Acupuncture and TCM Articles

Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Acupressure Therapists: Training and Field of Practice
Author: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd

Acupressure therapists enjoy personally-rewarding careers as entrepreneurs and healthcare givers in private practices, health spas and salons, medical facilities, and even as researchers or teachers. Acupressure therapists are part of the growing alternative and complementary medicine community, and are gaining leeway in the field of massage therapy.

Offering an essential service of the unique Oriental medicine system, acupressure therapists provide natural bodywork therapy to patients using the hands, elbows, knees and even bare feet. Applying gentle pressure techniques to acupoints (based on acupuncture and meridian therapy), acupressure therapists attempt to balance the Qi (energy flow) of the body to restore equilibrium. In doing so, harmony is returned to the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual states of the patient.

Some of the many health benefits that acupressure therapists offer to clients are relief from depression, musculoskeletal problems, headaches, allergies, digestive issues, and stress, among several other common health disorders. Like other massage therapists, acupressure therapists have the potential to earn a respectable living; and can anticipate lucrative job prospects as the occupational field of massage therapy is expected to grow above all other careers in the coming years. (Career Resources: BLS, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Acupressure therapists must achieve a certain degree of training and education prior to beginning practice. While acupressure programs vary in duration and curricula, and are sometimes incorporated into massage therapy school curriculums, a number of institutions have branched out and offer educational courses geared strictly toward becoming acupressure therapists. A typical acupressure therapists program may include but is not limited to training in anatomy and physiology, foundational courses in acupressure (Shiatsu or Jin Shin), acupressure point locations, theories of acupressure, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) aspects, and associated therapies (i.e., moxibustion, cupping, herbal medicine, etc.), business and ethics, among others.

Upon successful completion of all required coursework and clinical training, acupressure therapists, who have met all educational prerequisites and are eligible for National Certification, can take the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) Asian bodywork exam; as well as other credentialing certification exams.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding acupressure schools, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.