TAA multi-bed acupuncture clinics
Mentoring and Practitioner Support
Welcome to our one-stop shop for Five Element acupuncture practitioner peer-to-peer support. Our team of practitioner-supporters have all been invited to take part in this programme, because they havegained appropriate experience in supporting their peers (for example via teaching or supervision) and/or have other relevant experience or training (for example in mentoring). They all have a very positive record from working closely with the college too, so you can be sure that if they are listed here, you will gain a great deal from working with them!
Each of them have put together a potted biography, which includes those areas that they feel best able to support you. You can contact them directly to arrange a preliminary chat, or click here for more information about how this programme works and what is on offer.
Support Services
1
Case supervision
Advice on diagnosis and treatment planning for those tricky cases (including specialist areas such as fertility, cancer support, young people, mental health etc.)
2
General practitioner support/mentoring
Supervision is used widely to support those working in the helping professions, to reflect on their work and consider areas of difficulty.
Mentoring is used to provide guidance, enabling a space for reflection and encouraging good professional practice.
3
Individual sessions, group sessions or both
Advice on a one-to-one basis is invaluable, but group sessions for supervision or case discussion can also be useful when it comes to development and growth in your chosen career
Your choice:
We have a wide variety of experts signed up to this programme, and you can see their profiles below with headline information on their specialisms and experience. Support will generally be offered online, using a virtual meeting space, but the format(s) available are listed individually. Meetings can be one off and on a one-to-one basis, or you might decide to set up a group with some of your peers, and meet up for more regular mentoring and advice.
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To book:
Contact your chosen expert directly, using the Contact button under their profile
Cost/payment:
The standard cost is the same whoever you choose - a bargain at just £50 per hour. This fee applies to face to face time, as well as the time needed for the consideration of any notes or questions that you might have, or the time taken to work through anonymised patient information.
You may want more general advice perhaps, so a meeting/chat only might be all that's required, or you may want advice on a specific patient in which case the time taken to review notes would also be included. By way of an example then, 30 mins reading time and an hour long discussion would be £75, while a shorter case might be covered for both reading and discussion within the hour timeframe. Timings and charges would be agreed before any meeting, and should note that as everyone's time is valuable, cancellation without 24 hours notice will be charged for.
For any group sessions, the cost is the same but would be shared among the participants, and in this case, there should be one main contact who will organise attendees, book the session, and pay (having collected everyone’s share of course).
Remember, supervision and mentoring hours count towards your annual CPD and the fees that you pay are tax deductible.
TAA mentors and practitioner support
Anna Paris
Offering: •General practitioner Support / Mentoring •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual and group sessions, including clinical visits where feasible (Devon area) Meetings by phone, FaceTime, or face-to-face General support from a very experienced supervisor and practitioner of both 5 Element and Toyohari - I have always been passionate about 5 Element Acupuncture and have wanted to share as much as I can, through my teaching and supervising… supervision has been my favourite thing to do, for example I loved being a clinical supervisor at CTA and TAA Leamington. I did my Bachelor and Masters at CTA under JR Worsley and  have learned TCM at Reading with John & Angie Hicks. I studied Herbs and was in RCHM for a while but in the last 15 years I have studied Japanese Acupuncture. I love using mainly 5 Element & Toyohari in my practice.
Claire Dabreo
Offering: •Practitioner Support / Mentoring •Specialising in fertility and pregnancy, and business development •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual and group sessions •Phone / FaceTime / Zoom •Seasonal workshops for groups I’m an experienced Five Element practitioner and clinical supervisor for TAA. I specialise in fertility, pregnancy & birth, and pregnancy loss (miscarriage, medical termination, stillbirth), so can offer specific case supervision in that area. I also specialise in mentoring around practice-building using the Five Element framework, helping you with practical ways to build and market your practice. After graduating from LIFEA I worked as part of Gerad Kite’s clinic team, specialising in fertility as a Five Element practitioner. I completed postgrad pregnancy and birth training with Jani White and Debra Betts and love working with this client group, and I have extensive experience (and success) in this area. The fertility world is complex, infertility is challenging and expensive and acupuncturists have a very valuable role to play in supporting our clients through this with our best, neutral advice and expertise. So if you are interested in developing this area of your practice I am really happy to help. Sadly, this also means I have worked with many couples through pregnancy loss, stillbirth and miscarriage, so I can offer support to any new practitioners who might like additional expertise in working with this group of clients too. As the Founder of The Harmony Principle I work with practitioners from all modalities, teaching them how to harness the energetic power of the seasons for their own health and wellbeing, that of their clients AND their business health. I have loved student clinical supervision and now I have moved from London to a small island in Scotland this feels like the best way to continue to support the next generation of healers!
Julie Ann Reynolds
Offering: •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Specialising in general practitioner support and complex cases •Individual or group sessions •By Zoom (or in person in the Suffolk/Norfolk or Leamington areas) I am an experienced practitioner, teacher, clinical supervisor. As Joint Principal at TAA, my main responsibility is running the clinical year and supervision team. I am happy to support newer graduates and experienced practitioners needing a refresher. I am happy to help untangle and give a fresh perspective on diagnosis and treatment planning in any patient case, or your clinical work in general. We can explore your CF diagnosis (my students say I have a gift for diagnosing CF from the patient’s preface sheet! Obviously not, but I can help you talk through the CSOE!) as well as dysfunctions of the Officials, sheng/ke cycle issues, Causes of disease and Vital substances. I graduated from CTA in the early 2000s, and went on to complete an MSc in Health Services research with Hugh MacPherson at York University, in 2005. For my thesis, I ran a pilot randomized controlled trial on 5 Element acupuncture for IBS, which was published in Acupuncture in Medicine in 2006. I returned to CTA to start teaching in 2006, taking responsibility for developing the Research module through to supervising student dissertations. I also worked as a clinical supervisor for third year students. After the closure of CTA, my colleague Jen Wade and I set up TAA, as we are passionate about keeping Five Element acupuncture alive, at the same time as ensuring our graduates have a full understanding of broader Chinese medicine theories and how to provide elegant effective treatments. I have a particular interest in teaching Internal and Miscellaneous Causes of Disease (I spoke at the British Acupuncture Council conference on this subject in 2024). My main role at TAA is running the clinical year, and I have gained a lot of experience in helping our students from all walks of life and with a range of abilities, to flourish in their clinical work. I absolutely love taking students from theory to practice, helping them see the gaps and join the dots. I am interested in all patients and all conditions, from the rare to the everyday, from teenagers to the very elderly, and I have seen it all in clinic and through my students, so bring on those complex and sticky cases, or even the ones you find uninspiring, for some new inspiration perhaps! I do particularly enjoy helping elderly patients, menopause, and those with mental health conditions/trauma. At TAA, we ran clinical research into student mental wellbeing, published in EJOM in 2022, and I can also advise anyone who is interested in doing some research or audit.
Michelle Venter
Offering: •practitioner support and mentorship •Special interest in mental health, children and teenagers, MSK pain, marketing and research •case supervision for diagnosis and treatment planning •individual and group sessions via phone, FaceTime, Zoom, or Teams with face-to-face meetings if feasible •attend the college clinic or discuss me coming to you •complimentary 15-minute call to discuss your needs and how I can support you. My journey to acupuncture began when my career as a dance teacher and examiner was interrupted by severe health issues. I spent months in constant pain and exhaustion, finding no relief from conventional medicine. Then I tried acupuncture, which transformed my experience of chronic illness and inspired me to train as an acupuncturist. I wanted to help others facing mental, physical, and emotional challenges experience the same healing I did. After earning my Licentiate qualification with Distinction from The Acupuncture Academy (TAA), I joined a TAA research team studying acupuncture’s impact on students with mental health struggles. The results were remarkable and inspiring. I was later invited to join the British Acupuncture Council’s Education Committee, where I contributed to revising acupuncture education standards. In 2021, I joined TAA’s 3rd-year clinical teaching team, where I now share my knowledge and passion for acupuncture with students. I also completed my Diploma in treating Paediatrics in 2023. In 2024, I began a part-time PhD at Warwick University, focusing on acupuncture for trauma-related conditions. This path allows me to blend patient care, research, and teaching, fulfilling my mission to make a meaningful impact through acupuncture. I have special interests in treating mental health conditions in adults and teenagers, treating children and young people, and addressing musculoskeletal issues. I’m experienced in both private and multibed settings and can offer advice on how to establish a multibed clinic. I’m also available to provide business advice and marketing support to help grow your practice effectively. Additionally, I offer supervision for individuals interested in pursuing PhD programs, including support with navigating the application process, finding a supervisor, and securing a place on a program
Caroline Robinson
Offering: •Special interest in helping new practitioners and self-development •Practitioner Support / Mentoring and Case supervision •Individual sessions in a format to suit, including face-to-face and clinic visits where feasible (Henley-in-Arden/Warwickshire) An experienced clinical supervisor for TAA, specializing in helping newly qualified practitioners, providing a space to offload/ share/ask questions about pretty much anything to do with clinic! I qualified from TAA in 2019 and have created a flexible clinic from home to work around a busy family life. I am a clinical year supervisor which has been a total JOY to be part of, sharing the space with budding acupuncturists is a role that I absolutely love, hence why I would love to continue that support of people post-graduation. I fully appreciate that post-graduation time can be so daunting and I have had many moments questioning my worth. I would love to help and empower my fellow newly qualified acupuncturists to succeed in a way that works for them, supporting them to develop confidence and helping them to evolve as a practitioner I love working on all areas of patient care, building rapport, creating a safe space for your patient to be heard, active listening, observing and working in the spaces. Seeing/sensing the opportunity to ask difficult questions that are needed to help with diagnosis, gaining a better understanding of the self along with the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person sitting in front of you. Developing treatment ideas to create clear messages for the body to receive and knowing when to step back and reassess.
Eleanor Day
Offering: •Practitioner support/mentoring •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning, general conundrums! •Fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care •MSK problems •Individual and group sessions •WhatsApp videocall, phone call or meeting in person, locally (Bristol/North Somerset) •Visits to practice locally (Bristol/North Somerset) •Individual and group point location I am an experienced practitioner, teacher and clinical supervisor with a special interest in women’s health, MSK and point location. I love helping people find different ways of looking at their cases – as a creative soul, I may be able to help you see things in a new light. I run a generalist acupuncture practice in the Bristol and North Somerset area. My initial licentiate of acupuncture was with SOFEA (School of Five Element Acupuncture, London, with Nora Franglen) qualifying in 2003. Since then, my further training has been principally in TCM Integration, Tuina Massage, and men and women’s reproductive health. I was the point location tutor at CNM Bristol and London for a few years, and more recently a clinical year tutor and supervisor -at TAA. Please do get in touch for practitioner support and I will be glad to help you develop, refine or untangle whatever it is you have in mind. For me, supervision is a collaborative opportunity, and I like how it keeps me on my toes too! You can contact me via my mobile, 07958 951 030, or by using the button below
Lisa Collins
Offering •Case supervision where it is a 5 Element practice •Special interest in women’s health, end of life, young people and pain •individual sessions via phone, zoom, WhatsApp video call or if geography allows in person (Shropshire area) •can visit your clinic within 30 miles but would include travel time in with the cost •15 minute free exploration chat •Walk and talk Prior to my acupuncture degree I had 20 years experience working in the minerals and waste industry, so understand the realities of a big career change. I graduated from CTA in 2007 and set up my practice immediately. I have worked in a single setting, a treatment room from home and in a multi-disciplinary complimentary health setting. I have recently completed a 6 month supervision with a Y3A student in the clinic. Key interests and experience are in natural fertility support and IVF support, pregnancy, end of life care, working with the elderly, as well as young people/exam stress and anxiety. Supporting pain conditions, supporting pregnancy, facial revitalisation, general practice, stress, anxiety, post viral fatigue and of course Five Element diagnosis. I enjoy working with new practitioners, helping them with practicalities of setting up a new clinic, marketing and business advice, as well as giving them confidence that they are ready to practice. I provide a safe space for clients to explore their issues and help them find the solutions from within themselves. Support on personal boundaries and practitioner well-being as well as and managing the client relationship. I have hosted students from CTA observing my clinic. Recent completion of a Diploma in Spiritual Life Coaching. Coaching client testimonial 2024 “ I would highly recommend engaging in coaching with Lisa. I feel Lisa in our sessions listened carefully with an open mind and helped me navigate and find my own priorities and solutions. Lisa offered a safe space and time to reflect. Lisa has a professional approach with warmth and patience, an excellent combination for a coach. “
Sarah Lucchetti
Offering: •Individual or group sessions of case supervision, via Zoom: bring me your tricky cases, those that are complex or just seem not to be going in the right direction… •Specialising in general practitioner support as well as complex cases •I can offer one-off sessions or a series of discussions if so wished. •Patient consultations also available at my clinic in south Norfolk; from 1-3 patients per day and costs can be mediated with peer observers. I am a long-experienced practitioner and clinical supervisor for TAA. My clinic attracts patients with complicated and rare diseases and syndromes and therefore I have experience in diagnoses and understanding of such patients particularly, from a classical acupuncture perspective: really looking at the functioning of the 12 Officials, with the aim of restoring zheng qi through a Five Element understanding. In the mid 1990s I qualified as a Shiatsu practitioner (3-year training) and had several clinics in Glasgow. I was also a teaching assistant for 3 years subsequent to my diploma. I’m passionate about reaching the more disadvantaged groups in society and worked with the Glasgow Health Board and with vulnerable teenage units. I trained at the School of Five Element Acupuncture (SOFEA), with Nora Franglen, in London, qualifying in 2007. I had already started working with my chiropractor brother at his clinic in Norfolk, and I furthered my post graduate learning with Niki Bilton for many years in her study groups, clinic visits and her 2 year post-grad course. I work in a large ever-expanding multidisciplinary clinic with my brother and we attract many difficult and complex cases, many of whom we collaborate on as a clinic team. We are all of us constantly learning and I look forward to working with you and hopefully continuing to expand our learning and wisdom together!
Celia Tudor-Evans
Offering: •General practitioner support/mentoring •Special interest in mental health and practitioner self-development •Individual sessions and group sessions •Phone, facetime and face-to-face in Leamington/Warwick area I have over 40 years of experience as a Five Element acupuncturist, and long experience as a teacher and clinical supervisor. I am passionate about supporting practitioners new and old, and passing on my knowledge and experience, with gentleness and humility. I’ve been an acupuncture practitioner since the early 1980s and as acupuncture educator from the 1990s, as Vice Principal at CTA covering Years 1, 2 and 3 and working extensively on the student clinical, and from 2012 as a clinical supervisor and mentor with TAA. I enjoy supervision very much as it allows me to keep on learning from patients and students - always so interesting! My specialist area of practice has always been psycho-emotional/mental health concerns. Subsequently I also trained in various psychological therapies over the years to assist me clinically. My other primary interest is the study of Shamanism which is always ongoing and a channel for my own clinical self-development. I also find treating from this point of view can also help my patients in myriad ways. I am always happy to discuss patient management, case studies and also mentor individuals around any issues arising for them around their practice. I feel strongly that anything and everything is acceptable for discussion in order to progress your clinical development and put your mind at rest. I look forward to meeting you.
Fiona Bullock
Offering: •Practitioner Support / Mentoring •Special interest in fertility, pregnancy and trauma •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual sessions •By phone, Zoom, Skype, What’s App Video or face-to-face in the Stockport area I’m an experienced Five Element practitioner, tutor and clinical supervisor for TAA. I can help with general mentoring, Five Element diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as specialist areas: fertility, pregnancy, trauma. I am happy to support newer graduates and experienced practitioners needing a re-set! I graduated from CTA in 2005, and have been practising in Stockport ever since as a Five Element practitioner. I have completed a lot of CPD with Niki Bilton, whose work I absolutely love. My practice is very broad-based but I have, for many years, had a special interest in fertility (I worked for a while at the Reproductive Health Group in Daresbury). I also do a lot of work around mild mental health problems and pregnancy. I am currently looking to work more with trauma and with teenagers and would love to do this via supervision too. In 2021 I joined the third year teaching and supervision team at TAA, where I absolutely love being a teacher and mentor. I’m very passionate about our Five Element practice, about Taoist philosophy, the I Ching and the magic of the patient/practitioner relationship.
Lucy Inman
Offering: •Practitioner support/mentoring •Special interest in women’s health and mental health, and pharmacology issues/complex cases •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual sessions and group sessions •Different formats e.g. phone, facetime, zoom, or whatever, as you prefer •A 15-minute freebie chat •Face-to-face or clinic visits in the Leamington area I’m a clinical year tutor and supervisor at TAA, with a keen interest in helping with difficult or unusual cases. I have a particular interest in mental health and women’s health issues. I can help you untangle your clinical puzzles, and I can advise on Five Element diagnosis and treatment, with adjunctive approaches as needed, to get the best for your patients. Part of my role at TAA is to support the new practitioners in treating their patients. I take an integrated approach, with Five Element Theory at the core, building the CF and clearing blocks in early treatment, but also looking at pulse and tongue diagnosis and the syndromes, in order to further understand the patient’s presentation. Taking a detailed history and physical exam provides the basis of clinical reasoning and treatment planning. Case discussion is at the heart of this process, and I am passionate about extending this aspect of my work to other practitioners who would like to discuss their difficult or unusual cases with me. I graduated from TAA in 2020 with a distinction and have had a very busy clinic ever since! After graduating I got involved in our now published research focusing on treating the mental health of students in a multi-bed setting. This has led to my interest in treating mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, insomnia, body dysmorphia and eating disorders. I also have a particular interest in women’s health issues, including dysmenorrhoea, menopause and post breast- cancer support. In my practice, I treat patients from all walks of life and with varying health conditions, incorporating gua-sha, cupping and channel work where needed, as well as my main love, traditional Five Element acupuncture. Prior to training as an acupuncturist, I worked in varying roles in the public sector including training and development, and I bring these skills to my role as an acupuncture tutor and supervisor.
Sian Evans
Offering: •Practitioner support/mentoring •Special interest in women’s health and business development •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual sessions or group sessions •Face-to-face/clinic visits possible (Stratford/Warwicks area) •Happy to work with different formats e.g. telehealth, facetime, zoom, as you prefer •A 15-minute freebie chat to see if I can help! I am an experienced practitioner and clinical supervisor for TAA. I can help with Five Element case supervision generally, but I also have a keen interest and skills in women’s health, including supporting fertility (natural and assisted conception). I have a business background so I also enjoy giving advice in all areas of setting up in business, marketing, accounts, attracting patients and having a healthy work life balance. Prior to becoming an acupuncturist, I worked in property development and then property services in an NHS setting. After being inspired by my own acupuncturist I decided to give that all up and retrain. I graduated from CTA in Hatton in 2012 and now run a very busy clinic in Stratford upon Avon. I completed six months of my clinical year at Myton Hospice, Warwick, treating patients with cancer as well as supporting their families and treating members of staff. I then set up my own home clinic and treat a variety of conditions and a range of patients from teenagers to the very elderly. I have a keen interest in fertility and women’s health (including menopause) and constantly update my skills in these areas. I treat a variety of ages, currently my oldest patient is 94 and an inspiration to us all! I treat teenagers and some younger patients often with mental health issues and some ASD: I’ve found it easier if my miniature Cockerpoo lends a hand! I enjoy treating the local Aquafit ladies and golf club for different aches and pains. I became a supervisor for TAA clinical year students in 2016 and really love giving practical advice on the CF, CSOE, treatment planning and setting up a clinic. Since having students it gave me the bug to work more with new graduates too who are first setting up, but also with more experienced practitioners just feeling stagnant in business. In 2024 I trained as a British Acupuncture Council mentor. Since I started having regular sessions with my own supervisor mentor I feel it has made me a better and stronger practitioner, so I want to pass this on. I feel passionate about empowering and supporting practitioners throughout their career. I offer a safe, supportive, non-judgmental space for exploring issues which arise in practice so they don’t affect you in your home life. Together, we’ll work to find your own ways of progressing in your successful and professional acupuncture practice.
Susan Woodhead
Offering: •Practitioner support/mentoring •Case supervision: advice on diagnosis and treatment planning •Individual sessions, or group sessions •Initial 15 minute chat on the phone free of charge to see if I can help! •Can do different formats: phone, virtual meeting, or in person where feasible (Winchester area) I am a practitioner of Five Element acupuncture, and it has been my life for forty years! I have a lot of experience in general practice and also many specialist areas (see more below) – but I am most interested in providing general 5E focused case supervision, and in practitioner support/mentoring. I’m an experienced mentor; I’ve worked as a conciliator in the NHS, and I ran the BAcC Practitioner Support Service for 15 years. Before becoming an acupuncturist, I was a Samaritan. I will listen to you, and I am committed to providing the best support possible. I studied at the College of Traditional Acupuncture in Leamington Spa under JR Worsley from 1981-84 and have been in full-time practice since then, and I set up my own multidisciplinary clinic in 1995. I have also worked in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices, including attending at births and providing end-of-life care. Over the years I have been committed to professional development, completing additional studies in many areas including the treatment of cancer, pregnancy and childbirth, Chinese medical classics, counselling skills, supervision, nutrition and health, Bowen therapy. I’ve also lectured in complementary medicine at Southampton University Medical School, and presented CPD online and in person, including in Practice building, Setting up and Running a Clinic, Feng Shui for treatment rooms, the Acupuncture Bowen connection, Body reading, Spirit of the Points, Boundaries, the Five Elements and Correspondences, Treating Long Covid. I also took a voluntary role as a conciliator for the NHS in the 1990s, training other conciliators working in NHS complaints procedures and working with primary care groups and doctors. My belief is that all should be treated with unconditional positive regard and respect as unique human beings, that life is precious. As a Samaritans volunteer before I qualified as an acupuncturist, my view is that as acupuncturists we should offer the same support to our peers as we do to those who consult us. 'Caring for the carer' is central to my work. On graduation, I set up a point location/support group in my local area, and in 2001, I set up and ran the Practitioner Support service at the BAcC for 15 years (a confidential telephone support service for members going through disciplinary procedures, mental health issues, complaints procedures or returning to practice after sickness or bereavement). I am also passionate about BAcC Regional Groups and the support and encouragement they give to all of us professionally. I became BAcC Regional Group organiser for Hampshire in 2010, which was a very active group running six meetings annually, welcoming guest speakers, discussing cases and facilitating the development of skills, as well as putting on social events. Since stepping down from running the group after five years, I have continued to provide voluntary support and training to practitioners setting up their own Regional Groups. I am committed to this profession and the highest standards of education, practice and practitioner support.