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Sean's Biography

My Background

My interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) started with an interest in Martial Arts as a teenager, in 1984. Since then, I have lived in and travelled to various parts of the Orient to further my knowledge. I studied T’ai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung and TCM in China, Japan and the UK. In my early days, I studied a variety of Japanese and other Martial Arts, including Wado-RyuKarate, KoryuKarate, Aikido, Aikijutsu, Kobudo and the Filipino stick art of Eskrima. I have taught Chinese remedial and therapeutic exercise (Chi Kung) and T’ai Chi Chuan since 1995.

In the Orient, and understandably so, martial arts and healing arts are often learned together. Both fields also share the common core concept of Qi (vital energy). So it wasn’t a big leap from one field to the other for me. In 1995, during my first career as a Chartered Management Accountant, and after training in oriental medicine whilst living in Japan, I returned to England to commit, finally, to a career shift by completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in TCM at the University of Westminster in London. After this, I completed post-graduate clinical training at various hospitals in Hangzhou, China. Whilst in China, I also trained in Tuina, a traditional Chinese form of massage. In order to add to my skills, I subsequently studied Chinese patent herbal medicines, again at the University of Westminster, with one of the country’s leading Chinese herbalists.

In 1996, I completed specialist training in Paediatric acupuncture. Being a father of three myself, I became interested in the potential for using acupuncture for treating babies and children, who are needled entirely differently to adults in that the needles are not retained; the needle is inserted and removed immediately as a child’s Qi is so easily stimulated. Babies and children tolerate needling very well due to the very fine construction of the needle. They are much thinner than hypodermic needles.

Since 1999, I have absorbed myself in clinical practice treating up to one hundred patients each week. Recently, I have gradually drawn away from such intense clinical practice to make space for further professional development. My desire is to structure the ideas that have arisen in my mind and the experiences of the last ten years of clinical practice to help others empower themselves for their own personal development on a physical, mental and spiritual level. I would also like to play a part in helping society incorporate the practice of holism into daily life whether in relation to diet, exercise, thinking, business, political or social lives. I am also enjoying providing professional development opportunities for my colleagues by leading a program of Continued Professional Development.

I am currently Clinical Director for The Sean Barkes Clinic, a specialist, multi-practitioner TCM clinic in North Hykeham, Lincoln. Our clinic offers TCM healthcare using Chinese Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chinese Massage, Chinese remedial and therapeutic exercise and other related techniques. I started the clinic in 1999, then on my own, and have gradually expanded it to support four clinical staff, three acupuncture student interns and two administrative support staff.

Personal Goals and Objectives

To influence society’s approach to living and working by encouraging holism, honest self-expression and realisation of latent human potential in order to preserve and promote physical, mental and spiritual health.

To help individuals and businesses to release their creative potential as human beings by attending to natural principles.

My Personal Blog

Arandom collection of my musings on life, Tai Chi and health generally. If you would like a read, click here: my blog

My Personal Offerring

The dissemination of principles and ideas relating to healthcare, holism and human potential (particularly ancient oriental ones) via a range of media: workshops, seminars, public classes, personal tuition, lectures, talks, after-dinner speaking, written articles, blogs, podcasts, video and video podcasts.

Business workshops – business healthcare solutions: introducing small, medium or large businesses to ancient principles that can be used to improve workforce productivity, morale and attendance statistics.

Subjects:

♣ Chi Kung: literally ‘personal vitality cultivation’. A systematic collection of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that endeavour to balance and integrate every aspect of human existence. Practically speaking, this helps us achieve our full potential as human beings.

♣ T’ai Chi Chuan: a specialist form of Chi Kung, an ancient Chinese health and martial art

♣ Ancient Chinese principles to help understand our lives, health, relationships and the world about us e.g. Chinese astrology, face reading, understanding relationships, our health and the world about us using Five Element Theory (Wuxing), Yin-Yang theory, Eight Principles (Bagang)

♣ Qi: Ancient concept with modern applications

♣ Holism in healthcare: understanding health preservation and rehabilitation from an holistic perspective

♣ Dietary energetics: simple, intuitive ways of appreciating the effect of foods on our bodies using our senses instead of just our intellect.

♣ Stress Management: the term ‘work-life balance’ is often used. The word ‘balance’ is deeply embedded in Chinese culture from ancient times. Managing stress is about managing balance in every aspect of our lives. Oriental philosophy can help us understand the important factors that need balance and how to balance them.

♣ Oriental medical philosophy and its practical application in everyday life for living in harmony with natural laws and for understanding the world about us. Modern stress is majorly about feeling over-whelmed and fearful or having a sense of incongruence in our lives. Oriental philosophy can help us to re-consider the circumstances we find ourselves in and take a different vantage point, even whilst in the thick of it.

♣ Understanding modern diseases with Traditional Chinese Medicine: practical methods of appreciation, how we get ill and what we can do to help ourselves.

Audiences

♣ Individuals

♣ Businesses and their employees

♣ Business Leaders and managers

♣ Public Sector Organisations: local authorities, emergency services, Occupational Therapy Departments

♣ Self-help and charity groups

♣ Social groups

♣ Healthcare professionals

Special skills

♣ Translating ancient oriental principles into modern language and making them easily accessible to the lay-person. Transforming them into practical tools that can be incorporated into people’s daily work and personal lives.

♣ Empowering individuals to incorporate the principles and practices of ancient healing arts into everyday living.

♣ Convincing individuals of their huge untapped potential, whatever their circumstances.

♣ Demonstrating how ancient oriental healing and martial arts practices engender mental fortitude and resilience. Transforming habitual emotional responses through repetitive training.

♣ Demonstrating how the benefits of martial arts training are applicable to our everyday lives, over and above their mere combative value. Martial Arts principles are the same principles required to use our bodies in a mechanically efficient manner so as to produce physical strength, power and develop endurance for performing normal day-to-day activities such as lifting a heavy box or un-winding a stiff screw fixing! Martial Arts are so versatile in their application to our lives and so much more than the ability to defend oneself and family. They develop resilience to injury and sickness and encourage the naturally inherent healing powers of our bodies. This is increasingly supported by the results of modern research.

Clinical Experience

Akahigedo Oriental Medicine Clinic, Tokyo, Japan | Student Internship | 1994 - 1995

Observation of Doctors and other therapists in Oriental Medical clinical setting

Application of Shiatsu, Moxibustion and Cupping techniques to patients

Study of Oriental Medical theory at the clinic through the tutelage by resident Doctors

University of Westminster Polyclinic, London | Undergraduate Clinical Observation | 1996 - 1998

Observation of third year students practising Acupuncture and related techniques

University of Westminster Polyclinic, London | Undergraduate Clinical Practice | 1998 – 1999

Practising Chinese Medicine as third year student

Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, China | Post-Graduate Clinical Practice | 1999

Practising Acupuncture and related techniques as graduate therapist under the direction of Doctors within various hospitals