Julie Weeks

My working history has always been in health and education: I qualified as an Occupational Therapist in August 1985, retired in November 2023 and most of my clinical work was with people with musculoskeletal conditions. I also qualified as a Shiatsu practitioner in June 1997 and registered as a Shiatsu teacher in 2003, [Shiatsu Society (UK)] and retired in January 2025. Research for my MSc. dissertation (University of Southampton 2020; link to the publication shared in Dr Lam's October 2023 newsletter: https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Weeks-TCCIA-No-69-health.pdf); explored upper limb change after a short course of Dr Lam's Tai Chi for Arthritis. On a personal note, I have practiced Tai Chi and Qigong for many years for my own health, and know how much better I feel when I have done some exercise, especially Tai Chi and Qigong. My philosophy is to promote control of our own health, facilitate independence for as long as possible, with as much fun as possible. Wanting to combine my experience from years in the NHS with that from my oriental practice; to keep myself strong and help others to do the same, I trained as a Tai Chi for Health instructor in June 2014. I now run classes on Hayling Island and online.