"This method of acupuncture is what I thought I would be getting 18 years ago in acupuncture school, but did not get. In this program, the spirit of this medicine is alive and vibrant.
The points, as taught in this program, touch our very soul and feed our body and mind. The treatments are a symphony of points, combined not only to support one's own natural healing mechanism, but to allow one to have a strong and direct core spiritual connection. This type of acupuncture, for me, is the true acupuncture." - Susan Dennett, L.Ac., Class of 2006-2007
"This course has given me what I was originally looking for when I went to school to study TCM. After working for 7 years as an acupuncturist, I felt I was not able to give the patients what they needed. I did not want to practice any more. Now, I look forward to practicing and continuing to grow with Classical Five-Element Acupuncture. I love this system and the guidance that has been given to me during this course. This medicine has helped transform every area of my life. I feel more alive, more aware, and more joyful."
- Sophia Hartell, L.Ac., Class of 2006-2007
"The class provided a coherent, organized way to effectively use Five Element acupuncture. As this gift is delivered, it is proving able to be integrated into my psychological practice. This has brought great gains to my patients and greater joy to myself in the way I am now able to deliver care."
- Alan Blanc, M.D., Ph.D., L.Ac., Class of 2006-2007
The true essence of how and why acupuncture REALLY works for people, and why it doesn't was revealed in this class. Why Five Elements is not properly taught
in school is beyond me, but it was done here. All those who practice acupuncture should be required to take this course. Without this training, how can anyone really be in the practice of acupuncture? - Cheryl Brooks, L.Ac. Class of 2005-2006
"The nine month program at the Institute of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture changed my life forever. I learned how to create better rapport with my patients, improved my diagnostic skills by using pulse, color, sound, odor, and emotion, and developed a deeper understanding of the spirit of the points. My practice has grown significantly as a result of taking this program. Thank You!" - Kim Florez, L.Ac.
"This program evoked my sensitivity, intuition, and creativity - and then taught me a framework with which to use these qualities in the practice of acupuncture. In Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, my inspiration and practicality are allowed to come together in an elegant, exciting dance which is potent to both my patients and myself." - Elizabeth Heffelfinger, L.Ac. Class of 2005-2006
"The course exceeded expectations. The teaching methods used an excellent mix of didactic, experiential, and modeling in a supportive environment for feedback and enhancing of clinical skills. I am so grateful to be able to learn medicine (healing) in a way I always believed in my heart and soul that it could be practiced. Many, many thanks." - Andrea Kachuk, M.D.
"This medicine gives me a profoundly elegant system that integrates all of my major life experiences: of mothering, of reaching people at the level of love, and of my experiences in nature. I now have a system that I can fully commit to because I have experienced it in a myriad of ways in my life. I carry a new sense of wholeness into the world and into my work as an acupuncturist." - Ellen Arndorfer, L.Ac. Class of 2005-2006
"The course went far beyond expectations. Knowing and understanding a body of knowledge is not always synonymous with being a good instructor/mentor. Of the many teachers I have had over the years, Neil is one of the most gifted and vital teachers I have ever had. Thank you, thank you, thank you." - Jessica Yadley, L.Ac.
"I would willingly take this program again, and again, every year...for the rest of my life. With this medicine, the opportunity to learn, and more importantly, the opportunity to grow is never ending. The program itself provides a forum that is educational, enlightening, inspiring, safe, and, above all, fun in which to learn and grow. Neil's teachings, mentorship, and friendship make the process of becoming a Classical Five-Element practitioner seem effortless." - Corinne Nichols, A.P., L.Ac., Class of 2005-2006
"If you truly want to live your life to the fullest, this program is wonderful place to place to take the journey. This is not a place where you will learn tools of conscious living only to forget about them later. You will not forget these tools, and they will change your life. Here, you will truly become an instrument of Nature and serve your patients with utmost respect and guidance towards health." - Desiree Ferrell, Oriental Medical Student, Class of 2005-2006
"This program teaches the missing link between patient and practitioner. It is invaluable to anyone in the medical field." - Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac., Class of 2005-2006
"I would recommend this program to anyone who loves to have fun and is willing to step outside of their "box". - Jessica Yadley-Raggio, L.Ac., Class of 2005-2006
"Studying Classical Five Elements Acupuncture has given me an entirely new perspective and approach to my acupuncture practice. The points have come alive and vibrant as I have learned their translations and have gained a much deeper understanding of their applications. This form of acupuncture is like the Tao, beautiful in its simplicity, but far from simple." - Jessica Yadley-Raggio, L.Ac Class of 2005-2006
"This medicine gives me a profoundly elegant system that integrates all of my major life experiences: of mothering, of reaching people at the level of love, and of my experiences in nature. I now have a system that I can fully commit to because I have experienced it in a myriad of ways in my life. I carry a new sense of wholeness into the world and into my work as an acupuncturist." - Ellen Arndorfer, L.Ac. Class of 2005-2006
"This program evoked my sensitivity, intuition, and creativity - and then taught me a framework with which to use these qualities in the practice of acupuncture. In Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, my inspiration and practicality are allowed to come together in an elegant, exciting dance which is potent to both my patients and myself." - Elizabeth Heffelfinger, L.Ac. Class of 2005-2006
"This ancient approach to healing is holistic in the truest sense of the word. Under the exceptional guidance of Neil Gumenick, the Program is intensely rewarding and has rekindled my passion for medicine." - Angelica Duenas, M.D., Class of 2003-2004
"I am so much more confident in diagnosing as patient's underlying disharmony. The in-depth study and knowledge of the 'spirits of the points' has provided me with a framework to choose a treatment plan that reaches my patients at the deepest levels of their need. This Program was the best career move I've made since my initial acupuncture training at UCLA." - Diane McCormick, M.D., Class of 2000
"As a graduate, I was a Teaching Assistant with this year's class. It was truly miraculous to watch students" barriers drop, fears and insecurities disappear, old and ingrained ways of being simply melt before my eyes - to be replaced with keen awareness, the spontaneous joy of accomplishment, and the excitement of having this magnificent system of healing embodied within." - Pam Francis, Ph.D., L.Ac., Class of 2002
"The experience of studying Classical Five-Element Acupuncture with Neil Gumenick has transformed my life. I feel more connected to my patients and better able to assess their individual needs. There is such beauty and simplicity to this medicine. Thank you Neil for helping me begin this amazing journey!" - Kathleen Keneally, L.Ac. Class of 2003-2004
"If you ever really wanted to practice medicine in a way that touches the very essence of each patient in the way that each needs most - and expands and enriches you with every treatment you give - this is the place to learn how. Neil Gumenick teaches with clarity, compassion, precision, wisdom, and patience. He is the finest instructor I have had in my career." - Kim Smith, M.D Class of 2003-2004
"The study and practice of Five Element Acupuncture is a wonderful journey that took me to my own deepest Self and let me discover the very Essence of my fellow human beings. It helped me see Life in its pure and vibrant simplicity and brought me closer to that quiet, peaceful place called Happiness. It enriched my daily medical practice significantly. Neil Gumenick proved to be a very skillful and dedicated guide on this journey, the best you can wish for. His masterful teaching and enthusiasm are a constant reminder that it's only through climbing that we can conquer new and higher peaks." - Elizabeth Sebestyen, M.D., Class of 2004-2005
"My senses have been deeply awakened through the study of Classical Five Element Acupuncture. Chinese Medicine has come alive in a new and dynamic way which encourages me to treat the whole patient; body, mind and spirit rather than a described set a symptoms. This class has provided a framework which allows me to deeply touch an individual in a truely transformational way. In this way, no one person can be seen or treated in the same way which will forever keep my approach to this work spontaneous, fresh and interesting." - Kara Maxwell L.Ac., Dipl. O.M. (NCAAOM)
"This course is a personal journey as well as a professional one. It is not for the faint of heart. It is an adventure of discovering and confronting one's limitations, blocks and blinders to being effective in any and all areas of life. I am grateful to be a part of this intimate group of humble practitioners; and my respect for the healing process has deepened exponentially. If you want your work to inspire you, enliven you and keep your attention, then this program is for you." - Michele Fry, Class of 2004-2005
"Having practiced allopathic medicine for over 20 years, I (and many of my
patients) had become disenchanted with the focus on symptoms, and with the
negative side effects that are often worse than the disease itself. I was
ready for a change, and was searching for a system of medicine that was
natural, effective, and treated the problem at the level of cause. I found
what I was looking for in Neil Gumenick's course on Classical Five-Element
Acupuncture.
Neil is such an effective teacher that having taken the course
part-time over the course of a year, at its completion I felt eminently
qualified to incorporate this knowledge into my medical practice. Now, I am
enjoying my profession again, because my patients are not only getting
relief from physical symptoms without unpleasant side effects, but are also
getting relief on the deeper and more causative levels of mind, emotions,
and spirit. This course has been life-changing for me. I highly recommend
it!" - Jim Brooks M.D., Class of 2003-2004
"Classical Five-Element Acupuncture is a life changing experience, both as a practitioner and patient. To be able to touch people on such a deep level of healing is truly awe inspiring. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is willing to grow and to help others grow, as well." - Martin Murphy, MSTOM, L.Ac., Class of 2004-2005
"Neil is an excellent teacher - dedicated, passionate, and focused. His deep love for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture is easily palpable and generously shared in the class. It is a beautiful opportunity to learn about this deep medicine that touches the spirit so profoundly." - Gemma Paton, L.Ac., Class of 2004-2005
"The Classical Five-Element Acupuncture Program offered by Neil Gumenick will cause you to discover new facets of yourself and grow in your ability to be the best practitioner you can be. He teaches with love and passion." - Carol Barnes M.D., Class of 2004-2005
"Five Element Acupuncture is not just a system of medicine. It is a way of life that now infuses through and affects everything I do. I am forever changed." - Rebeka Ndosi, Class of 2004-2005
"The Classical Five-Element Acupuncture Program has made a huge difference in my life, as well as in my practice. It has taught me to become present in the moment, by paying attention to colors, sounds, odors, and emotions in Nature and in my patients. I have learned that true rapport with a patient can be both magical and humbling. It has helped me realize what a grand gift this system of medicine has to offer others. I have seen through Dr. Judy Worsley, the Master of the Lineage, how high I can reach in this medicine. This system of medicine can make your dreams come true." -
Deborah J. Barry, L.Ac, Dipl. Ac, Class of 2004-2005
"This is a life changing experience. I have been in the study of medicine for over 30 years and this is the most personally transforming training I have ever experienced. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment, but the rewards are far beyond your imagination. I am so grateful for this opportunity. I am getting the needed guidance mixed with a lot of fun, honesty, integrity, and humility. This Program is really a safe place to grow, learn, and have fun at the same time. As J.R. Worsley put it, "It is the best investment you will ever make in your life." - May Dow, M.D., Class of 2002-2003
"Studying Classical Five-Element Acupuncture touches my heart and inspires me to awaken my senses and to help others lead fuller, richer lives. Neil is a great and dedicated teacher, full of love for this work and compassion for his students. He has a great desire to see us all succeed. We were all touched by the purity of J.R. Worsley's spirit and by the open-hearted generosity of his wife, Judy. They are master teachers. I can whole-heartedly, and with tremendous gratitude, recommend this program to anyone who wants to treat their patients on a deeper level and discover more about onesself in the process." - Margaret Olmsted, L.Ac. Class of 2002-2003
"This Program is by far the most valuable training I have had in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The personal growth that accompanies this program, the excitement of having my patients tell me that these treatments touched them at the deepest levels they had ever experienced with any system of medicine, have made this Program exceptional beyond what I had ever imagined." - Brian Bender, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., Class of 2001
"Studying with Neil has been remarkable. Witnessing the positive healing changes in his patients has been absolutely compelling and I could not imagine practicing an acupuncture-based approach to medicine without having this knowledge. I'm continually nourished and motivated by Neil's devotion to teaching this system of healing and I have found these classes to be extremely rewarding, clinically as well as philosophically."-
Brad Thompson, Oriental Medical Student, Class of 2002-2003
"As a practicing physician for the past 20 years, I have been searching for a deeper connection with my patients, an opportunity to know them at a level I had not previously experienced. Classical Five-Element Acupuncture has provided the tools. Neil Gumenick has provided the mentoring. He offers his tutelage with abundant enthusiasm and remarkable competence. I'm grateful for the opportunity of learning from this gifted teacher." - Thomas C. Small, M.D., Class of 2002
"When was the last time you went to work and felt excited, fulfilled, and as if you were on a new adventure with each patient you saw? Classical Five-Element Acupuncture has expanded this energy for me with a system from the ancient Chinese culture that maintains elegance and simplicity that resonates with the laws of nature. The course offered by Neil Gumenick in this beautiful system demonstrates his dedication to carry on the teachings of J.R. Worsley. The course challenges me to stretch my comfort zone, get back in touch with my innate diagnostic abilities, and to help people at a core level that Western medicine rarely reaches. I would recommend this course to anyone who resonates with working at the level of the cause of problems for their patients, enjoys being challenged, and is willing to grow." - Annette Zaharoff, M.D., Class of 2002-2003
This Five-Element training truly stretches me in every direction. As a practitioner, to have my skills of sensing awakened: listening, seeing, smelling, and feeling - means for me as a human being to be so much more fully engaged in this incredible dance of life. To discover that there was a modality in our acupuncture field that embodies the principles of truly being with the wholeness of ourselves and our patients made me rejoice inside. This course of study continues to be a gift of unfoldment, enlightening my experience of what it means to be the meeting place between Heaven and Earth and, in turn, offering that gift back to the world. - Esther Platner, L.Ac. Class of 2002-2003
"I am so thankful for the opportunity to take this course. In TCM, diagnosis by pattern and their progressions are treated based on a Zang-Fu herbalist diagnosis of disease patterns. In Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, the diagnosis may have little to do with symptom patterns but much to do with the root, Causative Factor, which has caused the effect, branch symptoms, or illness. In a recent weekend with Professors J.R. and Judy Worsley, I witnessed a dramatic example of this with a patient with a western biomedical diagnosis of "Parkinson's Disease." Of the 4-5 points that were prescribed, not one had a Zang-Fu relation to Parkinson's, yet the patient's transformation was just that. This is acupuncture; this is healing at a level so refined that the spirit, even the soul is touched. I am excited and humbled to be a part of this lineage." - Allen A. Stovall, Oriental Medical Student, Class of 2002-2003
"As an acupuncturist trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine, I have been in search of more Ð another level to this medicine. In my quest for more, Neil Gumenick, J.R. and Judy Worsley efficiently and eloquently taught me that everything I need is already within me. I just have to be willing to reawaken my senses of sight, smell, hearing, and feeling. To watch them work and interact with patients has been invaluable. Their philosophy and dedication to the lineage of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture are truly inspiring. However, the most important thing I have learned is to trust my instincts because they tell me everything I need to know. The beauty of this knowledge is its simplicity. The Program is awe-inspiring. Thank you Neil, J.R., and Judy!" - Joy Pattee, L.Ac., Class of 2002-2003
"Classical Five-Element Acupuncture is an energetic system of allowing a person's unconscious healing awareness to become fully present. The session spent with J.R. and Judy Worsley heightened my awareness as to the power, sincerity, and grace in which this work can be practiced. The experience was mind, body, and spirit altering." - J.C. Bobo, M.D., Class of 2002-2003
"Classical Five-Element Acupuncture training brings such a richness and texture to our medicine. It has allowed me to embark on a journey of understanding myself and others that I did not know existed. It is a transformative process that allows us to be clear vessels to assist our patients in their healing. The skills I am learning are invaluable tools for living life to its fullest and making every day an adventure." - Michaele Geoghegan, L.Ac., Class of 2002
"Neil is an excellent and dedicated teacher as well as a highly skilled and intuitive practitioner. Neil has been able to synthesize decades of information and insights regarding Classical Five-Element Acupuncture into a coherent, well-taught, and meaningful Program. To find the root cause of a patient's and provide treatment that gets results on all levels (body, mind, and spirit) is the desire of all good practitioners. I can only imagine this Program is what many acupuncturists and other physicians are seeking to finally lay aside the question, "Is there more I could know or bring to my patients' care?" I see Neil's Program, his teaching and shared knowledge of patient care and management as an answer to that ever-present question for all of us." - Russell Des Marais, D.C., L.Ac., Class of 2002
"The results I have experienced with this medicine, both as a patient and practitioner, are amazing. This is the approach to healing through acupuncture that so many of us have searched for." - Robin Collier, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. And C.H., Class of 2001
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