“Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi” (TM) for Veterans Instructor Certification Program
Dr. Zibin Guo, Ph.D.
Dr. William Johnson
Background
Driven by the concept of cultural transformation, the US Veteran’s Administration healthcare system recently launched the Whole Health Initiatives shifting from a disease focused care model to a patient centered approach. As an integrated part of the Whole Health Initiatives, VA medical facilities across the country are encouraged to develop and implement evidence-based complementary medicine modalities including Tai Chi Chuan. The key objective of this effort is to employ these non-pharmaceutical and popular health care modalities to address issues influencing veterans’ overall physical, emotional, social and mental wellbeing, and to empower veterans to develop a proactive and healthy lifestyle. It is evident that in order to effectively develop and deliver these modalities it is crucial to cultivate a group of healthcare professionals who not only have the knowledge, skills and experiences in these modalities, but they are also able to apply them to veterans with various physical, social and psychological characteristics and needs.
From 2017 to 2019, funded by the Adaptive Sports Program of USVA, Dr. Zibin Guo and Dr. William Johnson conducted the three-day “Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi” for Veterans program (Wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi for Veterans) instructor training workshops at 24 VAMCs across the nation. During the current funding year (2019-2020), 12 more VAMC in 12 states are added to the total training sites. It is anticipated that by the end of this summer (2020), more than 500 healthcare providers of various types of disciplines will be provided with the training of this program.
These trainings have received enormous support and praises within US VA healthcare system for its implication in laying a solid foundation for a systematic effort of promoting Tai Chi practice among Veterans of all types of health and body conditions.
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/61896/milwaukee-and-madison-va-team-up-for-tai-chi-seminar-promote-mental-clarity/.
Many trainees already begun to implement the Adaptive/Wheelchair Tai Chi program (Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi) in both clinical and non-clinical settings across the country, the responses from the Veterans participants have been overwhelmingly positive.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/02/594914429/to-treat-pain-ptsd-and-other-ills-some-vets-try-tai-chi
Many of these healthcare providers requested to provide additional training and instructor certification opportunities to help them continually and effectively cultivate their knowledge and ability to implement the program. It is within this context, the “Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi” for Veterans instructor certification program was developed to further empower those VA healthcare professionals who are dedicated in employing this program as an intervention method to benefit veterans of all physical and health conditions.
“Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi” ™ for Veterans Program
The Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi for Veterans (Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi) for Veterans program, recognized by the Adaptive Sports Program of USVA, is an evidence based, and innovative method which makes Tai Chi Chuan, a traditional healing and martial art, accessible to veterans of all physical and health conditions. This program offers three major innovative features:
- The first feature is that the same sequence of movements can be practiced using four different methods – sitting, standing, walking and in a wheelchair, offering greater flexibility for anyone to practice this form of fitness program without being concerned with physical conditions and space constraints;
- When practicing in a wheelchair, it integrates wheelchair motions, the rolling and turning of the chair, with the dynamic, gentle and flowing movements of Tai Ji Chuan movements, giving practitioners a sense of an uplifting and empowering experience and transforming the wheelchair into a tool for creating power and beauty;
- During the instructing/practicing process, by focusing on the use of metaphors (e.g. stand like a tree, move like water, yield like bamboo, sit like a mountain), it intends to promote a meaningful and lasting experience in performing these gentle, circular flowing Tai Chi movements at both physical and cognitive levels, providing practitioners a sense of empowerment and transforming the seemingly limited physical and mental spaces to the unlimited ones.
The Certification Program
Currently, two levels of certification are provided to VA healthcare providers who participated in the “Dr. Zibin Guo’s Applied Tai Chi” ™ for Veterans (Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi for Veterans) training workshops conducted by Dr. Zibin Guo and Dr. William Johnson at VA medical centers across the country.
Level I Instructor Certification (35 Hours)
The three general requirements for the Level I instructor certification are:
- Evidence of proficiency in performing the 7 postures Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi form using both walking and wheelchair methods.
- Written Exam
- Fulfill 35 Hours Requirement
- Evidence of proficiency in performing the 7 postures Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi form using both walking and wheelchair methods.
We offer two methods of fulfilling this requirement:
Method 1 – At the Training Site
At the end of the 3-day on-site instructor-training workshop, the refresher course or any other forms of face-to-face training sessions conducted by Dr. Zibin Guo and Dr. John Johnson, applicants who have prior Tai Chi practice or teaching experience are encouraged to take this option and perform the forms in the presence of either Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson. Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson will evaluate the performances and inform the applicant if her/his performances meet the requirements. If the applicant needs to make some improvements in performing these forms, Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson will provide the applicant with constructive comments and suggestions, then the applicant will have the option of using the second method to fulfill this requirement at a later date.
Method 2 – Video submission
After the completion of the 3-day workshop including the refresher course, program applicants are expected to practice the forms (the wheelchair and the walking forms) frequently and make the use of the instructional DVD and the written manual. Applicants are also encouraged to keep frequent communication with Dr. Zibin Guo via email to discuss any questions they may have.
When the applicant is ready, she/he then records his/her performance of these two forms (wheelchair and walking) on a DVD disc and send it to Dr. Guo; or the applicant can upload the recordings to a web based free video sharing hosting site and send the link to Dr. Guo.
Video reviewing comments and suggestions will be provided to the applicant. Applicant will be asked to make the second submission if it is needed.
- Written Exam
After successfully fulfilling the first requirement, each applicant will receive a standardized written exam. The written exam consists of four essay questions, with the length of answer to each question being a half-page long minimum. These four questions focus on examining following areas of the applicant’s knowledge:
- Basic understanding of the fundamentals of Tai Chi Chuan and Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi in particular, including its characteristics and development.
- The general ideas and rationale of the Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi program
- Why Tai Chi programs in general and the wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi in particular are able to provide evident health benefits to veterans of various physical and health conditions.
- The general principles of implementing wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi programs as an intervention strategy for Veterans with various physical and psychological conditions.
Program applicants are expected to complete and return the exam to Dr. Guo via email within 10 working days. However, applicants can request extra time to complete the exam if it is needed.
- Fulfill 35 Hours Requirement
The Level I instructor certification program requires that each applicant must have a total of 35 hours of program participation. Applicants can fulfill this requirement by including the time of participation in the following areas of activity.
- Participation in the 3-day instructor training workshops (18 hours).
- Participation in the 1-day refresher course (6 hours)
- Any other training workshops conducted by Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson
- Participation in group practices
We encourage the program applicants to form a practice group and practice the wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi for Veterans program on a regular basis at each respective work unit. These practices should be constructively planned and engaged. Each of the practice sessions should involve group discussion on topics including the understanding of the forms and the ways of implementing the program to Veterans with all types of health conditions.
When submitting the practice hours, each applicant needs to indicate the date, and the length of time for each of the reported group practice sessions.
- Program Implementation
We have learned that many healthcare providers have already started to implement the wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi program soon after the completion of the training workshop. Program applicants can count the time spent on teaching/program implementation as part of the 35-hour requirement.
If an applicant chooses this option, he/she needs to submit the class(es) syllabus (or syllabi), a briefly written reflections on the program implementation (including the feedback from the Veteran participants, e.g. what worked and what needs to be modified) in addition to the time, date, length of each session and the number & characteristics of the veteran participants.
When all above three requirements are fulfilled, the applicant will be certified as a Level I Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi Instructor, and an instructor certificate will be issued.
- The Certification Fee
The fee for this certification program is $ 170. Fee is due when applicants enroll in the program.
Level II Instructor Certification (70 Hours)
The three general requirements for the Level 2 instructor certification are:
- Evidence of proficiency in performing the 13 postures Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi form using both walking and wheelchair methods.
- Written Exam
- Fulfill 70 Hours Requirement
- Evidence of proficiency in performing the 13 postures Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi form using both walking and wheelchair methods.
We offer two methods of fulfilling this requirement:
Method 1 – At the training site
At end of the 3-day on-site instructor-training workshop, the refresher course or any other forms of face-to-face training sessions conducted by Dr. Zibin Guo and Dr. John Johnson, applicants who have prior Tai Chi practice or teaching experience are encouraged to take this option and perform the forms in the presence of either Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson. Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson will evaluate the performances and inform the applicant if her/his performances meet the requirements. If the applicant needs to make some improvements in performing these forms, Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson will provide the applicant with constructive comments and suggestions, and the applicant will have the option of using the second method to fulfill this requirement in a later date.
Method 2 – Video submission
Program applicants are encouraged to practice the forms (the wheelchair and the walking forms) frequently and make use of the instructional DVD and the written manual provided. Applicants are also encouraged to keep frequent communication with Dr. Zibin Guo or Dr. Johnson via email and discuss any questions they may have.
When the applicant is ready, she/he then records his/her performance of these two forms (wheelchair and walking) on a DVD disc and send it to Dr. Guo, or the applicant can upload the recordings to a web based free video sharing hosting site and send the link to Dr. Guo.
Video reviewing comments and suggestions will be provided to the applicant. Applicant will be asked to make the second submission if it is needed.
- Written Exam
After successfully fulfilling the first requirement, each applicant will receive a standardized written exam. The written exam consists of four essay questions, the length of the answer to each question is one full page long at minimum. These four questions focus on examining the following areas of your knowledge:
- In-depth understanding of the fundamentals of Tai Chi Chuan/wheelchair/adaptive, including its characteristics and development.
- The ideas and rationale of the Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi program
- Some of the major health benefits that the wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi program offers to veterans of various physical and health conditions.
- The general principles of developing and implementing a wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi program as an intervention strategy for Veterans with various physical and psychological conditions.
Program applicants will complete and return the exam to Dr. Guo via email within 10 working days. However, applicants can request extra time to complete the exam if it is necessary.
- Fulfill 70 Hours Requirement
The Level II Instructor Certification program requires that each applicant must have a total of 70 hours of program participation. Applicants can fulfill this requirement by including the time of participation in the following areas of activity.
- Participation in the 3-day instructor training workshops (18 hours).
- Participation in the 1-day refresher course (6 hours)
- Any other training workshops conducted by Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson
- Participation in group practices
We encourage participants of the training workshop to form a practice group and practice the wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi for Veterans program on a regular basis at each respective work unit. These practices should be constructively planned and engaged. Each practice session should involve group discussion on topics including e.g. the understanding of the forms and the ways of implementing the program to Veterans with all types of health conditions.
When submitting the practice hours, each applicant needs to indicate the date, and the length of time for each of the reported group practice sessions.
- Program Implementation
If the applicants have already conducted wheelchair/adaptive Tai Chi classes or sessions, they can count the time of teaching/program implementation as part of the 70-hour requirement.
If an applicant chooses this option, she/he needs to submit the class(es) syllabus (or syllabi), briefly recorded reflections on the program implementation (including e.g. the feedback from the Veteran participants, what worked and what needs to be modified,) in addition to the time, date, length of each session and the number & characteristics of the veteran participants.
When an applicant fulfills the above three requirements, he/she will be certified as a Level II Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi Instructor, and an instructor certificate will be issued.
- The Certification Fee
The fee for this certification program is $ 170. Fee is due when applicants enroll in the program.
Currently we are developing “Train-the-Trainer”, the third level instructor certification program. We will make it available to you once it is finalized.
Registration Process
If you are ready to enroll in any of the above two certification programs, please send email to Dr. William Johnson: johnjohnson@appliedtaiji.com
Recertification Process
As with most professional certifications, the only way to maintain the integrity and the quality of the program is with recertification. Your initial certification is valid for 2 years. Since the program is continually, evolving updates are necessary to improve your knowledge and enhance your skill. Methods for teaching various populations with different health challenges will be discussed. Update workshops are also a great time for sharing knowledge with other certified instructors. Each certified instructor is required to continue practicing and teaching the program and must recertify every 2 years. That can be accomplished by attending a workshop led by Dr. Guo or Dr. Johnson and completing a reading assignment followed by submitting a brief synopsis of the reading material. The cost of the recertification workshop and process is one-half of the original certification workshop and certification process. Instructors who allow their certification to lapse will not be allowed to use Dr. Guo’s name or Adaptive Tai Chi International in any of their publications and their name will not be listed as a certified instructor.