Tai Chi CPD Workshop for Health Professionals

Image by Paula Solloway

We ran our first full day Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop for health professionals on the 8th November at Bingley Community Health Centre.

We felt a little nervous as we had a lot of information and practise to get across in one day. We spent a couple of months reviewing research papers, discussing, writing, and editing lesson plans, and just thinking it through.

We finalised our plan to cover the most recent systematic reviews on the benefits of regular  Tai Chi, recent UK guidelines on best practice with regard to physical activity - that also recommend regular Tai Chi practise, a brief history on the origins Tai Chi, and most importantly, plenty of practise.

We wanted to make sure that the attendees would get the chance to paraphrase Bruce Lee, to not just think about Tai Chi but feel it also.

Phil, Dr. Paul Lam, & Helen

We introduced the twelve attendees to the core movements of the Tai Chi for Arthritis programme created by Dr. Paul Lam, founder of the Tai Chi for Health Institute.

This short program proved perfect for our purposes as it has a good evidence base for its efficacy for improving health and well-being, and as a primary preventative exercise for falls prevention.


At the end of the day, feeling exhausted and elated at the same time, we gathered in the anonymous feedback forms from all the attendees. We felt a little more than blown away faced with the positive reviews.

We'll let the attendees words speak for themselves:

UK Physical Activity Guidelines 2019

Would you recommend this workshop, if so what would you say about it when talking with a colleague?

• "Good evidence base which is important for evidence-based practice. Practical workshop really good." 
• "I would say that this course was not only useful for my patients but useful for myself too."
• "Well presented, friendly atmosphere created Highly enjoyable and worthwhile.  Thanks."
• "Good passionate presenters; good amount of practical elements, thanks!"
• "Informative useful, well-paced, excellent."
• "Very useful techniques/ideas. Interesting new concepts."
• "Evidence-based - Engaging articulate hosts."
• "Very informative good instruction."
• "Enjoyable, learning a new experience. Anybody can do it."
• "Fantastic Knowledge very engaging teaching."
• "Good foundations for something bound to be more popular and relevant in the future of physiotherapy."

What did you find most beneficial?

• "Link of evidence to practice - the scientific basis."
• "Examples that were given of the conditions or presentations that may benefit."
• "Practical element very enjoyable and good pace."
• "Useful techniques/approaches to use in practice and to identify individuals to refer on."
• "Lead by medically framed/evidence-based professionals and constantly related to MSK conditions and biopsychosocial model."
• "Clear concise instructions, good info on background/history. 
• "Really enjoyed the practise and learning the sequences."
• "Practical and scientifically evidence-based." 
• "Measured clear instruction."
• "Ideas for falls patients! The ways moves can be applied to complex needs patients."

Image by Kate Bamber Photography

Anything you would have liked covered that wasn't in the workshop?

• "No."
• "Very thorough content."

We would like to express our appreciation to all the attendees on the day who got into the spirit of things right from the start and remained enthused to the very end.

• "You exceeded expectations!"

Based on the overwhelming feedback we feel inspired to run more CPD workshops for health professionals in the future.

If you would like us to run a dedicated evidence based CPD workshop for you and your colleagues, or you would like to find out more about Dr. Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Health programmes please do get in touch.



T: 07528 959091
E: huntunwellbeing@gmail.com

We look forward to talking with you.

Helen & Philip

Tai Chi, Nature, and Health

“We seem to know that time spent in green space is just what the doctor ordered.”

I wrote the above quote as part of a guest blog for the support organisation AfterTrauma. In that blog I talk about how natural spaces can help us cope with the ups and downs of life and the growing evidence from science that supports our intuition. And what has this got to do with your practise of tai chi chuan.

Well, if you delve a little deeper into the roots of tai chi you soon find out that those roots spring from the rich cultural and philosophical ground of Taoism (sometimes written Daoism). This short, beautiful film below gives a good primer on Taoism and how it relates in particular to the martial arts of China, the same roots from which our tai chi for health programme stem:



I often encourage people who come to our classes and workshops to see if they can find a little private space, a garden if they have one, or a quiet corner in a park for instance, where they can practise their tai chi form outside.

People don't hesitate to say how their practice of the tai chi form takes on a new sense of meaning when they do so. Some of the sequence names found in the various styles of tai chi that we learn, such as wave hands in clouds and gather celestial energy, suddenly make perfect sense when performed outdoors.

I hope this short blog and the links within it encourage you to get outdoors. You don't have to practise the tai chi form outdoors to get the benefit, taking a short stroll, or taking a seat in a green space will reward and reinvigourate you. You'll find yourself slip effortlessly into that mindful state that eases our sense of wellbeing in the world.

Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yoku

In Japan you will find people go to specially designated forest trails to ‘bathe’ in the healing balm of the trees. They literally call it forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku, and researchers have found that regular strolls in these lush spaces can offer profound health benefits for people living with many different long term physical and mental health conditions.

As I wrote in the guest blog for AfterTrauma, time taken to relax in green spaces proved especially important for my recovery from the significant trauma I experienced when I had my accident. It continues to remain an important part of my ongoing health and wellbeing today. So, if you can, get outdoors, relax and enjoy.

If you enjoyed reading this you may like to visit my other blog/website where you will find more pieces that touch on the arts, medicine, poetry, and more.

Do have a family member, friend or colleague who you think would like to read this blog? Please do share it with them.

Please do get in touch to let me know your thoughts.

All the best

Philip

Tai Chi Damps Down Inflammation Genes

Tai Chi as a moving mindful meditation appears to have a marked positive impact on dampening down inflammation in our bodies. This research study shows how our bodies inflammatory response effects both our physical health and mental wellbeing.

 

Tai Chi – Mindful Meditation

 

Two links well worth a read:

 

The first, an easy to read article from New Scientist that summarises the amazing implications of this study.

 

The second, the full research paper published on Frontiers In Immunology which the article above summarises.

 

A little tai chi practise each day will help. If you think a family member, friend or colleague would be interested in this post please do share it.

 

We look forward to seeing in you in one of our classes, one to ones or workshops.

Thank you

Helen and Philip :)