The Teachers
Gabriella Doran – Joint Principal
After an initial training in art, specialising in theatre design, Gabriella lived in Asia for several years, where she ran her own highly successful jewellery manufacturing business. On her return to the UK she was treated with acupuncture, which she was surprised to find not only improved her health, but also provided invaluable support through a bereavement and period of major life changes. She was impressed and inspired by this simple yet profoundly effective form of medicine, and made the decision to study and become a practitioner in 2000.
Training and Experience:
2001 - 2004: Licentiate in Acupuncture from London’s School of Five Element Acupuncture (SOFEA). This is an intensive 3-year training programme which included rigorous continual assessment and examinations, culminating in a years supervised training in clinic alongside internships in long-established practices with master practitioners.
2007: Completed Five Element Acupuncture teacher training
2007 - 2011 - Head of Second Year studies and at LIFEA (London Institute of Five Element Acupuncture).
Certified in Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture and Facial Revitalisation Massage and Acupressure, as taught by Virginia Doran the leading authority on Facial Rejuvenation acupuncture in the United States.
Tai Chi Practitioner and Teacher proficient in the Cheng Man Ching 37-posture Yang Short Form and Sword Form and teaching both forms, one to one.
Michael Arnold – Joint Principal
23 years ago I was studying Neuroscience at University. I had it all mapped out – I was going to be a researcher in brain science. Discovering new and uncharted areas of human consciousness… but life had other plans for me. That October my best friend James killed himself. The only thing that helped with the emotional turmoil and insomnia was Five Element Acupuncture. It helped me to find a peace and acceptance that I had never experienced before. I also realised that I wanted to help living people, directly. I didn’t want to cut up dead people’s brains in a laboratory.
When I started my training in acupuncture it was everything I hoped it would be. It challenged me mentally, emotionally and spiritually to grow as a person and to learn how to become an “instrument of healing”. James’ words came back to me:
“You’re not going to be a scientist Michael. You’re going to do something much more spiritual.” He could read me better than I knew myself.
Training and Experience:
1997 - 2000: Undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at UCL
2000 - 2003: Licentiate in Acupuncture from the School of Five Element Acupuncture, run by Nora Franglen
2004 - 2006: Point location tutor at the School of Five Element Acupuncture, London
2007: Completed Five Element Acupuncture teacher training
2007 - 2010: Teacher at The London Institute of Five Element Acupuncture
2014: Founded Five Element Acupuncture Training (FEAT)