Code of Ethics of the French Shiatsu Institut (IFS)

In order to become a certified IFS practitioner, students are required to adhere to IFS’s Code of Ethics. Consequently, all certified practitioners from our school are responsible for behaving and practicing in strict accordance with the following rules and orientations:

1. Respect of clients : IFS practitioners shall commit themselves to honouring and respecting clients’ physical and moral integrity.

2. Confidentiality : IFS practitioners shall respect strict confidentiality.

3. Reasonable and justified fees : IFS practitioners shall commit themselves to practice reasonable and justified fees for their services while remaining free to offer sessions when necessary or as volunteers.

4. Professional excellence : IFS practitioners shall strive continually to give their best by improving their knowledge and professional skills.

5. Professional integrity : IFS practitioners shall refrain from influencing their clients in communicating their political or religious convictions. Such behaviour shall constitute a valid reason for IFS to exclude the practitioner.

Furthermore, IFS practitioners shall keep in mind that Shiatsu is not part of medical practice in the western sense of the word. Consequently all certified practitioners from our school are responsible for behaving and practicing in strict accordance with the following rules :

1. IFS practitioners shall refrain from giving any medical diagnosis whatsoever.

2. IFS practitioners shall refrain from interrupting or modifying medical treatment.

3. IFS practitioners shall refrain from prescribing or advising medication.

4. IFS practitioners shall refer clients showing suspicious symptoms to a medical doctor.

5. IFS practitioners shall remain open minded and respectful of medical and paramedical disciplines.

6. IFS practitioners shall keep in mind that Shiatsu is neither a medical practice nor an ideology but a manual technique mainly intended as a preventative health measure stimulating the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

Non-compliance with any of the rules enumerated here above shall lead to the exclusion of the practitioner.