2 New Appointments
- Corona McGurk, Mentor          
- Saranya Tarrant, Clinical Skills Seminar Teacher

The Role of the International SHEN Therapy Association (ISTA)

Feature on SHEN Retreats available worldwide

SHEN reunion in Victoria, Canada

Cathrine Greene Revealed
- SHEN Therapist
- Acclaimed Artist
- Author

New Zealand news and Workshops

Communication from Cameroon

UK Workshop Schedule for 2012

The Role of the International SHEN Therapy Association 

from  Vanecea Greene CSI, CST, Mentor, ISTA Trustee/President

 The purposes of the Board is to:

 Serve the collective needs of the worldwide professional SHEN Community and to be the collective voice of the independent professional SHEN Practitioners in common matters.  To further these ends it shall while striving to embrace and practice the principles and philosophy of SHEN Therapy.

 What does the board do ?

 1)  Oversee the development of the professional practice of SHEN Physio-Emotional Release Therapy as determined by Richard R Pavek and the Instructors Advisory Council of the SHEN Therapy Institute.

2)    Establish guidelines for appropriate standards of practice in the several countries and regions where its members practice.

3)    Establish, maintain and enforce a uniform code of professional ethics.

4)    Establish and administer the SHEN Internship Program.

5)    Establish and maintain current standards and criteria for Certifying SHEN Therapists.

6)    Assist in defending against misuse and infringements of the SHEN Service Mark.

Governance of the Board

 The board of trustees will determine, authorize and supervise all activities of the Association.  Given the sensitive nature of the members own therapeutic work, and recognizing the need to promote the unfettered exchange of information , ideas and concerns, all matters under discussion by the Board of Trustees and or its Executive and Standing Committees, whether during or outside of meetings shall be held in completed confidence by the Officers, Trustees, Committee members and other necessary participants.

In the Board we have the following Standing Committees:

1)     The Certification Committee (Laurie Hoover, Chair)

2)    The Ethics and Grievance Committee (Gabriela Beisel, Chair)

3)    The Financial Committee (Russell Fox, Chair)

All Board of Trustees take precedence over the Executive Committee which reports to the Board.  The Executive Committee shall take any actions it deems necessary between the regularly scheduled and ad hoc Board Meetings.

We have Annual meetings by phone and Interim Board Meetings via email

 2012 will see 2 Clinical Skills Seminars –

one in the Northern Hemisphere – in Ireland,

and one in the Southern Hemisphere in New Zealand. 

Participating in the Clinical Skills Seminar is a major requirement towards Internship and these 2 Seminars will boost the nu mber of Interns and in turn Certified SHEN Therapists.

 In the Spring of 2012, Sedona, Arizona will be host to a Certified SHEN Instructors Gathering with the theme: “SHEN & ISTA's Next Steps; Preparing Now for the Future”

Richard Pavek, SHEN’s Founder & Developer, describes the relationship between ISTA and the SHEN Therapy Institute.

“SHEN is composed of two branches, the SHEN Therapy Institute and ISTA, the International SHEN Therapy Association. Though both share a single office, they are separate entities and have separate purposes.

The SHEN Therapy Institute

  The SHEN Therapy Institute is the center of training and maintains all student records, here in Sausalito; the Institute supplies all training materials. This is why students desiring to become Interns are able take their requisite Workshops anywhere in the world – or take part in one region and the rest in another – and have them count towards their entrance requirements. There is little confusion because all the Instructors are teaching from the same book(s).

The Institute has a Director and an Instructors’ Advisory Council; Instructors automatically become members of the Council when they are appointed Instructors.  In the past, bi-annual meetings were held the day before the bi-annual ISTA Board meeting.  Now, with the advent of Skype the Council is able to hold meetings on the internet. Any Instructor can call for a meeting of the Council, which is held if the issue involved cannot be handled through a short round of emails.

The Director appoints all Workshop Instructors, Seminar Instructors and Mentors.

 SHEN training materials.

The SHEN Therapy Institute is responsible for developing all training, formal SHEN courses (Workshops and Clinical Skills Seminars) and Mentoring, worldwide. The SHEN Workshop Manual, the Clinical Skills Training Manual, and the Table Charts are the accumulated wisdom of myself, the early Instructors and the current Instructors’ Advisory Council.

While there is considerable allowance for emphasis and individual teaching styles, all Instructors are required to teach the techniques and principles outlined in those manuals. Instructors who develop useful new techniques bring them to me to circulate among the other instructors, so that the others can test them. When a majority find the new techniques to be useful, they are added to our procedures. In this way, SHEN remains alive and current. Minor updates are made and incorporated into the training manuals as needed.

When I become aware of errors in practice, I investigate the source and will send out a Good Practices note to all ISTA members who are current in their dues. 

It is worth noting that the fundamental principles on which SHEN rests, have not changed since SHEN’s beginning, thirty-four years ago."

October brought glorious weather in which to hold the 3 day Part 'A' SHEN Emotional Healing & Personal Empowerment Workshop at Sanctuary, home to Heart of England SHEN Therapy Centre in Bewdley.   

For one student, Jonathan Chambers, the workshop was a real catch in more ways than one.  Taking a walk along the Riverside during one lunch break, Jonathan helped a struggling fisherman land a huge catch!

Comment from  Workshop participant:

“I feel that we were all open and shared a special time together and meeting up after the training hours was delightful.  All the Instructors were wonderful and I appreciated learning from each of them with all their experience.   The atmosphere was very harmonious as we were all intent on learning and sharing. The SHEN Part A workshop was a wonderful life enhancing experience and I highly recommend it!  I have already been enthusing about the course as I think it is such and enriching workshop to attend!"     Workshop Evaluation Form.                      Time to Celebrate!

The close proximity of the hotel to Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and Kelvingrove Park provided a delightful lunchtime outing for the culture vultures and nature lovers amongst the students and the plethora of gourmet restaurants was available to please every palate.

Several participants declared an intention to further their training in SHEN Therapy.

Comment from the Glasgow workshops:

"The atmosphere – creation of a nurturing, yet learning environment, but not patronising or over-involved.

  Great Group of People, good balance of personalities.

Workshop was great.  I'm more confident.  A huge amount moving so fast."

The new Group provides Certified SHEN Therapists and Interns a forum for information sharing, discussions and ideas for the development of SHEN Therapy in the UK.

"This is an important step in confirming the status of SHEN Therapy  as a scientifically researched healing technique focusing on the release of painful emotions trapped in the body to bring about physical healing and general well-being." Tony Bailey, Certified SHEN Therapist.