“Superior practitioners treat diseases before they arise”
Jīn Guì Yào Lüè chapter 1
Charlie Upton
I am extremely passionate about authentic acupuncture and its history, development, and methods of treatment. This has led me to take advanced training in China and Japan and everything I do is authentic East Asian acupuncture. This classical approach to acupuncture reflects what is written in the ancient Chinese Medical texts, the Huang Di Nei Jing – Su Wen and Ling Su and the Nan Jing, all written over 1800 years ago.
My specific fields of interests are constitutional health and why do we become unwell. The ancient Chinese understood that the date we are born affects our core health and how we live our lives affects our symptoms, so this is my focus in treatment planning. I do this by using the classical theories to understand the influence each year and season has on our health. I then create treatments that treat both the symptoms and the core constitutional imbalance. This is essential especially for stress, anxiety disorders, men’s health, and fertility.
I have a lifetime of experience of working with people both from my past career and my private life as a kung fu practitioner and archery coach. I put this too good use as volunteer mentor on an NHS pilot project for Military Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and I now have a vast understanding of this condition and how it effects the overall health of the body and mind.
Qualifications
PG Certificate in Advanced Oriental Medicine from South Bank University, London.
Batchelor of Science Honours degree in Acupuncture from Kingston University, London.
Licentiate in Acupuncture from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, Reading.
Diploma in Tui Na, Chinese Medical Massage from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, Reading.
Certificate in Toyohari Meridian Therapy from the European Branch of the Toyohari Association, Amsterdam.
Certificate of Clinical Acupuncture from Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin.
Certificate in Korean Hand Therapy Acupuncture from Jong Baik Education, Darlington.
Certificate in NADA auricular detox therapy. Reading.
Certificate in Korean auricular therapy. Birmingham.
Currently studying Chinese Herbal Medicine at the Phoenix Academy of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.
My background
My original training in Chinese Medicine came as part of my study of 7 Star Praying Mantis Kung fu. I learnt to use Zhi ya (acupressure), Tui Na (massage), moxibustion (heat therapy) and Chinese herbal liniments (Dit Da) to treat the numerous strains and bruises sustained during contact training.
This led to a fascination with Chinese medicine and my decision to change direction in life and train professionally as an acupuncturist.
I have trained in Korean Hand Therapy under Prof Jong Baik who introduced me to Korean Traditional Medicine including Saam acupuncture and Korean magnet therapy. Under Prof Baik I trained in constitutional theory using the date of birth and the Yun Qi to understand how the seasons and each year can affect our health.
I completed my full-time degree in acupuncture from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading under John Hicks where I continued to work in their busy college acupuncture clinic for four years. This gave me the experience of treating a vast range of health conditions on a regular basis and helped perfect my diagnostic ability.
In 20I4 I took a post graduate diploma in Tui Na Chinese medical massage at the college under Kevin Young, Mark Corcoran, and Tim Sullivan and on completion I worked in the college Tui Na clinic for three years.
Since 2014 I have run my own private practice, using acupuncture and Tui Na as stand-alone therapies as well as a combined treatment.
In 2018 I completed training under Prof Stephen Birch as part of the first cohort to train in Toyohari acupuncture in the UK.
I was also invited by the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine in Harbin, China to attend a clinical acupuncture training course in stroke, paralysis, and bell’s palsy rehabilitation under Prof Lu Jinrong.
In 2019 I returned to university to study at master’s level in advanced oriental medicine research and practice, specialising in the classical texts of Chinese Medicine under David Hartman.
In 2020 I travelled to Osaka, Japan to train in Kamp Hari acupuncture under Yamamori Sensei, my first blind teacher before travelling to Nagahama to train under Sasaki Sensei in Japanese cone moxibustion therapy.
On return to the UK I obtained a scholarship to study Chinese Herbal Medicine under Dr Zanyu Chen from the UK’s biggest Chinese Herbal Medicine supplier, Phoenix Medical.
Affiliations
CHINESE HERBS
It is one of the oldest holistic health therapies still in use today and is part of the state healthcare system in China.
TOYOHARI
Toyohari Meridian Therapy is unique to Japan and is part of the oldest system of acupuncture still in daily use.
OKYU
Moxibustion is one type of hyperthermia therapy method that originated in ancient China well over 2,200 years ago.
ARICULAR
As in acupuncture, points are activated on the ear using inserted needles or non-invasive magnets or tiny pellets.