Testimonials
Sean Tuten has the rare gift of being an intuitive, sensitive practitioner who engages his entire being in healing work while simultaneously being able to transmit those sensations and practices verbally through his teachings. When you hear Sean teach, it is clear that his practice of teaching directly informs and enlivens his clinical practice and vice versa. He is an eloquent and organized speaker, capable of capturing concepts and holding them lightly enough that they can gather into usable clinical pearls. When Sean teaches about the channel systems of Classical Chinese Medicine, he moves fluidly between concrete, tangible descriptions of a particular channel or point and examining the intricacies of needling technique or adjunctive measures, into ephemeral sensations of how to “read” the spirit of a room or connect with the Shen of a patient.
It is clear that Sean connects with the treatment of Luo Vessels in particular and has extensive experience working with the interconnections of these vessels with the primary channel system and other Complementary Channels. You will leave any weekend course of studying confident to work with the Luo Vessels and prepared for the healing trajectory that these treatments can take.
Yvette Koch, Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine — Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Sean is an outstanding clinician-teacher of Chinese medicine. He embodies the practice and transmits this experiential knowledge to practitioners with warmth, humility and a deep authenticity. He holds a generous and safe space where practitioners feel welcomed and encouraged to ask questions and to learn through practice. He distills very complex, inter-related topics into a simple structure that conveys the essence of the material and he has an uncanny ability to stretch time so that all manner of questions and tangents are addressed within the flow of the teaching. I highly recommend this transformative learning experience to any practitioner of Chinese medicine who is looking for a classically-oriented, satisfying and embodied way of practice.
Lois Nethery, Registered Acupuncturist & Chinese Herbalist; Coauthor, "Chinese Medicine Liberation: Inner Documents" — Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
This mentorship class has impacted me and my practice far more than I expected. At times I have been incredibly frustrated and your encouragement around hanging in there is always well timed. Since the in-person workshop our medicine is coming alive in a way I always felt was possible but had not yet been able to access. I have been able to pick up signs in the pulse that I didn't even know were there. I am feeling my way through sinew treatments with much better results than anticipated. This information has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into uncertain territory, and so far so good. Thank you for doing this work and for sharing it so thoughtfully and with such a caring heart toward the medicine and healing. What you are doing is very important and appreciated, and you do it so well.
Nicole Anderson, L.Ac., DAOM — St. Louis, MO
Sean is a fantastic teacher. He is extremely clear, experienced, passionate, humble, and hilarious. I am beyond grateful to have found the Classical Acupuncture College, and plan on repeating Modules I-III again and hopefully again. Before I became an acupuncturist, I wanted to learn Classical Acupuncture. Little did I know that most of the Chinese Medicine schools don’t really teach Classical and that it was much harder to learn it than I had thought. As a practitioner, I have struggled to find classes that could teach me all the complimentary channels in a way that I could understand and digest until I found Sean’s program. Through Sean’s courses I have been able to understand the complimentary channel system and how to actually DO the treatments - a big, important piece that was missing from other classes I have tried. Although I have just dipped my toes into the process of practicing Classical Acupuncture, I feel like I have a strong foundation and can actually start DOING classical treatments. I also was lucky enough to attend one of Sean’s in-person advanced clinical skills workshops which was not only so much fun, but taught me a huge amount that I have been weaving seamlessly into my practice. I highly recommend any class that Sean teaches, and plan to take as many of his classes that I possibly can.
Rayna Savrosa, L.Ac., DACM — San Francisco, CA
I wanted to express my gratitude for your teaching and the transmission of this beautiful knowledge for which you clearly have so much love and dedication. I started taking your Classical Acupuncture Mentorship while I was completing my Master's Degree in Acupuncture and for the first time, I felt like the channel system started to make sense in this intricate and coherent four-dimensional way. And from there, the points with the lists of actions in books also began to have an art and logic to them within the channel system. I feel like your modules put me on the path of real understanding. Thanks for that gift!
Leora Esterra, MD, MAc - Gainesville, Florida, United States
Sean teaches how to confidently and safely use the complement channels of Classical Chinese Medicine to treat virtually any pathology with clarity of intention. Not only does he teach when and how to use these channels, but uniquely provides the context of how they work in relationship with the primary channels, thus providing a complete understanding of disease progression and the healing process. He passionately teaches how to listen to the pulse in order to provide right treatment and always honor what the patient's spirit is asking for. Sean teaches with authenticity, humility, and humor, and my training would not have been complete without his courses.
Sam Dettmer, Doctor of Oriental Medicine — Harrisburg, Virginia, United States
Sean Tuten's seminars on the 8 Extraordinary and Luo Vessels were nothing short of profound. His depth of understanding both theoretically and clinically allowed for the material to be presented in a way which was clear, riveting and immediately clinically relevant. He seemed to embody the knowledge that he presented and held us in that space also. Sean is a humble and deeply knowledgeable teacher. I would not hesitate to attend any other seminars he presents.
Suzan Jovanovic, Registered Acupuncturist & Chinese Herbalist — Milton, New South Wales, Australia
I don't normally cry as a result of personal and professional revelation during lectures in East Asian medicine, but I did so twice prior to the first break in this course. The material is incredibly valuable, and Sean is a gifted and passionate presenter.
Tank Conner, Licensed Acupuncturist — San Francisco, California, United States
When working with Dr. Sean Tuten I have always enjoyed, and have come to expect, a rare combination of sincerity, inspiration, humor, grounded spirit, deep thinking and a commitment to genuine efforts at aligning actions and work with integrity. It has always been an endeavor of the heart. I would wish it on anyone.
Claudia Welch, Doctor of Oriental Medicine; Author, "The Four Qualities of Effective Physicians" — Montpelier, Vermont, United States
Sean is a gifted teacher. It would be hard to overstate the impact that studying with him has had on my practice. He is so good at explaining the complex concepts of Classical Chinese Medicine that they become immediately applicable in the clinic! Sean's passion for the medicine shines bright in his classes and his dedication to teaching acupuncturists seems to come from a deep belief in the potential good we hold for the world. I have left his classes profoundly inspired, with extensive knowledge of physiology and the Secondary Channels, and an improved ability to problem solve when faced with difficult cases.
Erica Moffet, Licensed Acupuncturist — Blue Hill, Maine, United States
Dr. Sean Tuten is an impassioned and entertaining instructor. His relaxed teaching style and command of the material make for classes that are both enjoyable and filled with useable information. I have worked and studied with many Chinese Medicine practitioners and instructors over the last 35 years, and Dr. Tuten ranks among the very best.
Jim Ventresca, Doctor of Oriental Medicine; Founder, Acu-Practice Seminars — Montpelier, Vermont, United States
Dr. Tuten’s classical acupuncture courses have rocked my foundation of Chinese medical theory and given me a far deeper understanding of the pathophysiological process. It filled in the many gaps left by conventional TCM education and has been pivotal in my approach with patients and their care. In proper Daoist style, this way of seeing the body acts not only as a guide to effective treatment but as a guide for life in general. Dr. Tuten is clear in his presentation, academic in his understanding of the material, and compassionate in his application with patients and students. His use of real world examples to illustrate points and processes further solidifies one's understanding of the theory. Plus, in all the seriousness of the topic, he often inserts humor which is always a relief in a lecture or classroom setting. If you are looking for more depth in the medicine you practice, this is a path there.
Sarah Petersen, Doctor of Oriental Medicine — Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to study with Sean. His teaching style employs deep understanding, patience, humor, and a level of humility that is refreshing and inspiring. He has a unique capacity to grasp complexity, digest it, and distill it in way that is easy to understand. The mentorship series has deepened my theoretical and practical knowledge and has truly changed the way I approach and practice medicine. I cannot speak highly enough of this series and look forward to learning from him again in the future.
Amanda Robinson, Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine — Providence, Rhode Island, United States