To complement the article “An Atmosphere of Balance: Energy Kinesiology” in the March 2015 issue of MASSAGE Magazine. Summary: Energy Kinesiology is a very diverse field, with each approach having its own training program and certification.
Energy Kinesiology has evolved a great deal from its early origins in physical therapy 100 years ago. The field’s accessibility grew in 1973 with the publication of John Thie, D.C.’s book Touch for Health. No one, including Thie, could have predicted how this layperson’s guide to self-help would evolve into a profession that would draw people from all walks of life and go on to spawn many branches of Energy Kinesiology.
Even today, new approaches to Energy Kinesiology based on Touch for Health and its offshoots are being continually developed to meet the demands of the constantly changing circumstances and challenges of modern life.
Approaches to Energy Kinesiology
Each approach has its own training and certification program. This situation has advantages and disadvantages.
Most trainings are offered as individual workshops that build toward certification. This makes it possible for students to learn while still following another profession. In many cases, the originator of the program teaches much of the curriculum, giving students an opportunity to deeply understand its approach.
The downside to this approach is that in most cases, trainings are focused primarily on techniques, and may not cover important topics such as ethics, business, communication, or anatomy and physiology. Additionally, each school of Energy Kinesiology may approach the same technique uniquely, so there may be variations in the education of practitioners.
In an attempt to bridge these differences, the International Association of Specialized Kinesiologists was formed in 1988. It was a very exciting time in the field, bringing originators and innovators from all over the world together at annual conferences to share research and experiences with their colleagues.
The explosion of interest and expansion in the field in countries including Australia, Germany, Denmark and Norway was encouraging to those of us in the U.S. who lived in a culture that was somewhat less welcoming to Energy Kinesiology.
Energy Kinesiology Certification
Currently, most schools of certify their students according to their particular curriculum, such as the four-year certification in Eden Energy Medicine.
The only multi-curriculum certification available is supplied by the Energy Kinesiology Association, a national professional organization for Energy Kinesiologists. This certification was instituted in advance of any legal or legislative necessity and addresses the education of the whole practitioner.
The Energy Kinesiology Association was established in 1993 as the U.S. chapter of the International Association of Specialized Kinesiologists. It provides support, educational opportunities, and personal and professional enrichment for students and practitioners.
Representing a profession that is currently unregulated by the government, the Energy Kinesiology Association stepped up to the challenge of providing certification to its members, to ensure the highest standards of education and accomplishment in a field that is richly varied in its approaches and techniques.
For more information about training or certification, visit the Energy Kinesiology Association’s website (www.energyk.org).
The Energy Kinesiology Association offers a national, multi-day conference of leaders in the field every two years. Last year’s conference, in Washington, D.C., featured speakers Charles Krebs, Ph.D., James Oschman, Ph.D., and Sara Allen, Ph.D.
In alternate years, three regional, one-day events take place in the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast regions. Each region’s gathering spotlights local innovators and teachers. Events for 2015 will be held in the Washington, D.C., area; the Salt Lake City, Utah, area; and in Oakland, California.
Membership is open to students and professional Energy Kinesiologists, as well as organizations. We offer members an online newsletter several times a year.
In 2014, the Energy Kinesiology Association began a blog (www.energyguild.net) for people interested in or practicing energy therapies. It is a forum for discussion of topics related to energy, and especially legislation pertaining to energy.
This field offers many opportunities for the professional bodyworker. Visit the Energy Kinesiology Association’s website for the latest information about this continually developing modality.
About the Author
D
ebra Hurt Burchard began studying Energy Kinesiology in 1985, building on a lifelong fascination with energy. After learning Touch for Health, she studied with leaders in the field in the U.S. and Europe. She is an original Eden Energy Medicine faculty member and teaches and sees private clients around the country. She presents Energy Kinesiology training in the DVD, An Energy Testing Tutorial.