Trademark protection

“Watsu” is a trademark registered in Europe by WABA Italia, on behalf of Harold Dull, its creator. In case of legal infringement, improper use of the trademark and relied activities may be pursued by law.

The logo (Watsu Italia logo) is a registered trademark owned by WABA Italia. In case of legal infringement, improper use of the trademark and relied activities may be pursued by law.

Art. 473. Forgery, counterfeit or misuse of the distinctive pattern.
Those who may forger or counterfeit a trademark, intellectual or industrial properties, or its distinctive, national or foreign pattern and infringe, because of forgery or counterfeit, may be punished by imprisonment up to three years or by a fine up to 2.065 euros. The same penalty concerns those who may forger or counterfeit a license, drawing, industrial, national or worldwide pattern and use a license, drawing, industrial, national or foreign pattern without permission.
The regulation above is always applied in relation to the respect of the National laws, international agreements regarding the protection of intellectual and industrial property.

Art. 474. Placing on the National market and trade of items subject to forgery or counterfeit.
In observation of the regulation written above, those who may place on the National market items subject to forgery or counterfeit in order to trade them, possess or display them for selling, or place on market works of intellectual or industrial property being protected by a distinctive, national or foreign trademark, or being object of forgery or counterfeit, may be punished by imprisonment up to two years or by a line up to 2.065 euros.
The final lines of the last article are put into use.

Art. 475. additional punishment
Being condemned because of infringement relied to the two clauses listed above entails the publication of a verdict.

In case of fraudulent use by a third party, Watsu practitioners’ Association and institutes for watsu education reserve their right to sue and bring a civil cause because of brand damages to protect the discipline and its legal operators.
People entitled to use Watsu^® trademark are: certified operators (practitioners and teachers who pursue a continuing educational program) institutes for watsu education, Association connected to Watsu® that have been recognized by Harold Dull, creator of Watsu^® .

Thermal facilities, pools, hotels and wellness centers that benefit from non-authorized operators may be contacted by the managing board supervising policies of legal defenses for trademarks and warned of their illicit action. May they pursue in their infringement continuing to benefit from non-authorized operators, they will be pursued for the purpose of the law.

In respect of the laws and of this Art practice, a few association and so-called teachers offering one week-end licensing Watsu^® courses and other programs alike, have already been distrusted; facilities offering and promoting Watsu^® activities without permission or in lack of a properly educated staff have been requested to eliminate this service from their list; operators not having updated their skills for a long time have been invited to keep up with course credits dictated by WABA International and Watsu Italia. This regulation is to avoid confusion between Watsu^® and other practices having different roots and effectiveness, and moreover to grant costumers’ safety, who may run into unpleasant surprises held by non-qualified operators.

Watsu^® warranty

Giving a Watsu^® session may seem something easy and spontaneous, especially when admiring its fluidity, but, as for a lot of things that may seem easy in appearance, it requires cure and competence: Watsu^® learning foresees a long and scrupulous educational path, as it occurs for the other healing arts that treat the whole person.
Brief courses don’t exist, nor is it possible to be paid to practice Watsu^® before having entirely finished the educational program: this is what makes watsu practitioners competent and responsible.

If a facility has the intention to collaborate with a Watsu practitioner, how may it be guaranteed?

The person in charge may verify the practitioner’s license on the Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Register, that is a worldwide register where all authorized operators are listed. In Italy, exists a register where all practitioners, watsu teachers and people subscribing to Watsu Italia, are listed.

If a person would like to receive a watsu^® session, how to be guaranteed?

As stipulated by the law 4/2013, the costumer has the right to ask the operator which educational program he studied and if the professional practice may be authorized. Authorized operators entitled to give a Watsu^® session must have a certification recognized by WABA International, the same way as Watsu Italia practitioners. Those who require information in order to find an operator close to their home or need to verify an operator’s reliability, can write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .