Shiatsu Online Class
Shiatsu is a Japanese bodywork tradition that uses rhythmic pressure, stretching, and joint mobilization to improve circulation, release tension, and support balanced physiology. This online class teaches foundational and practical applications of shiatsu so you can integrate this time-honored method into your manual therapy practice with clarity and confidence. Emphasis is placed on body mechanics, safe contact, and effective palpation to support comfort and therapeutic outcomes.
Course Overview
Learn to use Shiatsu to treat back and neck pain, with advanced assessment tools and meridian pairing techniques. This comprehensive online video class covers the majority of the primary meridians, and includes multiple sequences that you can use to vary your work on each client. It also includes Back-shu Points, Ashi points, evaluation in terms of excessive or deficient, chi or blood stagnation, a meridian review and much more.
What You Will Learn
- The foundational principles and history of shiatsu as a manual therapy
- How to use body mechanics and breath to deliver effective, sustainable pressure
- Hand placements and pressure patterns for major body regions
- How to assess tension patterns and respond with appropriate touch
- Techniques to support relaxation, circulation, and balanced tissue tone
- How to integrate shiatsu into your existing massage or bodywork practice
Course Details & Learning Materials
- Format: On-demand online video lessons covering foundational and applied shiatsu
- Instruction: Clear, hands-on demonstrations of pressure, palpation, and body mechanics
- Content: Applications for shoulders, back, hips, legs, arms, and core regions
- Skill Level: Designed for massage therapists and bodywork professionals
- Access: Unlimited lifetime access after enrollment
- Certificate: Downloadable certificate of completion provided
Course Review
MASSAGE TODAY SAYS: “John Hickey, a licensed acupuncturist with over 30 years’ experience in teaching and practicing shiatsu, has done us a great favor in producing this educational video. Clinical Shiatsu is a well-organized source of information that teaches shiatsu and dealing with pain in the shoulder, neck and back… There is so much information that viewing the video footage several times is a must.”
“9.95 out of 10”
Who This Course Is For
This course is intended for licensed massage therapists and bodywork clinicians who want to broaden their manual therapy repertoire with a structured introduction to shiatsu. It is well suited for practitioners seeking gentle but effective methods that emphasize felt sense, palpation skills, and client comfort. Clinicians who value a balanced, body-wide approach to tension and regulation will find this course directly applicable to everyday practice.
Meet your instructor
John Hickey, LAc has been actively involved in studying, teaching and practicing Shiatsu massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Classical Chinese Medicine since 1980, the year he attended Shiatsu Massage School of California in Santa Monica. He became assistant teacher to the owner DoAnn T. Kaneko in 1982.
John studied at California Acupuncture College and became licensed in 1985. He went on to co-found the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine in 1987 where he served as Vice President, Academic Dean and Instructor. Over the years since then he taught Shiatsu at several schools in the Santa Barbara-Ventura area.
In 1998 John opened Shiatsu Rincon in Carpinteria as a private partner practice with Judy Jackson. From 1998 to the present, he has been in private practice specializing in Shiatsu and acupuncture treatments while studying and practicing Classical Chinese Medicine with renowned Daoist priest and Chinese Medicine Doctor Jeffrey C.
Lessons
1 Introduction
Discusses how to determine deficiency or excess in a meridian. Then explains the concept of meridian pairing and how to apply that to a treatment. Finally he discusses the differences between blood and chi stagnation.
2 Shiatsu technique
This lesson includes how to walk on the floor, plus various techniques including: Cutting technique, rotating technique, ordinary pressure, Intermittent pressure, soothing technique, and sustained pressure.
3 General Sequence
Basic evaluation of the meridians, then how to use the various techniques in a flowing sequence. This twenty minute lesson guides you through the first and general shiatsu routine.
4 Neck and Shoulder Sequence
This lesson shows how to apply techniques to the meridians in the neck and shoulder, evaluating each meridian along the way.
5 Headache pain guide
This lesson shows that by evaluating the location of a headache, you can determine which meridian to work on.
6 Lower back sequence
The lower back routine for back pain. After the main sequence, there are two sequences shown. One for directly working on the back, and the the for working distally if the back is too sensitive to take pressure.
7 Ashi Points Technique
Discusses and shows how to apply techniques to Ashi points.
8 Meridian review
Basic meridian theory, along with details of the location of each meridian.
Gall Bladder Meridian
Shows how to perform shiatsu on the gall bladder meridian.
Heart Meridian
This lesson shows how to perform shiatsu on the heart meridian.
Kidney Meridian
This lesson shows how to apply shiatsu to the kidney meridian
Liver Meridian
This lesson shows how to apply shiatsu technique to the liver meridian.
Stomach Meridian
This lesson shows how to apply shiatsu to the stomach meridian