Who This Program Is For
Registered Acupuncturists & TCM
Practitioners
You are already seeing patients who come in due to anxiety, low mood, insomnia, and stress, sometimes as the reason for the visit, but often folded into one. This program educates you on the Ben Shen Clinical System, a structured approach for handling such cases with a clear plan.
ELIGIBILITY
Registered Acupuncturists, Registered TCM Practitioners, or Registered Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Dr. TCM).
You are in good standing with your regulatory authority, in cases where regulation exists.
Healthcare Professionals Authorized to Practice Acupuncture
You already have acupuncture in your scope as a physician, chiropractor, physiotherapist, or nurse, and patients are asking you for integrative methods for dealing with stress, anxiety, and sleep. This program provides a credible, well-structured TCM framework you can apply in your established practice.
ELIGIBILITY
What You’ll Gain
The Ben Shen (Rooted Spirit) Clinical System provides one unified framework for psycho-emotional care, including pattern differentiation, individualized acupuncture and herbal treatments, and lifestyle and mind-body support.
On completion, you will receive a qualification jointly awarded by CITCM and the American Institute of Mental Health in Traditional Chinese Medicine (AIMHTCM) and gain real clinical experience by observing and carrying out your own casework.
If you're already an acupuncturist in practice
you will acquire the systematic clinical judgment that enables you to provide confident, structured care for the mental-emotional presentations you already observe. Gaining this qualification also indicates this judgment to the physicians and counsellors that you refer to and who refer to you.
If acupuncture is one part of your broader scope
you will receive a credible TCM framework that you can layer onto the practice you've established. This certification will help you confidently meet the demand for integrative care already reaching your clinic.
If you're finishing your acupuncture training
you will gain a head start most of your peers won't have when you enter practice. You'll have a unique credential to show future employers, clinics, and your new patient base.
Meet Your Instructors
Curriculum and Delivery
The program consists of seven modules, combining online and onsite instruction,
and it will run from January 2027 through December 2027.
Module
Title
Contact Hours
Program Summary Research, Evidence-Informed Practice, and Integrative Mental Health Applications
18
Mentored Independent Clinical Practice & Case Studies
24 (Non-contact Requirement)
Total Contact Hours
Introduction to Integrative Mental Care with Chinese Medicine
124
Estimated Total Study Hours
Approximately 300
Complete all required modules and learning activities.
Achieve a minimum overall program grade of 70%.
Obtain a minimum grade of 70% on your Capstone Case Study Project.
Complete required practical skills demonstrations and case-based assessments.
Meet the minimum attendance requirement of 80% of scheduled instructional hours.
Demonstrate safe, ethical, professional, and scope-appropriate practice throughout the program.
Meet all financial and administrative obligations to CITCM before the certificate is issued.
Complete the required 10 hours of clinical observation.
Application & Enrollment
Process
01
Check Your Eligibility
The program is open to registered acupuncturists, TCM practitioners, and
healthcare professionals who can do acupuncture under their local laws, and senior
TCM/acupuncture students and alumni.
03
Admission Review
Our admissions team follows up to confirm your eligibility, collect any required
documents, and then reviews your completed application.
04
Enrollment Confirmation
Seats are limited: there are 30 spots total for 2027
30
05
Program Begins
The first group will begin on January (exact date TBC), 2027.
Tuition & Investment
$4,500(USD)
- All seven modules of instruction, online and onsite
- Clinical observation hours and capstone case study supervision
- All required course materials and learning resources
- Joint CITCM–AIMHTCM certificate upon successful completion
Frequently Asked
Deleted: Questions
FAQ
I do not practice traditional Chinese medicine. Can I still apply?
So long as acupuncture is included in your legally permitted scope of practice, physicians, chiropractors, physiotherapists, and nurses have all been eligible to qualify through this method. You can then establish a credible traditional Chinese medicine framework based on the practice that you already have.
I'm still in school to become an acupuncturist. Can I enroll before I graduate?
Provided that you are in your last year of an accredited acupuncture or TCM program or are a third- or fourth-year CITCM student, conditional admission will be granted. The certificate will be awarded to you upon your graduation and, where relevant, when you become eligible for professional registration.
What does this certification authorize me to do?
The course enables you to apply Ben Shen's theory and TCM principles in the context of psycho-emotional assessment and in providing supportive care, and it also helps you to know when a case should lead to referral or involve collaborative care. It does not provide you with the authority to diagnose psychiatric disorders, to offer independent psychotherapy, to prescribe or change psychiatric medications, or to handle psychiatric emergencies alone. Patient safety is a top priority: the course teaches you to identify warning signs and to make the appropriate referral, rather than replacing the psychiatric or emergency care that a patient requires.
What distinguishes this program from other TCM mental health training?
There are also other courses in TCM psychology and those that are based on mental health principles. What sets this one apart is the particular combination: an advanced certification centered on Professor Changqing Yang's Ben Shen Clinical System, which incorporates acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and the modern neuropsychiatric foundations, and is delivered via blended learning including actual clinical observation and a capstone case study, the certification being jointly awarded by two institutions.
What's included in tuition?
Tuition, the application fee, learning materials and digital resources, assessments and your final capstone evaluation, your certificate, and a 10-case mentorship with Professor Yang are all included in the $4,500 USD fee ($4,500 CAD for CITCM's own students and alumni). Travel and accommodation are separate
Are there any costs beyond tuition?
A few possible ones, though none apply to everyone. Reassessment or supplemental exams, replacement certificates, and optional textbooks or reference materials each carry a separate fee if you need them. Optional clinical mentorship or advanced training after you complete the program is also available at an additional cost.
Can I pay in installments?
Yes. You can pay your tuition in full before the program starts, or choose an approved payment plan through CITCM. However you choose to pay, tuition and fees need to be settled according to CITCM's policies before your certificate is issued.