Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention with Julie Oberhaus

Tai Chi for Arthritis for Fall Prevention

Dr. Paul Lam and his team of medical and tai chi experts designed this program to be safe and effective for people who are at increased risk of falling. It will also provide health benefits and improve almost anyone’s quality of life. More than 30 medical studies have shown its efficacy, and millions of people around the world have gained health benefits. This is why the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), government agencies, and arthritis foundations around the world support it. Tai chi is proven to improve immunity by about 50%. It also relieves stress and improves almost all aspects of health.

Based on the Sun style of tai chi, Tai Chi for Arthritis for Fall Prevention (TCAFP) is easy to learn, effective, and safe. It improves flexibility and muscle strength, increases heart/lung activity, aligns posture, improves balance, and integrates the mind and body.  The TCAFP program includes warm-up and cool-down exercises, the teaching method, knowledge about arthritis and the cause of falls, and how to teach this program safely. This program is the same as the Tai Chi for Arthritis program with the addition of a specialized module to further enhance its efficacy in preventing falls.  Qualified participants who successfully complete the course may be accredited by the Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach this program.

This training has two parts, a self-paced online portion and a live interactive portion. The Self-Paced Instructor Preparation Package (SIPP) is a self-paced virtual program containing essential material plus instruction in the basic movements to train effective and safe instructors. All you have to do is follow the sequence with Dr Lam’s video guides for every step. Complete the quizzes at the end of each unit to move on, and at completion of the SIPP you download your Certificate of Completion to send to the Master Trainer.

After completion of the SIPP, you are ready for the live interactive instructor training workshop to be eligible to become a Tai Chi for Health Institute (TCHI) board-certified instructor. All TCHI Master Trainers around the world can conduct this workshop as listed online at the Tai Chi for Health Institute (tchi.org) website. The listing will indicate whether it is offered on a virtual platform or in-person, and how the hours (minimum of 8) are distributed into 1 or 2 sessions.  

Suitable participants include health and fitness professionals or those with other similar qualifications, and experienced tai chi students.

The live workshop is very personal. The Master Trainer will work with you to answer your questions, help to improve your tai chi, and ensure you can teach the program safely and effectively.  There will be discussions, practice sessions, and sharing of skills and knowledge, Question and Answer portions, and, most importantly, personal interaction. The Master Trainer will give you feedback on what you did well and how you can improve your tai chi and teaching skills and connect you to the Tai Chi for Health Institute (TCHI), fellow instructors, and Senior Trainers and offer continual support.

Reasons to Come

• Enjoy learning at your own pace and the personal training to become eligible to be an instructor of this program
• Learn how to teach this program effectively and safely
• Discover how tai chi improves health and relieves arthritis
• Learn Dr Lam's Stepwise Progressive Teaching Method
• Gain essential knowledge about arthritis and fall prevention
• Learn about the essential principles of tai chi
• Improve your level of tai chi in a positive, enjoyable, and interactive environment

Who Can Come?

Anyone with or without prior tai chi experience can attend this workshop. However, preparation is mandatory.

Registration Process

When you register for the live interactive training, you will receive a link to purchase the prerequisite online SIPP course. Normally priced at USD 80, your link will allow you to purchase it at a discount of 30%. You must go to Online Tai Chi Workshops and purchase this separately from paying your course fee to the Master Trainer. It must be completed before the live interactive training. Allow 25-70 hours, on your schedule, and forward the Certificate of Completion to the trainer to qualify you for participation in the live interactive workshop. Do enroll ASAP because you must complete it before participating in the live interactive portion. You will have access to the online SIPP material for one year, and you will find it a great support to your teaching skills.

By the Completion of the Workshop, you will:

• Know the Tai Chi for Arthritis for Fall Prevention set at a deeper level
• Understand how tai chi improves health and relaxation and helps prevent falls
• Have learned how to teach this program effectively and safely
• Have improved your tai chi skills and knowledge
• Have learned how to attract and retain more students

Clothing

Wear loose comfortable clothes and flat shoes suitable for exercise.

NB:  The name of the Master Trainer authorized by Dr Lam to conduct this workshop is displayed on the workshop location and details page. 

Tai Chi for Health Program Updates

At this workshop, instructors have an opportunity to update their other Tai Chi for Health certifications. Let the Master Trainer know in advance that you are interested in updates. Additional fees apply.

For more information please click here

This is a one-day, in-person instructor certification training workshop.  Prior to this workshop, you must complete the Self-paced Instructor Preparation Package for Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention (SIPP-TCAFP) and forward a copy of your completion certificate to Julie.  Expect to spend approximately 30 hours to complete the SIPP, for those newer to tai chi it may take longer to complete the program.

Once you register, you will receive information on how to register for the appropriate SIPP course.  This comprehensive package contains essential material to be a safe and effective tai chi instructor for the Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention program.  There are additional webinar videos included that will enhance your tai chi development.  You will have access to these lessons for a year.  It is the responsibility of the participant to purchase your SIPP subscription, you will be given a discount code, bringing the fee down to $56.  

Additional required material to be purchased by the participant for the training includes Dr Paul Lam's Teaching Tai Chi Effectively book and the Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Handbook. You will also receive a discount code for the book bundle and instructions on how to order.

During the live instructor training workshop, we will review the material from the SIPP lessons, including all of the movements.  Participants are expected to be able to perform the sequence of movements from memory, so follow along with Dr Lam on the SIPP lessons and practice each section until you can perform the movements from memory before moving on to the next section.

To prepare, please practice with the streaming lessons included.  Your preparation helps assure that you become certified at the end of the training.  I make every effort to ensure that everyone is certified. Those who are not well prepared may require additional practice and an additional Zoom meeting to meet the standard for certification.  

Following the training, those meeting the standard for Instructor Qualification will be invited to join the Tai Chi for Health Institute.  Membership is required for certification.

Total Cost = Workshop Fee + Educational Materials and TCHI.org Membership

Workshop fee: $380 

Educational Materials & Membership Fee: paid individually by each participant for items listed below (approx $150 total)
Detailed Instructions on how to order your materials, along with discount codes, will be sent once registration is complete.

• SIPP Online training access for a year. Use the discount code to pay $56 USD for a one-year subscription
• Teaching Tai Chi Effectively book and Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Handbook with a 20% discount. ~ $27 USD
• 2-year Standard TCHI Board Certification Membership currently $69 USD

All certified instructors are listed online on the Tai Chi for Health Institute website. The Institute provides ongoing support at all instructor levels.

Instructor Updates: Workshop Cost: $200 Renewal of instructor qualification

     ***It is highly encouraged for updating instructors to complete the SIPP training if you haven't completed it before ($56 after discount).  Information regarding the SIPP, subscription, and discount code will be provided once registration is complete.***

It is the responsibility of each certified instructor to have current CPR/First AID or equivalent, before teaching.

ACSM CEUs (up to 20 CEUs) are available for those interested - $30 administrative fee to be paid to the Master Trainer.

"The American College of Sports Medicine’s Continuing Professional Education Committee certifies that the Tai Chi for Health Institute’s Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention course (100054) meets the criteria for up to 20 official ACSM CECs from 10/22/2025 to 10/22/2026. The ACSM Education Provider approved course reflects the concepts of their respective organizations and does not necessarily represent the positions or policies of ACSM.” 

CANCELLATIONS two to four weeks prior - $100 CANCELLATION FEE

NO REFUNDS two weeks from the training date. If you have a conflict and cannot make it to the training, you can attend another workshop with Julie, either in-person or on Zoom, at a later date.

Milano Family Senior Center
Melrose, MA

Contact:

Julie Oberhaus
dancingcrane8@gmail.com
978-219-4847