Dr. Diana Tong Li

Dr. AC, Dr. TCM, PhD, ND (Dr. NM), MD (China)

Dr. Diana Tong Li understands pain. She herself has experienced it firsthand. As a teenager, Dr. Li experienced debilitating arthritis in her hands, a rare condition in a young girl. In response, Dr. Li and her family tried every drug imaginable in order to quell the pain, but with no success. It wasn’t until her mother took her to see an acupuncturist that Dr. Li was able to find comfort and relief in natural medicine, and as a result, live her teenage years pain-free. Not only was this visit to an acupuncturist the beginning of the healing process for Dr. Li, it also inspired her to attend medical school and later study acupuncture in hopes of helping others through similar situations.

More than 30 years have passed since that time and the landscape and culture of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine, previously non-existent in the Maritime Provinces, has changed in large part due to Dr. Li’s contributions.

Today, as one of only two practitioners of acupuncture and TCM in Atlantic Canada with PhD's in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (the other being her husband and clinical partner, Dr. Franklyn Chen), Dr. Li is renowned in the local medical community for her passion and success in establishing the first clinic dedicated to acupuncture and TCM in Atlantic Canada. As owner and operator of the Life-Care Acupuncture & Natural Medicine Clinics in the HRM, she has helped thousands of patients with a broad array of conditions.

Dr. Li has worked tirelessly to conduct research, attend and speak at national and international conferences (including WFAS international conferences in Paris, Australia, and Houston), and to promote natural medicine to the public. Dr. Li has also been responsible for developing several acupuncture associations in order to lobby government for greater access to funding and establish a professional regulation for the safe delivery of acupuncture and TCM in Nova Scotia. As part of her personal commitment, Dr. Li has also contributed her boundless energy to encouraging others to learn and apply their skills in order to expand the use of natural medicine. She has done so in part by establishing the first college focused on acupuncture and TCM in the region – The Canadian College of Acupuncture and TCM – which is a recognized career-college by the Nova Scotia Department of Education. The college offers two- and three-year diploma programs in order to train qualified acupuncturists and practitioners of TCM in hopes of meeting the increased demands of the rapidly growing industry.

Dr. Li’s expertise and dedication have led to healing, comfort, and pain relief, and she has also sought to assist mothers and couples who are struggling to bring happy and healthy children into the world. As a result, Dr. Li has specialized in conducting research on infertility and developing a fertility program that helps mothers and families struggling to conceive make their dream come true of having a baby. One of the many accomplishments that Dr. Li is most proud of is her success in having used her Life-Care acupuncture program to help parents overcome years of frustration by conceiving or assisting with IVF, leading to a total of 302 little bundles of joy and even more to come.

As a result of this 30-year history of conception, healing, and success, Dr. Li, as an established local expert on the subject of acupuncture and TCM, is a frequently sought-after interview subject. As with her public education and lobbying efforts, and despite her busy schedule, Dr. Li often dedicates herself to a variety of media organizations, such as CBC, ATV, The Chronicle Herald, Chatelaine, and Global News. She also assists local charities, such as Christmas Daddies, and others by offering opportunities to experience natural medicine through free clinics for breast cancer patients and survivors, under-provided childcare centres, and financially disadvantaged single mothers.

Many of these successes, including developing and hosting three national acupuncture conferences, provide the opportunity for crucial roundtable discussions involving specialists drawn from alternative medicine, acupuncture, and traditional western disciplines. Her list of accomplishments grew even further in 2013 when Dr. Li was elected to the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies as the Canadian representative. This is a great honour for Dr. Li, and means that Atlantic Canada now has a voice on the world stage. Dr. Li looks forward to taking part in international discussions and lending her talent and dedication to WFAS. It's an exciting time for acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine in Atlantic Canada as the industry continues to gain recognition and support. Dr. Li continues to contribute her energy and devotion while always striving to promote and improve the practice of acupuncture and TCM in Nova Scotia.

Message from the President and Founder

Welcome to the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCATCM). I would like to extend a warm welcome to all prospective students. Your decision to join our College is an important one.

CCATCM is a professional post-secondary medical institute. We take great care in providing hands-on experience and strong guidance for our students’ personal and professional development. Our goal is to provide you with in-depth knowledge and skills utilizing a holistic approach that ensures you reach your greatest potential and success as an acupuncturist, health care provider and as a person.

Our college is founded on mutual respect, cooperation and understanding. We are committed to providing you and the community with the highest standards of technical and professional training in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our programs provide room for personal growth, friendship and enjoyment. 

People are keenly interested in having their health care needs met holistically, in mind and body. Whole health is an expression of one’s well-being. Acupuncture and TCM touch all aspects of people’s health and well-being, from disease prevention, to treating the root of the disease, to invoking one’s ability to heal one’s self. 

I look forward to assisting you on your journey of learning, healing and growth through this 5,000-year-old system of wellness. I am sure you will treasure this journey as much as I do.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Diana Tong Li  ( Dr. Ac, Dr. TCM, Ph.D, ND (Dr.NM), MD [China] )    

Co-Founder and President of CCATCM 

Welcome to the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCATCM). CCATCM is a college for acupuncture, a respected profession, for the health of the public and for our students to succeed. I believe CCATCM will be your first step towards good health and an exciting and rewarding life-long healthcare career!

Our students have been extremely successful in creating numerous opportunities to practice Acupuncture and TCM. Our graduates go on to open Acupuncture and TCM clinics, work in hospitals, health and wellness clinics, to become Acupuncture and TCM instructors, partner with other medical professionals, and conduct research in the field of complementary medicine. The choice is yours. The possibilities are endless.

At CCATCM we are committed to helping you achieve your personal goals and dreams, and we are honored to have the opportunity to assist you with your study and practice of Acupuncture and TCM. Our goal is not to merely teach Acupuncture and TCM, instead our mandate is to provide the necessary tools so one can become a highly-skilled practitioner who is able to continuously grow. I welcome you all to give us the honour to guide you to a healthier life whether it be as a student, patient, or member of the community.

With warmest wishes,

Dr. Franklyn Shi Chen  ( Dr. Ac, Dr. TCM, Ph.D, ND (Dr.NM), MD [China] ) 

Chairman and Co-Founder of CCATCM

Dr. Diana Tong Li and Dr. Franklyn Shi Chen are the co-founders of CCATCM. Both doctors have PhDs in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. They each have over 35 years clinical experience working as Doctors of TCM and Acupuncture.

Dr Li and Dr. Chen are leaders of provincial, national, and international Acupuncture and TCM Associations. They have significantly contributed to the development of the acupuncture field through their constant involvement, speaking at national and international conferences, and presenting their clinical research outcomes.

These established doctors have a passion for their field and wish to benefit as many people as possible with their knowledge and experience. This wealth of knowledge and experience is passed on to students through the unique design of the CCATCM programs.