Question: I just moved to a different state, and now I’m looking for a new acupuncturist or TCM practitioner. Can you give me any tips to help me find someone who is really good?
Answer: First of all, I would say rely on your intuition. Ask yourself how you really feel about this person. Don’t go by the practitioner’s reputation or fame, or even a referral. You are an important and equal member in the healing partnership! You must feel that you can form a trusting bond with this person. Do you feel comfortable with him or her? Can you open up about yourself, your health and life issues? What does your “gut” tell you?
One question to ask is this: Is your TCM practitioner really there? Is this person passionate about this work? Authentic, high-quality TCM treatment requires that practitioners be present in a unique way. They must listen carefully and actively ask questions about the symptoms you are experiencing as well as questions about your lifestyle. TCM treatment takes skill, patience and dedication. He or she must be able to care about you as an individual and want to work together to help you understand and resolve your health issues.
Also be sure the practitioner is willing to spend enough time. The true essence of authentic TCM treatments is Qi—vital energy that flows through our bodies and everything in the universe. It doesn’t matter what modality is used: acupuncture, acupressure or herbs. The real challenge is whether the practitioner and patient have a true connection that can spark the patient’s Qi, stimulating the patient’s own inborn healing capacity to heal his or her own body. Spirit is the ultimate technique. There must be an energy bond between practitioner and patient. It’s the energy relationship that actually heals, not the treatment technique. Otherwise, the treatment remains superficial—at the physical level of symptoms—and never moves deeper to reach spirit. So this work requires spending quality time, which allows the practitioner to understand underlying emotional and psychological issues, most often the root cause of health problems. You should expect to have adequate time during your appointments.
Another key point: a true TCM healer has a proficient knowledge of the ancient, unchanging principles, theories and practices of traditional Chinese medicine. Good TCM doctors will use the classical four-stage diagnosis: looking, hearing and smelling, pulse-taking, and asking questions. This type of healing is serious because it deals with the human energy system, a system that is even more critical to the human body than the endocrine or nervous systems. So therefore, choosing a TCM practitioner is a serious thing. A practitioner who does not have a deep understanding of the principles and practices of TCM can actually harm the patient and create more internal problems that can be very difficult to fix later on.
TCM lifestyle choices are in harmony with Nature. While most of have learned from popular culture what is and isn’t good for us, you will be surprised about the important differences in the TCM approach. We know very little about the way Nature works at the level of energy, so a good TCM practitioner will always educate you about lifestyle choices from this point of view so that you can create a quantum difference in your healing journey.
Good luck and remember to trust your intuition.
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