New short introductory one day courses
Chinese herbal patent course | Wrist & ankle acupuncture | Oriental foot massage

Acupuncture Diploma Training Course

Maria Mercati's Acupuncture training course consists of Modules 1.2 & 3. Total contact days - 56.

Module 1 - Tui Na Foundation Diploma
14 days - Basic TCM theory is taught through the medium of Tui Na which is used in the practical context from the start. Our Tui Na course is very thorough and comprehensive giving enough TCM to apply an effective Tui Na in a therapeutic context. (you learn both the location and function of 100 acupoints)
This not only gives confidence in touching and treating people before inserting needles, but gives students the opportunity to become familiar with the body and various health issues. Being able to accurately locate the acu-points, feeling and detecting pathological changes in the underlying tissues is vital before ever inserting a needle. No student should ever insert a needle into a patient without this theoretical and clinical experience. Students who do not have any acceptable qualification in Anatomy & Physiology ( ITEC ) must do the Anatomy & Physiology course.

Module 2 - Tui Na Master Practitioner Diploma
20 days - ( you learn over 100 new techniques for treatment, tongue & pulse diagnosis as well as the syndromes). Module 1 & 2 provide a strong foundation of TCM needed for the Acupuncture

Module 3 - Acupuncture Diploma
22 days - If you are prepared to study more intensively you can do Module 2 & 3 simultaneously.

EXEMPTIONS : Medically qualified persons ( doctors, physiotherapists, registered osteopaths, chiropractors, homeopaths, nurses,Western herbalists – members of NIMH ) can go straight to Module 3 - Acupuncture. A one day primer course will be necessary to learn basic knowledge on meridians, points and TCM essential for the Acupuncture module. Cost - £150. There will be a points location test based on this which must be passed. Instead of doing a 2 day medical acupuncture course, choose Bodyharmonics- module 3 to learn the unique combinations of acupoints for effective treatments.
Qualified Shiatsu practitioners can go straight to Module 3. Qualified Sports Therapists. With over 23 days training. Must do Module 1 – Tui Na foundation before Module 3 – Acupuncture

Bodyharmonics is liaising with the Department of Health regarding standards. There are present no statutory regulations.

According to our students, our courses can be described as qualitative rather than quantitative. They are like distance learning with intensive periods of contact. The intensity of contact study is much greater than that which would be the norm in a College of Higher Education.

All aspects of TCM are taught during the Modules 1,2,3. It is progressive. Our acupuncture course is founded on the application of theory to the practical situation which is always supervised. Students do lots of private study to achieve the standards required for safe and effective practice.

Acupuncture is a practical skill which needs lots of practical
experience.

" Our acupuncture course gives each student the opportunity to practice needling each acu-point, accurately, deeply and experience first hand the unique different effects and
sensations.

Ultimately, the ability to use Tui Na with acupuncture greatly enhances the effectiveness of treatment for all conditions. Tui Na provides the ideal practical base on which to build Acupuncture. Students who possess Tui Na qualifications will have:

• a working understanding of TCM
• an ability to diagnose the body in health and disease
• an ability to use meridians and acupoints in a clinical context.

The combination of Acupuncture with Tui Na creates some of the most powerful medicine available in the world today.

" Our carefully controlled acupuncture point combinations are practised both in class and used for your out-of-class case studies. They help you build up mega confidence in treating all kinds of musculo-skeletal conditions as well as internal problems on a wide variety of people. By the time you take your exams, you are experienced enough to work as an acupuncturist.
Most of the other schools do not give you this hands-on training and tend to teach basic TCM theory as an academic exercise since practical clinical acupuncture only comes in much later in the course. However long the course, understanding the complexities of TCM takes a lifetime of study.

This acupuncture course is recognised by the Institute for Complimentary Medicine and the British Register of Complementary Practitioners. The BODYHARMONICS Diploma enables you to practice professionally in the UK and gain insurance through UK Oriental Medicine professional practitioners.

Dates and fees for next acupuncture course
Book your course place here

What is Acupuncture? "Acupuncture involves the insertion of disposable needles into accurate, specific acu-points along the energy pathways of the body. to systematically balance and harmonize the flow and functions of the intrinsic energies of the body which the Chinese call, Qi." Maria Mercati

Different styles of acupuncture. It is important that the public is aware of the differences that exist between the distinct styles of acupuncture at present used in this country, so that they can make an enlightened choice of practitioners or training courses. The problem arises that the public assumes acupuncture is acupuncture from who ever you receive it or wherever you train. This is misleading.
Unfortunately, the terms 'acupuncture' or 'traditional acupuncture' are used indiscriminately. Most acupuncture performed in the U.K. is likely to be described as traditional but this gives no clear description of the exact type of acupuncture being offered.

This causes a problem as it is very confusing for the public who without a detailed knowledge of traditional Chinese medical theories will regard "traditional" as relating solely to the kind of acupuncture practised in China. A minute proportion of the British population know that there are different styles of acupuncture.

'Traditional' could mean the type of acupuncture performed in present day China. This is very powerful and more invasive with deeper needling than the much more gentle and shallow acupuncture commonly used by practitioners trained in Britain.

I believe it would be more suitable to have separate designations to describe these differences. Acupuncture Chinese approach, Acupuncture Western approach

There is also another style that is based exclusively on Five Element theory which uses acupoints mainly located on the extremities and where needle insertion is often very brief. This is a different style to the two described above and some members of the public may not wish to experience the less comfortable, stronger acupuncture of traditional Chinese medicine. This could be described as: Acupuncture Five Element approach
.
The public should be made aware that doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, etc do a very short acupuncture training, mostly just 2- 5 days. They mainly do acupuncture for pain relief relating to musculo-skeletal problems. They come under a group called British Medical Acupuncture.

At the BODYHARMONICS centre, we teach - Acupuncture Chinese Approach.

Many patients are paranoid about acupuncture needles however, and being able to offer Tui Na in addition to acupuncture gives you another set of options.

• all musculo-skeletal conditions & sports injuries
  • Repetitive strain injuries to muscles, tendons and joints
  • Osteo and rheumatoid arthritis
  • Spondylitis, tendinitis, bursitis
  • Knee conditions
  • Frozen shoulder
  • Epicondylitis
  • Back pain, sciatica
• acute and chronic internal conditions
  • Insomnia Headaches, migraines
  • Allergic rhinitus, hayfever
  • Earache, tinnitus
  • Asthma, coughs, eczema
  • Diarrhoea, constipation, IBS, hypertension
  • Gynaecological disorders, PMT, menopause
  • Depression, anxiety, broken heart
  • ME, MS,
• to powerfully boost the body's immune response

Cupping can be used on its own or after acupuncture to effectively treat several conditions.