Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Are there any requirements for joining a course?

There are no academic requirements for participating in any of our courses.

The certificate and diploma courses build up on each other and therefore the certificate course must be completed prior to beginning the diploma course.

Pre-requisite for attending the certificate course is at least one introductory course.

If you are a student under 16 years of age, we request that you contact us to discuss your participation. This is because a certain level of maturity may be important for some courses.

Where are the courses held?

All of our courses are held in a private hall in rural Katikati, Bay of Plenty. This is where the weekend courses, tutorials and student clinics will be held.

If you can get together a reasonable sized group, we would consider traveling to a location near you.

A large portion of the Certificate and Diploma training will be achieved via distance learning and self-directed learning, reading and essays, which can be completed in the comfort of your own home, a library, cafe or where ever you like to study 🙂

What extra fees are associated with the courses?

Each Course has associated costs that may be variable, however all course fees are published with the course information on our website. There will be no hidden costs and all additional fees or costs not included in the price will be clearly mentioned in the course page. We are currently unable to offer accommodation on site.

My English literacy is not great. Can I still attend the course?

For the certificate and diploma training, courses include reading materials, written distance learning classes as well as written essays and case notes. Please talk with us about your attendance before you register, if you have concerns about your ability to read course material or complete written assignments.

Although the Shiatsu Intro Course contains course materials with written content, it is completely possible to participate in the course without reading or writing, as the nature of the course is very practical.

What happens if I can't make it to my course?

Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot make it to your course.

If you are booked into single weekend course (ie Shiatsu Intro Course) you will need to either change your booking to another date or transfer your course to a friend. Otherwise you will miss out and may loose your money.

Please read our Return and Refund Policy carefully.

If you are booked into a certificate or diploma course, and cannot attend a day or a weekend, you will need to catch up the missed hours / days either with a one-on-one session with your teacher (at your expense) or in the next available course. If you miss too much of the total course content, you may be asked to transfer to the next available certificate or diploma course as the weekend courses build up on each other. You will not be able to graduate until you have finished all the required materials and hours of the course.

Weekend Courses / Introductory Retreats

What are the accommodation options in the area?

Currently, we are not able to offer accommodation on site.
But we have a few ideas for accommodation in the area, and some recommendations from past participants or friends

Download: Accommodation Options

What are the Course times?

Course Details will be sent to you after registration for the course.

Weekend retreats are always held on Saturdays & Sundays from 9am – 6pm.

We ask that participants aim to arrive a few minutes early so we can start at 9am sharp. The room will be open from 8.30am.

Is food provided?

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided for both days.

All food provided will be free of animal products, and gluten-free options are available. If you have any other dietary requirements or allergies, please let us know via your participant information form, which we will send to you before the course.

Times are approximately:

Morning tea 10.30 – 10.45am
Lunch: 12.30 – 1.30pm
Afternoon tea: 3.30 – 3.45pm

What do I need to bring to my course?

All course materials are provided.

Please bring a pen and extra paper if you would like to take notes.

Wear comfortable clothes with long sleeves and long pants, and bring a spare pair of clean socks. You may also bring a towel, scarf or sarong to lie on if you like.

Do I get a certificate?

We do provide certificates for all of our courses, including the seasonal Weekend Retreats. Your certificate will be emailed to you in pdf format after completion of the weekend.

Certificate & Diploma Training

Can I practice shiatsu after completing the shiatsu certificate course?

The Shiatsu Certificate Course is only the first year of the practitioner training. It gives students a basic understanding of Shiatsu and the practices and underlying principles. This first year does not include diagnosis and treatment plans and as such does not enable students to treat clients from a qualified practitioners background.

Practitioners and therapists of other bodywork modalities will be able to include elements of Shiatsu into their existing treatments.

Can I legally work as a shiatsu practitioner after completing the diploma?

The diploma course we offer meets the requirements of the New Zealand Shiatsu Association and Charter of Natural Therapies standards and exceeds minimum hours of teaching and practice.

After successful completion of the full three year diploma, graduates will qualify for Shiatsu Association of Aoteaora (SPAANZ) membership.

New Zealand has no NZQA unit standards for Shiatsu Therapy.

How many hours does the certificate and diploma course encompass?

The full diploma training is divided into two parts:

The Certificate Course makes up the first year and encompasses 500+ hours of teaching, online reading and self-directed learning a week in addition to the 10 weekend courses. Students should expect to spend between 8 and 10 hours weekly on course-related activities in addition to the 10 weekend courses.

The Diploma level makes up the remaining 2 years and totals 1100 hours of teaching, online reading and self-directed learning. Student should expect to spend between 10 and 12 hours weekly on course-related activities in addition to the 10 full weekend courses per year.

Is the training valid to practice Shiatsu overseas?

Shiatsu accreditation across different countries varies and will be the students responsibility to enquire about for the area in which they intend to work.

Most countries require significantly less hours than our diploma training provides.

Are there exams to pass the training?

There are no written or practical exams to pass as such.

As an education provider, we have our own quality standards and as long as you are present for the minimum hours of teaching and independent study and committed to the course outcomes, your teachers will work with you to achieve competency in the topics covered.

Can I cross-credit any other study towards my Shiatsu Diploma?

This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Generally, all students must attend all of the Practical Shiatsu based workshops within the training as well as the practical hours, swaps and student clinics. There may be other parts of the training that can be cross-credited.

If you have a health related qualification and can prove a minimum of 100hrs of anatomy and physiology training, the anatomy and physiology course will not be mandatory for you. We will need a copy of this.