Course Reviews

I would encourage anyone who has an interest in health and well-being, either professional or personal, to enquire further with the team at ICA and discover the range of learning and opportunities available.

The delivery and content of the 5 Element Diploma has been beyond expectations with tutors readily sharing their vast experiences and resources.

Also, when participating in the course you may find yourself starting to view daily situations from a new and exciting perspective, this has proven to be rewarding and beneficial on many levels.

Having the opportunity to train in something I have wanted to do for a long time under both Michael and Paul is such an incredible privilege and a valued opportunity. The course is delivered with a passion and breadth of knowledge that can only come from their years of experience; their enthusiasm for the subject has enhanced my own leaning experience. I always look forward to the monthly weekend training sessions, these weekends are very hands on with the practical aspects of acupuncture, I also look forward to meeting everyone in the group who are all amazing friends.

The online material is without doubt superb, so much detailed information and content has been put in to the resources, the online material is also very accessible. The study at home is achievable and I have managed to fit it around a full time job and family life.

Being part of the ‘family’ at ICA and looking back on our first weekend, it helps me appreciate the huge amount of learning that we have already done, even though it hasn’t felt so overwhelming due to the support of our tutors and each other as a group.

The course is delivered in a spiral of bitesize chunks, making it easy to digest as well as link together, and includes a starter pack of materials to start you off on your journey in practising your skills.

The course is thorough and extensive, covering a wide variety of acupuncture aspects from its history all the way to present day practices.

If you apply to join this professionally delivered course, you won’t be disappointed.

This is a really marvellous course. The knowledge, skills and manner of both Michael and Paul really put you at ease, especially if, like me, this is a leap into something new for you. The practical support and guidance from Stacey also bears a mention, as does the brilliant online resources – something that genuinely surpasses what was available at university a few years ago.

Finally, if you’re wavering about joining the Sept cohort on account of Covid-19, I wouldn’t be deterred – they’ve mastered that too with Zoom meetings that replicate the college brilliantly. When this is all over you’ll be more than ready for the practical side of the learning, and think of the positive effect we’ll be able to have on the health of our loved ones and wider communities in the future. You won’t regret it.

Over half way through the first year and this course has surpassed my expectations. The knowledge and enthusiasm is obvious from Paul and Michael and they always have encouraging words when any of us struggle for time or motivation with coursework between teaching weekends. Even during the coronavirus restrictions, they have adapted to ensure we can still all meet up virtually online every month so that our learning journey continues uninterrupted. Deciding to study this course pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I’m very glad I made the first step.

I decided on this course as it’s local and efficient over one year. What I found was three devoted very experienced staff/practitioners that run a very smooth and thorough programme that gives confidence and a deep understanding of Qi, the origins of acupuncture and with a wholistic paradigm treating the Causative Factor, the original dysfunction, ie. a system that doesn’t chase symptoms.

Thank you for providing a very informative and thoroughly enjoyable course. I trained originally in TCM and it has been a pleasure to learn so much more about the five elements which have always interested me. Study with you has been a great benefit to me as a practitioner and an individual. The course material is complete in itself but it was lovely to also have a good bibliography (reading list) for further reference, I would recommend future students to take advantage of your guidance in reading matter.

I am very grateful for this course, which although considered “an introduction” to the Five Elements, it offers much depth and insight into this vast area of study and practice. It is well organized and thoughtfully delivered, with much clinical relevance regardless of your style of practice. Highly recommended.

Dear Michael,
Thanks for your amazing course about 5 elements – so much information in one place…I find it very useful for my acupuncture practice and for my teaching as well.
With respect and gratitude,
Dagmar

I am honored to have attended your online continuing education course! Thank you for having me and sharing some much-needed perspective along with the wisdom only encompassed by a true professional. I feel truly enlightened.

I have been interested in educating people about diet with the Five Elements for a long time, but I couldn’t find good materials about how foods can help people’s health in therapeutic ways.

I bought many books about the Five Elements but usually there are only small explanations. You provided us with great information on foods for the Five Elements and Officials. So I can start to educate people about a healthy diet for preventing illness and disease.

I would like to thank you… this course helped me to gain my confidence.

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I attended the course online and I found the content useful for my daily Physiotherapy practices. Unlike traditional Chinese acupuncture approach, the 5 element acupuncture theory illustrates a comprehensive and systematic approach in guiding you on how to apply its acupuncture method in a logical way. Step by step through the course content, I was able to understand the background of the theory and then use it at my practise. Certainly I have already known how to use needles beforehand. If you’re looking for a practical lesson on needle application, it is not the course you will go for. But for the theory part, it is amazing. I recommend anyone who is interested in using acupuncture in a western logical way to participate this course.

This course has been totally captivating and inspirational. It’s one of those courses that once you are given ideas and concepts – you cannot not see them. They weave themselves into your clinical practice, knowingly and sometimes unconsciously. It changes your clinical thinking, it becomes more energetic.

The course is well presented and structured, first class and professional in every aspect. Thank you.