The Next Evolution of Yellow Path

When we started teaching Five-Element acupuncture at our home in the South of France I never imagined that Yellow Path would one day be moving towards full accreditation with the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB), or that our graduates would have a pathway into membership with the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).

Yellow Path began in a very different way - as a small, deeply immersive residential master/apprentice training in a remote house in the south of France. It was intimate, practical and rooted in direct transmission: learning through observation, discussion, clinic work and close mentorship. That spirit has always been at the heart of what we do.

Then COVID arrived and everything changed.

Like so many others, we had to adapt quickly. But what initially felt like a huge disruption became an unexpected opportunity. During that period, we undertook the enormous task of filming our entire curriculum and building an extensive library of teachings, demonstrations and Q&As. What emerged was something far more powerful than simply “putting classes online.” We realised we could preserve the depth and closeness of the master/apprentice model while making the training more accessible, structured and complete than ever before.

That evolution eventually led to the creation of our professional training programme in Shoreditch, London - with small cohorts of just 6–8 students, intensive practical training, close supervision and a strong emphasis on clinical confidence and personal development.

Now Yellow Path is evolving once again.

Over the past year and a half, we have been working closely with BAAB as we move through the formal accreditation process. We have decided to pursue full accreditation because we believe it represents the next important step for both our students and the future of Five-Element acupuncture in the UK.

Our focus has always been simple: to train exceptional Five-Element acupuncturists.

We want our graduates not only to be highly skilled practitioners, but also to take their place confidently within the wider acupuncture profession. Becoming part of the BAAB and BAcC framework gives our students greater professional recognition, stronger career pathways and the opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading professional acupuncture bodies.

Importantly, we are doing this without losing what makes Yellow Path unique.

Our teaching remains deeply personal and mentorship-led. Students continue to train in small groups and receive close individual guidance throughout the programme. One of the things we are most proud of is that after 26 months of training, students are already able to begin practising independently while continuing to receive a further 10 months of supervision and support as they establish themselves professionally.

Our next intake begins in September 2026 and will continue as our two-year professional training programme, with all students having the opportunity to stay on for a further year to complete the accredited qualification.

Then, from March 2027, Yellow Path will officially transition to offering our new three-year accredited programme.

This feels like a very exciting moment - not just for Yellow Path, but for the future of Five-Element acupuncture training itself. We believe it is possible to combine the depth, intimacy and transformational nature of the traditional master/apprentice model with the rigour, recognition and professional standing of accredited training.

That is the path we are building.

And we are only just getting started.

— Gerad Kite