RENEW YOUR CERTIFICATION

NQA Certification Program 

What does the NQA offer?

Professional Member Certification is a benefit of membership in the National Qigong Association that provides an opportunity to inform the public of the depth and scope of the significant experiences that have helped mold the specialized careers of our members. Though certification is internal to the NQA as there is presently no national standard, it is supported by the full faith of our membership organization and may act to enhance and highlight one’s professional standing.

Who is eligible?

PROFESSIONAL members of the NQA in good standing are eligible to apply for either certification path. If you are not currently a member you can:

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Please read through this HELPFUL APPLICATION HINTS document to assist you in gathering the proper information for the application process.

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Download NQA Certification Definitions

Q: If I am already a professional member of the NQA, how is this different?

A: Certification is a separate additional option that you may choose to enhance and highlight your professional standing.

Q: How do I determine my proper level?

A: There are two divisions to Professional Member Certification: Instructor and Clinical. The two divisions or tracks are described below:

Qigong Teaching Track 

This track is for NQA Professional Members who wish to teach Qigong in public or private settings and show, through a validated national certificate, their various levels of training and personal practice. An instructor is someone who teaches Qigong principles and specific practical skill sets, and is well-versed in a variety of topics related to Qigong.

Qigong Instructor - Level I

• 200 hours of documented formal Qigong Training
• 2 years of personal Qigong practice

Qigong Instructor - Level II

• 350 hours  of documented formal Qigong training
• 3 years of personal Qigong practice
• 2 years experience teaching Qigong

Qigong Advanced Instructor - Level III

• 500 Hour documented formal Qigong Training
• 6 years personal Qigong practice
• 5 years  experience teaching Qigong

Qigong Senior Teacher - Level IV

• 1000 hours documented formal Qigong training
• 10 years Qigong experience teaching teachers or clinical practitioners
• Agree to participate in an interview with members of the Application Review Committee.

Qigong Integrative Practitioner

This track is for NQA Professional Members who primarily offer a skillset or healthcare modality that is complementary to Qigong but wish to show clients that their training in Qigong is sufficient to enhance their service offering and warrants national certification. This Certification is for those who primarily offer health and healing modalities at a professional level, and utilize Qigong principles and practices in their work to enhance their treatments.

Qigong Integrated Practitioner

• at least 350 hours documented formal Qigong training
• at least 5 years of personal Qigong practice
• 2 years experience integrating Qigong into your professional practice

Qigong Clinical Track

This track is for NQA Professional Members who offer clinical Qigong therapies and health support services and understand the value of displaying a validated, national certification. This is for those who engage in clinical Qigong healing modalities, treatment and health support services. 

Qigong Clinical Practitioner

• at least 500 hours documented formal Qigong training including 350 didactic hours (see website for description) 200 of which are specific to Qigong
• includes at least 100 hours of qigong treatment which may include contact and non-contact Qi emission, adjunct massage manipulations, and teaching of prescriptive exercises or any combination thereof.
• at least 2 years clinical experience
• must carry a current liability insurance policy
• an interview with members of the Application Review committee may be required

Qigong Senior Clinical Practitioner

• at least 1500 hours documented formal Qigong training includes at least 500 didactic hours (see website for description) 350 of which are specific to Qigong
• includes at least 1000 hours treatment which may include contact and non-contact Qi emission, adjunct massage manipulations, and teaching of prescriptive exercises or any combination thereof.
• at least 10 years clinical experience
• must carry a current liability insurance policy
• must participate in an interview with members of the Application Review Committee. 

Additional Questions Answered

Q: May a person hold certification in both tracks?
A: Yes, a person may hold certification as both Qigong Teacher and Clinical Practitioner and some of the same hours could apply to both. You may apply simultaneously on the same Certification Application.

Q: How will I benefit from this certification?
A: 1) You will receive a certification listing on your member page of the NQA website, a resource for the public seeking a professional with distinction.
2) Our publications often highlight certified professionals with articles about them and their practice.

3) You will receive a certificate for display so that the public/clients/students will know that you have been internally certified by the NQA. Please note that these benefits may change or be added onto without notice at any time, based on the needs of our members.

4) You will become part of a strong active organization involved in protecting Qigong from the numerous legislative attempts around the nation to control Qigong in a variety of ways, specifically in Mass. and Illinois.   Qigong should remain self-governed.  Your involvement will make us even stronger.

5) Within the last 3 years, the NQA has been actively involved in protecting Qigong from numerous legislative attempts around the nation. We have participated in joint efforts at writing legislation (Illinois S3516) and thwarted efforts in Massachusetts to license Qigong as a subset of bodywork. The only way we can keep Qigong autonomous (self-governed) is to have the numbers to speak up and let your legislators know we’re out there and are involved. Please join us in our efforts to protect our beloved Qigong by becoming a NQA Certified Professional member.

6) In response to the many attempts to legislate Qigong, the most popular response has been to seek the protection of “Health Freedom Act” related Bills. The California bill (SB577) has been very successful and been in force since 2002. 

All of the currently in-force or proposed Health Freedom Act related bills around the country, have one very important requirement written into them. they require that every practitioner (along with their treatment plan) provide documentation supporting their training and certification to potential clients and/or anyone requesting that information. A certificate from the NQA Certification Committee fulfills that requirement, and is likewise, nationally recognized.

Q: How much does it cost and for how long is the certification?
A: Initial certification extends for two years at a fee of $150 except for the Senior Qigong Teacher which has a fee of $250 due to the needed interview. Renewals are $50 and extend for two years. An upgrade or add-on is charged $100 except for the Senior Qigong Teacher, which is $150.

Q: Is there a requirement for continuing education for renewal?
A: Not at the present time, but a continuing education requirement for renewal may be initiated at some point in the future.

Q: What is a didactic hour of instruction?
A: Didactic hours include anatomy, physiology, Chinese medical theory and Qigong history, theory and philosophy (with regard to Qigong.) It is considered to be instruction received in a class setting from an instructor rather than clinical practice with patients.

Q: What is considered Formal Qigong Training?
A: Formal Qigong Training is considered in-person training, meaning that the teacher and student are physically present in the same location. It includes cultivation of the perception of Qi, and the experience of Qi in practice (neidan and weidan) –– cultivation of the Qigong State / Centering, cultivation of Rooting / Grounding, and includes the study of Qigong Theory, describing what Qi is, how Qi works, how Qi is utilized in practice, teaching and Qi emission. Formal Training includes an understanding, and Qi perception, of the Three Tan Tians, Jing / Qi / Shen, Yin/Yang polarity, Five Element Theory, and the Meridian / Acupoint system

Q: How are online, virtual training hours incorporated into my studies?
A: Classes where the teacher and student are connected online and can see and speak to each other describe “virtual training.” It may be one on one, or it may be a larger group. Virtual courses can have different values for certification depending on the specific circumstances of the online training. The certification committee has the discretion to decide on the number of hours to be awarded for virtual training in each individual case, up to 25% of the total hours required for a specific level of certification. A letter of explanation from the teacher explaining the format of the virtual training and what was taught will be needed as part of the committee’s assessment of the value of this training.
Example: Level I = 200 hours formal Qigong training, therefore the maximum number of virtual training hours would be 50.
Level II = maximum 87 hours out of 350
Level III = maximum 125 hours out of 500
 Senior Teacher = maximum 250 hours out of 1000 

Q: What if I receive additional training in the course of my certification?
A: If you wish, you may submit an upgrade. Just enter the additional information on a new application and send it in along with the appropriate fee. The supplemental application will be added to the information already in your file.

Q: How long does it take after I send in the application?
A: With the exception of the Senior Qigong Teacher – which requires an in-person interview with Certification Committee members – most applicants will receive a decision within a reasonable amount of time after full completion and submission of your application.

Q: What if my application is denied or if I receive a lower level of Certification classification than the one that I applied for?
A: If the application is denied or if you receive a lower level of classification than that for which you applied, you are welcome to apply again after one year.

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