The Psychology of Dragon Rises Red Bird Flies
With Dr Karen Bilton, PhD.
After this course
- Recognise personality is shaped by human experience and is the enduring energy pattern of physiology
​​- Understand the development of personality in terms of life cycle and the 5 phases
- Confidently identify psycho-emotional indicators in your patients
- Successfully address maladaptive behavioural patterns in patients
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- Apply Classical formulas with confidence
**14 hours of content delivered in 5x 3-hour Zoom sessions**
June to August 2025
Explore the evolution of 'Being' through a non-pathologizing lens
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As we develop from a single cell to a fully developed organism we are shaped by genetics and human experience.
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Explore the development of the “self” and the evolution of being through the five phase lens of Chinese medicine.
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View personality or our individual energy transformations as the enduring pattern of a life cycle
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Recognise diverse psycho-emotional behaviours are related to energetic imbalances rather than a pathology to be 'corrected.'
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Integrate psycho-emotional signs (as well as you do physical symptoms) to understand and treat your patients more effectively .
Discussion of diagnosis includes the integration of Shen-Hammer Pulse signs.
Treatment approaches include Classical Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture.
View an Introduction to the Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies Model
COURSE DETAILS
Psychology of DRRBF Online Course - 5 x 3 hours sessions
8:00 -11am AEST Saturdays June, July and August 2025
Session 1: June 21st 2025
8:00 - 11:00am AEST
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Introduction to the life and work of Dr. Hammer, a basic outline of the text, and a discussion of central aspects of the model, including pulse diagnosis and the therapeutic relationship.
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Classical Focus.
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Preliminary distinctions: the 5 Phases as expressions of the evolution of being, and a novel approach to Yin/Yang
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​Phenomenology of the 6 channels – Tai Yang, Shao Yang, Yang Ming, Tai Yin, Shao Yin, Jue Yin
Session 2: June 28th 2025
8:00 - 11:00am AEST
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Water Phase:
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Natural Functions, Yin/Yang, cognitive style, anxiety, depression, love, sex, and psychosis.
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Water Phase Transformations/Personalities - e.g., KI yin deficiency - Brutal Competitor. ​
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Shaoyin Formulas.
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Wood Phase:
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Natural Functions, Yin/Yang, cognitive style, anxiety, depression, love, sex, and psychosis.
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Wood Phase Transformations/Personalities - e.g., LV yin deficiency - Retreat Impossible
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Jueyin/Shaoyang Formulas.
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See Course Schedule for Detailed Phase Transformations/Personalities
Session 3: July 12th 2025
8:00 - 11:00am AEST
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Fire Phase:
- Heart and Pericardium
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Natural Functions, Yin/Yang, cognitive style, anxiety, depression, love, sex, and psychosis.
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Fire Phase Transformations/Personalities - e.g., ​HT yin deficiency – Uninspired Bureaucrat, PC Yin Deficiency - Poor Boundaries, Easily Exploited
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Taiyang Formulas.​
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Small Intestine
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Triple Burner
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See Course Schedule for Detailed Phase Transformations/Personalities
Session 4: July 19th 2025
8:00 - 11:00am AEST
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Earth Phase:
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Natural Functions, Yin/Yang, cognitive style, anxiety, depression, love, sex, and psychosis.
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Schizophrenia, marcissism.
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Earth Phase Transformations/Personalities - e.g., Earth yin deficiency – Problems in Bonding​
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Taiyin/Yangming/Taiyang Formulas.
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Metal Phase:
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Natural Functions, Yin/Yang, cognitive style, anxiety, depression, love, sex, and psychosis.
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Metal Phase Transformations/Personalities - e.g., Metal yin deficiency – Inability to Form Relationships
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Taiyang Formulas.
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See Course Schedule for Detailed Phase Transformations/Personalities
Session 5: August 2nd 2025
8:00 - 11:00am AEST
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Review of phases – Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal
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Integrating and Applying the Concepts taught in the Course.
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Case Studies.
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Discussion.
Recordings: All sessions will be recorded and made available to participants for review.
PDA:
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ACCMA PDA course certification in progress
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Quiz: In the case you cannot attend a session live completion of a quiz related to the recording will be required to be awarded PDAs
Investment:
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Early Bird Special: $800 +GST ($880 Until May 31st 2025)
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Full Price: $900 +GST ($990)
Dates:
8-11 am AEST Saturdays in June and July 2025
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June 21, June 28, July 12, July 19, August 2
WHY LEARN WITH KAREN
Karen has 30 years of clinical experience
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Studying and collaborating with Dr Leon Hammer on the modern interpretation of the Menghe Ding pulse method - Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis since 1997
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Direct inheritor of Dr Hammer's non-pathologizing model of ontological psychology - the Psychology of Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies
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Completed PhD research - Investigating the Reliability of Practitioners using Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis
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Co-edited a Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis with Dr Hammer
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Teaching Shen Hammer Pulse Diagnosis since 2003 in USA, Australia, and in China 2016 to 2019
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Lectured at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (New York); UTS and UWS in Sydney.
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Studied Classical Chinese medicine and herbal prescription with Prof Heiner Fruehauf (NUNM, Portland OR)
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Studied Jung Fang with Prof Huang Huang
BIOGRAPHY
Karen has dedicated 30 years to practicing acupuncture and Chinese medicine, holding licenses in Australia the USA. Having resided there for 15 years, she began her studies with Dr. Leon Hammer, in 1997.
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She conducted doctoral research focusing on the reliability of practitioners using Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis and is among a few certified to teach this model of developmental psychological directly from Dr. Hammer.
As a co-author of the Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, Karen has lectured at institutions in the USA and Australia, presented at conferences in China, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, and published in peer-reviewed journals.
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Currently, she practices clinically in Sydney, Australia, while exploring the connections between acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and Daoist cosmology. She is committed to sharing her expertise by teaching classes on pulse diagnosis and the psychology of Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies.
Join Dr Karen Bilton, PhD for a deep exploration of Dr Leon Hammer's model of developmental ontological psychology.
The evolution of being is examined according to the energetic cycle of the five phases which are an expression of the “great turning” or the cycle of yin and yang of Daoist cosmology.
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Birth in depths of Water,
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Growth and negative assertion of Wood,
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Full realisation of self and positive assertion of Fire,
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Individuation and transformation of bonds in Metal
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Return to Water or Shao Yin for the final journey.
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Our survival is always supported by the Earth phase that nurtures and develops both the bonds that connect us, and the boundaries that protect us.
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Interferences to the normal evolution and expression of these phases results in attempts by the organism to restore balance. Rather than personality pathologies, these “adaptive strategies” that are employed by the individual depend on what resources are available “to maintain contact to stay intact.” If anger, joy, compassion, fear, and sadness are acceptable analogues of energy transformations, why not judgement, planning, will, warmth, and precision? Why not pretence, denial, projection, repression, reaction-formation, reversal, and sublimation?We can and must consider the entire range of behaviour, personality, and intention as a province of energetics.
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The course formulated through biweekly 2021 - 2022 meetings with Dr Hammer discussing the psychology of Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies.
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Content integrates a classical focus connecting this model to the Neijing and the formulas of the Shang Han Lun, developed by Brandt Stickley a fellow long term student of Dr Hammer’s and Associate Professor at National University of Natural Medicine, College of Classical Chinese Medicine in Portland, OR.
