Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness

For Acupuncturists Working with Chronic Stress, Trauma, Adversity, and Complex Patient Histories

52 CEUs • Live Teaching • 2 Years Access • Trusted by 34,000 Practitioners Worldwide

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"Yvonne is a superior teacher structuring even difficult concepts into easy to digest ideas. She is a spirited fun teacher. She bridges traditional and modern perspectives on treating all issues always including the psycho-emotional aspect of the pathology."

Ellen E. - Acupuncturist

There comes a point in practice when more information isn't the answer

You've studied the channels.
You've learned the protocols.
You've treated hundreds, or thousands-of patients.
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And yet some cases still leave you wondering...

Why do certain patients improve, only to relapse when life becomes difficult again?

Why do some symptoms persist despite good treatment?

Why do certain patterns seem impossible to fully understand through a purely biomedical lens?

The truth is that many of the patients who struggle most are carrying stories that cannot be understood through
symptoms alone.

Their nervous systems, survival strategies, life experiences, relationships, and histories all shape how illness manifests and how healing unfolds.

Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness is an advanced mentorship designed to help experienced practitioners develop a deeper understanding of the systems, patterns, and human experiences that influence health and disease.

This is not another technique course.

This is a different way of seeing.

A way of understanding what may be happening beneath the symptoms.

A way of making sense of complexity.

A way of practicing with greater confidence, clarity, and compassion.
Ready to See Your Patients Through a Different Lens?
Join Yvonne Farrell for 52 hours of live online mentorship and earn 52 CEUs.

Why Practitioners Join Beyond Survival: Understanding The Humanity Behind Illness with Dr. Yvonne Farrell 

Most practitioners don't join because they need more information.
It’s because they’ve reached a point in practice where information alone isn’t solving the problem.

You may recognize yourself in some of these experiences:


  You've treated a patient successfully, only to watch their symptoms return when life becomes stressful again.


  You have patients who seem to improve around the edges, but never fully stabilize.

  You've learned countless techniques, yet certain cases still feel confusing or incomplete.

  You sometimes wonder if you're missing something important.

  You want a deeper understanding of why your patients respond the way they do.

  You're looking for a framework that helps you make sense of complexity-not another protocol to memorize.

Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness was created for practitioners who want to move beyond symptom management and develop a richer understanding of the people sitting in front of them.

Who this mentorship is for:
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✓ Regularly work with chronic stress, trauma, adversity, and complex patient histories

✓ Have a strong clinical foundation and want to deepen their understanding

✓ Value thoughtful discussion over quick fixes

✓ Are interested in the relationship between physiology, life experience, and healing

✓ Want greater confidence in difficult cases

✓ Appreciate mentorship, reflection, and clinical inquiry

✓ Are willing to question assumptions and see their patients through a broader lens

Who this mentorship is not for:
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✗ You're looking for a simple protocol-based treatment system

✗ You're seeking quick clinical shortcuts

✗ You're primarily interested in introductory channel theory

✗ You're looking for information only, rather than transformation in how you practice

What You'll Explore Together

Over eight months, we'll explore the channels, systems, and clinical frameworks that help explain why some patients remain stuck in patterns that don't make sense through symptoms alone.
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You'll explore:

The Physiology of Survival

How chronic stress, adversity, and survival responses shape the body over time.

The Humanity Behind Symptoms

Looking beyond diagnosis to better understand the lived experiences influencing health and healing.

Clinical Complexity

Why some patients improve, relapse, plateau, or present with patterns that don't fit neatly into conventional frameworks.

The Channel
Systems

Applying classical Chinese medicine concepts in ways that support modern clinical practice.

Seeing More
Clearly

Developing the confidence to recognize patterns you may have previously overlooked.

Clinical Integration

Bringing these concepts directly into treatment planning, patient conversations, and day-to-day practice.

What You'll Learn

Over eight months, you'll explore the channels, systems, and clinical frameworks that help explain why certain patients respond the way they do.
Track 1: Wei Qi
Understanding protection, adaptation, and the body's first response to challenge
The Sinew channels can treat far more than musculoskeletal complaints. As Wei Qi vessels, they reflect how you hold yourself in the world - how you move, how you react, and how others perceive you. You'll learn to recognize pathology in this system and build treatments that ease pain, restore function, and support a healthy demeanor.
You'll explore imbalances in: posture, gait, body memory, reactivity to external stimuli, pervasive moods, and the holding, armoring, and defensive posturing that shapes how you make your way in the world.
Sinews #1 - Wei Qi and the Corporeal Soul (Po), how the system works, and what to look for through observation.
Sinews #2 - Sinew pathways, points, and functions; assessment (including pulses); building treatments; self-care.
Track 2: Ying Qi
Understanding relationship, connection, and the stories carried within the body

Luo Collaterals (2 classes): Micro-circulation is essential to how we process the emotional experiences of life. You'll learn how blood is used to create latency when life overwhelms the pericardium's ability to protect the heart, and how this system protects the organs by creating new blood vessels far away from them.

You'll examine: longitudinal vs. transverse Luos, the experiences associated with each Luo, constitutional Luos and karmic debt, the relationship between Ying and Wei Qi, and the somatization of emotion.

Primary Channels: The bread and butter of an acupuncture practice. The Primary channels don't create latency themselves, but direct pathogens to the systems that do - guardians of the interior. Learn to see this system as a way of digesting life, managing emotional experience, and knowing when enough is enough.

You'll cover: the mental-emotional functions of the Primary channels, point classifications and combinations, and building Zangfu treatments with deeper intent and respect for channel theory.

Earth School: An investigation of Li Dong Yuan's pivotal treatise on the Spleen and Stomach, and why healthy function in the middle jiao is essential to quality of life and longevity. Modern life is harder to digest than ever, and dysfunction in the middle is at the root of much chronic disease.

You'll investigate: habit and consciousness, agency and obstruction in the middle, Yin Fire as the source of knotty disease, and Gu Syndrome and possession.
Track 3: Yuan Qi
Understanding deep constitutional patterns and adaptive responses

As extensions of the Primary channels, the Divergent meridians create latency for survival when the Primary channels can't - negotiating the relationship between Wei and Yuan Qi. This system can move an unprocessed, organ-threatening experience into the joints, trapping the pathogen there to slow the disease process and buy time to gather resources or shift perspective. Because it negotiates the relationship between Self (Yuan) and Other (Wei), it's complex, and we'll explore it across three classes.

You'll cover: the six confluences and disease progression, mediumship for latency, zonal theory, palpation and assessment of superficial structure, essential points for treatment, releasing or maintaining latency, and common Divergent-pattern conditions such as allergies, autoimmune disease, and other chronic degenerative disorders.
  • Divergent Channels #1
  • Divergent Channels #2
  • Divergent Channels #3
Track 4: Jing (8 Extras)
Understanding core patterns, developmental influences, and long-term healing

As the only pre-natal vessels in the body, the 8 Extraordinary Vessels hold our life's curriculum - the resources needed to live out who we came here to be. Archetypal in nature, they root us in our original self and help negotiate the 7/8-year cycles of Jing while keeping us connected to the truth of who we are.

Chong Mai / Dai Mai
The Alpha and Omega of the 8 Extras. Chong Mai is the source of all, the blueprint for life, holding identity, familial and cultural lineage, and our curriculum. Dai Mai is the mediator and integrator - the only horizontal vessel, it facilitates growth and development, provides the fire of Ming Men, and can become a receptacle for unprocessed trauma that threatens life or sanity.

Ren Mai / Du Mai
Where Chong Mai gives birth to polarity. Ren Mai is the source of constitutional Yin: nourishment, containment, connection, self-love, stillness. Du Mai is the source of constitutional Yang: potency, motive force, courage, structure, self-respect. Wei Mai - Vessels of aging that draw on Ren and Du resources over time, linking pre- and post-natal Yin and Yang to maintain continuity of self. Covers biography, negotiating the emotions of transition, and maintaining a healthy self-image as we age.

Qiao Mai
The 8 Extras closest to the post-natal system, governing our ability to take up space in the present moment by connecting feet to eyes. Covers structural alignment, insight, pacing, and how we filter external stimuli.

But this mentorship is about much more than anatomy, channels, or theory.

Together, we'll explore:

  • The relationship between survival patterns and illness

  • Clinical approaches for complexity

  • How adversity shapes physiology

  • Understanding the humanity behind symptoms

  • Building confidence in your clinical reasoning
  • Why some patients become stuck despite treatment

  • Seeing patterns you may have missed before
  • Applying these concepts directly in practice

What You'll Receive

Everything You Need To Fully Integrate The Material

When you join Beyond Survival: Understanding The Humanity Behind Illness, you'll receive:
13 Live Mentorship Classes
52 hours of live teaching with Yvonne Farrell.

6 Live Office Hours Sessions
Dedicated integration and Q&A sessions after each topic block

Two Years of Access to the Recordings
All sessions are recorded and you'll receive 2 years of access to the recordings (with the option to extend).
While we encourage live participation whenever possible, many practitioners successfully participate by watching recordings and attending office hours when their schedule allows.
52 CEUs
Earn continuing education credits while deepening your clinical understanding.

Downloadable Resources
Supporting materials to help integrate concepts into practice.

Community Learning Experience
Learn alongside practitioners who share your commitment to deeper clinical work.

What Practitioners Say

"I’ve been mentoring with Yvonne Farrell since 2022.
I'll take any course she offers."
Jamie L. - L.Ac.
"I always love learning about the 8 extras with Yvonne! She is so knowledgeable and always provides such helpful language and framework for understanding and utilizing these vessels in practice."
Kerry G. - LAc, MAOM, SPN
"Fantastic opportunity to study live with Dr. Farrell. Applied the Sacred Triangles in treatment yesterday and felt beneficial to me to bring elements of the book I had read last year forward again for me to consider in practice."
Kate D. - Practitioner

Meet Your Mentor
 Yvonne Farrell

For decades, Yvonne Farrell has helped practitioners deepen their understanding of Chinese medicine, human physiology, and the lived experiences that shape health.

Known for her ability to bridge classical theory with clinical reality, Yvonne's teaching invites practitioners to think differently, question assumptions, and approach patients with greater curiosity and compassion.

Her work has influenced practitioners around the world and helped many develop a more nuanced understanding of complex illness, trauma, adversity, and healing.

Students consistently describe her teaching as transformative, thought-provoking, clinically relevant, and deeply human.

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By The End Of This Mentorship, You'll...

✓ Understand complex patient presentations through a broader clinical lens
✓ Recognize patterns of stress, adversity, and survival that influence health
✓ Feel more confident navigating difficult cases
✓ Develop a clearer rationale for treatment decisions
✓ Better understand why some patients plateau or relapse
✓ Strengthen your ability to communicate with patients about their experiences
✓ Integrate channel theory into real-world clinical practice
✓ Bring greater depth, confidence, and humanity into your work

Most importantly...

You'll leave with a new way of seeing.

And once you see these patterns, it's difficult to unsee them.

Why Register Now?

Beyond Survival: Understanding The Humanity Behind Illness is only offered periodically.
This is a live mentorship experience designed to unfold over time, allowing practitioners to integrate concepts, ask questions, reflect on their clinical experiences, and learn alongside a community of peers.

While recordings will be available, practitioners consistently tell us that participating live is where much of the transformation happens.
Registration is now open for the October 2026 cohort.
If you've been feeling called to deepen your understanding of complex patients, strengthen your clinical confidence, and develop a richer understanding of the relationship between adversity, physiology, and healing, now is the time to commit.

The patients who challenge you most aren't going away.

The question is whether you'll be seeing them through the same lens next year.

Program
Schedule

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October 4, 2026 – May 23, 2027
With final integration office hours on June 2, 2027.
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13 Live Sunday Mentorship Sessions
9:00 AM – approximately 1:30 PM Pacific
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6 Office Hours Sessions
90-minute integration and Q&A calls scheduled throughout the program.
Office hours will be offered at alternating times to accommodate practitioners in different time zones whenever possible. This updated format is intentionally more manageable than previous cohorts, allowing more time for integration while maintaining the depth of the material.
Total Commitment
• 13 Classes
• 52 Class Hours
• 6 Office Hours Sessions
• 61 Hours Total
• 52 CEUs

Full Program Schedule

Over eight months, you'll explore the channels, systems, and clinical frameworks that help explain why certain patients respond the way they do.

Track 1: Wei Qi

Understanding Protection, Adaptation, and the Body's First Response to Challenge
Sunday, October 4, 2026
 Sinews #1
Sunday, October 18, 2026
 Sinews #2
Monday, November 2nd, 2026
Office Hours (90 minutes)

Track 2: Ying Qi

Understanding Relationship, Connection, and the Stories Carried Within the Body
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Luo Collaterals #1
Sunday, November 22, 2026
Luo Collaterals #2
Sunday, December 13, 2026
Primary Channels
Sunday, January 10, 2027
 Earth School
Monday, November 30, 2026
Office Hours (90 minutes)
Wednesday, January 13, 2027
Office Hours (90 minutes)

Track 3: Yuan Qi

Understanding Deep Constitutional Patterns and Adaptive Responses
Sunday, January 31, 2027
Divergents #1
Sunday, February 21, 2027
Divergents #2
Sunday, February 28, 2027
 Divergents #3
Monday, March 8, 2027
Office Hours (90 minutes)

Track 4: Jing

Understanding Core Patterns, Developmental Influences, and Long-Term Healing
Sunday, March 21, 2027
Chong Mai / Dai Mai
Sunday, April 11, 2027
Ren Mai / Du Mai
Monday, April 19, 2027
Office Hours (90 minutes)
Sunday, May 2, 2027
Wei Mai
Sunday, May 23, 2027
Qiao Mai
Wednesday, June 2, 2027
Final Office Hours & Integration Session (90 minutes)

Frequently asked questions

Who is this mentorship designed for?

Beyond Survival: Understanding The Humanity Behind Illness is designed for experienced acupuncturists who want to deepen their understanding of chronic stress, trauma, adversity, complex patient histories, and the relationship between human experience and health.
This is an advanced mentorship intended for practitioners who already have a solid clinical foundation.

Do I need experience with Channel Theory?

A basic understanding of Chinese medicine is recommended.
However, this mentorship goes far beyond channel theory alone. The focus is on clinical application, pattern recognition, and understanding the deeper systems influencing health and healing.

What if I can't attend every live session?

All sessions are recorded and you'll receive 2 years of access to the recordings (with the option to extend).
While we encourage live participation whenever possible, many practitioners successfully participate by watching recordings and attending office hours when their schedule allows.

How are the office hours different from the classes?

Office hours are dedicated integration and discussion sessions.
They provide an opportunity to ask questions, explore clinical applications, discuss cases, and deepen your understanding of the material after you've had time to reflect and apply it in practice.

How much time should I expect to commit?

The mentorship includes:
13 live classes
52 teaching hours
6 office hours sessions
61 total live hours

Many practitioners also choose to spend additional time reviewing recordings and integrating concepts into their clinical work.

Will I receive CEUs?

Yes.
Participants will receive 52 CEUs upon successful completion of the program.
Additional approval details will be provided on the registration page.

How long will I have access to the recordings?

You'll receive 2 years of access to all mentorship recordings (with the option to extend), allowing you to revisit the material as your clinical understanding continues to evolve.

Is this a case-based mentorship?

While clinical examples and discussions will be included throughout the program, Beyond Survival is not primarily a case review program.
The focus is on developing a deeper understanding of the systems, patterns, and human experiences that influence health and disease so that you can apply those insights across many different patient presentations.

What makes this mentorship different from a CEU course?

Most CEU courses focus on delivering information.
Beyond Survival: Understanding The Humanity Behind Illness is designed to transform how you think clinically.
Rather than teaching another protocol or treatment strategy, this mentorship helps practitioners develop a richer understanding of complexity, deepen clinical confidence, and better understand what may be happening beneath the symptoms.

Can I join if I've studied with Yvonne before?

Absolutely.
Many practitioners return to Yvonne's teachings because each stage of practice reveals new layers of understanding.
The concepts explored in this mentorship often deepen with clinical experience and repeated study.

Why should I register now?

This mentorship is only offered periodically and unfolds over eight months with a live cohort of practitioners.
Registering now secures your place in the October 2026 cohort and allows you to participate in the live discussions, reflections, and integration that many practitioners consider one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

Cancellation policy

Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness is a cohort-based mentorship program with a defined start and end date, similar to a college semester. Your registration reserves a limited spot in the program, and our team and mentors commit significant resources to supporting your learning experience.
Before the Program Begins
If you cancel your registration on or before October 3, 2026, you will receive a full refund of your tuition, less:
  • A $150 administrative fee
  • The non-refundable eCommerce processing fee (5% of the amount paid)
During Track 1
We want you to feel confident that Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness is the right fit for your practice. After the program begins, you have until October 20, 2026 to determine whether the mentorship is right for you. During this time, you will have the opportunity to participate in Track 1 and experience the mentorship before making your decision.
If you choose to withdraw on or before October 20, 2026, you will receive a refund of your tuition paid, less:
  • A $350 withdrawal fee
  • The non-refundable eCommerce processing fee (5% of the amount paid)
Final Refund Deadline
October 20, 2026, is the final deadline to request a refund or withdrawal from Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness.

No refunds will be issued after October 20, 2026, regardless of attendance or participation.
Registration Transfers
Registrations for Beyond Survival: Understanding the Humanity Behind Illness are non-transferable and may not be sold, assigned, or transferred to another individual.

See your patients differently.
Understand complexity more clearly.
Practice with greater confidence.