Tai Chi for Health: Solutions for Falls, Fitness, Strength & Stress – Ralph Dehner

Course Description

Tai Chi for Health: Solutions for Falls, Fitness, Strength & Stress – Ralph Dehner

Some of your clients need more than traditional therapy.  Something that is more than -therapy as usual that will have them eager to engage in the therapeutic process. Yet you still need to use evidence-based practices to be reimbursed for your care.

Research shows Tai Chi combines gentle and adaptable exercises you can easily use with your clients for a variety of benefits, such as:

• Improve flexibility and balance to prevent falls
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Strengthen cardiovascular system
• Decrease chronic pain
• Recover from injuries and surgeries faster

Revolutionize your treatment sessions by incorporating elements of Tai Chi into your treatment plans for a variety of needs.

No experience with Tai Chi is required, as your instructor – a Master Trainer with the globallyrecognized Tai Chi for Health Institute – will teach you the movements step-by-step. This experiential live webcast will have you moving as you learn. Your instructor will connect the dots between the practices of Tai Chi, meditation, and positive psychology and demonstrate the techniques most appropriate for the rehabilitation your client needs.

Discover how you can use Tai Chi to add fun and energy to your sessions, engage your clients, and focus them on the path to healing and change.

1. Examine the evidence behind Tai Chi and how it benefits your clients.
2. Utilize safety precautions for Tai Chi when teaching others.
3. Apply the Stepwise Progressive Teaching Method during treatment.
4. Incorporate mindfulness in Tai Chi practice to enhance health and well-being benefits.
5. Practice the dan tien breathing method to promote relaxation.
6. Independently apply the basic Sun, Chen and Yang style movements of Tai Chi by the end of the course to strengthen clients’ flexibility, core and balance.
7. Demonstrate the various Tai Chi movements into a seated position to be used for non-ambulatory patients.
8. Develop practices of incorporating Tai Chi into real-life situations for fall prevention.

THE LATEST RESEARCH ON TAI CHI AND ITS BENEFITS

• Benefits to physical, emotional and mental
• What the research tells us
• Why Tai Chi is the ideal solution for fall prevention

DIFFERENT TAI CHI MOVEMENTS FOR VARIOUS THERAPEUTIC REASONS

Chen style: the original style

• Features: fast/slow moves; low stance; explosive demonstration & therapeutic relevance

Yang style: the most popular style

• Features: large flowing movements; gentle yet powerful demonstration & therapeutic relevance

Sun style: the newest style

• Features: higher stances; reduces joint stress demonstration & therapeutic relevance

HOW TO INCORPORATE TAI CHI INTO YOUR PRACTICE

Affect behaviors positively

• How to motivate your clients to start the road to recovery
• Choice theory
• Positive psychology
• Mindfulness

Affect rehab outcomes positively

Group exercise

• Introduction to Qigong
• Warm-up exercises
• Standing postures
• Tai Chi walking drills
• Cooling-down exercises

GROUP THERAPY PROGRAM (YANG STYLE)

• Still form practice/stepping drills
• Adaptions for knee, joint, and balance limitations
• Strategies for increasing strength and balance

GROUP THERAPY PROGRAM LAB (SUN STYLE)

• Intro of -Basic 6 Moves
• Essential principles for fall prevention

THE STEPWISE PROGRESSIVE TEACHING METHOD

• Why safety is so important in Tai Chi

SEATED TAI CHI FOR NONAMBULATORY PATIENTS

• Group therapy program