Biography

As an Eastern medicine doctor I practise a style called Neoclassical Acupuncture (NCA). This advanced style may be different to what you may be used to. The diagnosis is entirely led by your body; I palpate your abdomen and limbs, and your body will tell me where to best place the needle to effectively resolve issues holistically in your body system. NCA involves minimal needles (usually, but not necessarily limited to, 1-3 needles) for maximum effect. NCA also follows the ancient Chinese phrase 立竿见影 (li gan jian yang) “set up a pole, see its shadow,“ a poetic way of describing the principle of immediate tangible effects from each treating action.

I studied at the Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SITCM) in 2021 as a natural complement to my somatic (body-focused) psychotherapy work and holistic health journey, and started private practice in 2026. My interests and modalities are in Neoclassical Acupuncture (Dr. Slate Burris) and Jing Fang Classical Herbal Formulas (Dr. Angus Chen). I have also studied Balance Systems Acupuncture (Dr. Sonia Tan) and the Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis System (Dr. Karen Bilton).

Dr. Francis Voon (TCM) M Couns App Psych, B TCM, BA, Grad Dip Ed, B Theol, Dip Bus, CPE

Click here to book a session with Francis

My Commitment to Your Safety & Peace of Mind

• To practice acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in Australia, practitioners must meet the highest national standards of safety and education. Here is how my professional qualifications are structured to protect and provide you with the best clinical care:

• AHPRA (The National Safeguard): I am fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). This is the same national government body that regulates medical doctors, psychologists, and nurses. It ensures that every practitioner passes strict criminal history checks, carries comprehensive insurance, and maintains ongoing professional education.

• CMBA (The Specialty Board): Within AHPRA, my practice is specifically governed by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA). They set the explicit clinical, ethical, and safety standards that I must follow every single day in the clinic.

• AACMA (My Professional Association): I am a member of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA). While AHPRA handles the legal regulation, AACMA is my professional community. They vet my qualifications so that major Australian private health funds recognize my practice—meaning you can confidently claim rebates for your acupuncture treatments with me.

• What this means for you: When you step into my clinic, you are seeing a practitioner who is fully qualified, nationally registered, government-regulated, and bound by a strict code of safe, ethical conduct.

As a Clinical Psychotherapist, I have been working one-on-one with adults (18 years and over) since 2012, on issues dealing with change, relationships, identity, inner-soul-work, culture, gender, spirituality, sexuality, etc. Although the way I work begins with where people are at and what brings them in for therapy, my theoretical frameworks and interests are in psychodynamic (Jungian), somatic (body-focussed), creative (gestalt), IFS, person-centred, and existential therapies. (For further information & Positioning Statement, please see below).

Dr. Francis Voon (TCM) M Couns App Psych, B TCM, BA, Grad Dip Ed, B Theol, Dip Bus, CPE

Click here to book a session with Francis

My Commitment to Your Safety & Peace of Mind

• While acupuncture is regulated directly by the government under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority (AHPRA), psychotherapy in Australia operates under a self-regulated framework. My commitment to your emotional safety, privacy, and clinical care remains exceptionally high. Here is how I ensure a safe, ethical space for your mental health support:

• Rigorous National Standards: I hold full, tertiary qualifications (Masters in Psychotherapy & Applied Counselling) and maintain the exact same educational, ethical, and clinical benchmarks as the country’s leading mental health associations.

• The NSW Health Code of Conduct: My psychotherapy practice operates strictly under the NSW Code of Conduct for Non-Registered Health Practitioners. This is a legally binding framework enforced by the State Government to ensure that independent healthcare providers offer safe, ethical, and transparent services.

• Continuous Supervision & Learning: Safe therapy requires ongoing accountability. I regularly engage in independent, professional clinical & peer supervision and undertake continuous professional development to ensure my therapeutic techniques remain current, evidence-based, and effective.

• Absolute Privacy & Integrity: Your stories, challenges, and personal data are protected by strict confidentiality guidelines and the NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act.

• What this means for you: Your mental and emotional well-being is treated with the utmost professional integrity. Even outside of my formal acupuncture (AHPRA) registrations, my talk-therapy practice is bound by strict ethical codes, comprehensive professional insurance, and a deep commitment to your safety and confidentiality.

Positioning Statement (abridged)

In the spirit of creating safer spaces, international best-practice psychotherapeutic guidelines recommend therapeutic self-disclosure and positioning statements, especially for folks who may come from marginalised backgrounds.

I am a gay, cisgender man, a person of colour, born into culturally-diverse South-East Asia. Having been educated in an international school, I migrated to Australia in my teens. I started my own personal psychotherapy journey after some painful life lessons about relationships, and about myself. So I found a therapist who I felt understood me, and I enrolled in a masters degree in psychotherapy and counselling.

Since 2012, I have volunteered with various rainbow communities including Twenty10, the Queer Meditation Sydney community, and ACON’s Asian Gay Men’s project. From 2017-2021, I joined the Imanadari Counselling team. In 2018 I was admitted to the Australian Progress Fellowship for my work with faith and multicultural communities during the Marriage Equality Yes Campaign. In 2019 I undertook Professional Supervision training with the Centre for Existential Practice. Click here for Francis’ extended Biography & Positioning Statement

Dr. Francis Voon (TCM) M Couns App Psych, B TCM, BA, Grad Dip Ed, B Theol, Dip Bus, CPE

Click here to book a session with Francis