Acupressure Training for Medical Providers & Birth Professionals

The Spring 2023 Class is Open!

This cohort starts with a 30 minute welcome class on May 18, 2023. It will be recorded if you miss it. If you want to still join us for this class (the next class won't be until the fall at the earliest), I opened up registration for this cohort on next Thursday, May 25th. There won't be a class that day but you can still watch all of Debra's videos and have time to join us for the two live classes in June. Hope you join us!

Register Here! 

Watch a short clip from the live point location class here.

Making Birth Better.

Seattle based author and acupuncturist, Stephanie Gianarelli and world renowned acupuncture pregnancy specialist, Debra Betts teach western medical providers and birth educators how to incorporate acupressure into the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, labor and postpartum. 

Pregnancy

These classes are for:

  • OB/GYNs, MFMs, FMOB, NPs and Midwives
  • Nurses
  • Doulas 
  • Massage Therapists
  • Birth Educators

Acupressure for Labor Prep, Labor and Postpartum - Certificate Course

This training is 6.75 hours and includes: 

  • 30 Minute Welcome class with Stephanie Gianarelli (May 18, 2023 at 5 PM PST)
  • Two hour training module - Acupressure for Labor Prep, Labor and Postpartum (filmed by Debra Betts)
  • 75 minute training module - Emotional Considerations Using Tacks and BBs (filmed by Debra Betts)
  • One hour training module - Using Moxibustion (filmed by Debra Betts)
  • One hour point location class with Stephanie Gianarelli (will be recorded to watch later if needed) (June 1, 2023 at 5 PM PST)
  • One hour live Q&A with Debra Betts and Stephanie Gianarelli (will be recorded to watch later if needed) (June 8th at 5 PM PST)
  • Certificate of completion
  • Acupressure toolkit of moxibustion, tacks and BBs!

This course is $200. You can register here.

Backstory and about the instructors:

Stephanie Gianarelli

Clinic Director, Stephanie Gianarelli and internationally known lecturer and author, Debra Betts have come together to teach a series of classes for western medical providers and birth professionals on using acupressure to prepare for labor, during labor and postpartum. 

Stephanie Gianarelli is the author of Planting the Seeds of Pregnancy: An Integrative Approach to Fertility Care and the founder and clinic director of Acupuncture Northwest & Associates. Stephanie brings her 20 years of experience to this class.

Debra Betts

Debra Betts is the most well known pregnancy acupuncturist in the western world. She has written text books that all acupuncture students in the west learn pregnancy acupuncture from. She is also the driving force behind sharing the power of acupressure especially in late stage pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Her booklet on using acupressure during labor has been translated into over 8 different languages. 

As this knowledge has spread throughout the birthing community, western medical providers have begun to see the benefit of this work and have begun to request the training themselves. That's how these courses came to be.

Research:

Smith CA, Collins CT, Levett KM, Armour M, Dahlen HG, Tan  AL, Mesgarpour B. (2020) Acupuncture or acupressure for pain management during labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD009232.
Conclusions: Acupressure led to decreased pain and C-sections.

Chen, Y., Xiang, X. Y., Chin, K., Gao, J., Wu, J., Lao, L., & Chen, H. (2020). Acupressure for labor pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, 96452842a0946044. Advance online publication.
Conclusions: Acupressure decreases duration of labor and perception of pain.

Türkmen, H., & Çeber Turfan, E. (2020). The effect of acupressure on labor pain and the duration of labor when applied to the SP6 point: Randomized clinical trial. Japan journal of nursing science : JJNS, 17(1), e12256.
Conclusions: Spleen 6 decreased perception of pain, duration of labor, and increased satisfaction.

Makvandi, S., Mirzaiinajmabadi, K., Sadeghi, R., Mahdavian, M., & Karimi, L. (2016). Meta-analysis of the effect of acupressure on duration of labor and mode of delivery. International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 135(1), 5–10.
Conclusions: Acupressure reduced cesareans and time in labor.

"Today I am attending a birth, and my clients attended your acupressure parents class. It was so helpful for them. A lot of confidence and connection with the parents. Great team work in general. I am in love with K1 . Today I decided to use the point with a spiked little ball while she was doing some hip movements on the birthing ball because she was experiencing some anxiety. I was stimulating points BL32, and her partner was using Ll4 at the same time. Great team work. Point K1 worked when she was receiving her epidural. I am starting to feel confident using the points. "
- Luisa - Birth Doula
"The cervix wasn't ripening after the pitocin so I used acupressure diligently and within 2 hours the cervix was dilated to 8 cm!"
- - Midwife