setting, provision of courses, CPD and a range of other support. It is expected that practitioners will wish to be registered with the CNHC and also continue to benefit from membership of a professional association.

It is hoped that this separation of regulatory and support function will, over time, make the position clearer for the public who use complementary and natural therapies; for those who 'commission' the services of complementary therapists; and for the therapists themselves.

We anticipate that the mark 'Registered with the CNHC' will swiftly be recognised as the hallmark of quality for the sector. We believe that the public, as well as the professionals themselves, will come to see that registration with the CNHC offers the 'gold standard' of regulation.

We look forward to engaging in further debate with all those who access this site - professional and public. We are confident that we are moving forward positively into an exciting new future and we hope you will travel with us.

Maggie Dunn Maggy Wallace
CoChairs CNHC

Shiatsu Society Promotions and Introductory Offers

Promotional activities include:

attendance of practioners at exhibitions to offer ‘taster’ sessions
PR and promotional events
placing of advertisements and listings
support of individual practitioners where possible
the raising of public and media awareness. (e.g. articles have recently appeared in two NHS magazines, Nursing in Practice and [The?] New Generalist. The latter included a positive case study of the use of Shiatsu in general practice which generated a lot of interest in the magazine’s GP readership.)

We have also developed working relationships with some marketing companies most notably MKM and Yippee!. These companies typically offer Shiatsu treatments either free or discounted as part of a voucher scheme or offer through promotional offers. A few companies currently offering this:- HSBC Bank, Tampax/Alldays, Proctor & Gamble (Oral B), Hills plus many more.

Media Events

The annual European Shiatsu Week, during which Shiatsu is promoted throughout Europe, are held the third week of September annually. They have been very successful in previous years!. The Shiatsu Society is part of the European Shiatsu Federation and has been assisted by London based PR company 'Good Relations'.

All media inclusive of newspapers, magazines, tv stations, radio stations etc are sent a press release informing them of the week. Many websites also promote the details. Lots of Shiatsu practitioners promote Shiatsu locally by way of talks, exhibitions, demonstrations, discounted treatments etc which are always successful. The Society arrange for practitioners to go into the main media houses in London and give treatments to the journalists and editors.

We have previously commissioned Dr Hilary Jones of GMTV to conduct radio and TV station interviews. These are always well received and we always manage to target a vast audience.

See the press area for further information.

A list of practitioners offering free or discounted treatments throughout the week are always posted here about 6 weeks before the event!

European Shiatsu Federation Research project

The aim of the ESF Research Project is to scientifically document the ‘experience and effects of Shiatsu as experienced by both receiver and practitioner’. This type offoundation study that has never been undertaken before. Click here to find out more.

Are you studying Shiatsu?

If you are studying Shiatsu but are not a member of the Shiatsu Society then click here to find out why you should join. Students from only £23 per year!

Dr Hilary Jones talks about the benefits of Shiatsu.

Radio interviews with Dr Hilary Jones and Char Scrivener in which they discussed the benefits of Shiatsu were widely networked on national and local radio and generated considerable interest with the Society subsequently receiving many requests for details of practioners. This event was organized via the London-based PR company, Good Relations.

Char Scrivener teaches with the British School of Shiatsu-Do and Dr Jones regularly appears on radio and TV, in particular TVAM, GMTV and ‘The Health Show’. He has also published books on health issues and written widely for newspapers and magazines.

Click here to read selected edited transcripts of the interviews.

Shiatsu Society

Shiatsu - a World of Human Touch