Barral Institute Hong Kong (BIHK) is the only official, authorised Hong Kong affiliate of Barral Institute Headquarters, based in Florida USA. Barral Institute is a global health educational leader, providing advanced, post-graduate osteopathic manual therapy, including Visceral Manipulation (VM), Neuro-meningeal Manipulation (NM), Vascular Manipulation, Manual Articular approach for joints, Manual approach to the Brain (MAB) and some Advanced Visceral Manipulation (AVM) courses etc.

The Start

All courses are created, developed & refined by the founder of Barral Institute: Dr. Jean-Pierre Barral (D.O., MRO-F) who constantly evolves, developing new courses for e.g. brain, synovio-lymphatic system.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Barral, a French osteopath and physiotherapist, carries the essence of osteopathic approach, developed a unique assessment approach: Listening Techniques - to train the hands to locate where the body lies the biggest tension that requires treatment. Dr. Barral developed an interest in biomechanics and studied the relationship between organs and musculoskeletal structures while he worked at Grenoble Pulmonary Hospital as a physical therapist at his 20s. He collaborated with a lung specialist (Dr. Arnaud to studying tension patterns of tissues on cadavers, then on living subjects clinically, which led him to eventually develop Visceral Manipulation.

His dedication to research and clinical practice has earned him international recognition. He served as president of the International College of Osteopathy in Saint-Étienne, France, and was a member of the faculty of Médecine de Paris Nord – Université Paris Nord , where he directed the Department of Visceral Manipulation , the first to teach Visceral Manipulation in a medical school.

In 2001, Dr. Barral’s innovation was also recognized by TIME Magazine , which named him among the “Top Healing Innovators” , as an innovator of Manual Therapy of the new millennium. 

The Present

Barral Institute offers its training programme worldwide through its affiliates. The Hong Kong affiliate was established by Dr Alice Tsang in 2010, who retired in July 2025. Ivy Mok, an avid student who became a teacher, stepped up to carry on the legacy with devotion. Ivy is aspired to help training health practitioners in HK to be proficient in this modality, by conducting course seminars, study groups, and case sharing upon students’ interest. If you are new to VM, and would like to know more about “What VM is”, with testimonials from patients, you can visit Ivy’s website to understand more.

Alumni of BIHK include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, traditional Chinese medical practitioners, sports therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, medical doctors, acupuncturists, personal trainers and other allied health professional body workers. BIHK strives for bringing high quality teaching for students studying in HK. Class size ranges from 20 to maximum 40, with adequate teaching assistants to assist students’ need. At present, courses of BIHK are accredited with CPD by Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association. We are waiting for the same accreditation from Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association.

The Future

BIHK invites experienced teachers all over the world for courses that help building students’ skills from foundational to advanced level. Study groups are arranged periodically to assist students to deepen their practice. BIHK also sells educational materials, textbooks upon students’ demand. Case sharing workshops / in-service training / introductory lecture about Visceral Manipulation for universities or hospital setting are also our scope of service. Please send us an email for more information.  

Together we grow stronger! BIHK welcomes students to submit case study sharing for educational purposes to the public.