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Puls Diagnostic

Refresher training

Right on the Pulse of our Times

An introduction to Shen-Hammer-Pulse-Diagnosis: Module Basic A
With Sybill Huessen, Christoph Götte and Sebastian Kütter

“The Classics and the tradition are like the roots of a tree. In order to grow, the tree needs new branches. Every practitioner who is rooted in tradition needs to develop and expand his thinking in order to deal with new problems, a different environment or changes in living beings. As a response to these changes, one needs to apply new strategies and methods in order to keep the medicine relevant and alive. Studying the Classics is essential to stay rooted, new thinking is fundamental for growth and relevance.” (Leon Hammer in “Contemporary Oriental Medicine Concepts” 2017)

This describes the framework for the way we prefer to teach Shen-Hammer-Pulse-Diagnosis that is suitably also called “Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis”. Our endeavor is to describe in words what we feel with our fingertips and to interpret these findings gradually rather than overloading anybody.

Description

Anybody can learn pulse diagnosis; the only prerequisite is to take it step by step and to offer maximum hands-on-practice time. In that case, learning the skills to feel the pulse is like learning a new language: It only takes a few words and a little bit of grammar to get started and then one needs to start speaking the language in order to gradually expand the vocabulary. Since many years, we have been working on an easily “digestible” concept for learning pulse diagnosis. We are convinced that the way to comprehend pulse diagnosis is by repeatedly palpating the pulse while consistently receiving feedback in order to develop an actual sensory memory of how a particular pulse quality feels like.

This gives class participants the opportunity to apply what they have learned with their fingertips relatively quickly into clinical practice. To know how a particular pulse quality feels like is the most solid foundation to enable a deeper theoretical understanding of its interpretation.

Our intent is to stay close to the old tradition of transferring knowledge from master to student in the sense of allowing for maximum supervision time within a small group of participants. It is our hearts desire to meet the individual learning needs of each participant – regardless of their level of experience. Above all, we insist that learning must be enjoyable!

The amount of hands-on practice time combined with the individualized attention and the limited number of participants (16-18) allows for an almost personalized learning experience.

The “What and How” of Module Basic A (3 days):

During the hands-on part of class, the participants always work in pairs with changing constellations. One of the two is constantly palpating the pulse of their partner while receiving continuous feedback from one of the instructors. On the second or third day, a couple of the participants will get a chance to volunteer and have their pulse taken and recorded by the teachers. Their pulses will then be felt by their classmates while being directly coached by one of the teachers – afterwards, the volunteers will also have a chance to palpate the pulse of another volunteer with direct feedback. This method ensures that participants can deepen and evolve their palpatory skills on the spot and it enables them to transfer their freshly acquired skills effortlessly into clinical practice.

Cornerstones:

Historical overview of pulse diagnosis within East Asian Medicine, a bird’s eye view of different systems of pulse diagnosis throughout the centuries, ancient and contemporary perspectives on the role of the heart and its interconnectivity, introduction to Shen-Hammer-Pulse-Diagnosis (CCPD) in theory and practice, palpation of the Entire Pulse in all three depths at the radial artery, identification of the most common Shen-Hammer pulse qualities, introduction to different approaches of the interpretation of pulse findings within the context of real life cases, discussion of diagnostic and clinical relevance.

Learning goals:

  • Waking up ones fingertips and learning / deepening different palpatory skills
  • Developing confidence in navigating the three depth
  • Identifying and differentiating the main CCPD pulse qualities
  • Cultivating interpretation skills about the emerging pulse findings
  • Integration of palpatory skills in the framework of the curriculum
  • Incorporating new palpation & interpretation skills into clinical practice

Perspectives:

The initial Basic A-Module opens the doors to further learning opportunities in the realm of Shen-Hammer-Pulse-Diagnosis: The additional Basic Modules (Basic B, Intermediate C & D) gradually offer more insight into a broader variety of pulse qualities and their application. Individual pulse positions and their interplay with the entire pulse lead to a deeper understanding of the patient’s reality and their trajectory from past to present. Supervision and coaching days are another opportunity to gradually develop one’s pulse taking and interpretation skills.

Oxrider Academy - Nascholing

Details

Course: Puls Diagnostic – Module Basic A
Duration: 3 days
Language: English
Teacher: Sybill Huessen, M.S. TCM and Sebastian Kütter HP
Price: € 750,- (including coffee, tea and lunch)

Times:
Friday: 10-13:00 – 14:30- 17:30
Saturday: 10-13:00 – 14:30- 17:30/18:30
Sunday: 9:30-16:00 (1 hr. lunch break)
Days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Dates: 17, 18, 19 November 2023
Locatie: Location follows, Limburg, The Netherlands

Accreditation: NVA, Zhong

Teachers

Sybill Huessen lives and works in the NL since 1999. She started to study Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis in 1997 with Leon Hammer and brought it to Europe after living and working in the US for many years. After years of practicing and teaching, her focus lies in integrating new impulses emerging from East Asian Medicine as well as different life sciences directly into the classroom.

Sebstian Kütter discovered his enthusiasm for CCPD during his acupuncture training in 2008. He works in private practice in Langenfeld, Germany and has joined the team in 2012. He has been teaching Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis within the acupuncture training of CCM-Nord in Hamburg. Sebastian’s fresh perspective is yet another valuable asset in the continuous process of evolving the teaching of this system in a contemporary way.

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