Clinical Staff

We have four clinician's, who are all members of the British Acupuncture Council. To find out more about Sean, Austin, Vimala and Jan please look at their detailed biographies.

Vimala Prabha Acupuncturist
MBAcC, Dip. Ac., BSc.(Hons)

Vimala joined our clinic in October 2007 after having completed his studies at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York. Originally from Altrincham, near Manchester, Vimala's background is in teaching and practising Buddhism and meditation (he adopted his Buddhist name as a commitment to the Buddhist teachings). He first gained a degree in Astrophysics, before re-training as an Acupuncturist to further his knowledge of health from an Eastern perspective. Vimala offers Saturdays among his clinic days, as well as some mornings and afternoons/evenings, and has a particular interest in sports injuries and other musculoskeletal complaints such as Arthritis, but like all of our therapists, is able to treat a wide range of conditions using the same generic TCM diagnostic framework. (detailed biography)

Jan Taylor Acupuncturist
MBAcC, BA(Hons), MBA, BSc.(Hons) Ac.

Jan graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Acupuncture from Lincoln University, and joined the clinic in 2008. She has been interested in alternative therapies for many years, having trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and done counselling courses in her original role as a senior HR manager. As a patient experiencing acupuncture, she became a convert to such an extent that she left the corporate world and changed her life completely. Jan is no stranger to the clinic, having regularly observed over her three years of study. Moving to Lincoln in 2001 from the Isle of Man, she has lived and worked throughout the UK and now enjoys the benefits of living in such a beautiful city. She practices T’ai Chi and Chi Kung, and has particular interest in women’s’ health, especially the menopause. (detailed biography)

Austin AustinAcupuncturist
MBAcC, BSc.(Hons) Ac.

Austin studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture at Lincoln University and graduated with a first class honours degree, he is a published author and member of the British Acupuncture Council. After regularly attending The Sean Barkes Clinic over 3 years for observations and professional development Austin finally joined the team as a full time practitioner in 2009.

Austin has had a varied career working in film and television, as a project manager and as an antiques dealer. He has firsthand experience of care within the NHS and a longstanding interest in philosophy and holistic living, all of which have lead him along the path to becoming a qualified TCM practitioner. Austin is passionate about TCM and believes that it offers an alternative to Western medicine’s pharmacological and dualistic approach. He considers that the holistic nature of TCM, its emphasis on treating the individual and the time taken to truly understand the person being treated and their patterns of illness is a natural and effective way of healing. When TCM is combined with Western medicine then wellbeing is improved and often a reduction in the need for costly pharmaceuticals and consultations. Austin believes that as the NHS continues to accept and benefit from the practices of TCM then a more effective and personal health care will emerge where the patients come first, not their illnesses.