Certificate Course in Matsumoto/Nagano Style Acupuncture
Kiiko's teaching assistant, Monika Kobylecka, L.Ac, demonstrates Kiiko's palpation techniques for selecting the most effective point locations.
Above: Kiiko Matsumoto, using a hand carved wooden stamp, given to her by Master Nagano before his death. Long used in East Asia, stamps like this confer recognition on diplomas and official documents.
WELCOME!
This focused, clinically relevant program will provide you with intensive, personalized instruction in the lineage of one of Japan’s most respected acupuncture and moxibustion masters.
Turning Point Seminars offers a comprehensive curriculum in Matsumoto/Nagano style that combines lectures, treatment demonstrations, Q & A, and independent study in an innovative webinar format.
How do I enroll in the Certificate Course?
Simply register for any of our courses and begin your journey! No separate enrollment process is necessary. We keep track of your hours and notify you when you have earned 150 hours. We create a certificate that is signed by both Monika and Kiiko and is stamped with Master Nagano’s chop (i.e., a hand-carved signature stamp).
How do I enroll in classes?
We announce upcoming classes via promotional emails and social media. If you are not currently receiving promotional emails from us about upcoming classes, please subscribe via the home page or contact seminars@turningpointseminars.com to be put on the list. You can also check out our website, follow us on Instagram, and like us on Facebook to learn about upcoming classes.
What is the schedule of classes?
Currently, we offer one class at a time and offer approximately 5-6 classes each year. Kiiko’s style is so dynamic, we do not publish a yearly calendar. We offer the Foundations class and a Master Class (with material filmed in Kiiko’s clinic) every year and then a mix of other essential topics like pain, digestive, neurologic, gynecologic, and cardiac issues, among others.
What is the cost for the 150-hour certificate course?
Students do not have to pay upfront costs for the entire 150 hours because students enroll in one class at a time. Each class is worth 15 credits and the cost for each course varies.
What are the requirements to earn the certificate?
Students must take the Foundations course, which is beneficial for students of all levels. You do not need to take the Foundations class first. Other than the Foundations class, you may take any combination of classes to earn the certificate.
Do courses with other providers count toward the certificate?
Unfortunately, no. Only courses offered by Turning Point Seminars count toward the certificate. In other words, this certificate recognizes the work of students who have taken 150 credit hours with Turning Point Seminars. Thank you for understanding.
Who can register?
Unless otherwise indicated, all of our classes are open to new and on-going students.
How is this different than other post-graduate opportunities for acupuncturists?
Combining Chinese canonical sources with contemporary medical insights, this dynamic approach treats both the branch (or symptom) and root (or underlying constitutional imbalance), correcting life-long patterns of disease and producing immediate symptomatic relief. Importantly, you will learn palpation skills that quickly and accurately confirm the effectiveness of acupuncture points before they are needled.
How will this training help me--and my patients?
The range of complaints encountered in American contemporary acupuncture practices include CHRONIC PAIN conditions (e.g., fibromyalgia, lupus, and degenerative bone diseases), NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES (e.g., Parkinson's, migraine headaches, and Alzheimer's), and DIGESTIVE CONDITIONS (like IBS, Crohn's and diverticulosis). Allergies, diabetes, and obesity are epidemic. Hormonal, auto-immune, psychological, cardiovascular, and reproductive disorders are all on the rise in an increasingly crowded, toxic, stressful environment. Americans with these conditions are turning to acupuncture after disappointing results with conventional treatment.
Unfortunately, the TCM style taught in many American acupuncture colleges (with its "bi-syndromes" and herbalized diagnostic categories) fails to provide what contemporary acupuncturists need most: An effective framework to understand and effectively treat the types of chronic pain and stress-related illnesses we encounter every day.
Why Japanese acupuncture? Who is Master Nagano?
In post-war Japan, acupuncturists like Kiyoshi Nagano began a remarkable and fruitful investigation. Despite blindness, Nagano memorized Chinese canonical literature and absorbed emergent insights from Western medicine. Over the next half a century--using his extraordinary palpation skills as a guide--he crafted ingenious acupuncture protocols for chronic pain and stress-induced illnesses.
What will be taught?
This 150-hour Certificate Program will cover--in depth--the rich and detailed descriptions provided in Kiiko Matsumoto's two-volume clinical strategies book, In the Spirit of Master Nagano. The result of Kiiko Matsumoto's long apprenticeship with Master Nagano, and decades of intense scholarly and clinical investigation, these two texts describe effective treatment strategies for nearly every type of pain and internal medicine condition encountered in contemporary acupuncture practice.
Regular topics for classes include a Foundations class, Hara Diagnosis, Scars, Neurologic Disorders, Chronic Pain, Gynecological Problems, Digestive Disorders, Adrenal Stress, and Immunity.
Can I access content from previous classes?
At this time, we are not offering on-demand access to recordings of previous classes due to copyright restrictions. However, we offer a regular schedule of classes throughout the year and are actively investigating ways to make the material more accessible. Be sure to check our Seminars registration page, like us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our mailing list to stay in the loop.
Who are the teachers?
Kiiko Matsumoto is the principal teacher. Many classes are taught by Monika Kobylecka, Kiiko Matsumoto's teaching assistant.
Is the 150-hour course a certification in Matsumoto/Nagano Style?
The short answer is no. The certificate acknowledges 150 hours of intensive study, a significant personal and professional achievement. However, because Kiiko sensei has spent a lifetime reviewing canonical texts and perfecting her technique, it is not a certification. The 150-hour certificate course is meant to equip students with a sound foundation in the style so they can immediately implement what they have learned in the clinic. Currently, no certification is available anywhere in this style.
How will I be notified when I have earned the certificate?
We keep a record of all classes you take and notify you when you have earned 150 hours AND your certificate is ready. The process for receiving certificates is protracted because they are generated in Oregon, signed by Monika in California, and then delivered to Kiiko in Massachusetts for her signature and Master Nagano’s chop. Hand delivery to Kiiko is the preferred method to avoid mail mishap, which means the wait time can be a bit longer.
How do I receive my certificate?
Prior to 2020, when classes were in-person, an informal (but joyful!) ceremony was held in which certificates were signed by both teachers. With the transition to an online format, the original is emailed to you with details about how to order the paper copy. The whole process takes a bit longer than it used to, but certificates have been sent to students all over the world, which was unthinkable before we began offering online classes!
How do I add my name to the Directory?
Once you have earned 150 hours in Matsumoto/Nagano style from Turning Point Seminars, you will receive the electronic version of the certificate and an invitation to add your name to our growing Directory of worldwide practitioners. The Directory is a great resource for the oft-repeated question: “Do you know anyone who practices KMS in _______?!" It is truly amazing how many times we get asked variations of this question! Our patients get hooked by the results. They tell their family and friends. And then they want to know if there are any providers in their area!
I have a question not answered on this page!
Excellent! We love to answer questions from people who are as interested in KMS as we are! Send an email to seminars@turningpointseminars.com.