Practicing Auricular Acupuncture since 1997
Prick Up Your Ears CIC
At Prick Up Your Ears CIC, we're passionate about providing effective acutherapy and mental health support tailored to the needs of our community.
We bring the benefits of auriculotherapy to community venues and events, and we collaborate with local partners to make it freely available in health services and other wellbeing and recovery settings.
Satisfied Customers
The Kaleidoscope+ Group
September 2025. An Auricular Acu-seeding workshop for the Menopause Group.
Just Straight Talk
We delivered two Auricular Acu-seeding workshops on the same day for two groups of service users.
"Absolutely fantastic, very informative."
"Really interesting, I love working with holistic therapies."
"Well delivered presentation. Thank you Nick you were friendly and easy to get along with."
"I enjoyed learning about the history and how it woirks. I would certainly join another group."
Headway Black Country
Two 4-hour training sessions over two days covering drug and alcohol awareness, alcohol harms and guidelines, harm reduction, treatment services, therapeutic interventions, mutual aid, recovery capital, and alcohol related brain injury (ARBI).
"Expertly delivered. Nick has a very approachable manner and is extremely knowledgeable."
"Nick was extremely knowledgeable and engaging throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed both sessions!"
Cranstoun Sandwell
Nick trained ten workers at Cranstoun Sandwell in June 2024, returning in June 2025 to provide annual supervision for reregistration with NADA GB.
"Nick is patient, explains the process really well, is easy going and calm, created a nice atmosphere. He helped me to feel calm and confident, and to believe in myself."
"The tutor is amazing, very calm and easy to ask questions, I've really enjoyed the training."
"I loved the course, I have gained so much knowledge and confidence in just a few days. Nick is an excellent teacher and makes everyone feel at ease. I am so eager to learn more and looking forward to see where it takes me."
BSMHFT Services
Since 2023 working with Anna Venables, we have been training and supervising BSMHFT staff from various teams across the trust in the NADA protocol.
"Fantastic training from Nick and Anna. Best course I have done, teachers verry approachable and knowledgeable, I would highly recommend."
"Workshop was excellent. Nick and Anna you are fantastic teachers and helped me feel at ease practicing new techniques."
"Brilliant trainers, very forthcoming with advice, case studies, and resources."
"Very informative, friendly trainers. Very practical, provide quality equipment. Continue providing good service and training."
Our Directors
Prick Up Your Ears has operated in the ear acupuncture and substance misuse fields since 1999, becoming a registered Community Interest Company in May 2025, thanks to the work and support of our directors:
Nick Shough
Catherine Addy
Darius Wheel
Our Partners
Working together since 2005
Anna Venables is the owner of Microsystems Therapies and Training at the Woodbrooke Clinic Bournville, where she offers nervous system hacking through a triad of ears, feet and face touchpoints, enabling precision access to regulate brain, body and mood through deep neuromodulation.
Anna and Nick first worked together at a Young Person's service in Birmingham called HIAH in 2005. She is also a NADA GB registered trainer and has been providing Auricular Acupuncture supervision in partnership with Nick since 2010.