Hillhurst Jin Shin

What is Jin Shin Jyutsu?

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a touch-based method of restoring balance to the body’s bioelectric currents—also known as qi or chi—the subtle electrical signals that support everything from cell repair to organ function. These currents travel along specific pathways, known in acupuncture as meridians and in Jin Shin Jyutsu as flows. When the body is under physical or emotional stress, these signals can become disrupted, leading to symptoms like pain, fatigue, or poor immune function. Through light, focused touch at key points along these pathways, practitioners guide the body back into energetic and neurological balance.

This gentle stimulation sends signals through the fascial network to the central nervous system, encouraging a shift out of fight-or-flight and into a healing state. By working with the body’s own electrical and regulatory systems, Jin Shin Jyutsu supports both immediate relief and long-term resilience. If you’re curious about how Jin Shin Jyutsu works with the body’s electrical and nervous systems, this page offers a deeper dive into the science behind the practice.

What are the origins of the practice?

Jin Shin Jyutsu has its roots in Japan, where its principles were preserved and transmitted orally for generations. In the early 20th century, a philosopher and healer named Jiro Murai began to systematize the practice after recovering from a terminal illness by applying hand positions he observed in Buddhist temple statues—gestures known as mudras. His insights led him to refine Jin Shin Jyutsu into a structured healing art. His protegé, a Japanese-American woman named Mary Burmeister, brought the teachings to the West, translating and organizing them into more accessible formats for an international audience. You can read more about how Jin Shin Jyutsu began and evolved here.

What can I expect from a session?

Sessions are 80 minutes long and take place one-on-one in our private studio in Los Feliz or in the client’s home. Each appointment begins with a brief intake to discuss the client’s current state and areas of focus. The client then lies face up on a padded table—fully clothed, with shoes off—while the practitioner applies gentle, still touch to specific points along the body. These points are chosen to help regulate the nervous system, address areas of discomfort, and support the body’s own process of repair and regulation. After the treatment, the client is invited to rise slowly, followed by tea and a brief debrief in the adjoining room. The session often concludes with a simple home practice to continue supporting integration.

Most clients leave feeling calm, steady, and more at ease in their bodies. People experiencing acute physical pain, muscle tension, or anxiety usually find significant relief during the session itself, though chronic and complex ailments generally take multiple treatments to address. The effects of Jin Shin Jyutsu are understood to deepen and integrate in the eight hours following a treatment. You can learn more about how Jin Shin Jyutsu influences the body’s regulatory systems, and the research behind its effects, here.

Can Jin Shin Jyutsu be used as a complementary therapy?

Because it is gentle and noninvasive, Jin Shin Jyutsu is used around the world to support chemotherapy, surgery, and other challenging medical treatments. It also helps mitigate side effects from medication and accelerate the healing process—making it equally valuable for those recovering from illness or injury, managing stress, or performing at a demanding pace. Studies and case reports suggest benefits for symptom reduction, stress relief, and quality of life. You can read more about those studies here.

Can I receive Jin Shin Jyutsu if I’m immunocompromised?

Yes. Sessions are always one-on-one, with the practitioner wearing a mask. Jin Shin Jyutsu is often used as supportive therapy to help ease the side effects of immunosuppressive treatments. For autoimmune flare-ups, intensive protocols involving multiple sessions over consecutive days are available.

Is there a reason to book a treatment if I feel fine?

Yes. Just like regular exercise, Jin Shin Jyutsu supports overall well-being, not just symptom relief. Regular sessions promote bodily resilience and a balanced nervous system—making it easier to stay well rather than waiting until something feels off.

If you have a question that isn’t answered here, email hello@jinshin.la or text ‪(323) 283-9980‬.

I started seeing Sarita before chemo and radiation for stage III cancer. The Jin Shin sessions helped me stay grounded and strong through the whole process, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Sarita also taught my husband simple holds to help alleviate my symptoms while I received chemo. My doctors were taken aback by how well my body responded to treatment, and how enthusiastic and positive I was able to be throughout. I'm now cancer-free without surgery, and I truly believe these treatments helped me heal more fully and feel like myself during the process. I'm still practicing the simple holds Sarita taught us, and my doctors have commented on how quickly I’ve healed and regained my strength.
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M.L.

I tried Jin Shin with Sarita because I was looking for relief from anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. After my first session, not only did I feel calm and relaxed, I also looked different. My shoulders were lower, my skin more radiant, and my wrinkles less pronounced. (In fact, I've received multiple unsolicited compliments on my youthful appearance, all without the aid of Botox or serums!) I’ve continued treatments regularly, and the cumulative effect has done wonders for my mental health. Additionally, Sarita taught me self-help techniques I now use at home to relieve menstrual pain and other perimenopause symptoms.
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C.W.

Here's an experience you never have in Western medicine: a practitioner looks at your body and tells you things about yourself — things that you don't know — that are deeply sense-making. You feel put together, rather than torn apart. This is an experience I consistently have on Sarita’s table. I leave understanding myself in ways I haven't before.

I would be remiss not to mention that receiving a five-day intensive is probably the most transformative experience I've ever had, in a life full of healing modalities. I plan to do one every year until I die.
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F.P.

This was my first experience with Jin Shin Jyutsu, and it has truly been life-changing. During my pregnancy and postpartum recovery, I struggled with swelling, water retention, pain, and inflammation. After a very difficult birth, Sarita kindly came to my home to provide treatment, and the relief I experienced was incredible.

My inflammation visibly reduced, my discomfort eased more than with any prescribed medication, and I felt calmer and more balanced overall. Sarita is professional, thoughtful, and genuinely gifted. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
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L.M.

I received a Jin Shin Jyutsu “intensive” from Sarita – two sessions a day for four days. It was very blissful. We were working on an area of rigidity in my spine I have from a prior surgery. My osteoporosis makes it hard to receive many therapies, but Jin Shin Jyutsu feels great and my spine is more flexible than it has been since before my surgery. I have continued the holds Sarita suggested at home to prolong the benefits.
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C.S.

I had been receiving Jin Shin for many years before I found my way to Sarita. She is the real deal. These days I begin to soar the moment she starts reading my pulses, and at the end of a session I feel like I just slept for 72 hours. The work is intense and intensely beautiful. I could not recommend her more highly.
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T.N.