Do You Do Watsu?

[HelpMee]

Hi all!
The office I work for just moved into a new building and we now have a theraputic pool to use. I have been trying to think out of the box for our area and thought that Watsu would be an awsome alternative seeing how it isn't widely used in most places. I know a few of you have experienced Watsu, but do any of you practice it? What was the training like? Do you use it a lot? What do you charge for a session? Where did you get your training? Are there any recommendations you have for someone just looking into Watsu? Those of you who experienced a session, what was it like? Did you enjoy it? What kind of problems did you experience during the massage? Would you recommend Watsu?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I have taken 100 hours of Watsu training. Most Watsu training is offered in a 50-hour intensive week. There are classes offered regularly at Harbin, who also has registered teachers teaching all over the US, (and the world) for that matter.
My training was one (two) of the best experiences of my life. You become extremely close to your classmates who you are spending 24 hours a day with for the week. I could go on and on, gushing about how great it was. Maybe an example would be that I will most likely continue to take Watsu as my continuing education credits, even though it isn't much a part of my massage business.

Other than the fact that you need a particular body of water (size, temp., etc) Watsu is an incredibly flexible modality in which you can have a very quiet spiritual/energy session with a client to spinning, splashing, extreme stretching and everywhere inbetween. It is also flexible in that you can treat some clients more easily in the water. Obese clients, fragile clients, and people in extreme pain.

One of the challenges (this is huge!!!) to having Watsu be a viable portion of a massage practice is having the correct facilities. Sure, I could heat up a pool for my back yard, but I also live in a highly-governed city that has about 10 pages of rules for pools and the public.
Since I have done some training I have had only a handful of paying clients, because of a lack of a good pool. I worked at a private ladies retreat that had a 6foot diameter cedar soaking tub, and I performed Watsu on about 6 people. I have Watsued all of my family, since my parents have a pool, and I work at a hot springs resort which has a 92degree swimming pool in which I have Watsued all of my coworkers for trades. (The spa there isn't interested in figuring out how to offer Watsu-but that is another story) The cost for a one hour Watsu session that I have noticed at different places is usually about what a 90minute table massage would be.
I don't advertise that I do Watsu, because not only do I not have a reliable place to practice, but also I don't have enough training to advertise that I am a Watsu practitioner (according to the governing body).

I would like Watsu to be a larger part of my practice, and hope that it will one of these days.

So, my recommendations for you Doodab, would be to receive a couple of Watsu sessions from a couple different people, if possible. Check into the rules/regulations about pools in your area, and using them with paying clients. And then, I would recommend a shorter, weekend-type Watsu class. One in my area is....


http://www.breitenbush.com/events/may22-24.html

also, check out the main Watsu website which has a listing off all approved classes all over the world

http://www.waba.edu

I'd be interested to hear back about your experiences,
Noel

 

[Judas Jones II]

Just learned Watsu and Jahara techniques

I just learned Watsu and Jahara techniques and do not know where I can find a place to practice with clients. I'm not sure about hospitals or hotels, or where to find a pool or swimex pool that would have the temp at least 92 degrees.

Suggestions, ideas ?

Trish

 

[Tripy]

I had my first Watsu experience last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I had the opportunity to give and receive. As a giver, it is much easier to keep proper bodymechanics. And, it took some physical (and mental) coordination to work with the water, the reciever, and the self, lol. As a receiver, it was one of the most relaxing bodywork sessions I've ever had. I was able to relax enough to wonder where the water and I began and ended.

All around it was a wonderful experience for me, and for the group I was with. I liked it enough to consider learning and adding it to my massage toolbox at some point.

 

[Kirsty]

do you WATSU?

This is a really old topic, but I've been away from the boards for awhile, so bear with me as I reply?

WATSU was my only modality for years --- in pools that I had built expressly for this purpose (above ground pools with heaters at my home). The work was seasonal for exactly that reason, but a sheer joy to give, and from the feedback from clients, a joy to receive.

Now I work in a facility that has an indoor heated therapy pool, and can give WATSU year round --- and use it for lots of specific needs --- like IBS, FMS, and arthritis clients. Each client is different in the length of session they can tolerate, but WATSU is still my first love in bodywork.

It takes a bit of scheduling magic to incorporate WATSU into my practice, though ---- just the extra time needed to change clothes twice is a consideration. Talk about time keeping ----- if you think a client that deeply relaxes on the table can take a while to get ready to leave, consider a client who is wet, in a swimsuit, and limp as a noodle!

If anyone has not received a WATSU session and would like to ---- contact me and we'll see if we can trade. I am in North Carolina -- a lovely place to visit in the fall particularly. Come get WATSU'd!

 

[hgolden]

Like YMDW, I've been out of circulation for a while. Too busy studying watsu!! I absolutely LOVE it!

I've been through 50 hours of training, and am planning on going to the second level this spring. In the meantime, the wellness center where I do massage has a therapy pool which is not ideal, but functional (about 4" too deep for me, with water temp at about 96 degrees and chlorinated (yech)). I do practice sessions two to three times a week.

Being located in the Northeast, where aproximately .001% of the population has ever even heard of watsu, I see these practice sessions as a fantastic way to spread the word.

The people I have been working on are primarily associated with the wellness center and affiliated hospitals (primarily employees), fellow bodyworkers and friends. The wellness center has a strong physical therapy department, which uses aquatic therapy regularly with their clients. There is potentially a built in client base for when I have enough training behind me to start marketing myself.

In response to dodab, if you haven't already pursued this, Harbin Hot Springs in Northern CA is where it started and where Harold Dull, the developer of watsu, is located. There are centers all over the country and around the world that teach. The website that has the best info is:
http://www.waba.edu/

The class I attended was fantastic. I went to CA, and studied with Harold and another one of the long-standing teachers, Linda DeLehman. There were about 10 of us in the class, with a huge range of ages and life experiences. We all had a chance to work on each other over the week, and get watsu'd 2 or three times daily.

 

[dr.pepper106]

I am so proud of you Merlescruz for pursuing Watsu! I had an opportunity to learn a little Watsu this past Summer from a 74 year old woman that had tons of energy. I want to take more classes and find a place to practice. The exercise pool we used had something else besides chlorine. I can't remember right off but it didn't bother my skin or eyes or ears.

Congrats again!

Trish

 

[Kayt5]

I am so proud of you Merlescruz for pursuing Watsu! I had an opportunity to learn a little Watsu this past Summer from a 74 year old woman that had tons of energy. I want to take more classes and find a place to practice. The exercise pool we used had something else besides chlorine. I can't remember right off but it didn't bother my skin or eyes or ears.

Congrats again!

Trish

If you find out what was used in the pool instead of chlorine, please do post it! I just cannot get into a swimming pool anymore. I wish I could find a saltwater pool. WI is a bit far from the ocean for my good!

 

[gabrielle]

I do not do watsu, but i have a pool that uses peroxide as a disinfectant rather than chlorine and it is much more pleasant.

 

[redapples]

Hey Sharon,
I did some research and the pool I was in used Bromine. However, you can also have a chemical free pool by using Ultraviolet Light. In my opiinion I think Ultraviolet lights is the best way to go. Go ahead and go to Ask Jeeves, or whatever that website is called nowadays. Oh yeah, Ask.com and plug in chemical free or ultraviolet light pools and see what you think.

Good luck and let me know what you think.

Trish

 

[PossiblyNotMaybe]

I do not do watsu, but i have a pool that uses peroxide as a disinfectant rather than chlorine and it is much more pleasant.

Peroxide sounds great! Thank you!

 

[FYRE & REIGN RETURNS]

Hey Sharon,
I did some research and the pool I was in used Bromine. However, you can also have a chemical free pool by using Ultraviolet Light. In my opiinion I think Ultraviolet lights is the best way to go. Go ahead and go to Ask Jeeves, or whatever that website is called nowadays. Oh yeah, Ask.com and plug in chemical free or ultraviolet light pools and see what you think.

Good luck and let me know what you think.

Trish

Thank you! I wonder if I could gather enough information to get the community pool to consider one of these alternatives? There are a LOT of people I know who cannot get into (or go near) a chlorinated pool. Maybe, with information, they would want to quit poisoning the community they are trying to make healthier with the pool & fitness center!

 

[Victor]

Sounds like a great idea Sharon! I think if you gather all the information and take that to the powers that be then what choice would they have but agree with you Just do your homework and have the people that go into the pool give you feedback and if you get prices for them too I bet they will change how they clean the pool!!

Good luck to you!

Trish

 

[RuddiGer]

I used to swim in a pool that used bromine as well and I became so sensitive to the chemical that I couldn't even go into the pool room and watch my kids swim without breaking out in a rash that lasts for days and days. I forgot about it and on vacation in Pennsylvania just dangled my legs in a hot tub that had been treated with bromine and it just about ruined my vacation.

I don't seem to have an adverse reaction to chlorine when used around the house and I don't know enough about chemicals to know how closely the two are related. The salt water pool sounds great to me. Lisa

 

[le_rogers@rocketmail.com]

I was just in a hot tub the other day that uses a system called Nature 2

http://www.nature2.com/dc.asp

It has no chemical smell at all, using primarily silver and copper as antibacterials and anti-algae. There is some part of the system that PRODUCES trace amounts of chlorine (so that you don't have to manually introduce them), which clean up the dead materials by oxidation. This is the system I plan on using when I build my pool(s). They used a reverse osmosis filtration system as well.

 

[Max Powers]

Watsu Pool in Michigan

I would like to move to Michigan to be closer to my family, but I need to find a pool where I can practice Watsu...Does anyone know of any pool in southern Michigan? I can't seem to find any at all.
Thanks!