All of our teachers are highly qualified members of the Shiatsu Society register of teachers and the European Shiatsu Network. They all hold qualifications in branches of Eastern and/or Western medicine, and have a thorough grounding in teaching skills.

Chris Jarmey MCSP DS MRSS(T) (Course Director & Principal - UK)

Chris has been practising and teaching Shiatsu since 1974, having served several terms as the Education Officer, Medical Liaison Officer and Assessment Panel member for the Shiatsu Society. He qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1979 and was one of the first westerners to practise Shiatsu in the UK, and to introduce Shiatsu into NHS hospitals. In addition, Chris has specialist skills in therapeutic eastern and western exercise, and has been practising and teaching Yoga and Qigong for over 30 years. He has taught extensively throughout Europe and the USA.

Chris is author of one of the professions leading textbooks Shiatsu - The Complete Guide published by Harper Collins. He has also written many other books, including Acupressure for Common Ailments, published by Gaia Books; the Concise Book of Muscles, The Atlas of Musculo-Skeletal Anatomy, and The Theory and Practice of Taiji Qigong, all published by Lotus Publications and North Atlantic Books. All of these books are best sellers having been reprinted several times in various European languages. Chris is also versed in Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Acupuncture. He is the founder and director of the European Shiatsu School and the Lam Rim Shiatsu Institute based in South Wales.

Ilaira Bouratinos Dip.Ac DS (Course Director & Principal - Greece)

Ilaira Bouratinos is Principal of both the Greek branch of the European Shiatsu School (ESS), which she established in 1994, and the European Institute of Oriental Medicine (EIOM) which she established in 1998. In these schools she teaches Oriental Medical Theory, Acupuncture, Shiatsu and a variety of different bodywork methods including massage, sotai and qigong.

Ilaira has gathered extensive experience integrating living anatomy with the application of bodywork and acupuncture techniques. She contributed a major section within the second edition of the book Shiatsu-The Complete Guide.

Ilaira qualified in shiatsu with the European Shiatsu School, and received her diploma in Acupuncture from the London School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in the early 1990's. She has also studied Chinese Herbal Medicine and a variety of bodywork, exercise and self development methods since a young age. She teaches in Greece and the UK, and runs a busy practice in Athens where she combines bodywork and corrective exercise with acupuncture.

Brian Carling BA DS MAPSE(T) (Course Director & Principal - Spain)

Brian qualified in Shiatsu with the European Shiatsu School in 1988, whereupon he moved to Andalucia in Spain to set up in practice. During the next couple of years he established the Spanish branch of the ESS. Brian also studied Acupuncture in Málaga, qualifying in 1990. He founded the Spanish National Shiatsu Association (APSE) in 1997, and is a former President of APSE. He now represents APSE in the European Shiatsu Federation (ESF) and has been the President of the ESF since 2001.

Brian is also an instructor of Wadu Ryu Karate, and in addition, has been teaching yoga in Marbella since 1992.

Paola Campanelli MA DS MRSS(T) MRCHM

Paola has been studying Oriental medicine both from a therapeutic and philosophical point of view for the last 12 years and practises Shiatsu and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Besides the general public, she has worked with women with mental health problems, young mothers and people affected by HIV. Her teaching approach aims at helping students integrate felt experiences (from bodywork, qigong and everyday life), both physical and mental/emotional, with the Oriental medical principles, so that they can shed light on each other.

Paola teaches on the practitioner's course at the Brighton branch of the European Shiatsu School and runs introductory courses based on the ESS Foundation Course syllabus at the Evolution Art Centre (www.evolutionarts.co.uk) and the Holistic Health Clinic (www.holistichealthclinic.org.uk).

Dianna Cheong DS MRSS(T)

Dianna qualified from the European Shiatsu School in the early 1990's and became a registered teacher of shiatsu in 1995. She has a successful practice in North London. In addition to her role as one of the school's main teachers, she is a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster. She also plays an active role within the Shiatsu Society as an examiner on their assessment panel.

Dianna is also a Feng Shui consultant, with clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Her main influences have come from Buddhist Philosophy. Currently, she is undertaking teacher training in Scaravelli style yoga.

George Dellar DS MRSS(T) MBRCP Lic. Ac.

George is a graduate of the European Shiatsu School, and has been teaching for the school since 1996. In addition, he graduated in Acupuncture from The South West College of Oriental Medicine in December 2001. George ran the ESS Somerset Shiatsu residential centre before moving to Wiltshire 1998, where he has his own practice. George is valued for integrating the oriental medicine features of the course with the practical Shiatsu aspects.

Jane Devine DS MRSS(T)

Jane worked for many years in Investment Banking in the City of London and eventually swapped office life for Shiatsu. She graduated with the ESS and has enjoyed practising Shiatsu privately and also at a Mental Health Project. Jane holds a certificate in delivering learning to adults and enjoys teaching all aspects of Shiatsu theory and practice.

In addition to Shiatsu, her other interests include Qigong, Meditation and Spiritual Healing.

Markus Grasser DS MRSS(T) MRCHM

Markus is the director of the Brighton branch of the ESS. He started his shiatsu training in Austria in 1992. In '94 he left for India and Malaysia to spend most of the following one and a half years studying yoga, vipassana meditation, taiji and qigong. Those disciplines have since been a major source for his understanding of oriental medicine.

Markus graduated in 1997 with the ESS in London and has been in full time practice ever since. From '96 onwards Markus assisted Michael Rose over a period of 3 years.

His passion is to make the theories of Oriental Medicine tangible and palpable in the body through experiential exercises, qigong and palpation; thereby integrating theory with hands on practice. Markus is also a practitioner of Chinese Herbal Medicine and treats with Shiatsu and Herbs from the Clinical Centre of Chinese Medicine in Brighton (www.cccm.co.uk). He lives in Brighton with his wife and their 2 daughters.

Julie McBride BA DS MRSS(T) MRCST

Julie has 20 years experience as a qualified teacher, coming from a background in Further Education. She first studied Shiatsu at the East-West Centre and subsequently participated in advanced studies with Chris Jarmey, Michael Rose and Pauline Sasaki. Julie is one of the principal teachers of the Zen Shiatsu module within the course and is well known for her clarity of teaching and her skill to impart touch sensitivity and intuitive diagnosis work.

Julie is responsible for teaching Client-Practitioner Dynamics and also organises the ESS Teacher Training programme. She has a full-time Shiatsu practice in west London and has been teaching for the ESS since 1985.

Sam McManus DS MRSS(T)

Sam McManus enters the world of shiatsu from a background of figure skating, professional in the performing arts (classical and contemporary dance) and psychodynamic counselling.

Before studying shiatsu he became involved in the instruction and exploration of Kundalini yoga, 5-rhythm dance, Taiji and Qigong as well as working in the fields of mental health and alcohol and drug rehabilitation.

As well as teaching for the ESS he also runs a private practise in West London and teaches classical ballet, yoga, Qigong, exercise to music classes and Pilates.

Andrew Parfitt DS MRSS(T) MBAcC

Andrew is the Eastbourne Branch Director and runs the Seated On-Site Bodywork course. He also teaches in London, Marlborough and Brighton. He teaches
general shiatsu and anatomy, but has a particular interest in Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Five Elements, and point location. He also on occasion, teaches the Sotai component of the school's Anma-Sotai Japanese Bodywork course.

Before studying Shiatsu Andrew qualified as an acupuncturist at the College of Integrated Chinese medicine in Reading and has been in practice since 1997. Andrew came into Oriental medicine through his love of martial arts and has been studying various forms for over twenty years including Tai Chi, Qigong, Karate and the Korean art of Kuk Sool Won.

Michael Rose DS MRSS(T)

Michael was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Zen Shiatsu from Master Shizuto Masunaga in Tokyo in 1979 after studying various styles over many years. He is a founder member of the Shiatsu Society and often serves as a member of their Assessment Panel. He has contributed his time and expertise to the European Shiatsu School since its formation. Michael's main emphasis is on the higher philosophical and supportive qualities of Shiatsu, for which his reputation is unparalleled.

Andrea Smith BA PhD DS MRSS(T) CST

Andrea discovered shiatsu in 1991 when running White Lodge, an Alternative Therapy Centre and School near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. She studied shiatsu with the European Shiatsu School from 1992-1995. Then, between 1997 and 1999 she went to Toronto, Canada and completed the two year full-time shiatsu course offered by the Shiatsu School of Canada. She had a private practice in Canada and worked in an On-site Bodywork Clinic.

Andrea established a private practice in the UK and began teaching for the ESS in the autumn of 2000. As well as shiatsu, she teaches Anatomy and Physiology, having revised the A & P curriculum for the school. As a Canadian who studied with both the ESS and a Japanese-Canadian school, Andrea brings an international flavour to her teaching. She teaches mostly in Marlborough and occasionally in London.

Andrew Staib BA DS MRSS(T)

Andrew originally trained as a journalist. He has been practising shiatsu for over 10 years and has worked in a number of NHS drug rehabilitation projects, as well as being the shiatsu practitioner in The House of Commons for 5 years. He is based in Brighton and teaches all aspects of the curriculum at various branches of the school.

As a practitioner, he specializes in helping people understand the psychosomatic aspects of their symptoms. Andrew also runs regular Shiatsu courses throughout the UK and in Spain where he presents techniques adapted for use on a bodywork table.

Sibylle Walter MCSP DS MRSS(T)

Sibylle started teaching for the ESS in 1995 and is one of the principal teachers of the London Branch. Before graduating as a Shiatsu practitioner she had been working as a Chartered Physiotherapist. This background has given her a sound base in bodywork that comes across in her teaching of anatomy and shiatsu techniques. She teaches on all four stages of the practitioner course.

Her extensive clinical experience includes working in specialist centres for people affected by hiv/aids, in a community drugs project, and working with pregnant women. She has an established shiatsu practice in South London. A special interest in meditation informs her personal practice. Sibylle is an assessor for the Shiatsu Society, and is also a qualified NLP practitioner.

For more information about Sibylle's Shiatsu practice, visit www.sibyllewalter.com

Julie Weeks SROT DS MRSS(T)

Julie has been a registered Occupational Therapist for 21 years, qualifying from the London School of Occupational Therapy in 1985. She has worked in various clinical settings within the NHS and the community, in both the UK and Australia. Her keenness to empower her patients brought her to Shiatsu, whereupon she gained her diploma from The European Shiatsu School in 1997. Julie has been a Shiatsu Society registered Practitioner since 2000 and Teacher since 2003.

Julie combines her various skills in private practice in Hertfordshire. She teaches Shiatsu and Anatomy for the school, mainly at the London, Marlborough and Ware branches.

Liz Welch DS MRSS(T)

Liz is the Hertfordshire Branch Director, Course Liaison Co-ordinator and a senior teacher with the ESS. She offers a full range of training in Ware, Herts., from Basic Skills Days through to the 3 year Practitioner Course and post-graduate workshops. She also teaches regularly on the Marlborough and London courses. In addition, Liz also teaches on the ESS Teacher Training programme.

Liz is also a qualified Taiji instructor with the John Ding International Academy of Tai Chi Chuan and brings her knowledge and experience of Qigong and meditation practice into her classes. For further information on classes and courses in the Hertfordshire area, please visit www.lizwelch.co.uk.

Pete Woodcraft BA(Hons) DS MRSS(T) LicOHM MRCHM

Peter is the London Branch Director. Peter's background was in the world of business prior to training as a Shiatsu Practitioner, working as a project manager in technical publications and translation. He studied English and French at the University of Leeds and moved straight into his first job after graduation. Ten years of such work was enough to show him that he wanted something very different from his professional career and a growing interesting in Complementary Medicine led him to Shiatsu.

Peter completed his diploma in Shiatsu with the ESS in 1999 and gained membership to the Shiatsu Society Register in June 2000. He has since completed the ESS teacher-training program and takes classes in both Marlborough and London. Peter has gained a wealth of clinical experience while working for a charity in the substance misuse field over the past 3 years. He is also a qualified practitioner of Chinese Herbal Medicine. He brings this knowledge to his classes to help students learn to combine theoretical and practical skills in a way that is easily understood and fun to practise.