"Beyond the Five Spirits: Integrating Eastern & Western Psychology" delves into the integration of traditional Chinese medicine's five spirits—Shén, Hún, Pò, Yì, and Zhì—with key principles of modern Western psychology. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of how ancient Chinese psychological concepts align with contemporary therapeutic approaches, providing students with unique tools for emotional healing, mental clarity, and personal transformation. By blending Eastern and Western philosophies, the course fosters a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection and supports holistic mental health practices.

Exploring this blend of Eastern and Western perspectives will not only broaden your conceptual toolkit but also equip you with practical strategies to apply in clinical settings or personal growth endeavors. Through engaging lectures, dynamic discussions, and experiential learning, you’ll discover innovative ways to approach psychological healing and well-being. Whether you're a therapist seeking fresh insights or simply fascinated by the rich tapestry of human psychology, this course promises to add depth to your professional practice and personal development.

David Lloyd, D.Ac, R.Ac, R.TCMP, is the author of several books on natural health & Taoism. David has been involved with Taoism and traditional martial arts for over 25 years; he has also maintained a busy Chinese medicine practice for over 15 years. He has been a member of the Canadian Society of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture since 2003. David also helped regulate Chinese medicine in his home province of Ontario, Canada.

David’s experiences with Taoism & Traditional Chinese Medicine (T.C.M.) came about in an unlikely way in North America. He began learning of Chinese philosophy and health practices through martial arts training. Before the modernization of many Asian countries martial art teachers were like scholar-warriors, they often functioned as town doctors as well as martial artists. Historically, you are hard-pressed to find a famous T.C.M. practitioner who wasn't a martial artist or vice versa. David started training when he was 12 years old, and at the time he only wanted to learn how to defend himself. However, he quickly learned that a true martial way had little to do with fighting. It’s difficult to explain what his early training was like because as much as his teacher was like a Mr. Miyagi of sorts, he was also a true slave driver. A lot of sweat and physical effort went into the way David understands T.C.M. Before he knew what he was into David was holding very difficult stances, doing unique push-ups, and finding inner calm with breathing techniques.

With no schools for T.C.M. and an incredibly low level of media exposure, David had dreams of one-day helping people as a T.C.M. Practitioner. He had met masters of the martial arts that were also experts in T.C.M., they appeared to go hand in hand. So, David plunged into the Toronto Chinatown in order to learn to speak Chinese languages, deal with herb shop owners and other martial artists. Since then his passion for medicine has taken him across the country interning with some of the best T.C.M. Practitioners in Canada & China. In late 2006 David was invited to be a peer reviewer for Oxford University Press at their journal eCAM. Oxford eCAM is a medical journal for evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (eCAM). His invitation was to review material associated with Nitric Oxide.

After working for over a decade, as of April 2013, Acupuncture and TCM have been officially regulated as a health profession in Ontario through the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario.

David also serves on the board of scientific directors at Infinitus International. Infinitus is one of the largest Chinese herbal medicine distributors in the world, they have been named the top employer in China for several years. Infinitus also has a research laboratory at Cambridge University in England. David has lectured in Hong Kong and China on the integration of classical Chinese medicine with biochemistry.

David is on the board of directors at the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada (CMAAC).  From its inception in 1983, its mandate has been to lobby for regulation of TCM and Acupuncture for the best interests of the public and to protect the high repute of the TCM community. There are eight chapter offices across Canada. In 1987, CMAAC became a member society of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) which is the only international acupuncture organisation recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).