My name is Warren Whitfield. I am the current Chairperson and ex CEO of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association in South Africa. I am also the founder of the Addiction Action Campaign in South Africa and previously served on the board of the Johannesburg Press Club and the Addiction Harm Reduction initiative.

There are no pre requirements to be able to do the course, anyone can do it regardless of their experience or lack of experience. Having said that, I have trained approximately 400 practitioners in Southern Africa over the past 10 years. They include doctors, psychologists, nurses, reflexologists, homeopaths, counsellors, massage therapists, harm reduction workers, volunteers, beauty therapists, dental assistants, admin staff etc. and others wanting to learn the protocol in the field of alternative healing or, people wanting to learn a new skill and start a new business.

I studied in New York under Dr. Michael Smith at Lincoln Memorial Hospital Recovery Centre in South Bronx and have been practicing in South Africa since 2005.

I originally went there to learn how to detoxify people who were struggling with life threatening addictions to narcotics, pharmaceuticals and alcohol. But what I discovered was a profoundly simple protocol that also helped people with all types of physical and mental illnesses.

Using the knowledge I gained from doing this course myself, I have treated many serious illnesses such as Emphysema, Parkinson's Disease, Schizophrenia, Endometriosis and other hormonal issues, pain, breast lumps, interstitial cystisis, infertility, impotence, tinnitus, drug and alcohol addictions including smoking cessation, pain management, cancer, ADHD, anti-aging, weight-loss, facial rejuvenation, infertility, impotence, bipolar disorder, stress and other emotional disorders, OCD and PTSD, viral & bacterial infections etc. Learning how to treat these diseases as well as others is also part of the course.

You may be interested to know that this course is part of the 3rd year curriculum at Yale University School of Psychiatry and has been so for the past 4 years now. I was there a few years ago to give a lecture and they said that they included the NADA Acudetox course because they realised the incredible potential to treat the health of the mind in a non-verbal and non-medicated way.

For more information about NADA in SA including research and practice please see http://www.acudetox.org.za/research

Also there is a 14 minute short film about how it was used to treat‎ trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the September 11 bombings in New York. It's called "Unimagined Bridges". You can find it here http://acudetox.org.za/acudetox-trauma-addiction/

The course consists of completing 70 hours of theory and practical training. The theory we cover takes up to +-30hrs and the practical is 40 hours.

Once you have completed the theory online you are then required to complete 40 hours of practical treatments. Here you are required to find 5 volunteers and give them 10 x 45 minutes treatments each which is 50 treatments in total. This you do in your own time, at your own pace and at your own venue. These treatments total 40 hours. You have no time limit to complete these, however I have had students complete their practicals in 3 - 4 weeks. You are also required to keep client files for each of your treatments and present them to me when you do your exam. As soon as they are completed, you schedule an exam time with me and provide 5 volunteers for your exam as well. These can be the same volunteers that you used of your practical or can be other people too. It's up to you.

I supervise your practical through what is known as general supervision. I.e. after each treatment you need to take a photo of your needle insertions and email them to me. From the photos, I am able to see your needle depth and point location and advise you on any adjustments that need to take place. This is done telephonically, via email or via WhatsApp. By the time you have completed all 50 sessions, your point location and depth with be good and you'll be confident at it. Then you can do your exam.

The exam is done in person or can also be done via WhatsApp video, by submitting photos of the volunteers after the exam.

General supervision is an accepted practice worldwide. As you may know, surgeons worldwide learn new procedures via video conferencing. In other words, once you have completed the theory part, your practical is done at your own venue and in your own time, I do not need to be present for each insertion. NADA has trained over 30000 people in more than 40 countries over the past 40 years. The protocol is so safe that there has NEVER been a malpractice lawsuit against NADA or any of our practitioners worldwide.

The exam takes about an hour and a half. It is a practical exam and is not written however there is a tiny verbal /oral component to it, where you will simply follow the protocol in speaking to your volunteers while giving them the treatment. You need to complete inserting the needles into all 5 people within a one hour period. However it will take you about 20 minutes. Once they are inserted, I check them. If they are good, you pass. It's as simple as that.

At this point you will complete an application form, sign an ethics pledge and pay the annual registration fee of R650 to NADA SA. You are then issued with a Practitioner's Certificate and registration number which is sent to you via email and are qualified as a NADA Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Practitioner.

From here on we have a private Facebook group only for practitioners as well as a WhatsApp group where your ongoing learning and questions are answered by people who been qualified for many years and can answer specific questions on how to approach helping people with various illnesses. This is free.

There are two options to do the course.

1. Online Only (includes lifetime access to the online course material) - Cost is R3999pp (normally R11500pp).

2. In Person, which includes lifetime access to the online course material and one full day of face to face needle insertion/placement training from 9am until 4pm. Cost is R5999pp (normally R13500pp)

The In Person training can be presented in Johannesburg, Ballito KZN and Cape Town on request.

The course fee does not include the registration fee with NADA which is R650.00pp per year. It also doesn't include the needles, alcohol swabs, magnets and an optional rubber ear required to complete the 40 hours of practicals.

One box of 100 needles costs about R95 and 5 boxes of needles is what you will need to complete the 50 practical sessions. A box of 200 alcohol swabs costs about R50 and you'll need one box of these as well.

The magnets cost about R170 for a box of 100. You use 2 magnets per session but these you will only use after you qualify. They are only used for the smoking cessation treatment and for treating kids with ADHD. The optional rubber ear is mainly for display. They cost between R200 and R500. Depending on what size you want.

So it costs around R1000 or so to get through the 50 practical sessions. The names of the suppliers for the needles and swabs are provided to the students in the online course material.

We have never had a student fail an exam. It's quite simple to learn.

Once we receive full payment of the course fee you are sent your online course account login information via email and WhatsApp. You can book and py online here, or request an invoice from me via WhatsApp if you would prefer to pay via EFT. (WhatsApp me on 0725225325).

The online course includes pre-recorded videos, audios, photos, diagrams, downloadable manuals and clear step-by-step instructions. You also have access to me via telephone, email and WhatsApp during office hours Monday to Friday if you need any assistance or have any questions.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any further questions via email, sms, whatsapp or call me anytime.

Kindest regards,

Warren Whitfield
NADA Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist & Registered Trainer
NADA SA, NADA USA, Lincoln Memorial Hospital, New York
NADA Chairperson, South Africa

(My website)‬ : ‪https://www.acudetox.co.za

(NADA S.A)‬ : https://www.acudetox.org.za

FAQs : https://www.online.acudetox.co.za/faqs

Is it even possible to study acupuncture online? See :

https://online.acudetox.co.za/yes-it-can-be-done-online/

Currently Registered Practitioners :

https://online.acudetox.co.za/registered-nada-sa-practitioners/