Get deeper, more lasting treatment outcomes while growing your practice with the 5 elements
Learn how to diagnose and treat the root cause of mental, emotional, spirit-based issues, and trauma that are holding your patients back from healing their chronic conditions and finding joy and meaning in their lives
45.5CE 6 Month Program
Many TCM practitioners and students I’ve met over the years have felt like something was missing from their practice.
They feel prepared to help their patients with pain, physical complaints, and stress related issues, but are challenged when stubborn symptom patterns refuse to resolve after treatment.
These healers often observe that their patients are struggling with the emotional and spirit-based burdens of modern life that create anxiety, depression, stagnation, general dissatisfaction, and apathy.
Like when patients…
- Resign themselves to their circumstances without much of a fight
- Feel like life has no meaning or purpose
- Have difficulty giving love and feeling loveable
- Try to prevent change at all costs and are unable to adapt and move through life
- Lack a connection with the natural world and are unaware of its impact on their health
- Are overwhelmed by their emotions and react out of proportion with the situation or they suppress their feelings and refuse to acknowledge them
- Get stuck in self-destructive behavior patterns like getting into the same fight with a partner or struggling to take the next step in caring for themselves even though they know it will help them
Many practitioners have a desire to help their patients deal with these sticky and challenging issues but feel like they don’t have the right tools. They end up trying out a variety of seminars or going back to school for a doctorate degree.
There’s a simpler solution.
You don’t have to take time off work or go back to school in order to become a more effective practitioner.
The 5 elements of Chinese medicine are a time-honored system that specializes in getting to the root of your patients' mental, emotional, and spirit-based struggles that keep them stuck in perpetual symptom cycles of imbalanced, suboptimal health.
Adding 5 element acupuncture to your practice can help you:
Get better treatment outcomes because you finally feel like you’re getting to the root cause of your patients’ issues
Run a financially successful business without running 3+ treatment rooms and sacrificing the attention and care you give to each patient
Increase patient retention because you're able to treat more of their health issues
Find more emotional satisfaction in your practice by developing deeper, more meaningful relationships with your patients and watching your patients rediscover joy and purpose in their lives
Confidently offer your patients with trauma, PTSD, obsession, addiction, identity issues, mood disorders, and emotional and spirit-based concerns a gentle and non-invasive way to support their healing
Build your practice by marketing this underused modality in the acupuncture world to differentiate yourself from your competition
Here’s how 5 element acupuncture helped me go from feeling like I was only touching the surface of my patients' concerns to getting to the core of them:
Before taking Dr. Liz’s 5 Element mentorship, I felt dissatisfied with the support I was able to provide my patients using TCM. My treatments seemed to give a week, maybe two, of benefit before their symptoms were back in full force. I felt like I was chasing symptoms rather than addressing the root imbalance.
Learning 5 element acupuncture from Dr. Liz has not only helped me understand my patients better, it’s also helped me understand myself better. This insight into myself and my own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of my patients has improved my ability to connect with people and has resulted in increased patient retention for my practice.
Mental health is a large focus of my practice and I have been especially impressed by how 5E has enhanced my treatments. I have seen long-term patients make major shifts in their perspectives and lives after one 5E treatment. 5E is special because it emphasizes harmony and balance at the core level, and this is something that many of my patients are seeking.
Dr. Liz is a fantastic provider and passionate teacher who makes the 5 elements come alive through her class. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of the 5 elements and integrate them successfully into practice.
—Camille Hougardy, ND, LAc
OR
Schedule a chat with me to help you find out if this mentorship is the right fit for you
If you’re only practicing TCM, you’re missing half the medicine.
The reason why so many acupuncturists are unable to effectively address emotional and spirit-based issues is because the cultural revolution in the 1960s split Chinese medicine apart.
TCM was formed as a modernized version of Chinese medicine that conformed with the materialist scientific standards of the western world. As a result, physical symptoms and pathologies were emphasized, and emotional and spirit-based associations with point names, diagnosis, and treatment were removed.
This division does a disservice to your patients.
Emotional and spirit-based issues are a key part of the vast majority of people’s health concerns and often represent the root cause of their imbalances. If not addressed, these issues will hold up treatment progress and leave you and your patient frustrated and confused.
5E and TCM were never meant to be mutually exclusive and they both offer valuable and complementary ways to support the health of your patients.
Adding the 5 elements to your practice can provide your patients with holistic and personalized care that’s more effective than using one medicine on its own.
Practice Chinese medicine as it was meant to be: an integrated, complete system that serves and nourishes your patients at a physical, emotional, and spirit-based level.
Introducing:
5 Element Acupuncture for Busy Practitioners
A 6 month clinical mentorship teaching the essentials of integrating the 5 elements into your existing acupuncture practice.
You don’t need another long, expensive program, and you definitely don’t need to put your work aside so you can go back to school.
I'll guide you along the shortest, simplest path to confidently diagnose and treat your patients according to the rich tradition of 5 element theory.
By getting to the root of mental, emotional, and spirit-based issues, you’ll be able to treat a wider variety of concerns which can lead to better patient outcomes, increased word of mouth, competitive differentiation, and practice growth.
This course is SO much more than learning another acupuncture style or more techniques - for me it was completely transformational.
I am grateful to now have a framework and tools for helping patients heal in very foundational ways. For example, instead of treating a person’s posture-related upper back pain on and off for the rest of their life, I can now offer treatment for the underlying beliefs that keep them wanting to feel small.
Since I have begun integrating 5E acupuncture into my practice, I have noticed increased patient retention. I attribute this to my patients feeling more seen and understood as I help them understand their constitutional strengths and give themselves grace around the inherent challenges that come with them.
Personally, understanding myself better through the lens of 5 Element has enabled me to restructure my practice and avoid near burnout. Through this course and receiving 5E acupuncture treatments, I have a different relationship with work. Even though I’m busier, I somehow have more work-life balance!
—Nicole Rinaldi, LAc, MAcOM
In 6 months you’ll gain the skills to…
Differentiate between superficial and root issues so that you can provide a personalized treatment that will create both short term and long term relief
Master identifying and removing 5 element blocks that keep your patients stuck in loops of pain, trauma, or pathological behaviors so they can break through treatment plateaus and continue their healing journey
Assess and safely treat the spirit level in your patients so you can help them nourish neglected parts of themselves and show up in the world with more joy and purpose
Understand your patients’ core needs and personality based on their elements so you can help them feel more comfortable and seen during your treatments
Avoid the most common mistakes and pitfalls in element diagnosis and treatment so that your patients’ progress isn’t hindered and you get results faster
Deepen the patient-practitioner relationship by learning how to educate your patients about their elements so the’re empowered and excited about their health
PLUS learn the exact treatment structure that I’ve used for over 10 years to build my practice and how I integrate 5 element and TCM treatments
What are the nuts and bolts of the program?
- Timespan: 6 months
- Pre-recorded content drops 3 weeks of the month with 1 week off for integration/catch up (approximately 2 CEs each) so you can learn on your own schedule
- Live Q&As with Dr. Liz 3 weeks of the month with 1 week off for integration/catch up (1 CE each) so you can get the support you need
- Unlimited email access to me
- Membership in a private group with others in your cohort so you can connect, share cases, and help accelerate the development of your clinical competency
- An abundance of quick reference guides that highlight the most important points of diagnosis and treatment so you’ll be able to start practicing your skills immediately without having to sort through mountains of notes and slides
Bonus content
You’ll get these awesome bonuses, too!
Free access to my 5 Element Personality Profile so you can confirm your own elements, gain deeper insight into yourself, and use it as a tool for your own practice
How to Market 5 Element Acupuncture + Yourself so you can learn how to bring in new patients who resonate with this work and message and fill your practice with your ideal patients (1.5hr presentation. 1.5 CE)
Element based exercises and cheatsheets for your patients so you can encourage their learning about their element and how to balance it
I’m offering this comprehensive 6 month mentorship and in-depth curriculum
for $2750
Practitioner and student rates available.
Practitioner rate: $2750
Or pay $300 per month for 10 months ($3000 total)
*Student rate: $2250
Or pay $250 per month for 10 months ($2500 total)
*Please note that to receive the student rate you’ll need to verify that you’re a student with a university email address and current transcript.
This mentorship starts in September 2024 and finishes in February 2025. I only offer it once a year.
Chat with Me to Get Your Questions Answered
Dr Liz’s 5 Elements for Busy Practitioner’s Mentorship made me fall in love with acupuncture all over again. Having left the field for some time, her course gave me not only a comprehensive study of the 5 Elements, but a new and refreshing outlook on how to run a business. Dr. Liz provides knowledge about maintaining the integrity of an ancient medicine while incorporating the necessities of how to connect with patients in this day and age.
Her understanding of the 5 Elements was a deep dive not only into how to diagnose and treat patients, but how to understand myself and where my strengths and blocks might be when working with someone. As we all know, so many people are struggling to maintain mental clarity and balance at this day and time in history. I completed the course feeling empowered to truly make a difference and help my patients physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Dr. Liz is a rare find with her savvy business knowledge and resources. Her approach to fine tuning and creating a practice that can check all of your boxes is unique and broadened my perspective about how I can be more of service to my patients by authentically looking at what I want to manifest in my own practice and life. I highly recommend Dr. Liz’s 6-month mentorship program for those who want to help their patients grow and want to grow themselves as well!
—Kira Schueppert, MS Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
Not sure if this is exactly what you need? Let's talk about it.
5 Element Acupuncture for Busy Practitioners is perfect for acupuncturists or students who:
- Want to help their patients more effectively address mental, emotional, and spirit-based issues, trauma, and detrimental behavioral patterns
- Believe it’s important to do their own healing work in order to be the most effective at helping others
- Would like to integrate 5 element acupuncture into their practice without going back to school for another expensive acupuncture degree
- Believe that’s important to address the root cause instead of just treating the symptoms
- Value the patient-practitioner relationship and who enjoy counseling, spending time with their patients, and educating them about their health
This program might not be the best fit for you if:
- You’re more focused on a short intake, running 3+ rooms, and are less motivated to counsel your patients or educate them.
- You’d prefer not to develop long term relationships with your patients and are focused on short term goals for their health.
Want to talk to me about if this mentorship is right for you?
Schedule a chat with me here.
I highly recommend this course to anyone with a TCM practice who feels there are serious holes where trauma and spirit level healing should be. 5E holds answers to a multitude of questions unanswered by the conventional TCM teachings.
The course itself is abundant with information on so many levels- printable/downloadable content as well as a long list of references for books/websites for further exploration. The supplied content far exceeds the description it is given.
Dr. Liz is also an excellent teacher: thoughtful, considerate, thorough, and totally organized. The volume of information is easy to navigate even after the course is finished and Dr. Liz is always very responsive whenever there are questions. I feel this is an invaluable course that I will long look back to during the course of my career.
—Regan Kapach, LAc
5 element acupuncture revolutionized the way I practice and it can do the same for you.
My own journey to 5 element acupuncture started when I was in school.
I attended a TCM based school and the meridians and organs, the forces of yin and yang, and the six pathogens made intuitive sense to me as a way to understand the body.
But when my education transitioned from theory to actually treating patients, I quickly became frustrated and confused.
This beautiful, complex medicine was being distilled down to a cookbook of point protocols for symptom-based diagnoses.
TCM protocols helped my patients in the short term, but most of the time people would return, having felt better for a day or two with no enduring improvement in their health issues. I felt out of my depth and unable to offer a lasting solution.
When emotional concerns arose, I didn’t have any confidence that I could address them in a meaningful way beyond relieving liver qi stagnation with the 4 gates, calming the heart temporarily with HT 7, and adding LU 9 for grief.
I was frustrated because I wanted more for my patients than the results I was getting with TCM alone.
My world shifted when I was assigned to a clinical rotation with a supervisor who had trained in 5 element acupuncture and practiced an integrated approach.
He spoke about blocks that kept people stuck in their healing process and treating the spirit of the patient even if their only complaint was pain.
He also talked about the 5 different personality types that would walk through my door and the importance of identifying and treating each type. Both for their health AND for developing a more optimal patient-practitioner relationship.
His medicine was personalized and addressed internal imbalances and root causes all while managing symptoms when necessary.
After that, I never looked back. I dove into learning as much about 5E as I could and I started to see results for my patients almost immediately.
I’ve been integrating 5 elements with TCM in my practice for over 10 years now and it has fundamentally shaped who I am as a healthcare provider while differentiating me from other acupuncturists.
I took Dr. Liz's 5-elements mentorship during my final year of school studying naturopathic medicine and acupuncture. I was concerned about taking on another training at the time, but I am so so glad I did! It was extremely helpful to learn from someone further along on the path. Dr. Liz's mentorship totally transformed my approach to acupuncture and patient care. I was finding myself bumping up against the limitations of TCM and was seeking more tools, depth, and spirit. This mentorship provided just that and more.
Dr. Liz is passionate about this medicine and that comes through in her teaching. She is approachable, engaging, and thorough. She provides comprehensive and detailed notes to return to and reference. I am so grateful I found Dr. Liz when I did and I highly recommend this mentorship to anyone wanting to dive deeper into 5-elements acupuncture!
—Devin Garfinkle, ND, LAc
I absolutely loved my time in Dr. Liz’s program! The material was well organized, easy to apply to my patients, and engaging. I appreciate that she made the program practical and clinically applicable with case studies and real world examples even during the more theory-heavy portions.
The in-person experiential classes were so helpful in solidifying what we’d learned online and I felt more confident in my ability to diagnose and treat with 5E afterward. Dr. Liz created a very safe and supportive learning environment where I felt comfortable speaking up and asking questions. Her personality is very warm and bright, making learning from her all the more enjoyable.
I HIGHLY recommend taking this program, especially if you are interested in psycho-emotional support for your patients and constitutional analysis. My clinical focus is addiction and just by applying a few simple 5E protocols I’ve seen a difference in my patients already.
—Andrew Dzikowski ND, LAc, LMP, BSN, RN
Still have questions? Check out these FAQs
When will the mentorship be offered and what will it include?
The mentorship will start September 23rd 2024 and finish February 26st 2025.
Course modules will be released in pre-recorded 2 hour segments 3 weeks out of the month on Mondays. These blocks will be broken into easy to digest pieces of 10-20min video segments. 1 week out of the month will be free for integration and catch up.
Live Q&As will be held 3 weeks out of the month on Wednesday afternoons at 5:30PM PST. You’re welcome to email questions ahead of time or ask them live.
Give me all the details. What will I learn?
Week 1 9/23: Module 1: 5 Element Foundations
Week 2 9/30: Module 2: The Wood Element, Live Q+A #1 on 10/2
Week 3 10/7: Module 3: The Fire Element, Live Q+A #2 on 10/9
Week 4 10/14: Integration/catch up week
Week 5 10/21: Module 4: The Earth Element, Live Q+A #3 on 10/23
Week 6 10/28: Module 5: The Metal Element, Live Q+A #4 on 10/30
Week 7 11/4: Module 6: The Water Element, Live Q+A #5 on 11/6
Week 8 11/11: Integration/catch up week
Week 9 11/18: Module 7: Other Methods of Diagnosis and Troubleshooting, Live Q+A #6 on 11/20
Week 10 11/25: Thanksgiving break
Week 11 12/2: Module 8: Needle Technique and Possession, Live Q+A #7 on 12/4
Week 12 12/9: Module 9: Aggressive Energy and Husband/Wife Imbalance, Live Q+A #8 on 12/11
Week 13 12/16: Module 10: Exit/Entry and Akabane Imbalance, Live Q+A #9 on 12/18
Week 14 12/23: Holiday Break
Week 15 12/30: Holiday Break
Week 16 1/6: Module 11: Balancing Constitution and Miscellaneous Blocks
Week 17 1/13: Module 12: Point Types and Their Usage, Live Q+A #10 on 1/15
Week 18 1/20: Module 13: Treating the Spirit, Live Q+A #11 on 1/22
Week 19 1/27: Integration week
Week 20 2/3: Module 14: Integrating 5E and TCM, Live Q+A #12 on 2/5
Week 21 2/10: Module 15: Treatment Troubleshooting, Live Q+A #13 on 2/12
Week 22 2/17: Module 16: BONUS: Marketing 5E and Yourself, Live Q+A #14 on 2/19
Week 23 2/24: Live Q+A #15 on 2/26
Will this really help to grow my practice?
Few acupuncturists are trained in 5 element acupuncture and even fewer integrate TCM and 5 element. You’ll be entering the market with a unique skill set that you can advertise to potential patients plus combining the medicines results in better patient outcomes. On a personal level, I found that combining 5 element acupuncture and TCM was more fulfilling to practice and I know that when I’m centered and enjoying my work I attract more patients that want that service and who reflect my values.
Will I still have access to the course materials after the mentorship?
You’ll have access to the recordings after the mentorship is over. The private group will remain active so you’ll still be able to continue to connect with your colleagues.
Are refunds available?
Full refunds are available within 30 days of the mentorship start date. To qualify for a refund you’ll just have to answer one question: why wasn’t this program a fit for you? If you feel like you’re not getting what you want out of the program, I would be happy to have a conversation with you and see how I can help. Please email me at drliz@drlizcarter.com
Is this a JR Worsley course?
No. JR Worsley is known as the father of 5 element acupuncture in the Western world and practitioners of his style are known as classical 5 element acupuncturists. My mentors were influenced by Worsley, but they've added their own medicine to the mix and this course reflects that. I practice an integration of TCM and 5e which is not a traditional Worsley style.
What's your background/training?
I graduated from Bastyr University and have been practicing as a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist in Seattle, WA since 2011. In addition to my acupuncture studies at Bastyr, I completed a year long 5 element course with Lonny Jarrett and a 5 year intensive mentorship focused on integrating 5 element acupuncture, balance method, classical Chinese medicine, and TCM with Jim Dowling, a constitutional acupuncturist with 30+ years of experience.
My practice centers around helping people compassionately navigate their relationship with their health with vitalistic naturopathic medicine, 5 element acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy. In addition to my private practice, I run a non-profit for those who can’t afford the full fee in an effort to make natural medicine more accessible to all.
Do I need to be a licensed acupuncturist?
You need to be a licensed acupuncturist or currently enrolled in an acupuncture program.
Can I use this course for CEs?
The course is approved for 45.5 NCCAOM CEs between the pre-recorded modules and live Q&As.
The 5 elements are like a Chinese medicine spin on psychoneuroimmunology. You can use them to access things that are unconscious or subconscious for your patients and provide treatment around those issues.
I wasn’t able to do that with my other TCM based acupuncture education that would have, for example, chalked up someone’s irritation to superficial patterns like liver qi stagnation or heat in the heart instead of looking into the deeper reason behind that irritation. Now I have the tools to build a stronger patient-practitioner relationship and personalize my treatments. I’ve already noticed better results for my patients.
—Keriann Swope ND, LAc
My time learning from Dr. Liz has significantly shaped how I view and connect with my patients. Being able to identify someone's elements has helped me to understand their psycho-emotional state, how they think about the world, and their values. This insight has not only facilitated more effective communication, but it has also allowed me to treat the true root of my patients’ health imbalances through acupuncture, lifestyle advice, and counseling.
Through learning 5E I have been able to see individuals' concerns as a microcosm of the elements of the natural world and how important the interrelationships of the elements are as a basis for health, rather than simply chasing the symptoms.
Using the 5 elements really calls upon all of your senses as you feel the pulse, identify physical characteristics, intuit how you feel from someone's presence, and listen to the cadence of their voice and how someone tells their story. This knowledge has enriched my perception and understanding of my patients and people in my personal life and has added more depth to the way that I practice medicine.
—Marina Johnson, ND, LAc
Level up your acupuncture game and create a thriving, fulfilling practice with this special skill set most acupuncturists don’t know about.
Hope to see you on the inside!
If you have any questions or would like to make sure the mentorship is right for you, please schedule a chat with me here.