clinical mentorship
The Heart in The Clinic
Begins Your Clinical Mentorship
Together we jump right into the heart of the matter. You get to ask the questions, present your toughest cases and focus our work. Through the retreat days that comprise The Heart in the Clinic program, we will collaborate to discover where you would like to refine, deepen, clarify or elaborate in theory, strategy and formulation for each of the 5 channel systems. In groups of no more than 6 participants, each person will have the opportunity to needle, to take pulses, to formulate herbal remedies and to discuss lifestyle recommendations unfolding a unique exploration each time we meet.
The small and intimate setting mirrors your clinic, allowing you to experience a range of perspectives in this very special and unique setting. From the microcosmic to the macrocosmic, from the terrain of substance to the temple of spirit, we will be inviting new insights to illuminate the many facets of the clinical dialogue. You will be asked to consider being giver and receiver in many capacities; as practitioner, client, teacher, student, animal, and human. Fundamental to the view inherent in the classical system is to allow yourself to experience the whole, the world as it were, while holding the specifics of the moment. In this intensive and focused setting it is possible to gain an experiential knowing that reflects both precise intention and myriad possibilities while bringing your work with classical Chinese medicine to a new level of depth and understanding. Following in a deep long-standing lineage of medical practitioners, together we will nurture your own knowing as the firm foundation for every treatment.
This program is especially suitable for anyone who has completed a mentorship with other practitioners of the 5 Channel Systems. With the foundation and experience with the classical systems view, we can go deep into the subtleties and nuances in application in the clinic and in life, deep into the well of wisdom that includes us all.
the heart of the matter - what’s included in
Clinical Mentorship:
Over the course of a year, your mentorship includes individual sessions, group case review meetings and the intensive, The Heart in the Clinic. In individual sessions, you get to bring cases from your clinic, asking questions, exploring treatment plans and fleshing out prescriptions together. In group mentoring sessions you get to meet with others to discuss cases from other clinics so everyone can learn from everyone’s experience. All mentoring sessions will occur online.
Every offering of The Heart in the Clinic will be tailored to those present and is always only open to in-person participation. Topics for individual and group mentoring as well as The Heart in the Clinic include:
Theory, strategy and treatment guidelines for each of the 5 channel systems
Experience and application of needling and pulses for each channel system
Opportunity for live case review with attention to your specific questions
Discussion of long-term treatment plans for acupuncture, herbal remedies, essential oils, stones, and/or lifestyle recommendations in each of the 5 Channel Systems.
Dates for The Heart in the Clinic for 2026 are forthcoming. Inquire below to be informed as soon as dates and locations are confirmed.
My goal in offering this program is to tailor your learning to you! Each individual’s curriculum for the year will be unique and guided by their interest and desire. You may have an individual plan for your one-to-one sessions or you may simply bring whatever questions are arising to our meetings. Individual sessions are held online. These are scheduled at your leisure through the scheduling system.
Group sessions will feature questions, cases and discussion from a group no larger than 6 participants. Each person will be invited to share a case and to open the floor for questions, comments, suggestions and discussion. Group sessions will be held online once a month and will be scheduled by Josephine once it is known who is attending.
The Heart in the Clinic days are held live in one of several locations. Locations will be determined by those attending and available facilities. You may have to travel to attend. Tuition for 3 days of The Heart in the Clinic is included in the cost of your mentorship year. Lodging and travel costs are not included. Heart in the Clinic Intensive days will always be restricted to a maximum of 6 participants to preserve the quality of your experience. You may choose to begin your year with the Heart in the Clinic as a standalone event, offering you the opportunity to experience the intensive apart from the other aspects of a yearly mentorship. Options include the following:
One Year Mentorship - $3600
Includes group meetings, individual meetings and retreat
Heart in the Clinic only- $995
Additional Heart in the Clinic Days - $350/Day
individual mentoring packages available separately
For people new to working with Josephine, the Heart in the Clinic must be included for the first year of mentorship. You may register for the Heart in the Clinic on its own as a way to determine if a year of mentorship is for you.
For those with an ongoing relationship, you are welcome to register only for the individual and group mentoring sessions. Details for payment will be sent to you after your registration is confirmed. Payment plans including monthly, quarterly or yearly are available.
The prerequisite for joining the Clinical Mentorship program is prior experience and knowledge of the 5 channel systems of classical Chinese medicine. See below for course options to learn more about the 5 Channel systems prior to mentorship.
Clinical Mentorship -
the details:
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If you have not had instruction or are not familiar with Josephine or the teachings of classical Chinese medicine you may choose to partake of the following online courses as an alternate prerequisite for this practicum. Each of these courses is a 10-hour CEU offering presenting aspects of the 5 channel system and laying the foundation for using the classical styles of acupuncture in your practice. Ideally, to join for The Heart in the Clinic you will have completed one or more of these courses before we begin.
Body Geography: An Introduction to the 5 Channel Systems of Classical Chinese Medicine
A review of each system with treatment guidleines and principles of application.
The Three-Legged Vessel: Past, Present and Future on the Primary Channels
This course is a unique method developed in the clinic for using classical Chinese medical thinking on the Primary channels.
Clinical Application of the 5 Meridian Systems
(Available online at Healthy Seminars and taught by Josephine)
Watch the Live Q & A to learn more!
Deep Appreciation for Josephine Spilka and the Heart in the Clinic Workshop Series:
“In reflecting on my experience with Josephine Spilka and her Heart in the Clinic workshop series, I am genuinely moved by the depth, nuance, and transformative quality she brings to the study and practice of Chinese medicine. Josephine’s teaching illuminates the essential truth that healing is not a formulaic endeavor—it is a living, breathing art rooted in meeting each individual exactly where they are. Through her guidance, I have come to see how personalized this medicine can be: she draws us back to the heart, to the root of the individual’s story, and offers practical wisdom for treating the person before us, not simply their symptoms. The 5 Channel System framework, as passed down from Master Jeffrey Yuen, becomes vibrant and applicable through Josephine’s teachings, revealing layers of subtlety and effectiveness that have elevated my clinical work exponentially with each workshop.
What sets Heart in the Clinic apart is its unwavering focus on integrating Classical Chinese Medicine theory with the realities and complexities of those who seek help. Josephine has taught me to blend pulse, tongue, and palpation diagnosis with intuitive insight, forming treatment strategies that are both comprehensive and collaborative. My clients tangibly sense this difference—they remark on the presence, clarity, and depth now infused into our sessions. I am able to reflect their experiences with greater empathy and to offer a healing perspective that resonates deeply. For this quality, depth, and seamless integration, I am profoundly grateful. There is truly no other experience like Josephine’s Heart in the Clinic workshops, and I treasure the gift they have become in my professional and personal evolution.”