David Berkshire, President

David Berkshire, L.Ac. has been an active member of Worsley Institute since 2012 and was elected as President in 2015. David lives a life that can best be described as one based on service. David lives in Portland, Oregon where he has a busy clinical practice, founded Kwan-Yin Healing Arts Center which is a large integrative clinic with two locations, and enjoys the Pacific Northwest with his wife and daughter. David is very involved with Worsley Institute and holds the role of a MAP coach, organizes and teaches with Worsley Institute Trainings (WIT), and supports the ongoing operations related to Worsley Institute. David and Eric Hartmann have been selected by Judy Worsley as future lineage holders of this system of medicine. David held the role of Associate Professor in the Classical Chinese Medicine College at National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) where he taught for over 15 years and still continues to stay connected to the school through various avenues. Prior to his time at NUNM he taught as adjunct teacher at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. David’s academic training includes a Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine and a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science. Outside of the academic environment David spent over 10 years apprenticing with David Ford which introduced him to Five-Element Acupuncture and then in 2012 began to attend MAP and any other offering that Judy Worsley would offer, reflecting his dedication and love of Worsley Classical Five-Element Acupuncture. “I love Chinese Medicine and Worsley Classical Five-Element Acupuncture reflects the heart of our medicine and my hope is through example I can help others see the power of the simplicity of nature.”

Eric Hartmann, Vice President

Eric Hartmann, DVM, M.Ac. is the Vice President of the Worsley Institute (WI) and has previously held the Treasurer’s position. Eric began his study of Five-Element Acupuncture in 1994 at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Maryland. Eric began directly studying with JR Worsley and Judy Worsley in 1997. In 2000, he was invited to attend MAP (Master Apprentice Program) which at the time was an invitation-only training for practitioners devoted to maintaining the integrity of Worsley Five Element Acupuncture. Since 2010, he has coached in MAP trainings and continues to directly study with Judy Worsley. With David Berkshire, he co-teaches a Worsley Five-Element acupuncture certificate program in Portland, OR under the auspices of WI. He has spoken at national and international conferences, given public talks and has attended Teacher Training Basic and Advanced. Eric maintains a full-time acupuncture practice in Seattle, WA and continues to work part time as a veterinarian.

Sabeeha Kurji, Treasurer

Sabeeha graduated from Samra University of Oriental Medicine in 1999. She continued her studies in acupuncture orthopaedics, neural injections and nutritional therapy. Sabeeha then went on to deepen her knowledge of Chinese Medicine with postgraduate certification in Worsley Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, graduating from the Institute of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in 2007. She has also been a Hatha Yoga instructor since the age of 18 and is a certified 500 hr Master of Yoga through the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center. She completed Basic Teacher Training with the Worsley Institute in 2016. She is currently enrolled in the Worsley MAP program, studying directly under the tutelage of Judy Worsley. 

Annette Sessions, Secretary

Annette Sessions currently resides in Rochester, NY, where she is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Urology at the University of Rochester. During this tenure, she experienced the power and beauty of Worsley Five-Element Acupuncture through the sharp end of the needle. In hopes of offering this medicine to her own patients, she studied this lineage of acupuncture through GLITCA, completing the requirements in 2009 and participating in the subsequent Master Apprentice Programs (MAP™); she is also a member of the MAP coaching team. She practices both WFEA and urology through the University of Rochester. Prior education included earning an A.B. in French at Duke University (1989), a M.A. through Middlebury College’s school in France (1990), and a M.D. at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (1997). She completed her residency in Urologic Surgery at the University of Rochester, subsequently joining the Department of Urology.

Daniel Axelrod

Daniel graduated from the Institute of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Santa Monica, CA, in 2002.  He started practicing Worsley Acupuncture in Portland, OR in 2001 and now lives and practices in Boulder, Colorado.  He has been a MAP™ participant since 2004 and joined the board in 2012.  Daniel also enjoys web design and helping out with the Worsley Institute website. For more about Daniel, visit www.elementacupuncture.com.

Louise Webster

Louise Webster graduated from the School of Five Element Acupuncture, London, UK in 2004 and works in the Wirral near Liverpool, England, UK. In 2018, she attended her first MAP™ USA, became a Board member and participated in Teacher Training Basic at ITEA, Colorado. Louise worked as a professional violinist in the 1990s, and subsequently as a Reflexologist, Sports Massage Therapist, Yoga Teacher, external examiner at The Academy of Five Element Acupuncture, Oslo, Norway, and is currently studying Naturopathic Nutrition. Since graduating as an Acupuncturist, Louise has focused her practice on WF-EA, finding that incorporating the philosophies into every area of her life has brought a clearer understanding and greater appreciation of nature and humankind. “When we recognise the vast innate intelligence of the body, mind and spirit, we can assist our patients to access resources from within, allowing a return to their fullest, most vibrant selves.”

Diane McCormick, M.D.

Diane attended UCLA’s program Medical Acupuncture for Physicians in 1994.  It was there that she was first drawn to JR Worsley’s work. Upon graduation, she continued her studies with the  Five Element Acupuncture Physician Training Program  from 1995 to 2000. She then chose to deepen her knowledge by attending the Institute of Classical Five-Element Acupuncture, and following completion in 2001, started traveling all over the US to attend Worsley consults and seminars. She was admitted to the first MAP2 class in 2002 and has continued in MAP since then, barring a brief interval due to a medical illness.

Diane cofounded the Great Lakes Institute for Training in Classical Acupuncture.  This 12-month postgraduate training program graduated three classes between 2007 and 2010.

After maintaining a busy acupuncture practice for over 20 years, she is now semi-retired. Diane has completed Teacher Training 1 and 2 and has enjoyed lecturing in varied settings over the years about the beautiful system of medicine that we employ.

Originally trained as an emergency medicine physician, she retired from that after 18 years and went on to specialize in Functional Medicine.  This, when coupled with Five Element Acupuncture, provides patients with the best of both worlds.  In her own words, she is immensely grateful to someday end a long career practicing the combination of the two, which she believes to be the “pinnacle of medicine.”

Meg Castagna, L.Ac.

Meg Castagna graduated from the Worsley Institute of Classical Acupuncture in 1997 and has a private practice in Portland, Maine. She has done continuing education with JR & Judy Worsley having participated in the Master Apprentice Progam (MAP), teacher training and consultations as well as serving on the WI Board in the late 90’s. She welcomes students to her clinic for observation and support on a regular basis and really enjoys teaching. Meg worked in the field of Human Resources for several years before becoming an acupuncturist.

“I have always been drawn to the natural world spending all of my childhood outdoors on the sea and in the woods. I cultivate a large organic garden of flowers, fruit and vegetables with a focus on supporting the environment and wildlife”.

The study of Worsley Five Element Acupuncture has deepened and broadened Meg’s love and appreciation of nature and all it has to teach us. She is grateful every day for her work with clients and believes WFEA helps the world as a whole.

Josh Luper, D.Ac., L.Ac.

Josh has participated in MAP™ since 2019, joined the WI board in 2021, and serves as Director for our Worsley Institute Service to the Earth (WiSE). He received his academic training at Middle Way Acupuncture Institute and earned his Doctor of Acupuncture from Pacific College. He co-owns and practices in an integrative naturopathic clinic in south Portland, OR. In addition to his clinical focus and training in WCF-EA, Josh specializes in pain management and is also a Board-Certified Structural Integrator. When outside the clinic, he enjoys hiking and exploring the PNW, as well as traveling to visit family in his hometown of Nashville TN.

Advisory Board

Judy Becker Worsley, J.D., D.Ac.
Warwickshire, England

Ronald Pratt
Rochester, NY

Adrienne Carlée, M.Ac.
Charlottesville, Virginia

Meriel Darby, M.Ac.
Kemerton, England

Kirsten Diesler, Dipl.-Kffr. Lic.Ac.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, L.Ac.
Portland, OR

Matt Cetlinski
Acupuncture Physician
Gainesville, FL

Regina Miesch,  M.Ac.
Sacramento, CA

Eric Rebeyrol
Akershus, Norway

Floyd Herdrich
Richmond, VA

Tom Volf
Photographer and Film Maker
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