Faculty & Staff
Who We AreTeachers make the school. AIH works hard to find the best faculty so that we can deliver the best programming.
Only the Best
Combining theory and experience in every class
A school is only as good as its teachers. So we put significant time and attention to finding truly excellent teachers. In East Asian medicine, some people are great practitioners but not great teachers; others are great teachers but not great practitioners. AIH gathers those rare individuals who are both.
Meet the team
Autumn Faculty & Staff
AIH draws on some of the most talented and experienced practitioners around. Read about the people who will compose our core faculty, guest professors, and administrators.
Henry Claflin, R.Ac
Director, Teacher, Clinical Supervisor
Henry Claflin (he/him) is a registered acupuncturist, teacher, and Taiji Quan practitioner. He maintains a private practice in Dartmouth, where he lives with his loving partner, two wild kids and their strong-willed puppy.
Jen Bowers, R.Ac, R.TCMP
Teacher
Jen Bowers (she/they) has been teaching and practising Traditional Chinese Medicine for almost fifteen years. Originally from Nova Scotia, Jen practices in downtown Toronto in both private and community settings with a focus on mental health as well as reproductive and sexual health. She is on the faculty at the Institute of Traditional Medicine as well as Humber College. They teach clinical skills and trauma informed care based on an anti-oppressive, intersectional model.
Ali Jopp, Dip.DTCM, R.TCMP, R.Ac
Teacher, Clinical Supervisor
Ali Jopp (she/her) is a Registered Acupuncturist with NSAA. In her practice, she focuses on mental health, insomnia, auto-immune conditions, digestive issues, and gynaecology. Early experiences inform her understanding of epigenetic trauma, poverty, and intersectionality, and shape her perspective of how to offer accessible clinical care.
Nicolaas Herman Oving
Chinese Language Teacher
Nicolaas is practitioner, translator, and educator in the field of Chinese Medicine. After formally studying Chinese languages and cultures in the Netherlands and China, Nicolaas studied Chinese medicine at a private school in the Netherlands. Since 2000, Nicolaas has taught Chinese medical language and terminology to groups of physician-acupuncturists and practitioners of various accreditations. In 2007 he set up an online course in Chinese medical Chinese (in English), which has become one of his great pleasures.
Derek Laventure
Taijiquan Instructor
Derek Laventure (he/him) has practised Yang family Taijiquan for over 15 years under the teaching of Sifu Paul McCaughey. He and Henry completed their Taiji instructor apprenticeship together in Toronto before moving to Halifax to be closer to family. Derek brings a balance of lightheartedness, clarity, and simplicity to teaching this rich tradition, making his classes enjoyable and beneficial for people of all ages and skill levels.
Sunny (Chun Lan) Song, Dip.DTCM, R.Ac
Teacher
Dr. Sunny Song has a lifelong connection to medicine and healing. Her love of Chinese medicine started when she was young, growing up in China and interested in Daoist philosophy, Qigong and Taiji. Her passion lead her to learn tuina and qigong with the Daoist master Zhang Zhi Shun. Sunny completed formal studies at the Xi’an Massage Hospital. After many years as a massage therapist in China and then Canada, Sunny pursued her lifelong dream of studying Chinese medicine, completing a Doctor of TCM from Vancouver’s PCU College.
Coming Soon!
TBD
We are hiring more faculty members right now. Come back soon for updates!
Read more >>