For the wise man looks into space and he knows there are no limited dimensions.
Zhuangzi
The beauty of Chinese medicine is the depth that you can find in it. Deepening takes time. Deepening takes effort. Deepening requires courage to let go of what first offered you some certainty, but what appears to become an obstacle if you want to take a step on new terrain.
The question is: How far do you want to go? As a therapist, do you want to be able to apply knowledge or insight and wisdom? Do you want to give a treatment because you have learned it or because you have understood it? It is up to every therapist to find his own way in Chinese medicine. One will find it more important to learn new treatment methods or to improve his knowledge, while the other chooses to look for depth, personal development and innovation.
International Lectures is also renewing. We have found a number of new teachers, each with their own perspective and depth, who can each add something unique to your knowledge. The range is varied: in some courses the emphasis is on learning a diagnostic or therapeutic skill, in other courses ample practical experience with a specific group of patients is at the centre of attention, in yet another multi-day course it is about deepening a specific part of the five elements, and another class examines where Life comes from, how it is expressed at different levels in humans and what that means in TCM practice for the treatment of body and mind.
In addition, International Lectures is also updating its website. Every student will be able to log in personally and manage their own personal data. Registration then becomes a lot easier (since all personal details are known and do not have to be entered again) and every student has direct access to his invoices and certificates. The website can also be used effortlessly on tablets and smartphones.
We expect to have the website online before the start of the new school year.
NOTE: Early-bird registrations almost finished!
The early-bird for “The ABC of Chinese Pulse Diagnosis” has been extended until 15 July 2019.
The early-bird for “Uncover the natural beauty of the face” runs for another 6 weeks. End date: 1 August 2019.
Course overview 2019-2020
Master the Poin Combinations Part 1 (20-22 September 2019), Part 2 (19-21 June 2020) and Part 3 (25-27 September 2020). The Australian teacher David Hartmann will explain the added value of acupuncture point combinations in these three weekends (which you can follow separately) when drawing up your treatment plan. The correct acupuncture point choice is more than the sum of the operation of the various individual points, it is the triggering of a specific movement of Qi that a specific diagnosis calls for. During the course weekends you’ll learn to understand how the different aspects of Qi interact and reinforce each other, how that becomes visible in the diagnosis, and how specific acupuncture point combinations are the best treatment method for this.
Note: If you register for more weekends, you will receive an increasing discount.
The ABC of Chinese Pulse Diagnosis (20-22 September 2019; 6-8 December 2019; 7-9 February 2020; 8-10 May 2020). Sybill Huessen and her team have already helped many students to gain more confidence and skills in performing pulse diagnosis. It is, as Sybill says, a matter of doing and getting the hang of it. Before you know it, you are proficient in applying the 6 main positions and 22 complementary positions. Before you know it you are indeed really able to feel what a patient is offering you in his or her pulse.
This time we also opted for a 12-day course. Practice makes perfect, and in this case a lot is practiced under the supervision of specialized supervisors so that you can get a lot of feedback on what you think you are feeling. After 12 days that is no longer a gamble, but a greater certainty.
Note: The early-bird registration ends on 15 July 2019.
Uncover the natural beauty of the face - The magic of facial and cosmetic acupuncture (27-29 September 2019; 13-15 December 2019). There are many courses in the field of cosmetic acupuncture nowadays, but not every course goes into the underlying reason of what causes the imbalances that can be seen in a face. Nicholas Van Bergen Garner teaches you during this 6-day course facial diagnostics, recognizing emotional stagnations and how you can restore the natural beauty of the face with painless needle techniques. It is a practical course, with a carefully designed course workbook that you can also use in your daily practice to look up details or improve your skills.
The first time Nicholas gave this course with us 2 years ago, there were only very positive responses from all students.
Note: The early-bird registration ends on 1 August 2019.
Don't guess how you have to treat children, be certain! (1-3 November 2019). Every TCM person knows that children are more yang than adults and that their systems are not yet fully grown, but how does that translate into practice? Someone with the experience of Gali Stoffman can explain that very well. After a Western medicine training, TCM training and studying the Theory of Stems and Branches, she specialized in Chinese pediatrics and the integrative application of it. In addition to her clinical activities, Gali has taught pediatric Chinese medicine in various academic institutions over the last twelve years, including the University of Tel Aviv and the Hebrew university medical faculties.
She can not only explain why a Chinese pediatrician should be creative, dynamic and inventive, but also how! During this 3-day course, Gali will make clear to you that children need expert professional treatment and not therapists who think they understand how to treat children. She will give you treatment protocols for certain typical childhood diseases, an introduction to pediatric tuina and tips for parents, dietary recommendations and essential oils. You can be sure you will benefit from this immensely when treating children!
Meridian Wave channel theory application for pain management (8-10 November 2019). In recent years we have organized the meridian wave channel theory course several times, and each time with great success. This time, Amos Ziv will teach and practice the basic theory of meridian wave channel theory. It is a very effective and easily applicable pain relief method for both acute and chronic pain. The result is immediately measurable, the effect is clinically proven with randomized double-blind studies.
The meridian wave channel theory can be particularly successfull when treating many musculoskeletal disorders. You can immediately apply this newly acquired acupuncture skill in your own practice.
Healing with Classical Chinese Medicine (18-19 January 2020; 18-19 April 2020). For those interested in what can be found in the classical texts about how Life is organized, where it comes from and how the natural organization is preserved, Larry Ibarra Fredes is the teacher for you. He will also explain how this has taken shape in Chinese medicine and what that means for your daily practice.
In the second weekend he will elaborate on illness and healing. What does illness mean for the organization of Life in a person. How can Chinese medicine restore the balance in the various layers in which Life is expressed?
Thanks to Larry's knowledge, you will be better able to understand how you can use Chinese medicine in your daily practice! Thanks to this 4-day you will have more insight into how Life behaves according to classical Chinese medicine.
The Golden Gate – Chinese Medicine for Advanced Students (27-29 March 2020; 5-7 June 2020; 11-13 September 2020). Especially for the advanced TCM therapists among us, International Lectures organizes the special 9-day "Golden Gate" course from Avihai Wolczak. The depth of this course will surprise, delight and enrich the experienced therapists. Avihai has gathered so much knowledge and grouped it in such a logical way that you wonder why you haven't done that yourself before. Thanks to the work of Avihai you can experience the wisdom and beauty of Chinese medicine down to the smallest detail. Students will come to see how well everything is connected in a beautiful way. Names come to life, knowledge becomes wisdom, the valuable qualities of Qi become tangible.
It is a course full of quotes from classical texts, case studies, tips on diagnostics, acupuncture techniques and nutrition, with extensive attention to the practical aspect. In this first 9-day semester the Wood Phase is central: what is the meaning of the Wood Phase, what are the functions of the Wood Organs, which meridians are connected to the Wood Organs, which acupuncture points are located on those meridians, how do those points represent the Wood Phase and what does that mean for the use of those points in practice?
The course is highly recommended by various renowned therapists and teachers.
Kinesiology and acupuncture of the emotion (4-5 April 2020; 13-14 June 2020). The muscle test that we know from applied kinesiology appears to be an excellent tool for TCM therapists to make a diagnosis in a structured way that not only reveals the main complaint but also the story of the inner person behind that complaint. This complete picture makes it clear to both the practitioner and the patient how the energetic balance can be restored and maintained. The emotional side and the inner human strength play a major role in this.
The course pays a lot of attention to the practical applicability of the muscle test, both diagnostically and therapeutically. Ample time has also been devoted to practicing. After this 4-day course by Jan Willem Ilbrink you will be able to perform a full treatment with the use of the muscle test.
The treatment of emotional trauma with Chinese medicine (15-17 May 2020). The American teacher CT Holman will explain to you in this exciting 3-day course not only what the effect of an emotional trauma is, but also what the core of the treatment should be. Thanks to Chinese medical diagnostics, it is quite possible to understand which disharmonies play a role in an emotionally traumatized patient and which treatment plan should be applied. Treatment of these patients can only be effective if it succeeds in bringing the Qi together, calming the trauma memory and treating the individual imbalances. Chinese medicine has various treatment methods that can be used for this, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, qigong, nutritional therapy, drum healing, heat therapy and other additional treatments.
The course is rich in demonstrations, case studies, detailed theoretical explanations and exercises that will enable you to understand and treat your emotionally traumatized patients well prepared.
We wish you a happy holiday and hope to see you at one of our courses next school year!