Five Element acupuncture in Coventry
I'm Nathan Keegan, and I offer calm, unhurried treatment that looks at the whole of you, not just the part that hurts. At my Canalside clinic in Alderman's Green, by appointment only, with daytime, evening and weekend appointments to fit around your life.
New here?
Start with your first visit
What happens, what it costs, and how to prepare, all in one place, so there are no surprises.
Christmas gift cards · give someone an hour of calm this Christmas.
Buy a gift cardRight now in the Five Element year
Winter: the season of Water
Winter is the season of Water: a time to rest, conserve and gather strength for the year ahead.
Three things to try
- Rest well, especially in winter: earlier nights help
- Keep your lower back and feet warm
- Choose nourishing, warming food like soups and stews
Point of the season
Gushing Spring (KD1)
The sole of your foot, in the dip that forms about a third of the way down from the toes when you curl them gently. Sit down and press with your thumb. Hold for about a minute, breathing slowly.
Right now in the Five Element year
Spring: the season of Wood
Spring is the season of Wood: new growth, fresh plans and energy rising after the winter.
Three things to try
- Move every day: walking, stretching, yoga or tai chi all suit Wood
- Spend time outdoors among trees and green spaces
- Set goals, but keep them flexible
Point of the season
Great Surge (LR3)
The top of your foot, in the hollow where the bones of the big toe and second toe meet, towards the ankle. Run a finger up the groove between those toes until it stops, and press there. Hold for about a minute, breathing slowly.
Right now in the Five Element year
Summer: the season of Fire
Summer is the season of Fire: warmth, light, connection and joy, at the height of the year.
Three things to try
- Make time for people who bring you joy
- Calm the mind with slow breathing or meditation
- Choose gentle exercise like swimming or yoga
Point of the season
Spirit Gate (HT7)
Your inner wrist crease on the little-finger side, in the small hollow just inside the tendon. Turn your palm up and press with the thumb of your other hand. Hold for about a minute, breathing slowly.
Right now in the Five Element year
Late summer: the season of Earth
Late summer is the season of Earth, the fifth season: harvest, nourishment and feeling settled.
Three things to try
- Eat regular, warm meals, sitting down and without a screen
- Let other people look after you sometimes
- Practise grounding movement like qigong or tai chi
Point of the season
Leg Three Miles (ST36)
Four finger-widths below the bottom of your kneecap, one finger-width outside the shinbone, in the dip beside the bone. Sit down and press with your thumb. Hold for about a minute, breathing slowly.
Right now in the Five Element year
Autumn: the season of Metal
Autumn is the season of Metal: breathing in what we need, and letting go of what we don't.
Three things to try
- Breathe deeply, ideally outdoors in fresh air
- Declutter: keep your space simple and clear
- Journal or talk things through to help you let go
Point of the season
Joining Valley (LI4)
The back of your hand, in the webbing between thumb and index finger, at the highest point of the muscle. Squeeze with the thumb and index finger of your other hand. Hold for about a minute, breathing slowly.
Not to be used in pregnancy.
A different kind of acupuncture
I treat the person, not just the symptom
In Five Element acupuncture, each of us has one element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water) that shapes us most: how we feel, how we cope, and where we tend to get out of balance. Finding yours is the heart of the first consultation.
So two people with the same aching back may be treated quite differently. The aim is to support you as a whole, so that you feel more like yourself again.
Summer · Heart, Small Intestine, Heart Protector and Three Heater
Fire
Fire is warmth, joy and connection. It fuels enthusiasm, love and the way we reach out to other people. It's the element of joy: how we give and receive warmth.
Emotion Joy · Colour Red · Taste Bitter
Explore Fire →Late summer · Stomach and Spleen
Earth
Earth is nourishment, support and stability: the harvest. It governs how we give and receive care, and how we take in and digest, both food and life's experiences. It's the element of sympathy and worry.
Emotion Sympathy, worry · Colour Yellow · Taste Sweet
Explore Earth →Autumn · Lung and Large Intestine
Metal
Metal is about clarity, value and letting go. Like the sharp edge of a blade, it knows what's precious and what can be released. It's the element of grief, and of how we recognise what truly matters.
Emotion Grief · Colour White · Taste Pungent
Explore Metal →Winter · Kidney and Bladder
Water
Water is about strength, flow and courage. Like a river, it can be still or powerful, and it always finds a way around obstacles. It's the element of fear: how we meet risk, change and the unknown.
Emotion Fear · Colour Blue · Taste Salty
Explore Water →Spring · Liver and Gall Bladder
Wood
Wood is the energy of growth, like a tree reaching for the light. It gives us vision, the ability to plan, and the drive to move forward. It's also the element of anger: how we deal with frustration when growth is blocked.
Emotion Anger · Colour Green · Taste Sour
Explore Wood →Around the circle, each element nourishes the next, like a mother feeding her child: Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water, and Water nourishes Wood.
Across the star, each element keeps another in check, so none grows too strong.
These are traditional Chinese medicine ideas, the framework Five Element acupuncture works within. Tap an element to explore it.
A Coventry story
Five Element acupuncture was brought to the West by a Coventry man
Professor J.R. Worsley grew up in a small terraced house in Coventry and went on to teach Five Element acupuncture around the world. At White Willow, I practise his tradition in his home city.
“To treat illness once it has formed is like digging a well only when you are already thirsty.”
Huangdi Neijing, around 2,000 years ago
Wood · Fire · Earth · Water · Metal: explore the Five Elements →
Treatments
How I can help
Acupuncture
Five Element acupuncture tailored to you, with cupping, moxa, gua sha or massage where they'll help.
First visit £45
Find out more →Facial acupuncture
A gentle, natural approach to skin and face, combined with whole-body points so you leave relaxed too.
First visit £65
Find out more →Micro-needling
A skin treatment that uses fine needles to prompt the skin's own renewal, for texture and tone.
First visit £110
Find out more →Free self-care tools
Look after yourself between visits
Made in my clinic, free for anyone to use.
Your body right now
A live Chinese medicine body clock. See what your body is doing at this hour.
Guided acupressure
20 routines with drawings, a timer and calming sound.
The five seasons
Where we are in the Five Element year, and how to live with it.
Which element are you?
A light-hearted quiz to see which element you recognise in yourself.
Step by step
Your journey with White Willow
Your practitioner
Nathan Keegan Lic.Ac, MBAcC
Before acupuncture, I worked in NHS and private care, much of it in mental health. Seeing what acupuncture could offer people inspired me to train for three years to degree level at The Acupuncture Academy in Leamington Spa.
I'm a member of the British Acupuncture Council, and patients tell me they value my calm, compassionate approach and late clinics that fit around work and family.
In their words
Patient stories
“Within a few sessions, my headaches became less frequent and less intense.”
Sarah T.“Acupuncture provided a calming effect. I feel more balanced and in control.”
Michael S.“I feel more vibrant and capable of tackling my daily tasks.”
Steven W.Individual experiences vary.
The clinic
A calm space in Alderman's Green
A private treatment room attached to my home: warm, quiet and unhurried. Strictly by appointment, so there's never a waiting room.
From the blog
39 fact-checked articles
Honest answers, the research in plain English, and seasonal self-care.
Three Points, Three Moods — What the Quiz Is Really Asking
Why the answer to "what should I press right now" changes depending on the day you're having, and what LR3, ST36 and HT7 are each traditionally used for.
Read →How to choose an acupuncturist in the UK
How to check an acupuncturist in the UK: BAcC membership, PSA Accredited Registers, council skin piercing registration and good questions to ask.
Read →What is cupping? History, sensation and those round marks
Cupping explained: where it comes from, what it feels like, why it leaves round marks, the Phelps photos from Rio 2016 and what the evidence says.
Read →What is moxibustion? Mugwort, warmth and tradition
Moxibustion explained: the mugwort herb behind it, how it is used in Chinese medicine, what the research says and the safety points worth knowing.
Read →Gua sha explained: the tool, the tradition and the marks
What gua sha is, where it comes from, why it leaves red 'sha' marks, and what a small 2007 study found about blood flow in the skin.
Read →What is Qi? A plain-English guide to a tricky word
Qi is the central idea in Chinese medicine, yet it has no neat English translation. Here is what it traditionally means and why it's so hard to pin down.
Read →Getting here
Based in Coventry, seeing people from all over
Most of my patients come from Coventry and the easy-reach towns around it — Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Rugby, Nuneaton and south Birmingham. But plenty travel further because it's worth it to them, and I'm always happy to see you whatever the distance — just get in touch.
Questions
Before you book
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are solid and hair-fine, far thinner than a needle used for injections. Most people feel a light prick or nothing at all, then perhaps a dull ache, tingle or warmth. Many find treatment deeply relaxing.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on you and what you come with. We'll talk it through at your first visit and review how you're getting on as we go. Many people start with weekly sessions, then space them out.
When can I book?
The clinic is by appointment only, so please call or message before coming. I see patients on Mondays and Thursdays during the day and evening, and offer daytime, late-evening and weekend appointments on other days by arrangement. Just ask.
How do I book?
Call or WhatsApp 07799 904918. If I'm with a patient, leave a message and I'll get back to you.
What do you treat?
People come to see me for all sorts of reasons — some with a specific issue in mind, others just wanting to feel more like themselves. UK advertising rules mean I can only make specific claims for a handful of conditions where the evidence is strongest, but if you're not sure whether acupuncture is right for what you're dealing with, get in touch and we can talk it through before you book.
The Five Seasons letter
A short letter at the start of each season
Five emails a year, one as each Five Element season begins: what the season asks of you, simple self-care, a seasonal acupressure point and anything new from the clinic. No spam, and you can unsubscribe any time.
Ready to book, or just have a question?
Call or WhatsApp me. There's no obligation, and no question is too small.
By appointment only. Daytime, evening and weekend appointments: Mondays and Thursdays all day and evening, other days by arrangement, including late clinics.
Still deciding? No pressure, ask me anything first. 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or change a time.