Shiatsu Society

Joining the Register as a Professional Practitioner (MRSS):

So, you graduate from your Shiatsu School with a Diploma, generally following a three-year part-time course. The Diploma is your qualification which you can use to demonstrate that you have gained practitioner level skill in Shiatsu.

At this point, you may become a Graduate Member of the Shiatsu Society. The natural next step is to consider joining the Register of the Shiatsu Society as a Professional Practitioner (MRSS). For those of you involved with other professions, such as nursing and medicine, you will be familiar with Registration and the fact that you need to maintain membership in order to maintain Registration. To some people, it may be a new idea that the MRSS is not ‘for life’ like, for example, your Diploma in shiatsu, or perhaps a university degree. Being registered means that you have a current membership with a professional body, that you are insured appropriately; that you subscribe to the Code of Ethics, that there is a Complaints Procedure in place; and that you do Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as required by the Society. (This latter is presently in development, but will probably begin as voluntary, before becoming compulsory in the future).

It is becoming increasingly common for complementary health centres or other employers of Shiatsu practitioners to require ‘registration and insurance’. And this trend is likely to increase as regulation develops further in Europe and the UK. Eventually some form of regulation, possibly federal or self-regulation, will become a reality. When this happens some form of recognised registration is likely to be a requirement. This is at present recognised within our Society via the MRSS.

We also recognise the role of schools within the Society and are working to bring the MRSS into the framework of school assessments (see the New Route below). However, not all students follow their shiatsu training through a Shiatsu School, or the School from which they graduate is not ratified for theory and practical, or for some other reason, and for these people the MRSS Assessment is a way of achieving this registration.

Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum outlines the requirements a member needs to comply with before presenting for MRSS. This includes:-

• study of Shiatsu for a minimum of 500 hours
• study over a period of three years
• study with a minimum of 3 Shiatsu Society recognised teachers for a minimum of 24 hours with each teacher

The above criteria are monitored via the Students' Training Record Card. It is therefore essential that each student get their teacher to complete their card at the end of each academic year. Although your school may have ratified papers there are some schools who do not follow this path so it is essential that the Office has enough information to ensure a potential candidate has met all the requirements.

Application for Assessment

The application for assessment is designed to give prospective candidates more information on the assessment criteria and the process. In doing this we realise that the pack can look a little daunting and we are constantly looking at ways of making it less intimidating.

The application form is sent to the assessors involved in your assessment and helps to give them a picture of your training experience, other skills and qualifications and your current Shiatsu practice. It can often form the basis for some questions in the interview.
We hope you will see becoming MRSS as a rewarding natural progression to your training, and as an achievement which will enhance your journey with Shiatsu.

From the downloads page of this members' area of the website you can download the Core Curriculum, application for assessment as a registered practitioner and an application form for becoming MRSS.

MRSS Assessments Spring 2010

Deadline for applications: 14th March 2010

Assessment dates:
10th and 17th May 2010, 10th June 2010

Theory: Please contact the office.

"I was surprised how supportive and calm the process was. I expected to be nervous but the combination of Do-in and treatment before the assessment worked well in centering me."

"I felt welcome and comfortable and among friends!"

"Felt welcome and not really intimidated as I was expecting, particularly useful with the 10 minute treatment by an assessor!"

"Assessors did all they could to make us feel relaxed and comfortable. Very useful to have warm up twice. Thanks!"

Next MRSS Assessors’ Training Date:

September 16th 2010

The training day is open to all assessors or teachers who wish to become assessors. Assessors need to attend a training day every two years.

Further information may be obtained by contacting the Office.

Developing A New Route to joining the Professional Register (MRSS)

The Shiatsu Society has set in motion an alternative route to joining the Register of Professional Practitioners, whereby Graduates of participating schools can join a Post Graduate Year. This would be instead of attending one of the ‘MRSS’ Assessments that are held each year.

In order to join the Post Graduate Year (PGY), the Graduate will need to apply formally to the Shiatsu Society with the support of the Principal of the Shiatsu School whose Post Graduate Year they will join. During the year they will need to continue giving Shiatsu treatments, follow various activities: receive Shiatsu from a MRSS, attend two tutorials from a T, and supervision. At the end of the year, another form will need to be completed giving a record of having done the required activities. This is signed off by the School Principal, and returned to the Shiatsu Society along with the fee (currently £25 + VAT). The Graduate will then become a Member of the Professional Practitioners of the Shiatsu Society, with the right to put MRSS after their name.

For more information please read the Post Graduate Year Guidance Notes page.
You can also find on the downloads page a letter from the Education Director simplifying the PGY process.

The Information & Forms that you may need.

From the Downloads page of the website you can obtain copies of the Core Curriculum, application for assessment as a registered practitioner and an application form for MRSS.