I have recently completed the Level 3 OCN Shibashi Tai Chi Instructors course. As a Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist Nurse working with patients who have either had a recent Myocardial Infarction or undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery I am in the process of developing a Phase 3 programme based on Tai Chi. It is an inclusive form of physical activity and I hope it will increase uptake among currently under-represented groups particularly the elderly and women. As it takes a holistic approach to care Tai Chi will allow me to reinforce the connection between the mind and the body and include key components such as stress management and relaxation to underpin the course rather than use them as ‘one-off’ sessions.
As a team we are always focussed on developing and improving our service and so in the future we hope to develop a Phase 4 Tai Chi group as well as considering other patient groups e.g. heart failure patients who currently have very limited input from Cardiac Rehabilitation services across the our area who would benefit greatly from activities such as Tai Chi.
I hope the Shibashi Tai Chi courses continue to flourish and expand in the future.
Karen Butcher - Cardiac Rehab Specialist Nurse, North Bristol NHS Trust
Gill Brydon and her Colleagues at Somerset Skills and Learning have developed an ONC accredited course ‘Tai Chi for Health’ that is of an exceptionally high standard. The course is developed to teach an indepth understanding of Tai Chi/Qigong Shibashi principles combined with knowledge of appropriate anatomy and physiology.
The emphasis is on learning to facilitate this understanding so as to meet the limitations and needs of potential learners. The required standard of achievement throughout the course is thorough.
I would recommend this course to any practitioner of Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi who wishes to share their practice with others. Students of this course should be confident in the knowledge that they have achieved a reputable and nationally recognised qualification, worthy of facilitating the practice of Shibashi/ Tai Chi for Health.
Greta Hart - BACR Exercise Instructor
Becoming a Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi Volunteer has given me a new interest which is not only good for my health as I can now do exercises which improve my Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) without any discomfort, but it has also given me confidence and the skill to teach a class of learners who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to learn Tai Chi. Most of all, it is such a lovely feeling after the end of a class to see how the learners are excited and enthusiastic about having experienced Tai Chi and how relaxed and free we all feel afterwards. Thank you Project Somerset Tai Chi & Somerset Skills and Learning for such a wonderful life changing opportunity.
Project Somerset Tai Chi Volunteer - NLDC grant 2010-11
The course is absolutely first class. I learned a lot, unlike many course that are available, great emphasis was placed on health and safety and how exercise and teaching methods can be adapted to suit learners regardless of age or disability. The nice thing is that the tutors are very helpful and the course is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and is very much geared to equipping instructors with both a solid theoretical and practical base.
Stephen Avraamides - Tai Chi Instructor, Eastbourne
