Acupuncture In York: About Harriet

Harriet Lansdown

I first qualified as an acupuncturist in 1991 and have run an acupuncture practice ever since. I currently practice at the York Clinic for Integrated Healthcare, opposite the racecourse in York, North Yorkshire.

In developing my practice, I've developed an approach to treatment that uses acupuncture, massage and heat treatment. You will also receive a treatment plan, lifestyle advice and recommendations for relaxation, exercises and techniques to use at home as part of your package.

Since working with Sophie Carr, a yoga teacher who specialises in yoga in pregnancy, I gained experience in treating pregnant women. I have done extra training in infertility and ante-natal care with Debra Betts and Jani White. With other experienced acupuncturists in the area, I am now involved in setting up the Acupuncture Childbirth Team (ACT) York. This group will provide support for pregnant women and their partners, and engage in CPD, peer support and education.

Professional membership

I'm a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), which regulates and represents professional acupuncturists, and provides high quality codes of practice for members to abide by.

Teaching

Over the last 10 years acupuncture education has undergone considerable development and is now taught at degree level. These courses now involve research, professional practice education, extensive understanding of Western medicine, a minimum of 400 hours in clinical practice as well as a thorough knowledge of Chinese medicine.

I have been teaching acupuncture since 1998 with various teaching institutions such as

London Southbank University

Manchester Metropolitan University

Leeds Metropolitan University

University of Lincoln

University of Salford

Northern College of Acupuncture

College of Traditional Acupuncture

College of Naturopathic Medicine

In 2004, I travelled to China with a group of students from Salford University, to study acupuncture and Tui Na at the No. 1 Teaching Hospital, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tianjin. it was a real education to see Chinese medicine used on such a grand scale. We worked in several of about 20 out-patient acupuncture clinics running all day 6 days a week. The hospital also had 3 floors of in-patient wards, as well as herbal, Tui Na and physiotherapy clinics.

More recently, I went to Heilongjiang University in Harbin, in the north of China, to dicuss and develop an academic partnership with London Southbank.

My academic work also involves external examining and providing consultancy for various universities and colleges.

Research

In 2007 I gained an MSc in Health Services Research at the University of York. My research was a pilot project looking at possible benefits of acupuncture treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee. The research was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Find out more about this research...

I have also been involved with clinical trials about back pain, IBS and currently depression. We recently completed the clinical stage of a large trial looking at acupuncture and counselling for the treatment of depression. Known as the ACUDep trial (Acupuncture, Counselling and Usual care for Depression), it has recruited over 750 patients, and employed 30 acupuncturists. I am currently working with the University of York Health Sciences Department on the ATLAS trial researching the effect of acupuncture and the Alexander Technique on chronic neck pain.