Seated Acupressure Professional Diploma

Course Structure

The Professional Diploma Course comprises 4 days class time spread over two weekends, followed by a Practical Assessment.

Level 1 2 days
Level 2 2 days (normally 3 weeks after Level 1)

Assessment 1.5 hours (normally 4 - 6 weeks after level 3)

Level 1

Level 1 is an intensive weekend, concentrating on the practical techniques of Seated Acupressure.

Every participant will receive a 20 minute Acupressure treatment from one of the tutors.

You will learn the full set of core techniques that, when applied together, make up an On Site Massage treatment, including over 90 acupressure points.

The core techniques are divided into 9 modules - Shoulder, Neck, Inner Arm, Upper and Lower Back, Hips, Head, Inner Arm and Hand, Outer Arm and Hand, Stretches and Percussion.

Special attention is placed on the posture and positioning of the practitioner, the use of body weight and good practise in respect of practitioner injury prevention.

Also included are:

• Chair set up and correct use of equipment (all equipment is provided)
• Correct positioning of client
• Screening, Cautions and Contraindications
• Brief history and background of On Site Massage
• The aims (and limitations) of On Site Massage.

Level 2 - Day 1

Level 2 has a number of aims.

Improving your core Techniques. An important element of Level 2 is refining the skills learnt on Level 1. Level 1 is extremely intensive and we don't expect you to have mastered the techniques in one go. By working on your posture, positioning, point location and technique on level 2, through in class one to one tuition, we will ensure that your core on site massage techniques are of the highest quality.

Broadening your On Site Massage Skills. You will learn a group of brand new on site massage techniques that are more kneading based than the basic core techniques.

Adding flexibility to your On Site Massage, We don't mean physical flexibility (though that's important, too). We mean flexibility in the way you carry out your massage:

We teach you how to adapt your On Site Massage to 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minute appointment times.

We encourage you to start making your On Site Massage more client focused, rather than sequence focused.

We work with you as an individual. We recognise the fact that participants on our courses come from a broad range of professional backgrounds and sometimes want different things from the course.

Level 2 - Day 2

Day 2 pulls everything together and, most importantly, includes an extended one to one session with one of the course tutors, where you will have the opportunity to practise the techniques learned on them.

The best feed back possible is always from someone receiving a massage, especially in respect of pressure, the quality of pressure, rhythm and flow and point location.

Also included on Level 2 are:

• Techniques for Selling Massage to the Corporate Sector
• How to organise an On Site Massage Service in a company
• Practising Screening Situations

Case Studies

A minimum of sixty case studies must be carried out and recorded before the Practical Assessment can be taken. One massage is recorded as one case study. We recommend you massage up to 6 people between 5 and 7 times over your training period. Of the case studies, 10 are shorter 5 or 10 minute massages.

Assessment

There are three elements to the assessment of students:

Short Written Answer Paper – This is a one hour paper completed on Level 2 - Day 2. It will test your general knowledge about what On Site Massage is, its history, background and origins, Cautions, Contraindications, Screening and how to react to certain situations

Practical Assessment – Privately arranged on Level 2 and scheduled for between two and six weeks after Level 2, this is a practical assessment, with the student carrying out a Seated Acupressure Massage on one of the course tutors. Although daunting, this is by far the most effective way that we can ensure that your massage is of the quality necessary to be effective, safe and successful. Please note you will be required to travel to the tutor selected.

Oral Assessment – This is completed at the same appointment as the Practical Assessment. It focuses on typical screening situations the practitioner is likely to encounter in practise.

Certification and Accreditation

Successful completion of the Professional Diploma course leads to the award of a Diploma in Seated Acupressure Massage from the Academy of On Site Massage and also a Diploma in Seated Acupressure from City & Guilds. This entitles the holder to gain Professional Indemnity Insurance and work professionally.

Many Companies recognise the City & Guilds accreditation and the standards they set and so the qualification is often more widely recognised.