Get deeper, more lasting results for your patients while accelerating the growth of your practice
Learn how to integrate the 5 elements into your TCM-based practice over 6 months, without taking time off or going back to school.
33CE 6 Month Program
Registration for 2022 is closed. Please click "register now" to join the waitlist for 2023.
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 mental and spirit-based burdens of modern life that create anxiety, depression, stagnation, general dissatisfaction, and apathy. They have a desire to help but feel like they don’t have the right tools and end up trying out a variety of seminars or going back to school for a doctorate degree.
There’s a simpler solution. And one you’ve probably already heard of but don’t know much about.
The 5 elements of Chinese medicine are a time-honored system that specializes in getting to the root of your patients' mental and spirit-based struggles that keep them stuck in perpetual symptom cycles of imbalanced, suboptimal health.
By integrating 5 element acupuncture, you can:
Understand your patients’ core needs, internal motivation, strengths and weaknesses, and deepest struggles so you can meet their needs more readily and develop more effective treatments based on those unique needs
Break stubborn blocks that are keeping people stuck in pathological patterns of pain or behaviors that aren’t serving them so they can finally move forward in their lives and become better versions of themselves
Personalize your medicine in a way that you can’t with TCM by enhancing your ability to differentiate between superficial and core issues so you can treat the correct level of your patient and provide a treatment that will continue to benefit them in the long term
Here’s why I fell in love with 5 element acupuncture and what a difference it’s made in my practice and for my patients for over 10 years now:
My own journey to 5 element acupuncture started when I was in school.
I attended a TCM based school and the complex interrelationship of 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 and finding point locations 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.
In my clinical training, I used the same points on repeat for liver qi stagnation, kidney qi deficiency, or damp accumulation while thinking to myself,
“yes, but where do these patterns come from? How does the body become out of balance in the first place? It can’t always be external factors like wind, cold, or heat.”
Sometimes if my patient’s issue was acute like a sickness or injury the treatment would help things resolve. Sometimes if I talked to my patients about their diet or gave them tips about how to manage stress we’d make more progress. Rarely were we encouraged to address emotional concerns.
TCM protocols would help patients with acute injuries or sickness, 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 wanted to help but didn’t have any confidence that I could address them in a meaningful way with my points 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.
While I was receiving my TCM education I was also pursuing a doctorate in naturopathic medicine. The guiding principles of naturopathy taught me to look for the root cause of dis-ease or imbalance in the body and to treat the whole person.
I had witnessed and personally experienced how gentle support and nourishment of the body, mind, and spirit as an integrated whole can have a profound impact on the body’s ability to heal itself.
I knew Chinese medicine had the same depth and potential but I wasn’t getting it in my acupuncture education.
My world shifted when I was assigned to a clinical rotation with a supervisor who had trained in 5 element acupuncture in addition to his TCM schooling.
He spoke about seasonal influences beyond climatic factors — organs at each pulse position that could be assessed to understand where the body needed support, blocks that kept people stuck in their healing process that could be cleared, and 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.
I’ve been using an integrative TCM and 5 element approach 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.
Learning 5 element acupuncture revolutionized the way I practice and it can do the same for you.
Get better treatment outcomes when you address the whole of someone rather than just a syndrome that doesn’t represent their complete self
Find your schedule filled with happier, healthier patients as they get relief from their health issues as well as feel more aligned with themselves and fulfilled in their lives
Build your practice by marketing this underused modality in the acupuncture world to differentiate yourself from your competition
Gain the skills to confidently address emotional and spirit-based concerns and compassionately communicate with your patients when they arise during treatment
Find more satisfaction and sustainability in your practice as you witness and support people’s healing process at a deep and profound level
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, 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
The modern division between 5 element and TCM does a disservice to your patients
Even though these medicines are mostly taught in separate acupuncture programs nowadays, the 5 elements and TCM weren’t separated until a few decades ago.
They both offer valuable and complementary ways to treat your patients and were never meant to be mutually exclusive.
Comparison between TCM and 5 Element Philosophies
5 Element
TCM
Organized around 5 element theory and the idea that the observation that nature is a major path to understanding people and illness
Organized around yin/yang theory with emphasis on the effect of climate and pathogenic factors that can influence the body
Treatment is focused on emotional and spirit-level issues
Treatment is focused on the physical level or with no reference to level
Diagnosis is mainly based on signs or objective, observable phenomena
Diagnosis is mixed between signs and symptoms but relies more on symptoms, or subjective experience
Emphasis is placed on treating the root via constitution and officials; constitution is regarded as the most fundamental imbalance
Emphasis is placed on treating the branch with pathogenic factors, and treating the root with yin/yang, patterns, and syndromes
Treatment of chronic conditions is emphasized, especially those that result from constitutional imbalance and emotions
Treatment of both chronic and acute conditions is emphasized, mainly at the channel level or substance level (qi, blood, jing, etc.)
Internal or emotional causes are emphasized
External, climatic causes and miscellaneous lifestyle causes are emphasized
By integrating the 5 elements and TCM together, you can provide your patients with holistic and personalized care that’s more effective than practicing one medicine on its own. Calm symptoms and help them to achieve a deeper internal balance so they can thrive in their lives.
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.
If you’ve been curious about incorporating 5 element acupuncture into your 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 designed this program with the busy practitioner (or student) in mind.
In 6 months, I will guide you along the shortest path to being able to confidently diagnose and treat your patients according to the rich tradition of 5 element theory, while continuing to support them with TCM and the other modalities you’ve studied.
I took Dr. Liz's 5 element 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!
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 element acupuncture!
—Devin Garfinkle, ND, LAc
What will I learn in this mentorship?
Discover the 5 personality types and how to accurately diagnose your patients’ elements through traditional and modern methods so you can confidently grasp the core of each element, assess your patients quickly and accurately, and start to build your 5E practice
Develop a rich knowledge of the elemental behavioral patterns, strengths, and weaknesses to uncover the root drivers and motivations of your patients so you can provide more targeted and personalized education, counseling strategies, and support
Master removing 5 element blocks with pulse and point protocols that keep your patients stuck in loops of pain, physical or emotional shock and trauma, or pathological behavioral patterns so they can break through treatment plateaus and continue their healing journey
Avoid the most common mistakes and pitfalls in element diagnosis and treatment so you can overcome them quickly and get results for your patients faster and more consistently
Improve patient retention and deepen the patient-practitioner relationship by learning how to educate your patients about their elements so they are empowered and excited about their health
Learn my personal 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, beginning 9/24 and ending 2/19
- 3 weeks on, 1 week off LIVE seminars with recordings available (2-2.5 hrs of CE each)
- Live Q&A with Dr. Liz on weeks without seminars
- Unlimited email access to ask me questions so you can get the support you need when you need it
- 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
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 Authentically Market 5 Element Acupuncture + Yourself so you can learn how to bring in new patients who resonate with the 5 element work and message and fill your practice with your ideal patients (2hr live presenation)
Element based exercises and cheatsheets for your patients so you can encourage their learning about their element and how to balance it
Registration is closed for 2022. Join the waitlist below for September 2023.
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.
Not sure if this is exactly what you need?
5 Element Acupuncture for Busy Practitioners is perfect for acupuncture practitioners or students who:
- Received TCM training and want to broaden their skill set to help their patients more effectively address deeply rooted mental and emotional issues, trauma, and behavioral patterns via their treatments.
- Notice that their treatments are helping to mitigate symptoms but are falling short of addressing the root cause of their patients’ conditions.
- Would like to integrate 5 element acupuncture into their practice but are unsure how to do so without going back to school for another expensive acupuncture degree.
- Value the patient-practitioner relationship and who enjoy counseling and educating their patients about their health.
This program might not be the best fit for you if:
- You’re happy with your current practice model and your patients are seeing consistent results you’re satisfied with.
- 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.
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
FAQs
When will the mentorship be offered and what will it include?
The mentorship will start in September 2022 and finish in February 2023.
Modules will be 1 Saturday per month and run from 10am - 6pm PST with 1.5-2 hours for lunch. Recordings will be available for you to watch at your convenience.
Module 1 (9/24): 5 Element Foundations, The Wood Element, The Fire Element
Module 2 (10/22): The Earth Element, The Metal Element, The Water Element
Module 3 (11/12): Differential Diagnosis of the Elements, Other Diagnostic Methods, and Troubleshooting, Needle Technique + Possession, Aggressive Energy + Husband/Wife Blocks
Module 4 (12/10): Exit/Entry Blocks + Akabane Imbalance, Balancing Constitution + Misc Blocks, Point Types and Their Usage
Module 5 (1/14): Treating the Spirit, Integrating 5e and TCM, Treatment Troubleshooting
Bonus Module (1/28): Marketing the 5 Elements, TCM, and Yourself (approximately 2 hours)
Module 6 (2/18-2/19): Live Lab in Seattle, WA, Day 1 diagnosis-focused, Day 2 treatment-focused
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.
Is this a JR Worsley course?
No. JR Worsley is known as the father of 5 element acupuncture in the Western world and his style is known as Classical 5 Element Acupuncture. 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.
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 currently pending for CE status from the NCCAOM with an estimated 45 CE credits with the live lab and 33 CE credits without the live lab. You must attend live to receive credit.
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 more questions or would like to schedule a phone or video call to make sure the mentorship is right for you, please feel free to contact me at drliz@drlizcarter.com