What Is Asian Bodywork Therapy

The principles and practice of Asian Bodywork Therapy (ABT) originated in Ancient China in approximately 3,000 B.C. It is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which includes Acupuncture, Herbology and Massage Therapy. Asian Bodywork incorporates a range of breath and energy work in addition to manipulative therapies. The therapist’s objective is to take into consideration the patient’s physical, emotional and mental state when developing a treatment plan. As a result, the therapist is able to treat the patient as a whole. Due to the growing demand for knowledgeable therapists by many patients, schools such as New York College of Health Professions have been leaders in providing quality Asian Bodywork Therapy education.

Unlike western practitioners, Asian Bodywork therapists do not solely focus on the physical health. Asian Bodywork principles instruct therapists to address the patient’s mind and body as one. Therefore, ABT therapists diagnose patients by discovering the physical, mental and environmental causes for their symptoms. For instance, if a patient is in an unhealthy environment, it may adversely affect their mental state and furthermore, the patient may exhibit physical symptoms. 

An example is when an individual is stressed or unhappy with their employment, it adversely affects their mental state, often causing anxiety and insomnia. If the stress persists, the body is weakened and physical symptoms including colds, indigestion, migraines and back pains can appear. A patient is likely to think that the cause of their illness is purely physical if they are not consciously aware of the root cause. Asian Bodywork therapists are trained to discover and treat the underlying cause of the health problem as well as relieve its physical symptoms. 

Upon uncovering the patient’s core issue, an Asian Bodywork therapist will develop a treatment plan which may include a change in nutrition, a massage therapy regiment, yoga and acupressure. The combination of Asian Bodywork Therapy modalities used to treat the patient are geared towards relieving tension, teaching the patient how to deal with the adverse environmental factors and enhancing the patient’s health as a whole.

With its main campus in Syosset, Long Island, NY and 3 locations in New York City, New York College of Health Professions offers a Bachelors of Professional Studies in Advanced Asian Bodywork. During the 10-trimester, 120-credit program, students complete their Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Massage Therapy and skills and in-depth assessment and practical study in Advanced Asian Bodywork Techniques such as Tui Na and Shiatsu. Graduates of this program are able to sit for New York State Massage Therapy Licensing Exam as well as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) certification exam. To find out more about Asian Bodywork Therapy or to become a practitioner, please visit www.nycollege.edu/academics/asian-bodywork-therapy.

Study Oriental Medicine at New York College of Health Professions

Oriental Medicine is a general term encompassing a range of traditions, philosophies and practices of ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Although its practice dates back to the ancient culture of China approximately 3,000 B.C., Oriental Medicine did not become popular in Western society until the 1980’s. Today, many of its modalities including acupuncture and herbalism are becoming widely used and incorporated into Western medicine as complementary therapies. Individuals looking to practice Oriental Medicine must acquire the proper education and licensing from an accredited program such as the one offered at New York College of Health Professions.

Oriental Medicine covers the modalities of acupuncture, Asian bodywork and herbal medicine. If you are already in the medical field, it is suggested that you research your market to find out which schools have the best programs. On average, a student will spend 3 to 4 years thoroughly studying Western health sciences such as physiology and anatomy, as well as the Oriental sciences, acupuncture, TCM history and philosophy, herbalism as well as T’ai Chi Chuan and Yoga. As part of their courses, students will learn about the components of Oriental Medicine, which include:

• ying-yang theory – the idea that two conflicting, yet complementary forces make up all life.
• the theory of five elements – the idea that fire, water, wood, earth and metal correspond to particular tissues and organs in the body and hence, can be used to explain how the body works.
• qi – the vital energy travels through the body via a series of pathways identified as meridians.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the use of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine by Americans has increased by 50% between 2002 and 2007 with 17.6 million acupuncture visits in 2007. With proper education, an Oriental Medicine practitioner has an opportunity to either develop a new career or further their existing one.
The Graduate School of Oriental Medicine at New York College of Health Professions offers a ten-trimester, 185-credit, accredited degree program from which successful students graduate with a Bachelor of Professional Studies/Masters of Science -Oriental Medicine. To ensure that their students are ready for this competitive field, the curriculum includes Western and Eastern nutrition, TCM diagnosis and holistic methods as well as Yoga, T’ai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong. To find out more about this Oriental Medicine Program and New York College of Health Professions which has 4 locations in the metro New York City area, visit http://www.nycollege.edu/academics/school-of-oriental-medicine.

Pursuing a Career in Oriental Medicine

Over the last two decades, the number of patients utilizing acupuncture has tripled so there is higher demand for Oriental medicine practitioners. These professionals have studied both acupuncture and herbal medicine. The increased demand has furthermore increased the employment opportunities for such trained professionals. Therefore, it is important to attend a respected Oriental medicine school that will help further your career. If you are already in the healthcare industry, you may be able to incorporate Oriental medicine into your current work. If not, there are other employment options such as working with wellness clinics, chiropractors, spas, hospitals and opening your own private practice.

The increased demand for practitioners has also increased the number of schools training students in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. While this offers students more choices, it can also be confusing. In order to make sure that you are selecting the school that is best for your future career, research the schools convenient to you to ensure they have experienced faculty, a strong curriculum and provide clinical internships. If you plan on having your own practice, the school you choose should offer courses on business management.

While the curriculums vary, some of the courses you can expect to take are western and Oriental physiology and anatomy, channels and points, TCM diagnosis, several styles of acupuncture technique, herbology, physical arts and Asian bodywork among others. If the school is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) you will graduate with a Masters level degree.

The Graduate School of Oriental Medicine at New York College ofHealth Professions offers an ACAOM accredited ten-trimester, 185-credit program from which successful students graduate with a combined Bachelor of Professional Studies/Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. To find out more about the Oriental Medicine Program or New York College of Health Professions, visit http://www.nycollege.edu/academics/school-of-oriental-medicine.