The Cultivating Tradition Podcast

What role do academic journals play in shaping the future of Traditional East Asian Medicine? Why do they matter to practitioners, researchers and, ultimately, our patients? In this unique and fascinating conference panel discussion, editors from some of the profession’s leading journals share the stage together — a rare opportunity to hear these voices in conversation at the same time. Bringing t...

Susan Woodhead: Being humbled to stand in the long, long line that goes back thousands of years.    Alex sat down with one of our wonderful founding members, and fellow, Susan Woodhead to record a brilliant edition of the Cultivating Traditions podcast. Susan has been a practitioner since 1984 since qualifying from Lemington Spa as a Five Element practitioner. I love her statement: it is a privile...

In this episode, we sit down with ETCMA Susan Evans MBAcC, Vice Chair of the Executive Committee and newly elected President Ricardo Teixeira to explore the quiet but powerful work shaping the future of Chinese medicine in Europe. From its role as a unifying hub for 30 organisations, to the behind-the-scenes collaboration that strengthens advocacy, education, and professional standards, this conve...

In this special Cultivating Tradition podcast episode, BAcC CEO, Alex Jacobs sits down with Colette Assor (first recorded in February 2025), a fellow of the British Acupuncture Council, who has dedicated over 25 years to advancing acupuncture as a trusted, evidence-based profession. Colette shares her journey — from her early training in traditional Chinese medicine to becoming a passionate advoca...

Have you ever wondered what the difference between the way Chinese, Ayurveda and Western herbalists think? Chinese herbalist and CEO of the British Acupuncture Council*, Alex Jacobs hosts a unique cross-herbal tradition roundtable discussion with Ayurveda practitioner, Dr Ayu Sathyavathi S. and pan-herbal tradition expert Simon Mills at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden (recorded in May 202...

The Cultivating Tradition podcast: new episode available! We're thrilled to share our latest podcast episode with you - a panel discussion from The UK Conference of Chinese Medicine 2025: 'The global future of Chinese medicine'   Chinese medicine has the potential to revolutionise healthcare. Everyone has a personal view of how it has transformed countless lives. So, why does it often...

Recorded live at the UK Conference of Chinese Medicine 2025 on 7 June 2025. This is a panel discussion featuring one of the most famous authors and teachers of Chinese medicine in the West, Elisabeth Rochat de la Valee, leading clinician and researcher and president of the European TCM Association, Yair Maimon and popular teacher and practitioner, Conny Cooper. Hosted by BAcC CEO, Alex Jacobs, the...

John and Angie Hicks are two of the most beloved and instrumental figures in the development of Chinese medicine and acupuncture in the UK. Many of their ideas were so influential that they have become part of the way that we think about the medicine today. More than that, the college that they founded has trained countless generations of acupuncturists who have gone on to treat countless more pat...

Fresh from presenting at the World Conference of Traditional Medicine in Beijing, BAcC CEO Alex Jacobs interviews professor of anthropology, Wu Kai about his journey from biology into an interest in how acupuncture has developed around the world. Learn about some of the most important Western sinologists, such as Georges Soulie de Mourant and Joseph Needham and the impact that they had, not only o...

Alex Brazkiewicz is a prolific teacher of acupuncture and tuina massage as well as a first aid trainer. Alex shares his insights on practice and his journey from working as a police officer and a paramedic into acupuncture. He explains the multidisciplinary approach that he takes in the treatment of musculo-skeletal complaints, using the shoulder as an example.

All Taiwanese citizens can access high quality acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatment at low cost on the national health. Taiwan represents a powerful vision for the possibility of Chinese medicine for Western countries. Dean of Taichung China Medical University and fully qualified Western and Chinese doctor, Dr Hung-Rong Yen explains the achievements that Taiwan has made and shares som...

Yair Maimon is the president of the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). He is also an experienced clinician and academic who has run large-scale Chinese medicine initiatives in national healthcare and has been published in numerous academic journals. CEO of the BAcC, Alex Jacobs interviews Yair about his career and about the challenges of pushing acupuncture and Chinese medi...

Part of the BAcC Cultivating Tradition series, BAcC CEO, Alex Jacobs took the opportunity to speak to beloved practitioner, author and BAcC fellow, Charlie Buck about the differences in the public and practitioner understanding of acupuncture. Throughout his career, Charlie Buck has developed a deep appreciation for the rigorous scientific and technological underpinning of Chinese medicine. His bo...

Part of the BAcC's Cultivating Tradition Series, BAcC CEO, Alex Jacobs interviews BAcC fellow, Professor Volker Scheid FBAcC about some of the most important ideas and themes in his career as an academic. Volker has dedicated his career to understanding and making sense of the flow of history in Chinese medicine and the diversity of ideas and approaches. In this interview, he interweaves stories f...

Part of the BAcC Cultivating Tradition Series, BAcC CEO, Alex Jacobs, interviews beloved teacher, Cinzia Scorzon, about her development as an acupuncturist and the field work that she conducted interviewing key figures in 20th century acupuncture in China. Cinzia also shares some of her personal philosophy about practice and teaching. Recorded in Tuscany - August 2024 (crickets and all!)