Shiatsu Centers &
Eastern Medicine Practitioners

Adam Hellinger began studying postural and relational awareness in 1985 with The Alexander Technique. This developed into his practice of Tai Chi and Chi Kung in 1986. In 1990, he began studying the style of Chi Kung that he currently practices: Yi Chuan with a focus on Zhan Zhuang (standing pole) aspects.

In 1990, Adam also began his shiatsu studies at the British School of Shiatsu-Do with Ray and Suzanne Ridolfi, in a style of shiatsu influenced by the approach of Saul Goodman and Shiatsu Shin Tai. A few years later, Adam started his studies with Pauline Sasaki, Cliff Andrews and Nicola Ley. At the same time, he studied the work and approach of Nick Pole, including his development and use of ‘clean language.’ In 2013, he began practicing Seiki So Ho while studying with Alice Whieldon.

In 2000, Adam began studying Chinese medicine. His focus was on receiving a Tuina Qi Gong diploma from Westminster University. In 2002, he joined Peter Firebrace’s Classical Chinese Medicine study group with Elizabeth Rochat de la Valle.

Adam describes his approach to bodywork is "to integrate and ‘fuse’ these practices together with a relational/relationship focus. Zen Shiatsu, Hara diagnosis, Classical Chinese Medicine and Yi Chuan Chi Kung (intention/focus training) all work in supporting and creating a structure and space for the potential development of self-awareness and interaction. The interaction and the space it takes place within, defines both the relationship and the potential within it."

Website: adamhellinger@gmail.com

Email: adamhellinger@gmail.com

Cell: +447973909826

Adarsa Chakra Sensei has been studying and practicing Zen Shiatsu since 1980.

As head instructor at Zen Shiatsu institute and later Kokoro Dojo from 1985 until 2009 he taught many students facilitating their growth to become excellent therapists and in some cases instructors.

Chakra Sensei is known for his forthright, energetic and clear style along with his ability to hold the space for students to develop themselves as strong practitioners.

Since 2010 Chakra Sensei has been working on the development of Chōwa Do alongside mentoring Zen Shiatsu therapists through training days and retreats.

Presently he is Head Instructor of the Chōwa Dojo International Zen Shiatsu Training Program and Head Instructor of the Chōwa Do program.

Alan Saruwatari is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach where he earned his BA in Psychology. He then studied Shiatsu Anma Therapy under the guidance of Dr. DoAnn Tsuneo Kaneko, and graduated from the Shiatsu Massage School of California receiving the Kaneko Award for outstanding student.

Alan has been in the healing arts since 1985 working with physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, massage therapists and art therapists. He opened his clinic in 2009, One, Natural Healing Center in Torrance, California.

As a shiatsu anma therapist, he developed his own form of focused treatment called Shoten Shiatsu Anma and has successfully treated a variety of pain conditions at an over 90% success rate.

Alan has been teaching for over thirty years and has provided classes, workshops, and training at local, state, and national levels. He is the developer of Business Wellness: Taking Care of the Company’s Team to help businesses take better care of their employees.

Together with Dr. Kaneko, he is teaching Kaneko Shiatsu Anma moving the art in new directions.

Alexis is the author of "The Art of Jin Shin" and “Healing at Your Fingertips” and is the President of Jin Shin Institute in New York City. A practitioner of the Art of Jin Shin since 1991, Alexis is a licensed massage therapist and Interfaith Minister and has taught self help classes and workshops in New York City and different countries for many years.

She has taught Jin Shin in hospitals to nurses and to teachers and their students in the public school system. She is a member of the Transactional Analysis IESA Committee for Social Action. She has also written two textbooks, The Core and The Depth, on how to become a practitioner in The Art of Jin Shin. Today, Jin Shin Institute, under Alexis's guidance, is offering a comprehensive curriculum to a new generation of practitioners and teachers. Alexis currently has a private practice in New York City.

Jin Shin Institute

Location: New York, NY

Email: alexisbrink@gmail.com

Phone: 917.302.0000

https://www.jinshininstitute.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jinshininstitute

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jinshininstitute/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGfQCHkNLDfJQdFkj1ZARLw

Dr Alice Whieldon MA FwSS(UK) SFHEA came across Shiatsu in 1985 when she met Pauline Sasaki. She began her training in 1991 with the Shiatsu College, London and, after meeting Kishi Akinobu in 1997, she worked closely with him until his death in 2012. Together they co-authored Sei-ki: Life in Resonance, The Secret Art of Shiatsu (2011).

Kishi was Masunaga's top disciple, often demonstrating Shiatsu while his teacherexplained the work. In 1980, he experienced a profound insight which transformed his understanding and took him in a new direction. He called this, Sei-Ki Soho. Sei-Ki is rooted in Shiatsu and the Japanese Arts. It is a manifestation of The Way of Touch. Masunaga noted that the purpose of Shiatsu is satori and in Kishi this purpose found the right approach.

For some years, Alice worked with Kishi to explain his work and this culminated in the seminal book, Sei-Ki: Life in Resonance. A senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy with over 25 years' experience teaching in academia, she brings a humanities background to this work, giving it context and helping people understand better how to practice this powerful, subtle art.

Alice is based in the UK and offers workshops internationally. She is Director of Sei-Ki Hub, a collaboration dedicated to fostering Sei-Ki in community. She is also author of Clearing: the key to mindfulness Mastery, (2016) and offers training in this work.

Location: East Anglia UK

https://living-in-resonance.com/

https://www.seikihub.com/

Email: info@living-in-resonance.com

Alix Keast began her shiatsu studies at The Ohashi Institute in the mid-1980’s. In 1987, she attended the Swedish Institute and became a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist. She worked as a Certified Ohashiatsu Consultant at The Ohashi Institute giving shiatsu sessions and studying with Ohashi until 1989. At that time, she began her private practice and started teaching at the Swedish Institute. She continues to work at her private practice in New York City and to teach at the Swedish Institute.

Alix has studied Classical Chinese Medicine with Jeffrey Yuen, Zero Balancing with Fritz Smith, and Qi Gong with Robert Peng. Her 30+ years of Iyengar and Anusara yoga also influence her work. About 10 years ago, she began incorporating Acutonics tuning forks into her work. This led to her great interest in the Eight Extraordinary Vessels. She also uses LED light pads in her sessions. Most recently, she has been studying Jin Shin Do with Gail Kellstrom. Perhaps her greatest teacher has been her daughter Emma, who has brought great love, wisdom, and compassion into her life.

Location: New York, NY.

Email: alixk3@gmail.com

Phone/Text: 646-326-5994

Work phone: 212-362-4341

Ambria Mathew, Ph.D. (Ontario, Canada) Ambria is a teacher of Holistic Wellness. She has a Ph.D. in Alternative Medicine that focused on the study of Yoga & Ayurveda. She is a musician, a traveler, an author, and a lifelong student at heart, who believes her journey is a testament to the fact that life is a beautiful adventure.

Ambria spent over a decade sharing her passion for Yoga & Ayurveda Holistic Wellness all over the world with daily classes, workshops, Yoga Teacher Training, chanting, and retreats. With over a decade of teaching yoga worldwide (USA, Canada, Ireland, India, Vietnam, Spain to name a few countries), she has been a witness to the healing power of yoga, and how it transcends age, language, and cultural diversity. After studying various forms of bodywork, and graduating from Ohashiatsu school in NYC in 2010.

The knowledge of Shiatsu with regard to Meridians & the Five elements was parallel to the aspects of Chakras, Nadis, and Five Elements as taught in Ayurveda & Yoga. Ambria learned to unite these practices in yoga classes by sequencing vinyasa classes with relation to the five elements, changing seasons, times of day, and created class themes weaved with sequential postures, to help find balance and rejuvenate the body for practitioners.

A few years ago, while teaching yoga teacher training in Spain, she returned to Canada to help her Father on a miraculous recovery from a brain injury. She is currently sharing her love for yoga with a Neuro-Diverse group of people in Southern Ontario and working on recordings and writings for future release.

She is grateful and blessed for the guidance of incredible teachers: her parents, Sri Dharma Mittra, Tao Porchon Lynch, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, David Swenson, Master Ohashi, and the written teachings Patanjali, B.K.S. Iyengar, Swami Rudrananda, and Dr. Vasant Lad, who all inspire her on their ongoing worldwide teaching opportunities.

Location: Ontario, Canada

Email: ambria.mathew@gmail.com

Instagram: RiyaYoga

Amy studied shiatsu at the Shiatsu School of Vermont. Shiatsu is Amy’s second career; she was a professor for fifteen years, and left her tenured position in 2019 to build a sustainable and harmonious daily life centered around family and community. The healing she experienced with shiatsu, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, meditation, a whole foods diet, and other therapies inspired her to embrace shiatsu as a way of life. Amy is honored to be supporting others in the joyful journey of wellbeing. She works with shiatsu to help people cultivate grounded confidence, ease in one's body, and genuine expression through life transitions at all ages.

Location: New Harmony Center for Health & Wellness, Beverly, MA

Website: www.newharmonywellness.com

Phone: (978) 922-3030

Email: Amy@NewHarmonyWellness.com

Anastasiya Hozyainova, MSW offers instruction in meditation and helps others to find a sense of balance and purpose in their lives. Ana started her personal meditation practice as a way to cope with the stress of working with and investigating disturbing stories of human rights abuses. Meditation became the key tool for her to manage the pressures of the war zone and high-stakes politics. Ana has a passion for making delicious plant-based meals, tending to a pollinator garden, and designing STEM toys for children.

Location: New York, NY & Port Jefferson, NY

East-West Integrated Wellness

Website: www.ewiw.org

Phone, Text, Signal App
(917) 979-3949
appt@ewiw.org

Andrzej’s passion is to share with others the experience of wellness that comes from restoring one’s connection to the natural world and to one’s inherent energetic blueprint.  His intense interest in healing arose from his own positive experiences with Qi Gong and Zen meditation in overcoming personal health challenges.

His goal of self-healing eventually expanded to a desire to help others, leading to study at the Ohashiatsu Institute in New York.  20+ years of facilitating healing and wellness through shiatsu and qi gong have led Andrzej to incorporate, but move beyond a deep knowledge of physical and energetic anatomy to a highly intuitive awareness of energy. Techniques from many different energetic healing traditions are used to address energy blockages and distortions, and to introduce more beneficial patterns.  Noting common health challenges that are affecting many of his clients, he has developed special shiatsu and qi gong classes that are organized around specific themes.

Healing Touch Healing Movement, Master Practitioner and Teacher

Location: New York, New York, USA

Phone: (609) 742-3140

Email: meetandrzej@gmail.com

Website: https://www.healingtouchhealingmovement.com

Founder of The Art of Touch

Barbara is a skilled organizer and passionate teacher, dedicated to her work. She was a student of the Ohashiatsu® program and trained as a Facilitator of Zen-Stretching®. She became a Certified Ohashiatsu® Instructor (COI) and created the first Ohashi School in France. Barbara also took on the task of translating and adapting all the teaching materials into French. Ohashi and Bonnie visited the school in France many times, as well as other COI from Italy and Europe.

When working as an artistic advisor in Italy, she learned how the body works through dance, yoga, and aikido and also discovered the virtues of energy work. For Barbara, “The Art of Touch” is sensitive communication that allows the practitioner to listen and understand the body, without judgment, in order to release physical and emotional tension. In her work, she approaches the whole person, body and spirit, as one being.

Always curious and open-minded, she continues to deepen her knowledge and experiment with bodywork wellness techniques, gradually adding them to her teachings. Her movement and health maintenance methods combine Zen Stretching Shiatsu® and dance, sensory pedagogy, Watsu (water shiatsu), Eastern psychological analysis, and other wellness programs.

Barbara has created her own practice, “Sensitive Shiatsu” and is developing “Zen Thai Shiatsu”. She teaches both as part of an internship program, along with the original The Art of Touch training.

Barbara teaches at her studio, DOJO LES SENS DU MONDE, in Paris.

Barbara Aubry - Praticienne de Shiatsu agréée FFST formatrice
L'Art du Toucher (Formations à Paris)

www.artdutoucher.net
www.dojolessensdumonde.com

https://barbara-aubry.com/

Dojo Les Sens du Monde

17, rue Lisfranc / 75020 Paris / M° Gambetta ou Porte de Bagnolet

Tél : 06 13 52 31 88 ou 01 43 64 07 19

Bernard Bouheret has practiced Shiatsu shi for 40 years. He started his training in 1977 while also studying physiotherapy in Montpellier in the South of France. In 1981, after receiving his physiotherapy diploma, he went to the school of OKUYAMA sensei in Omiya in Saitama Ken, Japan.

He lived for several months in Ushi Deshi at the Hombu Dojo, and he practiced the martial arts taught at the Hakko Ryu school (the Yawara).

Returning to France, Bernard has been practicing without respite for 40+ years.

In 2001, 20 years after his trip to Japan, Bernard founded the Ecole de Shiatsu Thérapeutique (EST). He practices the "Sei Shiatsu Do" style of shiatsu. Bernard has written four books on shiatsu including a vade mecum, which is a reference book on the therapeutic level.

Bernard's school is very prosperous. There are no less than 270 people who are now students. The EST website is www.shiatsu-est.org

Bernard is still active and has an immense passion for shiatsu.

E.S.T - Ecole de Shiatsu Thérapeutique

1, boulevard Arago - 75013 PARIS

Tel: 06 32 66 73 64

www.shiatsu-est.org

Bob Modaff, AOBTA-CP (American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia–Certified Practitioner), has been practicing and teaching shiatsu for over 31 years. After a decade of acting and performing nationally and internationally, Bob discovered Ohashiatsu, the Zen shiatsu program founded by Master Wataru Ohashi. After graduating from the Ohashi Institute in New York in 1992, he moved to Chicago, where he built a thriving practice while completing his Ohashiatsu instructor training. He taught Ohashiatsu, as well as his own self-designed courses, in Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis. In 1996, after moving to Minneapolis with his family, he opened the first neighborhood wellness center in the city, Three Smooth Stones, offering classes in yoga, meditation and tai chi, and creating a space for practitioners of shiatsu, acupuncture, chiropractic and reiki.

Bob put his practice on hold while he and his wife went on an adventure to South America. Originally planning to stay for a year or two, doing shiatsu and teaching English, they ended up spending 5 years in Cuenca, Ecuador. They returned to their lives in Minneapolis in 2018, happily reuniting with clients and friends.

In April of 2023, Bob and his wife moved to Houston to be near their daughter (and to escape the cold winters of Minneapolis). He is very excited to be starting a practice in the Rice Village neighborhood at the Element 5 OM studio When he is not busy trying out new yoga and tai chi classes, he and his wife are exploring the many museums, as well and the rich and varied food scene in their new city. In his down time, Bob enjoys books, movies, and cooking.

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www.3smoothstones.com

bob@3smoothstones.com

612-247-6379

Carola was brought up in the Far East, where her interest in Asian philosophy and medicine began. Having completed formal academic education, she changed course completely in her late twenties and trained in beauty therapy and massage. Her first Shiatsu workshop in 1978 with Ohashi changed her life and she went on to study Shiatsu wherever she could, her main teacher being Pauline Sasaki. Along the way, Carola qualified in acupuncture.

She is the author of the textbook Shiatsu Theory and Practice, now in its 3rd edition, and a 12-part video series on “The Meridians of Shiatsu”. In 2020 she co-founded the publishing company, The Shiatsu Press, with Tamsin Grainger. She lives in semi-retirement in a remote seaside village in Wales.

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Location: B4321, Llandysul SA44 6SN, United Kingdom

E-mail: contact.shiatsuwales@gmail.com

https://shiatsu-wales.co.uk/

My name is Caterina Matteoda, I am from Turin, Italy.

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I have always been passionate about natural, alternative medicine, and shamanism. In 2006, I started studying naturopathy at the Italian Institute of Naturopathy in Urbino. Here I met Professor Domenico Bassi who opened the door to Ohashiatsu for me. For this I will be forever grateful because I completely fell in love with Ohashiatsu, which changed my life, improving it in every aspect.

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I graduated from the Ohashi Institute in 2011. From then until 2015, I have practiced Ohashiatsu, moxibustion, foot reflexology, flower therapy, and Swedish massage. I moved to the UK in 2016 and in 2019 I founded Ohashiatsu® School UK in York and I'm taking my first steps towards London, Covid permitting!

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Location: Addlestone, York, UK

Tel: 07384 108411

www.ohashiatsuschooluk.com

ohashiatsuschooluk@gmail.com

www.linkedin.com/in/Ohashiatsu®

https://www.facebook.com/wellbeingshiatsu

At age 5, Chilán started learning indigenous healing practices and herbal medicine from his uncle and others in his community. This exposure to healing work at a young age imprinted him with the outlook and experiences that inform his natural approach to medicine. Through his youth, continuing up to the present he continues to learn and practice traditional healing ways. By the time Chilán was in his early 20s, his search for a career path led him to the Desert Institute of the Healing Arts where he studied Zen Shiatsu. This exposure to body work and physical medicine sparked an interest that led him to study Chi Nei Tsang, Thai Massage, Tui Na and eventually Acupuncture. In 2014, Chilán graduated with a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College. Upon completion of the Masters program, he chose to further cultivate his skills by specializing in Meridian Therapy through advanced trainings organized by the High Desert Hari Society. Meridian Therapy is a Japanese style of acupuncture that draws heavily on palpation skills that he had already developed through years of Shiatsu practice. As part of this training, Chilán has participated in several pediatric seminars and had the opportunity to learn from world renowned experts on pediatric acupuncture. Currently, Chilán continues to hone his skills through clinical practice, telemedicine and teaching. Chilán is well known for his subtle and effective techniques, genuine compassion and insightful honesty.

Many podcasts and informative videos can be found on his YouTube channel.

The Master Sharpening Stone

Location: Tucson, AZ

Email: themastersharpeningstone@gmail.com

https://www.themastersharpeningstone.com

Chris first encountered Oriental medicine in 1986 while extremely sick in East Asia. Treatment sessions with practitioners from Tibetan, Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and finally, Chinese medicine showed him the immediate and long-term benefits of traditional holistic practices.

He began his formal Shiatsu studies in the UK with Nigel Dawes and Liz Arundel. Chris continued his studies during a five-year stay in Japan with Takeo Suzuki, a student of Masunaga and teacher at the IOKAI Shiatsu Center. Chris has also studied acupuncture, Qigong, martial arts, and Tai Ji Chuan with, among others, Chen Pei Shan, a 21st generation lineage holder within the Chen family traditional style. In Europe, he studied Chinese herbs with Ted Kaptchuk. Chris eventually settled down in Sweden where he has been treating and teaching ever since.

Chris has taught shiatsu extensively in Israel, Italy, Norway, the UK, and the USA. Recently, he presented at the ECF Conference in Amsterdam. His passion is for the inner tradition of the Oriental arts. He enjoys nothing more than researching and practicing with colleagues, students, and patients, in the world of ideas and in dream states.
Chris is currently President of the ESF, the European Shiatsu Federation, and also co-author of Touching the Invisible: Exploring the Path of Shiatsu. When not practicing, he enjoys all forms of reading, swimming, dancing, drumming, and percussion.

Email: chris.mcalister360@gmail.com
Telephone: +46 707 511 642
Address: Bandstolsv. 44, 756 Uppsala, Sweden.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.mcalister.1963/

Website: https://www.isshin-gakkai.eu/ (It is mostly in Swedish but all purple text is in English)

Corvallis, OR

Claire's interest in the sacredness of relationships and their underlying energy has inspired her journey in shiatsu. Under the guidance of Kumiko Kanayama at the Five Lights Center, she has been developing an ability to listen and facilitate balance since 2021. She has attended shiatsu seminars across the US and Italy, and enjoys volunteering at community wellness events across New York City. Currently she is working towards becoming an AOBTA-certified professional Asian bodywork therapist.

Claire spent her formative twenties living in Japan as an interpreter and translator, where she grew a deep appreciation for nature and the Japanese arts. She also attended massage school in Buenos Aires. A software developer, she also helps maintain digital systems at Five Lights Center.

Email: claire.froelich.dev@gmail.com

https://clairefro.dev/shiatsu

Cliff Andrews is an international Shiatsu and Energy Work practitioner and teacher. He has been studying, practicing, and teaching Shiatsu since 1981, he served a full-time apprenticeship with the late Pauline Sasaki, in 1986.

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In 1986 Cliff co-founded the Shiatsu College UK, and in 1992 he established the Post-Graduate CPD Diploma program. In 2010 Cliff launched the New Energy Work project to provide a central focus for his teaching work in workshops, online and international collaborations at www.newenergywork.com the online community which has grown and now numbers around 4,000 members and approaching 100,000 course enrollments.

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Cliff has developed the new techniques of Whole Body Scanning, Meridian scanning, and Vibrational Level work. Cliff is fascinated by the interface between emerging Scientific understandings of life and traditional healing systems.

Cliff is currently semi-retired and is not taking new clients in his Norwich UK practice.

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cliff@cliffordandrews.com

www.newenergywork.com

Cristian Laniauskas. Graduate in Diagnostic Imaging, Shiatsu Namikoshi Therapist since 2019, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Facebook: Cristian JapanShiatsu

Instagram: cristianjapanshiatsu

Dara Kustler was born and raised in New York City. She graduated in Ohashi’s first class of students in 1978. She is an attorney, and currently resides in Florida.

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Cell: 954-871-8700

Email: darakustler@post.harvard.edu

Darryl Aiken-Afam, MPS is a martial artist and a practitioner of the Taoist healing and meditation arts including Meridian Cleansing Qigong (Jing Luo Xi) , Zen Shiatsu and Taoist psychology. He studied under Taoist Master Tom Luinis for 15 years since 2008 where he was taught the Meridian Cleansing form and other Taoist energy and meditative arts. Darryl also created his own system of Chi energy based yoga called Meridian Touch (J’ai Mu) back in 2000, derived from Chinese Tao-In exercises and blended with Zen Shiatsu, Athletic Training, and Martial Arts philosophy. He has taught this unique and effortless form of healing yoga to collegiate, professional and Olympic athletes, and has had notable clients like Ahimir “Questlove” Thompson, Curtis Granderson of the NY Yankees, and Craig Robinson (older brother to former First Lady Michelle Obama). Darryl is also very active in the world of social justice. His Ambient Noise - “Contact & Conversation” events, designed to help everyday people to converse deeply and successfully about race, uses mindfulness meditation, yoga, human touch, and social psychology to bridge the gulf of pain and emotion associated with discussing race and transforming racialized mindsets. He is also a graduate of the Ohashi Institute, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, holds a Masters Degree in Leadership Psychology from Penn State University, and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Missouri. Darryl created and runs the Afam Consulting Group organization; an educational and professional development consulting business since 2000, and offers his teaching services to groups, organizations and individuals worldwide.

Cell: 646.342.1304

Email: afamconsultinggroup@gmail.com

My interest in shiatsu began with macrobiotic practice in my hometown of Sydney, Australia, in 1974. I left Australia in February 1978, with the intention of studying macrobiotics in Boston. On the way, I stopped off in Tokyo, where I met Masunaga. He had studied macrobiotics, and to me, his philosophy and shiatsu practice had a similar spirit, so I decided to study with him and his staff at the Iokai Shiatsu Center, which I did over the next four years.

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In July 1982, I finally went, with my wife, to Boston, and was invited by Michio Kushi, to teach at the Kushi Institute, which I did over the next 15 years. In 1989, I published my first book, The Macrobiotic Way of Zen Shiatsu (later reprinted as The Natural Way of Zen Shiatsu). In this book, I endeavored to share all the techniques I learnt at Iokai, along with an in-depth theory section including philosophy and diagnosis in shiatsu, and its connection with macrobiotics, as well as incorporating an exercise regimen I had been teaching in Boston.

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I have been working continuously as a shiatsu practitioner since 1982. Having done thousands of treatments, I have become especially interested in the principles of actually pressing in shiatsu. Since 1989, without exception, I have always used a cloth over the body, which surprising as it may seem, in a subtle way, totally transformed and improved my practice. It is this technique I would like to share with you today.

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Location: Fairfield, CT & New York, NY

Cell: 203-526-0188
Email: davidsergel@optimum.net

Dawn is a Shiatsu Shin Tai practitioner and a Shiatsu Society UK registered teacher and Trusted Assessor. She also holds an MA in Politics from the University of Glasgow.

She discovered Shiatsu in 2002 during a particularly stressful period in her life and found it a safe and supportive environment in her own healing. She began her Shiatsu studies at the British School of Shiatsu-Do in London in 2011 and has been in professional practice since 2014.

Dawn also serves on the Board of Shiatsu Society UK as Director of Education and is Co-UK Representative of the European Shiatsu Federation (ESF).

About Shiatsu Shin Tai

Shiatsu Shin Tai is a powerful healing touch therapy that was developed by Saul Goodman more than 40 years ago.

Shin Tai expands on traditional Shiatsu and is based on a system of diagnosis and technique that focuses on two primary meridians: Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel. Treatments include Bone Qi activation, meridian work, fascia unwinding, cranio-sacral techniques, Central Channel release, chakra work and light-touch contact on the cranial sutures to clear meningeal stress and deeply held stress patterns in the body. Gentle and soft tissue structural adjustments help to correct specific misalignments in the hips, sacrum and spine. Shin Tai work touches on a very deep level, giving the body the space to recover motion and activate the receiver’s own life force and vitality.

Proprioceptive exercises form a key part of Shin Tai practice: these involve a specific type of movement and focus that activates the proprioceptive system (part of the nervous system) and expands one’s perception of space and time, sense of alignment physically, mentally, and emotionally and develops our Inner Guidance System. When we take the time to find our own alignment, we become more able to support our clients in finding their alignment. We learn to wait, notice and observe how we are and give ourselves the space and time to come back to our centre.

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Dawn has experience of working with grief and trauma and is particularly interested in ancestral trauma, legacy and the memories we carry.

She sees Shiatsu as a perfect touch therapy because it has the capacity to listen well and hold a lot of space with compassion and without judgement or comment. She says that when we get our heads out of the way, we become more able to connect to our clients with real attention. She believes that the future is bright for Shiatsu and that we are entering a new paradigm where Shiatsu will play a pivotal role within a much more integrated healthcare system.

Dawn lives in Edinburgh and London.

Dawn Oei MA, Dip. BSS, FwSS (T)

Shiatsu Shin Tai Practitioner and Shiatsu Teacher

Director of Education and Fellow, Professional Register, Shiatsu Society UK (SSUK)

Co-UK Representative, European Shiatsu Federation (ESF)

Email: dawnoei@yahoo.com

Mobile: +44 07912357198

Webpages: https://www.dawnoei-shiatsushintai.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawnoeishiatsuedinburgh/

Article: https://www.ryohoshiatsu.com/en/bone-more-than-curious-organ-shiatsu/

Deborah Valentine Smith, B.A, L.M.T. (NY), Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM) and AOBTA® CI is a Jin Shin Do® Bodymind Acupressure® Authorized Teacher and the current AOBTA® President.

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Deborah began her study of Asian Bodywork Therapy with Wataru Ohashi in 1975-80, graduated from the Swedish Institute in 1982, and has been studying with Iona Marsaa Teeguarden, founder of Jin Shin Do® since 1979. She has taught internationally in massage and bodywork schools and programs and currently runs the JSD Teacher Training Program in the US. She teaches the full JSD 250 hour curriculum, courses she has developed on the TendinoMuscular Meridians, and a 100-hour online integrated Anatomy and Physiology course for ABTs.  She is passionate about sharing the depth and beauty of bodywork that is gentle yet powerful and offers a deep, healing experience of self-awareness and empowerment to the recipient.

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She is the author of many articles in publications including A Complete Guide to Acupressure by Iona Marsaa Teeguarden, Massage Magazine, Massage Today, The Shiatsu Society Journal (UK), AOBTA®’s Pulse, Acupuncture Today, and The North American Journal of Oriental Medicine.

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www.bodymindtreasures.com

deborahvalentinesmith@gmail.com

Cell: 610.324.8731

Debra Troy, CH is a Certified Alchemy Hypnosis trained, Advanced Clinical Hypnosis Certified, NJ registered and insured HypnoCounselor, a Kalos Kinesiology Health Facilitator and Minister of Spiritual Counseling, in practice for over 30 years.

She has studied leading hypnosis, emotional clearing and behavioral kinesiology methods for over 30 years and the result is her core emotional/energy clearing work, called "Heal the Cause, Self Mastery Method." (HTCSMM)

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Debra helps healers and helpers "Heal the Cause" of Subconscious beliefs, blocks and behaviors that create emotional and physical pain and rejoices with them as they step into their passionate, purposeful and prosperous lives! Debra is also the creator of StressLess Seminars-Quick Fix Body/Mind Tools That Save the Day!

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In addition to Debra's HTCSMM and StressLess Seminars, she offers other methods of core help to remove unwanted habits, patterns and blocks and as an Ordained Interfaith Minister, offers sacred Life Passage Ceremonies and Spiritual Counseling.

Location: Lambertville, NJ

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Email: Debra.troy57@gmail.com

Telephone: 609-306-7057

Skype: debra.p.troy, login name is debratroy

Website: https://www.troywellness.com/

Diane Vreeland has been a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and Shiatsu Practitioner since 2005. She was first introduced to Shiatsu while studying massage therapy at the Swedish Institute in New York City. She was immediately smitten and began focusing her studies on Shiatsu. Diane studied Five Element Theory and Advanced Shiatsu techniques from acclaimed master teachers Tom Banasiak and Alix Keast. From 2007-2009, Diane furthered her training while studying under Wataru Ohashi at the Ohashi Institute in New York City. She completed her Reiki I and II training in the Usui Method and offers in person, as well as phone sessions.

Diane’s office is located in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She offers an array of intuitive, therapeutic massage and bodywork therapies, including Shiatsu. Each session takes into account any acute or chronic issues, as well as the client's specific intentions. Diane has worked with a wide variety of clients over the years to help relieve their pain and discomfort, and regain a sense of balance and calm in the body. The goal is always to promote self-healing and encourage body awareness. She continues to be inspired by people and their myriad experiences in their bodies and wishes to support clients where they're at with all the wisdom they bring. Diane is also a Certified Core Energetics Practitioner (CCEP), which is a type of body-centered psychotherapy that encourages the healing of energetic blocks in the body, helping people live fuller lives. She is currently seeing Core Energetics clients on Zoom.

Diane can be reached at dvreeland.lmt@gmail.com as well as her website:

Websites: https://dianevreeland.massagetherapy.com/home

Diego Sanchez trained in England with Cliff Andrews and Carola Beresford-Cooke. He then moved to New York City to train with Pauline Sasaki. He produced and directed a documentary on her work for a DVD called The Human Potential. Diego, Pauline and other shiatsu colleagues trained with a Russian shaman called Gregory Antyuhin. From that point forward, he integrated the Chakra system into shiatsu.

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He worked as a volunteer doing Shiatsu for rescue workers at Ground Zero during 9/11 and also performed hundreds of Shiatsu sessions on open-heart surgery patients at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Oz. He now lives in Uruguay with his family and travels to teach internationally. He also offers online programs on the Chakras and distance healing training.

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Location: Uruguay, Peru and Europe

info@diego-sanchez.com

cell/whatsApp +598 952 78442

https://diego-sanchez.com

Domenico Bassi studied Macrobiotics with Michio Kushi in the 1970's-1980’s. He graduated from the Ohashi Institute and became an instructor in 1991. He teaches Iridology practical applications of TCM at the Naturopathic School of Urbino, Italy.  

Co-Director of Ohashiatsu in Torino-Italy.
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contact: bassidomenico8@gmail.com
Cell/WhatsApp +39 333 78 54 269
http://www.ohashiatsu.it/seminari-complementari

Dr. Angela H. McConnell. Ph.D.

MAJ US Army/AF Retired Q Integrative LLC Educator & Consultant

Dr. Ang Mac is a Ph.D., dedicated consultant and advocate specializing in women’s health—particularly the unique challenges of perimenopause and menopause. With over 20 years of experience in integrative healthcare, education, research, and consulting, she brings a deep understanding of both science and the lived experience of midlife women.

She also incorporates Shiatsu, a traditional Japanese healing practice, into her work—supporting hormonal balance, reducing stress, and helping regulate the nervous system through touch, breath, and energy awareness.

Driven by her own journey and the stories of countless women she has supported, Dr. Ang Mac believes every woman deserves compassionate, informed guidance. Her approach blends current medical knowledge with holistic and practical strategies, ensuring women receive the care, respect, and support they need to thrive.

Dr. Ang Mac’s credentials include a Ph.D. in Health Administration focused on integrative whole-person health, a 22-year military career in biomedical research and intelligence, advanced menopause research, and decades of experience in women’s integrative health. She is deeply committed to advocacy and collaborates with healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers to expand awareness and understanding.

Whether through one-on-one consultations, Shiatsu sessions, or corporate women’s wellness programs, Dr. Ang Mac is dedicated to breaking stigma, sharing knowledge, and helping every woman feel heard, understood, and empowered.

https://drangmac.com/

https://youtube.com/@drangmac?si=-J3_pzbGVP9HZVSV

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579443656888

https://www.instagram.com/drangmac?igsh=MWI4cmJqOHFmOGxmNg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Dr. DoAnn T. Kaneko is passionate to promote optimum health, happiness, and a more peaceful world by educating adults and children about Eastern and Quantum healing as well as Lotus Faith Healing medicine.

A doctor of Oriental Medicine, acupuncturist, Shiatsu Anma practitioner, and author, he has 50 years of experience practicing and teaching the healing arts. Among his past achievements were founding the non-profit educational institute the Shiatsu Massage School of California, and the Tao Healing Arts, a holistic clinic. He has taught numerous students and successfully treated many patients with energetic and vibrational medicine.

He was one of five pioneers who brought shiatsu to the U.S from Japan. In the 1970s, he worked with Wataru Ohashi at The Ohashi Institute developing shiatsu programs in the USA. He innovated Kaneko Shiatsu Anma, integrating both the Shiatsu and Anma styles of massage therapy. A new vision in teaching Kaneko Shiatsu-Anma is to create it for family practice and make it as popular as yoga. Given the importance of the healing power of a touch now more than ever, it's the perfect time to incorporate Kaneko Shiatsu Anma into regular home healing practices among family and friends.

For his contribution to the healing community, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from AOBTA and World Massage Festival, as well as a Hall of Fame award from the latter. In addition to teaching Kaneko Shiatsu Anma, he plans on continuing community classes online and offering Shiatsu Anma massage at IPSB. Please view our website for upcoming classes and view his testimonials page for client and student feedback.

Dr. Kaneko is the author of the book DoAnn’s Doin - Healing Ourselves, and he also published Shiatsu and Anma Therapy – DoAnn’s Short & Long Form (2004). He enjoys teaching the healing arts to children and parents in his picture book, The Bamboo Princess and the Music Hands Man, and through his children's DVD, Music Hands and Monkey Business, which includes basic healing activities and exercises for the family.

Dr. Kaneko is certified by NCCOMS Diplomate ID#1953 and NCBTMB, CE Provider #1514

Location: Santa Monica, CA

www.kanekohealingarts.com

www.chi-time.com

Address: PO Box 591 Santa Monica, CA 90406

Phone Cell 310-210-8633, Home 310 -459 -7239

After years of intermittent pain exhausted other options, a lumbar disc injury introduced Jonathan to traditional Chinese medicine. He found relief & ultimately full recovery through acupuncture & Qigong practice, inspiring him to share this blessing with others.

After graduating from the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, his martial arts teacher in Japan connected him with the Saitō family, who would introduce Jon to the philosophy, art, and technique of Japanese acupuncture. Jonathan is honored to be a student of Saitō Kaoru Sensei, who instructs him in the Nihon Keiraku Chiryō tradition of Japanese acupuncture. In 2021, Jon earned his Doctorate of Acupuncture through the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. His research focused on the piezoelectric nature of fascia as a potential physiological basis for the Chinese meridian system.

His massage education at Avalon School of Massage gave him a firm grounding in the musculoskeletal systems of the body.  He combines this knowledge with his Tui Na Chinese Bodywork and Jūkaidō Shiatsu studies to provide the best physical care he can for his patients.  Jonathan is a certified Massage Therapy Instructor (MTI) and shares his passion for alternative and complementary medicine as part of the faculty at the Avalon School of Massage, where he instructs in Shiatsu & Acupressure, East Asian Medical Theory, Cupping, Gua Sha & other East Asian modalities.

Jonathan has been studying martial arts since 2001. He has competitive experience and has medaled in point sparring, continuous sparring, stick combat, push hands (fixed step and restricted step), and kata (forms).

In his spare time he avidly enjoys practicing martial arts, watching old movies, studying Zen meditation, spending time outdoors with Julie, searching for Bigfoot, & collecting Godzilla toys.

Jon can be reached by email at jon@pyndusacupuncture.com

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https://pyndusacupuncture.com/

jon@pyndusacupuncture.com

(210) 595 9781

Dr. Lauren Haythe is both a trained Kinesis Myofascial Integration (KMI) bodyworker and has a Doctorate of Acupuncture (DAc., L.Ac., LMT). In 2010, Lauren became a certified KMI practitioner after studying under founder Tom Myers as well as James Earls in Oxford, England. She broadened her structural integration practice by studying orthopedic pain management and visceral manipulation with the Barral Institute and became a licensed bodyworker in the State of New York after graduating from the Swedish Institute in New York. She graduated with honors while obtaining her Masters of Sciences in Acupuncture from Tristate College of Acupuncture (TSCA) and has graduated from Nigel Dawes’s Kampo program for studies in Japanese herbs. Lauren obtained her doctorate of acupuncture from Pacific College of Acupuncture in New York City. She is also certified in Traditional Japanese Acupuncture through the TJA Institute. Lauren has completed human dissections to advance her knowledge of the human body with Tom Myers and Todd Garcia. She has also completed the Advanced KMI training with Myers and has assisted him in some of his teachings. Lauren works with a desire to merge the practical knowledge of western anatomy with the eastern principles of medicine in order to treat patients under a plan that best serves their unique and individual needs.

NYS Massage License #026418-1NYS

Acupuncture License #006029-1

https://www.laurenhaythe.com/

https://yutoriwellness.co.uk/

info@yutoriwellness.co.uk
 07824843660

Dr. Paul Francis Ryan, DACM L.Ac., the founder of East-West Integrated Wellness, is a licensed acupuncturist with more than 18 years of training and clinical practice in China.

He studied craniosacral and other osteopathically rooted treatments at the Osteopathic College of Ontario, Canada. Stress reduction is a focus in our mind-body integrated treatment approach for most diseases. Our main treatments are acupuncture, cupping, Chinese herbal medicine. We use guidance in meditation and qigong to help patients manage their stress and cure disease.

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Location: New York, NY & Port Jefferson, NY

East-West Integrated Wellness

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Website: www.ewiw.org

Phone, Text, Signal App
(917) 979-3949
appt@ewiw.org

Thomas Wernicke is a General Practitioner with additional training in natural healing methods, acupuncture, chirotherapy, manual infant and child-treatment, diagnostics in early childhood development, classical homeopathy and psychosomatics.

He is medical director of the therapy center, therapeuticum rhein-main, Germany, where he predominantly treats children. His main interest lies with research and treatment using shōnishin, needle-less Japanese child-acupuncture.

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Well-trained in Osaka by one of the leading Japanese pediatric acupuncturists, Masanori Tanioka, he developed Shōnishin further and set new standards. As an internationally recognized and demanded expert in Shōnishin, he acts as a training manager in many European countries, Asia (incl. Japan), Australia and in the USA. Beside numerous scientific publications he published several textbooks about Shōnishin.

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He is a member of the Japanese Science Society for Pediatric Acupuncture (Nihon Shoni Hari Gakkei) as well as founding member and president of the International Society for Traditional Japanese Medicine (IGTJM e.V.) and co-initiator of international congresses for Japanese medicine.

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Location: therapeuticum rhein-main

Alte Dorfgasse 13

65239 Hochheim

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Tel: 06145-52672

Email: tw@therapeuticum.de

www.aceki.de

Elaine was a Modern Languages reader at the University of Aberdeen and also worked as a journalist before she discovered shiatsu in 1980.

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She was involved in running the Shiatsu Society UK from 1981 to 1991. Between 1984 and 1988, she organized Pauline Sasaki’s workshops in the UK. In 1986, Elaine founded the Glasgow School of Shiatsu. She currently serves as Co-Chair on the Board of the Shiatsu Society UK.

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Elaine has published three books about shiatsu:

Health Essentials: Shiatsu, Japanese Massage for Health and Fitness. Element Books Ltd.

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shiatsu: The Japanese Healing Art of Touch for Health and Fitness. Element Books Ltd./ Harper Collins.

The Extended Meridians of Zen Shiatsu, A Guidebook and Coloring Book. Singing Dragon Books.

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Location: Glasgow, UK

Email: admin@glasgowshiatsu.co.uk

https://www.glasgowshiatsu.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/Glasgow-School-of-Shiatsu-603552696381039

Ellen became a Licensed Physical Therapist in 1985 after graduating from FIU: Florida International University, in Miami, Florida. This was preceded by studies in Biology and Health Sciences form the University of Maryland and Catholic University, Washington, DC .Further studies include over 1000 hours in Continuing Education in areas of Orthopedic, Neurologic and Rehabilitative coursework from 1986-current. Of these, most courses were manual techniques: including Cranial-Sacral Work and Myofascial Release. Her shiatsu certification was obtained through study at the Ohashi Institute in New York, Maryland, and Bari, Italy.

She graduated with the Advanced Ohashiatsu certification in 2009.Since 2014 she has owned Shape Shifters Wellness Studio, a private practice out-patient setting, treating clients with bicycle related injuries and the community at large, in a local bike shop in Ellicott City, Md. With a unique niche as a Bike PT, she has also added Kinisiotaping, Dry Needling and Yoga certifications to her plethora of modalities. Although she aspires to positive healing outcomes, educating her clients and the public in self-care has always been the pinnacle of her professional mission.

Location: 5010 Dorsey Hall Dr, Ellicott City, MD 21042

Phone: (410) 997-0555

Email: edriscollpt@yahoo.com

Emine Eyidogan, from Istanbul, is a a biologist, Shiatsu practitioner, and a lymphedema and manual therapist.  She is trained in The Vodder Method of Manual Lymph Drainage and Combined Decongestive Therapy.

Emine has also studied Shiatsu at The Ohashi Institute and is experienced in different areas of massage therapy including pre/peri-natal massage, infant massage training and massage for cancer patients.

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Location: Istanbul, Turkey

WhatsApp: +90 533 570 08 63 eyidoganemine@yahoo.com

Fernanda Sousa Tavares is a teacher and therapist with a deep dedication to oriental therapies. She began her journey in Shiatsu in 2002 at the Toyo Igaku Association in Lisbon, where she completed her first training. Inspired by the effects of this ancient practice, she chose to deepen her knowledge and embarked on a continuous path of learning and development.

She went on to study Zen Shiatsu at the International School of Shiatsu, consolidating her practice and broadening her understanding of Eastern approaches to energetic balance. Along the way, she had the opportunity to train with internationally renowned teachers, including Wilfried Rappenecker, Paul Lundberg, Suzanne Yates, Alex Fisher, Saul Goodman, Kindy Kaur, Mihael Mamychshvili, and Chris McAlister.

In 2010, she began her training to become a Shiatsu Shin Tai teacher, further deepening her therapeutic approach with an emphasis on releasing the body’s nervous, structural, fascial, and energetic systems.

Over the years, Fernanda has complemented her training with studies in Fascia, Sotai, Moxa, Cupping, Reflexology, Reiki, Zen Meditation, and other integrative therapeutic approaches. She has taken part in numerous national and international workshops and seminars, enriching her practice with a holistic perspective on physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

As a teacher, Fernanda is committed to sharing knowledge with her students, encouraging conscious learning based on active listening to the body and the value of therapeutic touch. As a therapist, she is known for her sensitivity, professionalism, and personalized approach, supporting each individual on their journey of healing and self-

discovery.

Location – Lisbon, Portugal

Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069250530356

Email: animoushiatsu@gmail.com

WhatsApp number - +351967065990

Gianpiero Brusasco is an Italian Shiatsu teacher, counselor, and expert in Hand Analysis and Evolutionary Chirology. He began his professional work in the field of Shiatsu in 1982 and received his diploma from the Ohashi Institute in 1991. Over the years, he has deepened his study of Zen Shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine, also through educational experiences in Japan.

He is the founder of Centro Tao Network (www.centro-tao.it) , an Italian organization devoted to Shiatsu culture, education, and professional development. He also serves as a member of the Technical Scientific Committee of FISieo, the Italian Federation of Shiatsu Teachers and Practitioners.(www.fisieo.it).

He has developed an interdisciplinary approach that integrates Shiatsu, Counseling, and hand analysis as complementary tools for awareness, communication, and personal growth. His work is rooted in attentive listening, body consciousness, and the relationship between touch, energy, and inner transformation.

Gianpiero Brusasco has long been involved in professional training and has taught many courses for Shiatsu practitioners, with special attention to communication, counseling skills, and the support of women during pregnancy and childbirth. He is also widely appreciated for his work in the field of Shiatsu for pregnancy, an area in which he has offered specialized seminars and advanced training for many years.

About My Teaching: Shiatsu and Counseling

One of the central aspects of my teaching is the integration of Shiatsu and Counseling. In my view, Shiatsu is not only a manual discipline, but also a relational art based on listening, presence, and the ability to understand the person beyond symptoms.

For this reason, I have developed courses and seminars that help practitioners improve their communication with clients, manage expectations, recognize emotions, and create a more conscious and effective professional relationship. This approach combines traditional energetic understanding with counseling skills such as empathic listening, observation, and dialogue.

Teaching Activity: Shiatsu for Pregnancy

Another important area of my work is Shiatsu for pregnancy. For many years I have been teaching courses dedicated to supporting women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.

In this field, Shiatsu becomes a delicate and profound form of support, helping women connect with their changing bodies, reduce tension, improve breathing and posture, and accompany the emotional and physical transformations of motherhood. My teaching in this area combines practical treatment methods, energetic principles, and an understanding of the specific needs of pregnancy.

Short Description of My Books

Shiatsu e Counseling 
This book is a valuable resource for shiatsu practitioners and holistic disciplines professionals who wish to refine their relational skills and offer treatments that are even more effective and person centered. It presents a path that brings together Eastern wisdom and the modern science of communication in order to foster balance and well being for both the client and the practitioner.

The book aims to integrate the counseling approach with shiatsu practice, creating a treatment that responds more fully to the client’s needs and expectations. Its purpose is to provide holistic practitioners with practical tools to enrich their work through the art of dialogue, placing emphasis on conversation as a means of exploration, connection, and transformation.

In the section on nonverbal communication, the author highlights the importance for the practitioner of observing the receiver’s breathing, facial expressions, and gestures, while also maintaining eye contact and correct posture. In the final pages, practical exercises, case studies, and various listening techniques are described, along with worksheets that further enrich the text.

Theory and Practice of Shiatsu
Italian edition curated by Gianpiero Brusasco. This is one of the most respected books on Shiatsu, offering a clear and comprehensive presentation of its principles, theoretical foundations, and practical applications.

Shiatsu for Midwives
Italian edition curated by Gianpiero Brusasco. This book explores the application of Shiatsu during pregnancy, labor, and the postnatal period, with practical guidance and a deep understanding of women’s physical and emotional needs.

The Art of Palpatory Diagnosis in Oriental Medicine
Italian edition curated by Gianpiero Brusasco. This work presents an important approach to body reading and energetic observation in Oriental medicine, helping practitioners develop sensitivity and diagnostic awareness through touch and observation.

Grandmother (formerly Lindy Ferrigno), Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM), CI (AOBTA) – has been practicing Shiatsu since 1975 and teaching across the United States and Europe since 1977.  Over the decades she has studied with many leaders in the field of shiatsu and bodywork, including Dr. Shizuto Masunaga, author of Zen Shiatsu, and Zen Imagery Exercises; Shinmei Akinobu Kishi, author of Sei-Ki: Life in Resonance:  and Dr. Jean-Pierre Barral, author Visceral Manipulation.

As an expert in the field, she has been the creator and director of Shiatsu programs in five states, which resulted in national certification for acupuncture colleges (masters degree), community colleges, and massage schools. Her extensive career has led to specialties in pain management, joint improvement, organ manipulation, restoring immune function, reproductive health, and recovery from surgeries, accidents and injuries.

Practicing bodywork led Grandmother Winter Jade Forest to realize that healing happens on many levels, and she wanted to know more about the non-physical aspects. Starting in 1980, she embarked on apprenticeships with healers from four different cultural traditions – Celtic, Shinto, Cherokee and Russian. After decades of initiations and vision quests, her elders and mentors endorsed her to share the teachings of their lineages. As a Shamanic Guide, she transmits this knowledge in private sessions or group classes by teaching foundational practices and journeying techniques.

“People find it easier to be happy when they can move freely without pain. My pleasure and purpose are to help reduce or eradicate both the physical pain and the personal suffering that makes it worse.”

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Grandmother Winter Jade Forest

The New Medicine of the Old Ways

847-975-7959

www.grandmotherwinter.com 

grandmother@grandmotherwinter.com

Master of Education, Psychology and Philosophy of Religion. For over 25 years lecturer for Shiatsu at major schools in German-speaking countries and Hungary. 1990 Founder of the Körperschule Allgäu for Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Shiatsu with focus on energetic bodywork and meditation.

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Studies with various masters and protagonists of different cultures, in Shiatsu especially A. Kishi, W. Ohashi, Paul Lundberg, Cliff Andrews and especially as a longtime personal student, companion and translator of Pauline Sasaki (Zen-Shiatsu/Quantum-Shiatsu).

Buddhist Zen monk (Rinzai-Ji) for 25 years now and founder of EMPTY-TOUCH-Shiatsu (since 1996). In addition, work with body-mind-soul, voice, overtone and mainly the focus on the inner and outer attitude in being. Especially the encounter with the concerns of the 'people from the street' are the work of Helmut Kigen Bräuer everyday legacy and mission.

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Location: Kempten, Germany
Email: helmut@koerperschule-allgaeu.de

Web: www.koerperschule-allgaeu.de

Hiroko Kobayashi grew up in Saga prefecture, on the island of Kyushu in Japan. This is where she trained in Aromatherapy and Foot Reflexology before moving to Europe, where she learned Shiatsu.

To deepen her understanding of Shiatsu, she traveled back regularly to Japan to study at the Iokai Shiatsu Center in Tokyo. Hiroko is an invaluable assistant in Philippe Vandenabeele’s courses at Shinzui Bodywork International Institute, where she contributes with her rich knowledge of Japanese culture and tradition. Next to Shiatsu, her great passions are Tea ceremony, Cooking, and making handbags.

Ilanit Zagron is a certified therapist in Chinese Medicine and Shiatsu, currently practicing at Maccabi Health Services. She completed her training at Campus Broshim, Tel Aviv University (2004–2006), including a clinical specialization at Guan An Men Hospital in China through the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2006).

She continued her professional development with advanced Shiatsu studies at The Ohashi Institute in New York (2008–2010), and completed training in Shunishin (Japanese pediatric acupuncture) in 2014. Ilanit is currently expanding her clinical expertise through studies in oncology-focused Shiatsu care.

Her work centers on supporting women through different stages of life, integrating complementary medicine approaches with a holistic understanding of health and wellbeing. In addition to her clinical practice, she facilitates workshops and runs WECCO DECCO, a small boutique business focused on ecological natural pharmacy.

Ilanit is fluent in Hebrew and English.

Location: Harish/Pardes-Hana, Israel

Email: ilanitzag@gmail.com

Phone: +972-52-650-5926

Ivan Bel is a martial artist with more than 40 years of experience, and a shiatsu practitioner and teacher for more than 26 years. He started firstly with Japanese martial arts (Aikido, Karate, and Iaido), and then Sino-Vietnamese (Qwankido, Taijiquan, Qigong). This gave him the necessary grounding and discipline to advance in Shiatsu, and to understand the sense of movement and the use of the body in Shiatsu. He has been studying and teaching meditation for 25 years, allowing him to deepen the intimate understanding of the mind-body and the mechanisms of thought and emotions.

He encountered Shiatsu through Aikido during a summer intensive camp in 1998.  In 2000, he started his journey in Shiatsu do and he continues to learn from different shiatsu schools.  After studying at Namikoshi and Yoseido schools, he follows Ohashiatsu, Koho Shiatsu, and Movement Shiatsu training. He also completed two different approaches to oriental medicine.

After founding two Shiatsu schools in Belgium, he is now living in different countries, promoting  Shiatsu and giving workshops all over the world. He also is a journalist, specializing in Shiatsu, interviewing many Sensei and great teachers around the world. You can read his articles in English and French on his blog (www.ryohoshiatsu.com). He founded the NGO "Mission Shiatsu" to develop shiatsu in all southern continents. He also wrote the book "The Spirit of Shiatsu" who is a best seller translated in many languages.

In 2016, he created Ryoho Shiatsu which is not a new style of practicing Shiatsu but rather, a state of mind inviting all people who want to follow a complete approach with therapeutic Shiatsu, meditation, Qi gong, and martial arts. He specializes in infertility issues, pregnancy follow-up and post-partum, chronic fatigue, and burn-out.

Location: Via Colombino 12; 13896 Netro (BI) Italia

Jai Sugrim is a yoga teacher, athletic trainer, and recognized men’s health expert. He is the creator of the Jai Sugrim Method, a scientific approach for bringing the human body and mind into harmony.

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Jai has worked in the health and wellness industry for 25 years. He enjoys sharing his healthy lifestyle and enlightened teachings with students through his international retreats, teacher trainings, and corporate wellness programs. He is licensed by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American Council on Exercise, the International Sports and Sciences Foundation, the Jivamukti Yoga School, and is a licensed massage therapist.

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Jais work has been featured in popular publications, and on The Today Show. He also created and starred in the TV show Yoga Sutra Now, which aired in over twenty countries. Jai’s awareness of the power of mindfulness to impact lives was expanded when he taught yoga to high school students at Frederick Douglas Academy in Harlem.

Jai finished three NYC marathons, plays basketball, trains in martial arts, and has completed a silent Vipassana meditation retreat. He has practiced yoga for the past twenty years, including ten years studying in the Ashtanga yoga method. He lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wonderful dog and co-teacher, Foxy Sugrim.

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Location: New York, NY

https://jaisugrim.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-pECeLu3hA

Email: jaisugrim@gmail.com

Jaideep Bedi began his shiatsu journey after an injury in the early 2000s. A friend recommended that he try a shiatsu treatment. He not only found that the treatment worked, but it also healed his injury. Impressed by the magnitude of shiatsu’s effectiveness, Jaideep registered for Level 1 classes with Grandmaster Kumiko Kanayama at the Ohashi Institute, graduating in 2008. He has been a Shiatsu Practitioner since 2009. He has trained and studied with internationally recognized wellness experts, including Ohashi Sensei, Kumiko Kanayama Sensei, Mitchell Wolf, Sam Berlin, and Maureen Miller.

In 2012, Jaideep began teaching at the Five Lights Center of Shiatsu where he has been providing inclusive, in-depth and hands-on training for all levels of shiatsu. He is driven by connecting with members of the community and sharing his passion for shiatsu, and its amazing ability to connect and in turn heal other people and himself in the process.

Every year since 2014, Jaideep travels to the Dai Bosatsu Zendo, Kongo-Ji  Healing and Wellness retreat to provide shiatsu healing, harnessing his power of touch and sharing it with the world.

In 2022 and 2023, Jaideep joined Grandmaster Kumiko Kanayama in Italy where she hosts an annual retreat, workshops and training.

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Email: admin@fivelightscenter.com

Jeff Descoubes lives near Paris, France. He is a graphic and motion designer. He is also a musician. He has practiced karate and aikido and then discovered shiatsu with a Japanese friend.

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He trained with Master Hiroshi Iwaoka, founder of the "Myo-Energetique" shiatsu technique and school in France. Jeff learned a lot from him including traditional Japanese shiatsu, Sotai therapy, and direct moxibustion. Jeff also studied Shiatsu Kuretake with Master Masanori Okamoto, and studied Seiki Soho with Master Frans Coppers.

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As a shiatsu practitioner, Jeff continues to learn more about shiatsu while broadening his shiatsu skills. In addition to his shiatsu practice, Jeff loves to grow bonsai trees in his garden and enjoys traveling.

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“Shiatsu has been a life-changer for me, and the more I practice… the more I love to learn and go further in my skills.” Jeff Descoubes

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Location: Montfort-l'Amaury, France

https://www.jeffshiatsu.com

Email: jeff.shiatsu@gmail.com

Phone: +33 6 60 92 18 98

I graduated as a Seiki Shiatsu Therapist from the Seiki Shiatsu International School, Santiago, Chile in 2010, and since then I have a studio where I work.

I decided to study Seiki Shiatsu because I felt the need to give something back to the universe as a way of giving thanks for all the benefits received in my life, and I considered the best way to do it was helping other people through Seiki Shiatsu.

Besides practicing Shiatsu I do Ayurvedic Massage (Abhyanga), Ayurvedic Yoga, and I am also a Buddhist Meditation Instructor (Shamatha).

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Location: Santiago, Chile.

Phone: (56) 9 841 831 09
Email: jimena.federici@gmail.com

Instagram: jimena_federici_terapias

Facebook: Jimena Federici Terapeuta Seiki Shiatsu

Jitka Kyrian is a Five Lights Center of Shiatsu graduate, a 400hrs+ yoga teacher, a NADA ear acupuncture detox specialist, and has practiced holistic wellness for many years. She is an art conservator working in the fast-paced New York City and international art markets, and a former pro-athlete.

Jitka practiced holistic health, ear acupuncture, acupressure, shiatsu and yoga for many years including in the harm reduction context, serving communities in the highest need involving issues such as drug use, incarceration, homelessness and domestic violence. In the harm reduction context, she learned what love is, and how community and a loving space are the primary healing modalities in an ever more isolating world.

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Email: Qi.artconservation@gmail.com

Cell: 929-422-9381

John Kozinski is the founder of the in-person and online IDx(r) Diagnosis and Health Coach Training Program and the Full Spectrum Macrobiotic Approach. For 46 years, John has been teaching and providing natural health counseling in his private practice and at the Kushi Institute on the many facets of healing and maintaining health and happiness for tens of thousands of students and clients. John is a qigong/somatic/shiatsu practitioner complimenting his natural health teachings with bodywork that transforms ones physical and mental health.

His home office is in Nashville, TN. John provides in-person and long-distance services detailed at his website www.macrobiotic.com along with free articles, videos, and audios.

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www.macrobiotic.com
macrobiotic@macrobiotic.com
413-623-5925
413-464-2990

Jose Rios began his study of bodywork in the late 1980's, and began his shiatsu training at the Ohashi Institute, graduating in 1993.  He is also a personal trainer, and completed the Sports Massage training at the Swedish Institute.

His interest in the healing arts led him to get certifications in Thai Massage, as well as Reiki. Jose recently became certified as a practice leader in Tai Chi and Qigong, through the Healer Within Foundation, an organization he has practiced and studied with for many years.

Jose graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx, and works there as an Adjunct Professor with the Continuing Education Department where he teaches the adult swimming classes year round.

Jose has been studying printmaking for more than ten years, and continues to make and teach folk art, such as masks, dreamcatchers, and medicine wheels in his free time.

Email: riosj105@yahoo.com

Cell: 332-220-7148

Joshua Pittman, Certified Transcendental Meditation Teacher grew up in New York City and was exposed to Buddhist philosophy by his mother when he was a child. He learned to meditate when he was 16. Joshua became inspired by his experiences to explore wellness practices for healing and spirituality. He began studying Japanese martial arts at NY Budo and Ohashiatsu at the Ohashi Institute.

Joshua graduated from film school at New York University and initially started working in the film industry before being drawn to find ways to integrate his desire for inner exploration with his work life. He graduated from the Ohashi Institute in 2003 as a Certified Ohashiatsu Consultant and Instructor and then completed the teacher training course for Transcendental Meditation (TM) in 2005. Joshua was director of the TM centers in New York City for 10 years and is currently director of veterans programs for the David Lynch Foundation, teaching meditation to military veterans with PTSD. He also teaches middle school students through the foundation's Quiet Time program.

He is passionate about sharing this life-transforming tool for reducing stress and helping people live happier, healthier, and more fulfilled lives.

Contact:

David Lynch Foundation

228 East 45th Street, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10017

(w) 212.644.9880 x2206

(c) 203.679.1138

www.davidlynchfoundation.org

Joyce is a Yoga Therapist. She has been practicing and teaching yoga in New York for more than a decade. 

In 2007, she graduated from The Ohashi Institute’s Ohashiatsu® certificate program and has been incorporating Shiatsu in both her yoga therapy private practice and her Yin Yoga classes.

Location: Roslyn, Long Island, NY

Phone: (917) 496-4161

Email: Freeyourjoints@gmail.com

Phone: 347-739-8494
Email: achievingpathways@yahoo.com

Jo’Anne Brancato taught for forty years, and was a school principal for children with special needs. In 2007, she became fully accredited as a health counselor and coach. She is recognized by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners as an Expert Holistic Health Practitioner.

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Since 2012, she has cared for the Sisters of St. Joseph and the people in her parish community. She facilitates a bereavement group, teaches adult Bible studies, and coordinates Religious Education classes for children. Jo’Anne also practices Transcendental Meditation, and is progressing towards becoming a Siddhi with the World Peace Assembly.

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She lives in Rockaway, NY with her husband. They have worked together throughout their careers in education, and continue to work together at their parish and for Sisters of St. Joseph. They have four adult children, and nine grandchildren ranging in age from one month to 24 years. She is excited to officially add shiatsu to her credentials to help and serve others

Julie Vincent is a shiatsu practitioner and a yoga teacher based in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Her practice is based on the use of breathing techniques and body alignment to promote the flow of Ki (life force) energy, throughout the body to feel more grounded, relaxed, and balanced.

She has deepened her studies of the 12 Meridians and the 5 Elements theory by learning shiatsu, an ancient Japanese healing technique, at the Five Lights Center of Shiatsu in NYC. She developed a close relationship with her mentor and shiatsu teacher Kumiko Kayanama, Founder of Five Light Center of Shiatsu, with whom she collaborated to create. The Shiatsu Solution, a corporate wellness program that offers shiatsu in the workspace. About a year ago, she started working and developing her home practice, Meridian Body Flow. She offers shiatsu sessions and private yoga classes.

In addition, in 2021, Julie was trained as an acupuncture detox specialist (NADA providers) at NYHRE (New York Harm Reduction Educators) in Harlem, NYC, where she volunteers once a week to give shiatsu and ear acupuncture treatments.

Karin Kalbantner-Wernicke is a qualified shiatsu teacher (GSD) and physical therapist with additional training in children´s physiotherapy. She is a Program Coordinator and Lecturer for the University Certification Program for Developmental Support.

She has devoted herself to research that combines:

• Western medical framework, incorporating child development from a psychomotor perspective,

• developmental physiology and child education therapy, and

• Sino-Japanese philosophy and training.

Based on this research, Karin and Dr. Thomas Wernicke developed the energetic development concept.

For over 30 years, her work as a shiatsu lecturer for adults, children, and babies, has taken her abroad on a regular basis to many European countries, and to the USA, Japan, and Australia. She developed the Samurai Program which found its way into schools, kindergartens, and elder people's homes in more than ten countries in Europe and beyond.

As an author of over 100 publications and numerous textbooks, some published in several languages, she is a pioneer of shiatsu for babies and children, adapting the current state of scientific knowledge in her work.

Location: Alte Dorfgasse 13 65239 Hochheim am Main, Germany

Email: info@aceki.de

www.aceki.de

www.Developmental Concept

Kate began studying Shiatsu in 1989 at The British School of Shiatsu-Do in London where her main teachers were Ray Ridolfi, Susanne Franzen, Hilary Totah, Liz Arundel, and Saul Goodman. Kate has earned her living from Shiatsu ever since graduating and loves the fact that she is able to make a difference in the world doing something so enjoyable.

Although her hands know what they are doing, she constantly feels like a beginner which brings the satisfaction of every shiatsu being unique and a lifelong path of studentship. Constant learning is a joy and Kate is currently studying Aroma Point Therapy using pure Essential Oils on the tsubos with Tiffany Carole Pollard and Joseph Carter.

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Kate is the Principal of The BSS-Do and teaches in her local community, online, nationally, and internationally. Kate has worked quite extensively with women’s health and is currently teaching women how to use Shiatsu to ease the challenges that can arise during the menopausal phases.

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A Fellow of The Shiatsu Society (UK) Kate lives in Cornwall in the far West of England.

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Location: Cornwall, UK

Tel: (44)7989 351997 or (44)1736 350517
Email: kateburford@icloud.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Essential-Shiatsu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essential_shiatsu/

Website www.kateburford.com (under construction as of March 2021)

Katherine Powers is a New York State licensed massage therapist and a long-time Shiatsu practitioner, maintaining an office in Manhattan, NY.

Katherine is a graduate of the Swedish Institute. She started studying at The Ohashi Institute and continued with Pauline Sasaki, Jeffrey Yuen, Gregory Antyuhin, Master Cheng Hsiang Yu, Irma Star Spirit Turtle Woman, Judith Grasshopper, Elisabeth Rochat among others.

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She has taught Shiatsu at the Swedish Institute since 2009, recently retired, however she continues to teach privately and at the Five Lights Center of Shiatsu. Katherine is also an artist with a studio in Brooklyn.

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Location: New York, NY

Phone: 917-432-8801

Email: kbpshiatsu@gmail.com

Makko Ho Leader, Five Lights Center Community Outreach person

Keith Strand is a retired architect, a Makko Ho Leader and The Five Lights Center Community Outreach person. Keith received a Bachelors in Environmental Design from the University of Colorado and a Masters in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute. He practiced architecture in New York City for over 35 years, owning and managing his own firm for 31 years. Keith’s strengths include understanding and navigating bureaucracies and their requirements as well as teamwork development. Keith is assisting Five Lights Center in reaching out to individuals and organizations to promoting shiatsu and the Five Lights Center, and assisting in follow-up inquiries.

Keith is excited to help others learn and heal thru their own energy. He finds the Five Lights Center’s philosophy and teaching methods to be inspiring and unique, and is happy to be a part of what comes next for the School and the Practitioners. Keith feels his personal mission is to lead others in Makko Ho (Do-In) exercises as a way to maintain good health and promote Shiatsu.

WhatsApp @ 917-328-5810, or email: ksa123@mac.com

Ken Nelson, Ph.D., is dedicated to helping people heal, grow, and awaken with mind-body practices and the wisdom traditions. Ken is a long-time faculty member at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, in Stockbridge, MA. He has offered workshops worldwide since 1975. He directs a leadership training program serving teachers and presenters who want to offer dynamic, holistic, and interactive workshops, retreats, and trainings.

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He teaches accessible, beginner-friendly yoga, qigong, bodywork, and meditation. Ken is a cross-disciplinary innovator, originating programs such as Slow Yoga & Qigong, Thai-Shiatsu Bodywork, and Healthy Aging: The Wisdom Years. His CD, Yin Yoga, and DVD, Qigong & Taiji for Healing & Vitality, are Kripalu best sellers. www.kennelsonphd.com.

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Ken is co-author with David Ronka, Lesli Lang, Jim White, and Liz Korabek-Emerson of, Designing & Leading Life-Changing Workshops: Creating the Conditions for Transformation in Your Groups, Trainings, and Retreats, #1 Best Seller on Amazon in Non-Formal Education. Ken is a former Fulbright lecturer. He holds a doctorate in interdisciplinary studies from Tulane University. www.life-changingworkshops.com

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location: Kripalu, Stockbridge MA

website: www.kennelsonphd.com

email: ken.nelson.phd@gmail.com

cell phone: 413-854-841

Kim Siansky, a graduate of the Ohashi Institute, is a certified Shiatsu Practitioner. Kim's love of shiatsu started in the mid-1990’s. She was lucky to meet a massage therapist in Colorado who told her about the Ohashi Institute in NYC. Since then, she has given away more shiatsu sessions than she has made a living from. She believes in the powerful healing process that shiatsu delivers. Kim is also a certified vegan lifestyle coach, a certified yoga instructor, and holds a Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

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She loves the challenge of cooking up delicious meals in a tiny NYC kitchen. She enjoys combining her love of movement with energy healing practices and sharing her knowledge about plant based healthy foods with her clients, family and friends. She engages with environmental organizations and participates in working on green solutions for our planet.

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Email: kim165@verizon.net

Cell: 646-234-6370

I began as a “Beginner's 1” with Ohashi Sensei in Berlin in August of 1981, got my diploma in NYC in 1984, and soon afterward became a Certified Ohashiatsu Instructor in Munich, the first one abroad. I organized the Ohashi Institute activities here in Munich for seven years, translated numerous courses and workshops with Ohashi, and learned from all those fabulous SECA teachers of that era, among them Pamela Hannay, Lindy Ferrigno, Esther Turnbull, Pamela Ferguson, Michele Schuman, Mitchel Wolf, Margie Joy Walden, and Ron de Koning. Through them, I finally also connected with Pauline Sasaki who became our teacher and mentor for many years, also here in Munich.

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And then, when staying at the Ohashi’s another time for teachers’ training in 1985 – or was it ‘86? - I faintly remember the arrival of a shy young woman; Ohashi’s niece from Japan at the Ohashi’s 55th Street Institute. Her name: Kumiko Kanayama.

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After Ohashi left in 1989, we restructured our school and started the European Shiatsu Institute in 1990, soon with growing branches in Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, and ever since, I am head of the school in Munich. Have a look here if you like

www.shiatsu.de/muenchen.

If you want to know more about today’s topic:

Sei-Ki. The Secret Art Of Shiatsu, Akinobu Kishi with Alice Whieldon, Singing Dragon, London 2011

Location: Munich, Germany

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www.klausmetzner.de

www.shiatsu.de/muenchen

Email: klaus.metzner@shiatsu.de

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YouTube: ShiatsuArt
Facebook: esimuenchen
Instagram: shiatsuart

Kristen Mangione is a dance alchemist, visionary choreographer, teacher and healing artist committed to transforming the World through dance. Her Dance Alchemy for the Soul is the synthesis of her over 20 years of dancing professionally, practicing and teaching Eastern philosophy and metaphysical studies. Her current project, Mapping the Heart, is about healing and opening the Heart’s energy field. Through a series of online events and new choreographic works, it is designed to heal and amplify the collective energy of humanity.

Website: www.kristenmangionedance.com

Email: Info@zentouch.org

FB: https://www.facebook.com/DanceAlchemyfortheSoul/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedancealchemist/

Krystal Stone attended the Boulder College of Massage Therapy and has been practicing since 1999. She continued her education in shiatsu massage at Ohashi Institute in NYC, graduating in 2008. She considers this training foundational in her current massage therapy work as the pressure points and Eastern approach is threaded throughout her personal and unique style. Krystal credits Ohashi and the practice of shiatsu for saving her career by teaching her an Eastern perspective through many invaluable experiences at Dai Bosatsu Zendo and elsewhere.

In 2009, Krystal also became a Certified Yoga Instructor after training at Integral Yoga Institute, NYC. Today, she is a certified health coach and holds a Master of Science in Health Sciences. Her business, Krystal Stone Holistics incorporates massage with an Eastern approach, yoga instruction, and health coaching into each client-centered treatment plan. Krystal also serves as Chair of Pacific College of Health and Science, where she currently teaches Myology of Postural Alignment and her deep love of Shiatsu.

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Location: New York, NY 10022

T: 917-734-0342

Website: https://www.bhutika.com/

Email: KrystalStoneHolistics@gmail.com

Kumiko Kanayama is a practitioner and teacher of Intuitive Shiatsu™. Intuitive Shiatsu™ is a method she developed after many years of study with her uncle, Ohashi, a pioneer of shiatsu in the West. After many years of teaching as a Certified Ohashiatsu® Instructor, Kumiko sets out to her own to pursue her discoveries about the intuitive dimensions of Shiatsu, and impart her growing knowledge to others.

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Kumiko’s years of study and practice of Ohashiatsu helped her develop sensitivity to and awareness of the Ki energy in self and others, the focus that gives us life. She came to understand that the state of Ki balance and harmony promotes and maintains health and well-being, of body, mind, and spirit.

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Kumiko became a Certified Ohashiatsu® Consultant in 1991 to work with people of all ages, all walks of life, and every ethnic and spiritual background. In 2001, she became a Certified Ohashiatsu® Instructor after experiencing 9/11 in NYC and its effects upon the New York city community.

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She has taught courses in both the US and Europe. Her intellectual curiosity and special interests led her to create and develop numerous elective courses and workshops: Review of the Elements, Neck, Curious Meridian, Hara Assessment, Tsubo Workshop and many more for professionals and pre-professional students.

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During and subsequent to her completion of Ohashiatsu training, Kumiko studied with many eminent teachers, including Dr. David Coulter, the author of Anatomy and Hatha Yoga, Domenico Bassi, Siegrid Maidon, Silvia Marchesa Rossi, Mitchell Wolf, Sam Berlind and Maureen Miller. Kumiko also learned from Jeffrey Yuen, Sister Jeanne Mera, Dr. Diane Connelly, the author of Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of the Five Elements, and Dr. Albrecht Heyer, who is a producer of Heyer Insights. One of Kumiko’s most inspiring teachers, Pamela Hannay developed Shiatsu techniques for work with animals. Siatsu Therapy for Horses benefits not only the horses, but also creates more strength and balance in the body of the practitioner. Pamela describes her techniques as “the dance of celebration of the energy.” When the giver connects with the energy of the horse, the session flows and there is no intellectual decision guiding the work; it is pure instinct and joy.

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Kumiko has studied Sounds Vibrational therapy, Color therapy, Dowsing therapy, Reiki, Reflexology, Amma therapy, Tai Chi Chung, Aroma therapy, Moxa, medical astrology, Zen meditation, Sotai, Yoga, and Buddhist training. Early in her adult life, she was a student of the Zen arts of Japanese jewelry and ceramic makings. She has also pursued studies at several holistic centers in US: New York Open Center, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Himalayan Institute and Integral Yoga Institute.

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By working with her clients and teachers, sharing with her students and being with her young daughter, Kumiko continually hones her Intuitive Shiatsu™
technique. She talks through hands without words, awakening the spirit by waiting, focusing, releasing and restoring the energy in the tsubos and meridian lines.

Kumiko founded Go Shiki Kan; Five Lights Center in 2012, continues to practice and share the love of art of Shiatsu in New York city. Dedicated to her Mother; Yasuko Kanayama and her Father, Naohiro Kanayama, to expresses her focus on joyful and instinctive giving, strong community, and the light and energy of hands, both literal and symbolic.

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Her work is characterized by her deep sense of spirituality and her strong commitment to working intuitively. Kumiko is a versatile practitioner: she is capable of exerting tremendous and focused power in her treatments (reducing the strongest of bodies to a pliant medium), but her fluid physicality and receptive, gentle nature enables her to combine well-tuned lightness with incisive pressure as needed. Her philosophy is deeply entrenched in her commitment to spiritual serenity and human touch communication as a means to harmony, not only in her own life but in the lives of those she touches.

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Cell: 917-721-0823

Email: Kumiko@fivelightscenter.com

It is my mission to:

• Hold a safe space for my clients and help them by using my knowledge of a variety of hands-on and energy-based modalities.

• Be available as a mentor to other practitioners and provide insights and guidance that might improve the quality of their practice.

• Maintain my health so that I am able to continue my passion.

• Remember to savor moments of joy, wonder, humor and love; and to offer compassion, consideration and respect.

Cell: 443-514-4399

Email: Kybrooks99@hotmail.com

Heartfelt Shiatsu

Shiatsu, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage and more...

Laura is a comprehensively trained, licensed acupuncturist in the State of Connecticut, in private practice for more than 20 years. She is licensed and board-certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

Laura also has advanced certifications from both the Ohashi Institute of Shiatsu in New York and The British School of Shiatsu in London. (1989,1990)  She received her Masters degree with honors from Tri-State College of Acupuncture in 2003 and served on their core faculty until 2008.  Laura has taught at the Snowlion Center Healing School in Provence, France (1997-2000) She also is certified and specializes in Sports Medicine Acupuncture, Japanese Acupuncture, and Acupuncture for Fertility. In addition, she brings 20 years of shiatsu (acupressure) therapy and an in-depth knowledge of the meridian system to her acupuncture practice.

Location: CT 

Email:  laurakara@aculaura.com 

cell: 203-470-7072

Laurie Russell, a 2008 graduate of the Ohashi Institute, began her shiatsu training at Ohashiatsu® Maryland. Laurie, who has a graduate degree in chemistry, worked as a research chemist in the photo-conductor and solar energy industries. Laurie has worked as a massage therapist since 2005 and is licensed in Virginia and Florida. Early in her massage practice, she realized that all therapeutic bodywork must have meaning, intent, and compassion.

She found all three while studying shiatsu where the beauty of movement is combined with Five Element and Meridian theories. For Laurie, Shiatsu is all about sharing and she enjoys introducing others to the healing and calming benefits of shiatsu. Laurie lives on the East coast of Florida gardening, hiking and exploring the local nature preserves.

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Cell: 757-575-3044

Email: laurierussell@me.com

Laurinda Poirier-Solomon MPH, RN, LAc

I am a visionary, integrating the powers of Eastern and Western Medicine.

I hold a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the Academy of Five Element Acupuncture and I am a nationally board-certified acupuncturist. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from St. Anselm College and a Master's in Public Health from Boston University.

In my practice, I draw from over 25 years of experience as a diabetes nurse specialist and over 10 years as owner of Shiatsu Vermont where I offered a variety of healing modalities: Shiatsu, Cranial Sacral Therapy, and Therapeutic Massage.

What inspires me is Nature, and its capacity to yield, adapt and endure; the Inherent wisdom of the human body to heal and the Resilience of the human spirit to thrive in the face of adversity.

I love gardening, hiking with the pups and sharing adventures with my husband and good friends.

Iyashi Healing Arts

Location: Williston, Vermont

Phone: (802) 238-4659 laurindavt@gmail.com

Leisa Bellmore is a shiatsu therapist, speaker, and researcher. She has been practicing Namikoshi Shiatsu since 2001, after graduating with honors from Kensen Saito’s Shiatsu Academy of Tokyo. Since 2010, Leisa has been part of the integrative team at Toronto Western Hospital’s Artists’ Health Centre, collaborating with biomedical and complementary practitioners. Her person-centered, evidence-based holistic approach serves the mental, emotional and physical health needs of creative and performing artists well. She has presented and published around the world. Leisa frequently offers lectures for shiatsu and other healthcare practitioners, and for the public. She is a Past President of Natural Health Practitioners of Canada, sits on the Massage Therapy Research Foundation Writing Committee and volunteers with the Shiatsu Research Network.

For seventeen years, Leisa volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House Toronto, providing shiatsu to children with life-threatening health conditions and their stressed families. She has published several research studies, all of which were awarded funding grants. In 2020, she completed an M.Sc. in Complementary Medicine Research with a study on The Experience of Shiatsu for Care-Partners and Persons Living with Dementia: A Qualitative Pilot Study. Leisa’s professional interests include neurological conditions and self-management for chronic conditions. In her spare time, Leisa enjoys rock climbing, traveling, and improving her Spanish and French.

Artists' Health Centre

Toronto Western Hospital

University Health Network

Website: leisabellmore.com

Instagram: @shiatsuheals

Facebook: Leisa-Bellmore-Shiatsu-Therapist

Email: leisa@leisabellmore.com

Email: leisa.bellmore@uhn.ca

Cell: 416.844.1487

Lianne is a shiatsu therapist and yoga instructor in the Hartford, Connecticut area. She is a 1997 graduate of the Boston Shiatsu School and studied with Kikuko Zutrau Miyazaki, Kiiko Matsumoto, Cindy Banker, Carola Beresford-Cooke, Pauline Sasaki, and Cliff Andrews. She earned a BA from Clark University and has an extensive background in the visual and performing arts. She is a 500-hour Embodyoga teacher which combines the teachings of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and body/mind centering techniques in order to delve deeper, with compassion and curiosity into the body’s varied systems.

She taught Asian Massage Techniques at Bancroft School of Massage Therapy from 1998-2004 and practiced shiatsu at UMASS Memorial Hospital’s Complementary Health Center from 1998-2002. She ived in Corrales, NM outside of Albuquerque, from 2005-2015, practicing & teaching Asian healing arts such as shiatsu, meridian-based yoga, and self-care classes to groups, individuals, and families.

She is available for private shiatsu tutorials and practice sessions to Five Lights Center students in Connecticut, Rhode Island & Massachusetts.

Location: Newington, CT

Cell: 505-903-9047
Email: gsrlally@gmail.com

Lorelei Chang is a renowned modern dance artist, Qigong teacher, and a Chinese calligrapher. Lorelei and her twin sister, Mai Nakanishi are world-class artists who pioneered combining Chinese calligraphy and modern dance with Qigong. They have performed internationally including South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics. Lorelei has studied both Chinese herbology and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is a graduate of the Five Elements Shiatsu apprenticeship program at Meridians Studio.
She is the founder and artistic director of dancEnlight and a board member of the National Qigong Association.

She currently teaches Qigong, Yoga and dance at the Connecticut Concert Ballet and at the South Windsor Senior Center. Lorelei is a certified instructor of Radiant Lotus Women’s Qigong.

Location:

Cell: 860-558-6146
www.dancenlight.org

Luc Petit is a 2008 graduate of the Ohashi Institute. He also attended the New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a focus on treating athletes and injuries using preventative medicine techniques. He has traveled to France to deepen his shiatsu studies attending an international shiatsu conference and is fluent in French, Spanish a Haitian Creole.

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Luc was introduced to shiatsu while working in Japan. Suffering from an acute headache, a colleague suggested he try a shiatsu treatment to help relieve the pain. Not only did the treatment fix his headache, but he has also not had another one since. The shiatsu session inspired him to learn more about alternative wellness and treatments based on Eastern medicine.

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In addition to his shiatsu work, Luc practices the Trigger Point Acupuncture Needle Technique and studied Clean Needle Technique from CCAOM (Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.) He is also trained in cupping, moxibustion, reflexology, and is a Tai Chi instructor.

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Luc, as a community health advocate, participates in many local holistic and wellness events throughout New York City. He is a member of the Wellness Fair staff at the Standard Hotel, High Line in Manhattan and teaches Tai Chi at the Church of The Heavenly Rest. He also teaches Tai Chi at the Carnegie Hill Neighbors and participates with The NYC Bridge Runners.

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His future plans include organizing a winter/spring wellness retreat in the Caribbean where attendees can enjoy healthy activities and a respite from the cold winter weather.

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email: xxl_guard@yahoo.com

cell: 917-536-1948

Luigi Gargiulo sensei is the creator of MI ZAI Shiatsu and founder of the MI ZAI Institute.  
Born in 1953 in Asti, he is a practitioner and expert of Eastern arts since adolescence. He has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, is a scholar and practitioner of Zen Buddhism, and is a VII Dan in Aikido. The desire for a deeper knowledge leads Master L. Gargiulo to study and practice in Italy, Switzerland, England, the United States, and Japan.
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The influence of masters such as H. Tada sensei, W. Ohashi sensei, Suzuki sensei, and H. Maeda sensei, plus his years teaching for the Ohashi Institute, his studies carried out in the East, the constant practice of aikido, shiatsu, Waraku, and his experience as a therapist determine the maturation and synthesis of all the lessons received.
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In 1996, he founded the MI ZAI Shiatsu school, which promotes the study of the art of Shiatsu with schools in Italy, Switzerland, England, and the USA. As director, he led the course of study program, and the postgraduate and teacher training programs in various Italian and foreign cities.
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He has practiced Aikido since 1973 and has taught since 1978. He is one of the pioneers of Waraku in Italy following Maeda sensei in Italy and Japan. The MI ZAI Dojo was born in 1978 in Asti under the name of Aikikai Asti; from this year forward, the teaching and study of Aikido for the master Luigi Gargiulo never ceased. Like all in Aikido of those years, he studied with H. Tada sensei, Y. Fujimoto sensei, H. Hosokawa sensei, J. Nomoto sensei, and M. Ikeda sensei. Later, in the years of his frequent trips, he was able to practice and study with many other masters such as K. Choate sensei in Chicago, Kanetsuka sensei in London and in Japan with S. Yamaguchi sensei and the second Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba.
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Email: luigisensei78@gmail.com
Youtube: Luigi Gargiulo

Lynn Goodman is a Shin Tai practitioner and instructor. Her degree in biology from Rutgers University, as well as certification from the International School of Shiatsu, provides a strong foundation for understanding and working with the body. She has taught and assisted in classes with Saul Goodman for 20 years as well as running her own private practice. Lynn also takes care of website design, administration, and the creation of the online shin tai classroom.

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Location: Pipersville, PA 18947.

Phone number: 267-347-2290.

Email: lynn@shintaiinternational.com

Website: Shin Tai International

I am a licensed physiotherapist with over 35 years of experience, practicing since 1986.  In 2000, I completed the Advanced Program in Ohashiatsu at the Ohashi Institute. I have been certified in Manual Lymph Drainage (Vodder Method) since 1987  through the International School for Manual Lymph Drainage. I hold an Advanced Neuromuscular Taping certification under David Blow. From September 2008 to September 2012, I specialized in Manual Therapy with a Functional Approach under Nicette Sergueef. In 2022. I furthered my training in Hypnotic Communication at the C.I.I.C.S. Institute at the Italian Center for Clinical-Experimental Hypnosis.  I have been training in Shiatsu (Levels 1, 2, and 3) at the Five Lights Center with Kumiko Sensei from October 2022 to October 2024.

Over the years, I have deepened my understanding of various treatment methods rooted in both Western and Eastern cultures. I live with my family in a mountain village in northern Italy, where I have worked for over 30 years alongside Boonchan, my Thai husband, who practices Thai massage and meditation according to the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Boonchan and I also had a beautiful and enriching experience supporting our two children, nordic skiing athletes, as technicians while they competed for Thailand in the World Cup, the World Championships from 2017 to 2022, and the Olympic Games in Pyeonchang 2018 and Beijing 2022.

Studio address: Loc. Tache 44, 11020 GRESSONEY LA TRINITE’ ( AO ) ITALY 

Whatsapp + 39 342 3780468

Email: comunemariavittoria@gmail.com

Manu Dawson, C.Y.N.Th, is a leading proponent of Natural Living and Integrative Healing. He has trained in clinical nutrition, homeopathy, and herbology. He is also the former Manager and Nutrition Consultant at Integral Yoga Natural Apothecary and Integral Yoga Natural Foods.

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Manu is a direct disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Manu, an advanced teacher of Hatha yoga and meditation, has been teaching since 1979. He has been in clinical practice since 1991 serving as Clinical Nutritionist for Living Well Balanced Chiropractic and is presently working at Irving Place Surgery and Wellness. Manu is a Certified Yoga and Nutrition Therapist.

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Location: New York, NY

Email: manushiva108@gmail.com

Instagram: Ma_nu278

Facebook: Manu Matthew Dawson

Cell: 917 287 4205

Manuela Perardi studied Asian Languages, Asian culture, and philosophy at Torino University. After winning a university scholarship, she perfected her Japanese language at the Kyoto University of Foreign Languages. While there, she took the opportunity to travel throughout Japan developing a deeper knowledge of Japanese culture and history.
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Returning to Italy, she put together the two most significant interests of her life: health and Asian culture. She studied Reflexology and Nutrition at Firenze Institute of Reflexology, and studied at the Shiatsu International School in Milan. During her Shiatsu training, she had the pleasure and the honor to meet and attend seminars with Haruiko Masunaga Sensei and Toshi Ichikawa Sensei.
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Mother of two daughters born at home, Manuela developed a particular interest in natural and physiological delivery, breastfeeding, nursing, and nourishment. She has cooperated with a Midwives Association spreading the knowledge about pregnancy, motherhood, and parenting. Manuela also trained as a Montessori Educator teaching English at the Montessori School of Candelo-Biella. Here she started programs using Shiatsu and meridian stretching for kids.
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In 2018, Manuela began her collaboration with Shiatsu Milano Editore Publisher, translating books from Japanese into Italian. She already collaborated with the translation of Shinsai Ota's Anpuku Zukai, and the 1st Volume of Shizuto Masunaga's Keiraku to Shiatsu. Currently, she is working on the translation of Keiraku to Shiatsu, 2nd Volume.
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Together with the Shiatsu Milano Editore Team, she teaches classes explaining the abdominal treatment and diagnosis described in Anpuku Zukai through the meanings of Japanese ideograms. She believes that to enter Shiatsu profoundly, it is fundamental to learn it through the analysis of the ideograms, which hold the philosophy of Japanese culture and medicine.
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Aways improving her self-evolution with attention to mind and body, she has practiced Kung fu, Karate, Yoga and Acro-yoga, attended Bert Hellinger's Family Constellation groups and experimented with Rebirthing Therapy, a therapeutic technique used to revisit the trauma experienced during birth.
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Manuela co-founded a Japanese Cultural Association called Okami Kumo to spread knowledge about Japanese culture, medicine, and philosophy through classes and workgroups. She also has been following a women's traditional Talking Circle, a sharing and introspection practice rooted in Ancient Native American teachings.
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Email: manuperardi@tiscali.it
Cell/WhatsApp: + 39.347.3134466
Facebook: Manuela Perardi
Instagram: Manu Shiatsu
Skype: manulineskype

Marco Beghin is an expert in somatics, habitual pattern awareness, and change. He works with cognition and the body, to improve upright tone, find mental balance, gain confidence and explore delight in life. Supportive and emphatic educator, Marco is committed to fostering self-care and communication for a healthier, happier, and more connected world. Marco is a COI Ohashi Method and has completed the 1600-hour national Alexander Technique teacher certification in New York City in addition to many anatomy and embodiment-related training. He is the founder of Body Economics, a running coach and endurance athlete having completed 13 marathons and Ironman distance triathlon events. A lifelong student and practitioner of optimal human functioning, performance, and mindfulness, 

Marco is affiliated with the Alexander Technique Diversity Coalition, the Poise Project for Parkinson’s, and Achilles International for athletes with disabilities. Originally from Italy, Marco traveled the world and lived in New York City, Vancouver Canada, and now resides in Los Angeles.

Marco is affiliated with the Alexander Technique Diversity Coalition, the Poise Project for Parkinson’s, the LA LGBT Center, and Achilles International for athletes with disabilities.

Body Economics, Founder.

Somatic Strategies for Healing, Posture, and Performance.

MSM, M.AmSAT Alexander Technique Teacher, COI Ohashi Method

Location: Seattle, WA

Email: marco@bodyeconomics .com

Cell: +1 (917) 257-0054

https://bodyeconomics.com/

Margarete Eller, Ohashiatsu® Senior Instructor, is the founder and director of Ohashiatsu in Austria. From 1999 to 2002, she was trained by Master Ohashi at the Ohashi Institute in New York and has since taught the Ohashiatsu program in various countries of Europe, the USA, and Canada, as well as online.

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Born and raised in Germany, Margarete first became a gardener and then completed her masters studies in Urban Planning at the University of Dortmund. Due to her countryside childhood, she always felt naturally connected to the mysteries of life, which led her on a spiritual, body-oriented life journey. Through various practices, such as Bioenergetics, Tantra, Macrobiotics, Kyudo, Tai Ji, and Yoga, she encountered Sufism and Ohashiatsu, two paths that keep filling her life with lightness, harmony, and joy.

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Margarete's Ohashiatsu sessions and courses are an expression of her gratitude and desire to share this gift with others. She’s offering her courses in-person and online.

Location: Vienna, Austria

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Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ohashiatsu-in-Austria-125767250877111

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YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPEmymxfVFQkIr2BUBvZKlw

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Email: margarete.eller@chello.at

Cell: +43 699 1922 7827

Margot Rossi, M.Ac. is an acupuncturist, Asian medicine physician, health educator, and movement instructor with 30 years of experience. Her book To Be Like Water—Cultivating a Graceful and Fulfilling Life Through the Virtues of Water and Dao Yin Therapeutic Movement was born from her passion to help people develop an awareness of mind, body and spirit to cultivate a happy, healthful life.

Trained in the US and China, Margot creates innovative programs on mindfulness, self-care, preventive and alternative medicines, Dao Yin, and Hatha yoga. In addition to Western and Asian therapeutic movement practices, Margot has training in classical ballet, belly dance, and modern dance. She lives with her family by the pristine waters of the South Toe River in Western North Carolina.

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website: margotrossi.com
phone: 828-536-9030
email: margotrossi@gmail.com

Cloud Gate Chinese MedicineBurnsville, NC

To Be Like Water is available through IndieBound and Amazon

For me, practicing Shiatsu means participating in a transformation.
I take it to heart to be present, to receive, and to accompany the evolving process
of any person who decides to become my receiver. 
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Each treatment becomes a new encounter that allows me to embrace
the beauty of life through such a simple form of contact.
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It is important to understand that the shiatsuka is neither a therapist nor a healer.
We were not born to heal, but to take care of each other.
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https://www.mariapaparazzo.com/home-eng
Email: maripaparazzo@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +39 349 466 78 26
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Location: Florence - Via di Santo Spirito 11

Marjorie Pivar studied under Wataru Ohashi, Pauline Sasaki, and Michael DeAgro, three of the master world teachers.  Marjorie has been practicing Zen style Shiatsu for over thirty years and is certified by the American Organization of Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA).

She holds a masters degree in Holistic Health Education from Norwich University and has taught both privately and in the classroom. Marjorie is the author with Quang Van Nguyen of Fourth Uncle in the Mountain: The Remarkable Legacy of a Buddhist Itinerant Doctor in Vietnam (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2006), which is recommended reading at many schools of Asian medicine.

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Shiatsu School of Vermont 
Location: Brattleboro, VT 05301
24 High Street

Contact: Margie Pivar

Email: shiatsuVT@gmail.com

Phone: 802-246-0877

https://shiatsuvt.org/

Part of the green team of co-housing building and development at Peloquin Construction in Hillsborough, NC.  Shiatsu gadfly.  Ohashi Institute graduate 2010.   Former administrator, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU.  Former rock n roll disc jockey, WQDR Raleigh, WDBS Durham, WTUL.New Orleans.

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Durham, North Carolina

Email: deepzenshiatsu@gmail.com

外国語専門学校を卒業後、二年間アメリカ・カリフォルニア州クラフトンヒルズ大学に留学し心理学を学びました。アメリカ留学中、日本人である自分を意識させられ、どうせやるなら日本人であることが強みになる仕事をしようと思うようになりました。身内の死に直面し医療の分野に興味を持ち、辿り着いたものが指圧だったのです。帰国後は日本指圧専門学校に入学しプロ指圧師としてのライセンスを取得しました。その後経絡指圧と巡り合い、現在まで経絡指圧による治療やセミナーの講師としての活動をしています。将来は経絡指圧の伝道師として、世界を行脚したいと思っています。

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経 絡 指 圧 普 及 会
〒171-0014
東京都豊島区池袋2-55-12 セピア池袋Ⅱ-603
℡/Fax 03-3985-1060

Email: refer@zshiatsu.net
URL:https://www.zshiatsu.net/

Matias Rozenberg, R.M.T., Dipl. S.T., M.S.W. has dedicated his life to helping others through the practice of Shiatsu since 2003. Born in Argentina, he later moved to Toronto, where he began his Shiatsu journey. Since 2015, he has been based in Hamilton, Ontario, where he continues to support clients through experienced, personalized and results-oriented care.

In 2015, Matias became a Registered Massage Therapist, allowing him to offer treatments covered by extended health benefits for clients across Ontario. This integration of traditional practice within a modern healthcare framework reflects his commitment to making Shiatsu both accessible and relevant today.

Matias has studied extensively under Tetsuro Saito, widely recognized as the Father of Shiatsu in Canada, as well as Akinobu Kishi, an internationally respected Shiatsu master. Both teachers trained under the pioneers of modern Shiatsu, Namikoshi and Masunaga, grounding Matias’ work in a direct lineage connected to its evolution.

His approach is deeply influenced by Traditional Japanese Medicine, while also incorporating modern anatomical knowledge and scientific understanding.

While he also offers modalities such as Swedish massage, deep tissue work, and hot stone therapy upon request, these are provided as distinct treatments. Regardless of modality, his work remains guided by the principles of Shiatsu.

Sessions are calm, grounding, and deeply therapeutic in nature, and are always client-centered, focusing on optimal pressure for each individual and ranging from gentle, restorative and meditative work to more structural approaches depending on individual needs. 

Drawing from both Eastern and Western perspectives, he fosters an active role in healing, offering guidance in self-Shiatsu and supportive practices inspired by Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, and physiotherapy principles. He also offers educational workshops and adapts communication and education within sessions according to each client’s preference, offering either quiet treatment or more engaged guidance when desired.

A meaningful symbol within his practice is the kanji ‘hito,’ featured in his logo. Originally written in calligraphy by Masunaga Sensei to Welcome Saito Sensei to Canada, it is reproduced and used with his teacher’s permission as a tribute to the lineage and spirit of Shiatsu. Traditionally translated as “person,” the character is composed of two simple lines leaning into one another, representing mutual support. Matias was taught that this reflects the essence of Shiatsu: one person supporting another through touch, awareness, and presence. The form itself can even be seen as a figure offering Shiatsu, an image that embodies both practitioner and recipient in a shared, human experience.

At the heart of his practice is a lifelong calling: to help people through the restorative power of the healing arts. By blending tradition with modern understanding, Matias offers a grounded, compassionate approach that supports each individual’s path toward balance and well-being.

Email: matias@matiasshiatsurmt.com

WhatsApp Phone: +1- 416-522-7605

Website: matiasshiatsurmt.com

Matthew Sweigart began his shiatsu journey at the Ohashi Institute, NYC in 1985. He went on to graduate, became a Certified Ohashiatsu Instructor and founded Ohashiatsu Chicago in 1988. After retiring from the Ohashi Institute in 2003, he went on to write the HeartMind Shiatsu curriculum, including the practice of Meridian Gesture Qigong. He is the author of several books and manuals including Pathways of Qi, the Meridian Gestures and Functions Chart and a full length DVD. He currently lives and practices the healing arts in Northern California, and broadcasts live classes world-wide via Zoom video conferencing.

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Matthew Sweigart, CI-AOBTA®

Email: info@heartmindhealingarts.com
Cell: 530-870-3482

www.HeartMindHealingArts.com

Author of Pathways of Qi, Harmonizing Heaven and Earth DVD and Companion Guide, HeartMind Shiatsu Meridian Gestures and Functions chart, Elemental Meditations, and Touching Ki, a Beginner's Guide to Shiatsu. Director of Communications with the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA.org). 

"Do not put a sword into the hands of a man who cannot dance!"

For over 30 years, clients have come from all walks of life and for many reasons. Maureen’s work focuses on calming the nervous system, deepening the breath, and releasing tension and stress, allowing the energy and systems of the body to flow and operate with more ease. Her touch is soft, yet very deep, and she always is very present and respectful to the client’s particular situation.

Maureen is a graduate of the Ohashi Institute, and a senior shiatsu instructor where for over 30 years she has been teaching all levels of the Ohashi Method, and courses of her own design, in New York City, the United States, and throughout Europe.

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Maureen has an extensive background in dance, and has practiced the martial arts of Aikido (3rd degree black belt) and Karate (1st degree black belt.) She is currently enjoying the practice of Vinyasa Yoga, gentle strength training, and Zumba dancing.

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Maureen’s sessions combine the movement of dance, martial arts, and yoga with the the art of touch and the knowledge of shiatsu to give a very profound, wonderful session which focuses on the needs and wants of her clients.

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Location: New York, NY

Email: maureencmiller@gmail.com

Cell: 917-660-4770

Meri Fogarollo was first introduced to shiatsu in 1984 when she started studying and practicing shiatsu with Wataru Ohashi and Attilio Somenzi in Padua, and then in Switzerland with Saul Goodman, Wilfried Rappenecker, and Martin Halsey.
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She received her certificates of professional shiatsu therapist, first at the International Macrobiotic Institute of Kiental, Switzerland in 1993, then at the Federazione Italiana Shiatsu in 1995. In 1997 she earned a yoga teacher certificate at the Sivananda School at Neyyar Dam, India. She continued her professional training in Italy, in the USA, and in Austria with Saul Goodman.
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She was one of the first teachers at the Scuola Internazionale di Shiatsu in Italy, where she has been working and organizing training courses for more than two decades.
Since 1996, she has been collaborating with the Children's Hospital in Padua and coordinates a group of shiatsu therapists who volunteers at the hospital.
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Shiatsu Milano Editore has published three books by Marisa (Meri) Fogarollo:
1) Shiatsu e Bimbi. Un tocco d'amore per il benessere del tuo bambino, 2013
2) Shiatsu. Per un armonico sviluppo dei nostri ragazzi, 2016
3) Shiatsu. Per il corpo e per l'anima. Esperienze in Pediatria, 2021
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fogarollo.m@gmail.com

During his career as an office worker, mostly seated in front of computer screens, Michael began contemplating a way of life that incorporated more meaningful relations with his fellow humans. It seemed that our lifestyle was contributing to many health problems, from chronic back pain to anxiety, obesity, migraine headaches, and many others. He had been studying martial arts for some years and noticed that the movements involved served as a template for healthy activity in everyday life.

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Michael graduated from The Swedish Institute in New York in 1995 and The Ohashi Institute in 2002. He then started his professional activity working in many different settings: medical offices, day spas, on-site, and alternative health centers. Thus, after more than 30 years of practice, he brings his experience to each client and creates a session specially tailored to that individual with the belief that human touch is a powerful tool in helping people heal. Michael is now located in France, just west of Paris near Saint Germain en-Laye.

Email: 78shiatsu@gmail.com
Address: 41 rue Henri Richaume, Batiment D2, Montesson, 78360 France
Phone: (+33) 06 95 16 97 81

Michele Terenzon, owns the Centro Zen Shiatsu Pavia (www.centrozenshiatsu.it), near Milan, Italy, where he practices Masunaga’s Method of Shiatsu. 

Michele graduated with a degree in Geology, and worked as a geophysicist for about 30 years. It was extremely precious, his encounter with Aikido in 2001, then with Kung-Fu Meihuaquan in 2009, which introduced him to the shiatsu world in 2017.

He is a Shiatsu Operator, who graduated from the European Institute of Shiatsu of Milan and Florence, directed by Dr. Patrizia Stefanini. He is also a FISieo member (Italian Shiatsu Federation of teachers and operators), as well as enrolled in the list of Bio-Natural Disciplines of the Lombardy region (Italy), and in continuous training in the field of Shiatsu, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Integrated Body Techniques.

Centro Zen Shiatsu Pavia
Viale Bligny, 41
27100 Pavia (Italia)

Tel./Whatsapp: +39-339-7518595
Website: www.centrozenshiatsu.it
Facebook: Centro Zen Shiatsu Pavia

Mihael Mamychshvili, a creator of the NeuroPath Reset Method, experienced traumatic events in his youth and early adulthood. What he now calls ‘The Pain Story,’ sent him on a self-discovery journey where he immersed himself into silent retreats during his early 20’s. This led him to discover the body-mind connection and helped to create a clear path towards his purpose, ‘to help shine the light for others.

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When he was 25 years old, Mihael discovered shiatsu. For over 20 years, he has devoted his life his craft, and to working with trauma and chronic pain patients. His innovative approach to the human body and his broad knowledge and experience has led to a reputation as a therapist who can initiate transformative change.

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Michael is a founder and former CEO of Angel Hands Integrative Centre, an integrative team of therapists who develop trauma and complex pain treatment programs. He is also the first complementary therapist to be invited to work with the VGH Cardiology Healthy Heart and Rehab Program. Through his work, Mihael consults with trauma-focused nonprofits and organizations and is featured in news, media, and published articles, locally and internationally.

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www.angelhands.ca

Email: mihael@angelhands.ca

Address: 210 - 2190 Fir Street, Vancouver, Canada

WhatsApp: 604.619.1926

Mike Mandl has been living his Shiatsu passion for more than 30 years. He is the director of the International Academy for Hara Shiatsu in Vienna, organized the big European Shiatsu Congress in Vienna, wrote many books on Shiatsu and TCM, and still is a full-time shiatsu practitioner focused on complex cases.

Mike Mandl / International Academy for Hara Shiatsu

Mariahilfer Strasse 115

1060 Vienna / Austria

www.mikemandl.eu

www.hara-shiatsu.com

Since 1985, I have dedicated myself to the study of Eastern philosophy and medicine, with a particular focus on Shiatsu, meditation, yoga, and natural nutrition. I have been practicing and teaching Shiatsu for over 35 years, and I have maintained a regular meditation practice for more than 40 years.

I graduated from the University of Turin with a degree in Hindi language and literature. My passion for the East has led me to travel to India, Japan, and Sri Lanka, enriching both my spirit and my knowledge.

I have written many articles for specialized journals, as well as several books, including A Light Body, Art & Shiatsu, Tobia and the Invisible World, and Shiatsu.

My most recent book, published in 2024, The Lightness of the Sky – Listening and Gratitude, best represents my ongoing exploration in the field of Eastern medicine and philosophy.

https://www.monicaborio.com/

monix.borio@gmail.com

cell. +39.347.8866036

Warren, New Jersey, USA

Nadia Gritsei is a holistic bodywork practitioner devoted to supporting nervous system regulation, embodied awareness, and the body’s natural capacity for balance and restoration. Originally from Ukraine, she lives and practices in New Jersey.

She is a graduate of The Ohashi Institute’s Advanced Program of Shiatsu, which forms the foundation of her therapeutic approach. Her work integrates shiatsu, therapeutic massage, craniosacral therapy, lymphatic drainage, aromatherapy, movement, and breath-based practices in a grounded and individualized way.

Nadia is also a consultant with the European Losev School, trained in the Bezlogichny Method — a body–mind approach that works with subconscious patterns and somatic awareness to support emotional balance and nervous system regulation.

In addition to hands-on bodywork, she is a certified Biodynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release System (BBTRS®) facilitator and Sound & Gong facilitator, offering complementary work in individual and group settings.

She is a Licensed Massage Therapist and a graduate of Health Choices Holistic Massage Institute, with advanced experience in integrative therapies.

Nadia has also studied Apitherapy (bee venom therapy) through Charles Mraz Apitherapy courses and maintains a longstanding relationship with beekeeping, honoring this modality as a traditional and specialized support.

Nadia continues to expand her professional training through ongoing study and practice.

Location: Warren, NJ

Phone: 908-625-4889

Email: flpnadia@yahoo.com

Instagram: @spirit_of_sound_and_breath

Nancy Anatolaki has been practicing shiatsu for over twenty years. She is a graduate of the European Shiatsu School (currently known as OM Training Centre) in Athens, Greece.

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Throughout her career, she has studied with many different shiatsu teachers both in Greece and abroad including: Ohashi, Chris McAlister, Chris Jarmey, George Dellar, Alice Wheildon and many others.

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Nancy spent several years dividing her time between Thailand and Greece. While in Thailand, she studied and taught Thai Massage in a northern hill tribe village.

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She currently lives on a small island in the southeast Aegean Sea called Nissyros. Here, she works and teaches Thai massage courses, and assists organizing the other teachers. She also travels to Athens and Thessaloniki to give treatments.

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Email:nancyanatol@gmail.com

WhatsApp: 0030 6945 441784

Nissyros Island Southeast Dodecanese, Greece

I first stepped into a Shiatsu classroom in 2016 and have never looked back. My youngest child was 1 at the time and I was looking for something for me, aside from being a Mum. I had studied Remedial Massage and practiced Yoga for many years and Shiatsu felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. I was so inspired by what I was learning at The Glasgow School of Shiatsu that I created a community project around sharing Shiatsu with children. I wanted to share with my own children and children in my community the information and practices that I wish I had known as a child.

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Since graduating in 2019 I have set up a part time Shiatsu practice, assisted teaching at The Glasgow School, co-created a Shiatsu podcast 'Ki Points' with my friend, Teacher and fellow Practitioner, Laura Naismith. I have hosted self-care Shiatsu workshops for children and adults and written, co-illustrated and designed Mak the Dragon Who Loves to Stretch. Additionally creating a teaching guide. It has been a lot of fun with some major learning curves along the way and now- I can't wait to share it with you!

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Tel: +44 7711262777

Email: shiatsunat@gmail.com

Website: www.zenhealthglasgow.co.uk

Nayo Takasaki is a Choreographer, and Dance, Chi Kong and Tai Chi Ruler teacher, as well as a member of the International Dance Council - CID UNESCO.

Nayo was born and raised in Tokyo with her father, a physician; her mother, a kindergarten principal, and her four brothers. She is a graduate of the Tokyo Women’s College of Physical Education.

In 1981, Nayo moved to New York City to work as a dancer. In 1984, she started the dance troupe “Nayo & Friends” continuing her dance activities.  Around this time she became interested in world healing arts including Eastern medicine.

She studied shiatsu at The Ohashi Institute graduating in 1988. Since graduation, she has worked as a shiatsu practitioner for many years.  In 1987, Nayo began her studies of the many types of chi kong, including Tai Chi Ruler.  She has also studied reflexology, Tai Chi Churn, regimen and meditation with Kwan Sai-hung  (Taoist, spiritual leader), Chen Shou-ren and Chia Man-Tak.

In 2004, Nayo returned to Tokyo, Japan to teach dance and exercise at the ” Wellness Nayo Studio”. In 2005, she founded the performing group “ D’dash”.

She is currently active with both the studio and the D’dash group.

Nayo has also published a book about Tai Chi Ruler, written in Japanese (2018):『タイチールーラー 』中高齢者に最適なエクササイズ。著者；高崎ナヨ

文芸社：ISBN978-4-286-19087-7

WELLNESS   NAYO   STUDIO

１－３－１０ Miharadai Nerima-ku Tokyo Japan

Tel: 　011-81- ３-３９７８-３２０３

Email:  nayostudio@jcom.home.ne.jp

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/nayostudio

Nick Pole has over 30 years of experience teaching and practicing Shiatsu. He has also studied Seiki, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Clean Language, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Nick specializes in teaching courses for shiatsu therapists and other mind-body practitioners on how to integrate mindful dialogue with bodywork. Since 2013, he has been the coordinator of London Mindful Practitioners, a non-profit support group for professionals who use mindfulness in their work, which now has over 400 members.

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Nick is also the author of Words That Touch - How to Ask Questions Your Body Can Answer (2017, Singing Dragon), a comprehensive guide to using Clean Language in mind-body therapy.

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Email: nickpole33@gmail.com

Website: www.nickpole.com