Tricia Yu, MA is a certified Yang Style Cheng Man Ch’ing lineage instructor and former director (1974-2005) of Tai Chi Center in Madison, Wisconsin, one of the oldest and largest schools in the US, and is the founder of Tai Chi Health. She taught tai chi and qi gong full-time from 1972 to 2015, is a pioneer in integrating tai chi into medical model exercise therapy and has enjoyed collaborating with health professionals for 40 years.
In 1981 Tricia collaborated with an occupational therapist to create the ROM Dance® Program, a relaxation and pain management program integrating tai chi principles into a medical model Range of Motion exercise. In 1996, she created the Original Tai Chi Fundamentals® Program, a prequel to traditional tai chi that can be integrated into medical model treatment, and in 2014 she created the simplified Tai Chi Fundamentals® Adapted Program with Optional Side Support, Wheelchair Support and Seated versions. From 2015 to 2019 she collaborated with a research team to develop the evidence-based Tai Chi Prime class series. Research on Tai Chi Prime.
Producer, director, composer, performer and author of a number of books and DVDs, her programs have been featured in numerous peer-reviewed journals and popular publications. She has presented at state, national and international conferences for health professionals, including the American Physical Therapy Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and Armed Forces Public Health conferences. She was an Expert Panel Member for NIH NCCAM-funded pilot clinical trial at Osher Research Center Harvard Medical School.
She loves gardening, preserving food, singing, playing the piano, walking in the mountains and playing with children.
Education: B.A. Behavioral Psychology, DePauw University; M.A. Education, Claremont Graduate University. Certified Yang Style Cheng Man Ch’ing Lineage instructor by Grand Masters: Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo and William C.C. Chen.
Details
Coauthor, articles for American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal, Journal of Rehab Management, American Physical Therapy Association’s Gerinotes, and Massage and Bodywork. The ROM Dance® Program book has been translated into Korean.
Her programs have been featured in Medline Plus; Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association; Journal of the Occupational Therapy Association; Health, Prevention, and Fitness Magazines; Wall Street Journal; Weight Watchers Magazine; and Journal of Asian Martial Arts.
Leaders in Tai Chi and health care recommend her Instructional DVDs, books and CDs. Reviewers in Booklist and Video Librarian give them the highest ratings and they are Harvard Women’s Health Watch’s recommended resources.
Tricia has lectured at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and conducted seminars for thousands of health professionals and the public. National conference presentations include: American Physical Therapy Association’s Annual Meeting 2001, 2004 and 2005; American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Summit Meeting 2001; Arthritis Foundation’s Annual Scientific Meeting 1981; National Wellness Conference Annual meeting 2002; International Tai Chi Research Symposium, 2009 and 2014; US Army Force Health Protection Conference 2009 and 2010; and Armed Forces Public Health Conference 2011. Expert Panel Member for Intervention Protocol Development NIH NCCAM-funded pilot clinical trial investigating Tai Chi and Mind-body Breathing for Patients with COPD, Osher Research Center Harvard Medical School, 2011.
See more photos of Tricia Yu over the years in Pat Culotti’s memorial letter (PDF).