ELLSWORTH — Healthy Acadia is set to provide Tai Chi for Beginners Instructor Training this summer, led by Tai Chi for Health Institute Master Trainers Pat Lawson and Nina Zeldin. The two-day workshop will take place at the Moore Community Center Theater, located at 125 State Street in Ellsworth, on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Tai chi, known for its slow, smooth, and continuous mind-body exercises, offers individuals the opportunity to enhance their health and well-being. Tai Chi for Health Institute courses have been specifically designed to deliver health benefits promptly, catering to various conditions and suitable for people of all ages and physical abilities. The training program, encompassing qigong and Yang style mind-body movements, establishes a gentle yet solid foundation for improved health and well-being. This opportunity offers a pathway to deepening knowledge and expertise in tai chi, enabling participants to actively promote health and well-being within their communities.
While the two-day training welcomes participants of all backgrounds, it is recommended that students possess a firm understanding of the form and sequence of movements beforehand in order to fully maximize the workshop experience and obtain certification as an instructor. Therefore, prospective attendees are advised to engage in advance preparation by utilizing the Tai Chi for Beginners DVD or online course to familiarize themselves with the movements. The Institute’s Master Trainers suggest allocating a minimum of 20 hours to practice with the DVD or electronic course, ensuring full readiness for active participation in the training.
The course materials are available at www.taichiproductions.com. These materials include the online digital course or DVD, as well as the book “Teaching Tai Chi Effectively.” The course fee is $285, plus materials. The estimated cost of the materials is $40, but as a paid course registrant, you’ll receive a 20 percent discount code for your order of the course and book.
Review additional information, course preparation requirements, and register at https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/workshops/workshop/?workshop_id=6619. For more information contact Nina Zeldin at [email protected] or 207-479-1206.
Nina Zeldin has served as Healthy Acadia’s Tai Chi for Health Program since its launch in 2014. She teaches six to eight community classes each week and coordinates classes for Healthy Acadia’s Community Instructors. To date, over 2,500 people have participated in the program. Populations reached include older adults, children, people in recovery from substance misuse, and developmentally challenged children and young adults. As Maine’s sole Tai Chi for Health Institute Master Trainer, Nina is able to certify new tai chi instructors and recertify existing instructors.
Nina’s passion for sharing the health benefits of Tai Chi for Health Institute programs springs from her own experience. Regular tai chi practice helps her manage symptoms of the chronic health conditions she experiences, and she finds joy in helping empower others to improve their health and well-being.
While Nina’s passion ignited Healthy Acadia’s Tai Chi for Health Program, it is the Tai Chi for Health Institute curricula and community of sharing that fuels its development and allows it to flourish. The science-based, safety-focused, and step-wise progressive teaching method of the programs makes it easy for people of all abilities to enjoy the health benefits of tai chi. This is the magic Nina strives to foster.
Click here to see Nina’s TCHI certifications and upcoming Instructor Training Workshops. Click here to explore Healthy Acadia’s community tai chi courses.
Pat Lawson is a retired Secondary Language Arts teacher from Florida who has been practicing martial arts for over 48 years. In 1992, after exploring various forms such as Judo, Karate, and Northern-style Kung Fu, Pat discovered that tai chi chuan offered a perfect blend of all aspects.
As an accredited Master Trainer, Pat has delivered Tai Chi for Health programs in many areas of the U.S., positively impacting countless lives. Pat has served as the chair of the education committee of the Tai Chi for Health Institute since 2018 and continues to teach in Martin County, Florida, spreading the benefits of tai chi to all who are eager to learn.
Healthy Acadia is a 501c3 nonprofit community health organization that works to build vibrant communities and make it easier for all people to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s efforts to address food insecurity, and other health initiatives, visit www.healthyacadia.org.
The Tai Chi for Health Institute was founded in 2010 by Dr. Paul Lam and many of his colleagues with the purpose of empowering people to improve their health and wellness through Tai Chi for Health programs. The Tai Chi for Health Institute is a 501c3 nonprofit organization working to empower people to improve their health and wellness by making Tai Chi for Health accessible to everyone. Learn more at https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org.
