About Jin Shin Jyutsu

Instinctually, people place their hands on their body to soothe themselves. For example, if we accidentally bump into an object, we automatically want to hold that injured area. Likewise, when our lower back hurts, or we have a headache, we naturally hold the areas of tension to help alleviate the pain. Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ) is a 3,000-year-old ancient healing art. There is a growing body of research on the use of JSJ that has shown it to be beneficial for a variety of health conditions.

Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ) is a gentle form of acupressure therapy that uses light finger pressure over specific points on the body while fully clothed. JSJ restores the flow of energy, which may be blocked due to illness or pain. JSJ is beneficial for a variety of conditions including acute and chronic pain, increasing immune function, eliminating fatigue, reducing stress, and improving digestion. Self-help techniques taught. 

Susie Plettner, ND, CCHH, LMT, CAT
Massage/Acupressure/Jin Shin Jyutsu Therapist
UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine

Susie Plettner is a licensed massage therapist and certified acupressure therapist with advanced certifications in Jin Shin Jyutsu, an acupressure therapy based in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is also a certified classical homeopath, a naturopath, and a certified doula (birthing assistant). She specializes in the areas of cancer, acute & chronic pain, family wellness, and women’s health using Jin Shin Jyutsu treatments, acupressure massage, and self-care practices. Before coming to UC San Diego, Susie built a successful private practice in the San Francisco area, where she also taught at The Acupressure Institute in Berkeley and at Trinity Massage College in San Francisco. In addition, she taught Jin Shin Jyutsu self-care seminars to medical students at the UCSF Integrative Medical Conferences as well as numerous seminars for cancer patients, nurses, parents, and the general public. Susie’s compassion and devotion to helping others with their healing led her to provide care to low-income women with cancer at the non-profit Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic, which provides free complementary cancer care. Susie began her studies in Jin Shin Jyutsu in 1995 while researching and practicing natural medicine in Guatemala and Honduras. She worked with indigenous communities to help create health programs that promoted hands on healing as well as the use of herbs, nutrition, yoga, hydrotherapy, and organic agriculture. She went on to become the Jin Shin Jyutsu organizer, inviting instructors from around the world to teach seminars in the San Francisco Bay Area, thus helping to bring new practitioners into the field. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology from Macalester College, graduated from Jin Shin Jyutsu Incorporated and The Acupressure Institute, completed her Doctorate of Naturopathy from Clayton College of Natural Health, and also graduated from the Institute of Classical Homeopathy. She is a fluent Spanish speaker.

How does Jin Shin Jyutsu work?

Like other ancient healing systems, JSJ is founded upon the principle that health or illness is associated with either the harmony or imbalance of our vital life force energy called “chi.” According to JSJ teachings, our bodies contain energetic pathways by which chi flows in order to feed life into cells and nourish internal organs. When one or more of these pathways become restricted, the resulting stagnation can lead to pain, discomfort, or disease.
Jin Shin Jyutsu employs the use of twenty-six “Safety Energy Locks,” similar to acupressure points to address disharmony in the body. By stimulating these areas with gentle finger pressure and holding them in particular combinations along the body, the body’s energetic system is balanced and restored to a more harmonious state. Jin Shin Jyutsu has been shown to relieve pain, alleviate acute and chronic conditions, eliminate stress and fatigue, promote optimal immune function, improve sleep and digestion, create emotional equilibrium, expand consciousness, and much more.

What happens during a Jin Shin Jyutsu treatment?

First your Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner will talk with you about your health history and health goals. Then she or he will use oriental pulse diagnosis and additional assessment tools to determine a proper treatment plan to address your particular condition.

To begin your Jin Shin Jyutsu treatment, you lay comfortably on a treatment table while fully clothed. JSJ is a gentle art that is practiced by using the fingers and hand to harmonize and balance the energy flow. It does not involve massage or physical manipulation of tissue. Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioners apply a harmonizing sequence—the stimulation of a specific or combination of safety energy locks. This harmonizing sequence re-patterns blocked energy to address the causes of imbalance in the body. A Jin Shin Jyutsu session generally last about an hour. People who receive Jin Shin Jyutsu sessions often comment on a significant and immediate reduction of physical, mental, and emotional stress as well as a profound state of deep relaxation.

How many treatments will I need?

The frequency and number of treatments differ from person to person. Some people experience dramatic relief in the first treatment. For complex or long-standing chronic conditions, one to two treatments per week for several months may be recommended. For acute problems, usually fewer visits are required, usually eight to ten visits in total. An individualized treatment plan that includes the expected number of treatments will be discussed during your initial visit.

What conditions are commonly treated by Jin Shin Jyutsu?

Patients seek JSJ treatments for a variety of conditions including shoulder and neck pain, back pain, sciatica, migraines, hypertension, stress, anxiety, grief, depression, insomnia, nausea, allergies, fatigue, ulcers, PMS, cancer, acne, TMJ, arthritis, asthma, infertility, constipation, fibromyalgia, and drug side effects. JSJ can also benefit the respiratory system, circulation, digestion, hormonal balance, menopause, pregnancy, immune system, concentration, and memory.

How do I choose the right Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner?

We’ve made it easy for you to find the right Jin Shin Jyutsu therapist by hand-selecting the very best practitioners from the community to join our team at the UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine. All of our practitioners are certified through Jin Shin Jyutsu Incorporated, licensed by the California Massage Therapy Council, and have years of clinical experience in the field. The best way to discover if JSJ is right for you is to schedule a visit at one of our convenient locations—Scripps Ranch, La Jolla, Downtown Concierges, or Perlman Pain Clinic. 

How much does Jin Shin Jyutsu cost?

Jin Shin Jyutsu therapy is not covered by most insurance companies. The fee for a one-hour session is $85.00. 

Package deals are available. Cash, Checks and all major credit cards are accepted.

To schedule an appointment, call toll-free 844-747-0474.