Qiological Shop Talk

Kidney essence is precious and not easily replenished. This Shop Talk segment discusses how the Kidney needs material form to create essence. And that it is the Yangming channels with their yang action that help the digestive system to extract the clear qi from food and fluids, and this in turn becomes the material that can transform into essence. This is a simple and effective set of points for burn out or exhaustion and they lean on the dynamic of transform, rather than simply tonifying the Kidney itself. Golden Flower Chinese Herbs also offers herbal formulations for these conditions and many more. Visit them at www.gfcherbs.com.

This Shop Talk is a discussion of the differences between the Zangfu organ system and that of the Jingluo. A brief history is given, as are mentions of the differing relationships between the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches with regard to the Zangfu organs and Jingluo channels. An example of this is that the internal Zangfu organ Lung is attributed to Metal; whereas the Hand Taiyin Lung channel is attributed to Yang Wood. The differing Five Phase natures of the internal Zangfu organs and the more external Jingluo system, is actually a clear reflection of their different anatomical functions in regard to the overall Chinese Medicine anatomy of the human body. That is to say, the internal organs are the body's way of assimilating and storing, whereas the Jingluo system is one that enables a discrete individual to maintain a dynamically homeostatic state in the context of a greater external environment, an environment which varies along the number of different parameters.

In this Shop Talk segment John Scott the co-founder of Golden Flower Chinese Herbs discusses the use of Hua Tou points for the treatment of shingles. Additionally, how these points are useful for lower jiao issues like increasing male fertility and for prostate issues. Golden Flower Chinese Herbs also offers herbal formulations for these conditions and many more. Visit them at www.gfcherbs.com.

In this Shop Talk Michael Max reflects on 25 years of practice and the importance of running a business as a cultivative practice.We go into the importance not of “faking it till you make it,” but rather using the learning of the early days to better hone your skills and more thoroughly understand who you are, and what your ideal practice really looks like.Additionally we explore the issues of money and authority, and rather see these as hindrances, they are actually valuable teachers that both help us to be better practitioners and more honest and reliable business people.The trick, if there is a trick, is not to rely on someone else's blueprint or master plan, but instead discover your own source code.Business. It's not something we have to do, it's something we have the privilege of engaging.

In this Shop Talk Jason Robertson discusses the importance of putting your hands on your patients heads to understand where physically the points actually are located.He draws from his experience with Dr Wang Ju-Yi in discussing how points are “jie” which you can think of as junctions or spaces, they're notable by the way they feel. And this isn't just for points on the head, but through the body. It's helpful to put your hands on people and let the body tell you where the point is located.Dr. Wang had a special affinity for DU19 and DU21 and how they can be used for treating back pain and for issues that result from a failure of the clear yang to ascend.Clear diagnosis is the key to effective treatment and putting your hands on people both as a diagnostic and to find the most potent points is a practice that will serve you well in the clinic.You can find out more about Jason's work at www.channelpalpation.orgAnd sign up for his hands on course in Chicago September 16, 2023

Leta Herman, co-founder of the Alchemy Learning Center, shares her insights into the world of the Thirteen Ghost Points, a mystical aspect of acupuncture that she has been practicing for almost two decades. These points, often overlooked or misunderstood, hold transformative potential but require a level of practitioner self-cultivation before their full power can be harnessed. Leta emphasizes that the Ghost Points act as liberators, clearing out accumulated emotional baggage and releasing stuck patterns, making them particularly valuable in our modern world. She advocates for a patient-centered approach, recommending starting with a few Ghost Points in a one-hour session to avoid overwhelming reactions, using a unique vibrating technique that can be needle-based or non-needle-based. Leta's approach involves bearing witness to the patient's experience and facilitating their transformative journey, making the Ghost Points a powerful tool for both personal growth and clinical practice.Learn more about Leta's classes at AlchemyLearningCenter.com.

Join Leta Herman as she shares her perspective on why Chaotic Energy treatments (also known as Aggressive Energy) are so helpful in today's fast paced, modern world.In the past 20 years, Leta has witnessed a significant rise in CE due to increased world-wide stress, smartphones, wearables and a constant media exposure. Chaotic Energy spreads through the Ke cycle, affecting multiple organ systems and even contributing to severe illness.Symptoms of CE include mild to severe emotional agitations, anxieties, and physical discomforts–all related to Wei Qi circulation.In this ShopTalk, Leta describes how to treat CE with needles and with her own unique non-needling techniques. Treating CE has led to amazing results, from alleviating panic attacks to helping transform more severe illness as well as easing some of the more day-to-day stresses for many clients.

How and why could learning classical Chinese make you a better clinician? Here are a couple of possible reasons: Reading the Chinese medicine classics directly, instead of modern textbooks about them, facilitates a more direct and hence authentic transmission, thereby giving you maximum clarity and efficacy through precise diagnosis and treatments rooted in the Chinese medicine paradigm. It enriches your medical vocabulary by introducing you to concepts that simply don't exist in Western languages or the biomedical paradigm, such as “Triple Burner” or “Gate of Life,” “Bi impediment syndrome,” or even Qi and Yin/Yang. By providing access to untranslated highly specialized information, it is certain to blow your mind and expand your tool chest.Last, but definitely not least, however, reading the classics will invariably remind you why you chose this path in the first place, rekindling your love for the Dao, reinspiring you and creating a space for not just professional but also personal cultivation, and for promoting virtue inside you, your community, and your patients. Emphasizing the lofty ideal of “harmonizing heaven and earth,” the classics call on us to practice Medicine with a capital M. -----------------------------Study Classical Chinese with Sabine, visit www.translatingchinesemedicine.com to learn more and register.Sabine has a wonderful collection of work that she's translated, visit Happy Goat Productions to add her books to your collections of treasure on Chinese medicine.Looking for a steady drip of thoughtful and clinically useful material and methods, sign on with the Imperial Tutor some nourishing mentoring.Love podcasts? Of course you do, you listen to Qiological! Sabine's new podcast A Pebble in the Cosmic Pond is a collaborative effort with Leo Lok and other friends. Tune it and enjoy!

In this Shop Talk I'll be sharing three reasons why I practice Sasang Medicine.Reason #1 Food firstThe condition of the constitution always affects treatment outcome, prevention, overall health and longevity.People vary in their balance and do not inherently all have strong constitutions. People need to nourish their weakness and not feed what is already too strong.Eating all 5 tastes equally balances your plate; not you!Example 1: someone with half their energy in the liver, will make their imbalance worse by eating any liver-building food at allExample 2: So-yang person eating a healthy diet for 70% of the population. Gets sick because they are not part of the 70%.Reason #2 Western medical research assumptionsClinical trials are statistical, what percentage get a positive outcome.The n-value, the number of people in the trial is a homogenous group because of inclusion/exclusion criteria. What does the data ALWAYS show?The mind has an effect on the bodyThe data proves the premise that the group is homogenous is wrongThe real problem is, if enough people have a good outcome and the bad stuff isn't too bad, it is prescribed for everyone. Yet, the data does not support doing this.In Korea, clinical trials are conducted putting subjects in their constitutional groups to see if there are correlations between outcomes and constitution. They typically are, and there are lots of studies showing correlations between constitution and certain genetic markers.Reason #3 Food helpsI've been practicing prescribing diets for people for over 20 years. Almost every single person who follows their constitutional diet has improvements in their health.Of course there is much more to say about Korean Sasang Medicine and you can read more about it on my website, QiBalance.net.You also can sign-up for my Diagnosis Mentorship Program starting August 5th.But if you're not ready for that, you can experience Sasang by ordering a dietary analysis for yourself. Or send your very sick patients who need support with their treatments for an analysis.

In this shoptalk on self-cultivation, Chris Shelton his perspective on the world of Qigong and its profound healing powers. Leaning on his experience of having Qigong profoundly change his life, he shares his practice that unites movement, breath, and mind-focus to harness the body's innate ability to heal.Chris explains how Qigong promotes the harmonious flow of qi, and addresses imbalances and blockages that lead to physical and emotional ailments. He highlights its transformative effect on stress reduction, chronic pain relief, and emotional well-being, making it indispensable for modern-day living.Chris showcases remarkable healing stories achieved through consistent Qigong practice. From alleviating anxiety and depression to supporting chronic illness recovery, the evidence speaks for itself about Qigong's profound effects.Additionally, Chris shares how the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies are using these ancient practices in their work.Explore Qigong's transformative capability by joining Chris for the Holistic Healthcare Provider Masterclass, which will give you tools to prevent burnout and grow your practice, (CA Acupuncture CEUs available), August 1-4. Go to qigongteachertraining.com to register today.

In the initial descriptions of Chinese medicine set down in the Huangdi Neijing, acupuncture was described as a traditional form of ecological surgery.Its primary aim was to restore the natural watersheds of the body by regulating the flow of the blood circulating through these regions. These writings compare the vascular rivers of the body to rivers in nature, understanding them to be formed by the same basic forces and patterns of nature.Similar to rivers in nature, the flow qualities of the vascular rivers display different seasonal variations or ‘tides'. We assess these seasonal tides in the pulse qualities of the major blood vessels of the body. This allows us to synchronize the bodies of our patients with the seasonal patterns of nature.

Medicine and Bazi belong to the 5 Arts of Chinese metaphysics. All 5 Arts use the basic principles of Taoist philosophy.The Bazi belongs to the Life Arts and is called The Pillars of Destiny. The 4 pillars are, the year, the month, the day and the hour.The upper half of the chart is the 10 Heavenly Stems. The 5 Elements doubled as yin and yang, much like the organ pairs in Medicine but more the elements in Nature.The lower half of the chart is the 12 Earthly Branches. The extra two characters come from one of the Elements being doubled. But this is where there's a difference between the Bazi and Medicine.With medicine, we are looking at the meridians and here you'll notice the Fire is doubled with Imperial and Ministerial Fire. Here the focus is the Shen of heaven in its earthly manifestation.With the Bazi, the focus is on the Solar/Lunar calendar that starts around February 4. It's an extremely accurate calendar that tracks time, place, cycles of the seasons and rhythms of the Earth. Which is placed in the center and allows us to track not just the seasons, but how qi comes back to the Earth in between each season.This is a much more sophisticated and detailed calendar than the common Gregorian Solar calendar. Which helps you to understand why sometimes in what's considered Summer, it might feel like Fall. Learn more about Tracy's offerings at qibalance.net. Where you can sign up for her Mentorship Program starting on August 5, 2023. Or order your dietary analysis, or send your patients for one.

In this Shoptalk, I will be sharing with you some critical advice regarding safety when needling GB 21 and the upper trapezius region generally.My advice comes from having served as an expert witness on a half-dozen cases in which well-intentioned and experienced acupuncturists, trained according to the current standards of the profession, nevertheless caused pneumothorax injuries–one of them fatal.What's an expert witness? A neutral professional who reviews evidence and renders opinions in a court proceeding as to whether the acupuncturists' care was up to standards of the profession–and if not, whether the substandard practice contributed to injuries, pain and suffering. Reviewing these cases has caused me to question some commonly-taught, widely-practiced, but unsafe techniques, and in my own practice, replace them with needle angles, lengths and depths, as well as screening protocols for risk factors, and other techniques that are much better at preventing pneumothoraxes, and yet just as clinically effective–if not more.Unfortunately, it's not just dry needlers who cause pneumothoraxes, but they are avoidable. Tune in to learn more! And visit the Qiological website for more resources and videos from Anthony.

In this Shop Talk segment we cover important questions to ask you male patient's when they come to you presenting with such common issues as ED, PE, BPH and Prostatitis! For a more in-depth understanding on common men's health conditions you can take one of my courses Information on my upcoming courses will be announced on my blog at: https://whole-healthacupuncture.com/blog. Currently, I have date 10/7/23 set for my course on BPH & How to Successfully Treat It Using TCM Principles. You can find information on how to sign-up through my blog listed above or by connecting with me directly. I also offer consultations services and am always open to just talk to other practitioners about this subject, of which I'm so passionate about! You can contact me directly at any time at: Lisa.whacupuncture@gmail.com. I absolutely love talking and educating on men's health so reach out anytime! Thank you for listening!

In this Shop Talk Chloe discusses key basics of hemp, cannabis and CBD that will help you as a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine to consider how you can engage using these medicinals in your clinical work. She starts with the historical uses and ends with how this medicinal has been helpful for her in caring for son and lead her to creating Radical Roots. Along the way you'll find out the differences between hemp and marijuana. The differences between CBD and THC, especially in regard to the endogenous cannabinoid system. Finally she goes into something every herbalist is concerned about; extraction methods and quality control.Visit www.radicalrootsherbs.com to learn more about her products or connect with Chloe about using these medicinals in your clinical work.

In this episode of Shop Talk we're exploring cultivation as it relates to the business of acupuncture. As practitioners, we often hear about the importance of cultivation as essential for our personal and professional growth. But too often we gloss over the cultivative aspect of running a business. In this short talk we'll explore the potential of how running a business can make us a more well rounded practitioner. And additionally discuss how managing the business of our practice serves as a powerful tool for self-accountability, shedding light on our blind spots, fears, and areas of discomfort. Running a business is not merely a sideline endeavor but an integrated aspect of our clinical work. In short, it's an illusion that business and medicine are separate entities.Listen in to challenge your common assumptions, ignite introspection, and gain practical insights for integrating the cultivation of self, business, and medicine. By embracing and addressing the obstacles we create for ourselves, it's possible to unlock new dimensions of success and provide better care to our patients.

I'm Anthony Von der Muhll, and in this Shoptalk, I will be sharing with you one of my most useful go-to techniques for treating chronic musculoskeletal pain and disability: needling into joint and ligamentous tissues. This is an ancient technique with modern applications that is quite safe, well-tolerated, and works rapidly and effectively for long-lasting improvements in function, not just of joints but also the muscles, tendons and nerves that cross them. When I started using this technique about 15 years ago, my success rates went way up, and the time and number of treatments required for lasting outcomes went way down, even for chronic and complex cases that I had found previously very challenging. Although this technique was not taught in any of the Masters or Doctorate classes that I attended, with some very basic review of joint anatomy, I found it is quite simple and easy to learn, and even to teach oneself. Tune in to learn more!Here are links to Anthony's course on Joint Stabilization and Mobilization Needling and his full list of On Demand Courses with CEU's.

In this Shop Talk presentation Jeffrey Dann discusses the importance of palpation as part of the assessment and treatment of patients. He emphasizes the importance of relying on our hands to improve our palpatory skills which in turn help to deepen our understanding of the physical body. In this presentation he focuses, as an example, on the Yuan Source point Kidney Three, and takes us through the process of palpating for blood, qi, nerves and fluids. And then suggests ways to intervene using acupuncture, moxibustion and gentle bodywork.Jeffrey's long experience as a practitioner and his study of various palpatory modalities gives him a unique perspective on directly sensing into the body using our hands. Not only does this aid with diagnosis, but it also gives us a way to see how our interventions are being received by the body. He and Mark Petrusi are offering a three day class in Qi, Blood and Fluids in Honolulu Hawaii. You'll find more information here.

In this Shop Talk we hear about a surprisingly effective use of the Tung point San Cha San, which she discovered when she treated herself for a head cold. San Cha San is easily accessed as it's located along the Triple Burner channel, and is reached by sliding a needle in between the fourth and fifth metacarpals. So it is a point you can readily add to your treatmentsAdditionally Renee covers the uses of sister points, San Cha Yi and San Cha Er and how they are useful for back pain. It's helpful to use ourselves as white mice to learn more about acupuncture, and you'll enjoy hearing about Renee's discoveries in this Shop Talk.

Today's Shop Talk is an invitation to acupuncturists to recognize the power and potential of our medicine. And committing ourselves to making a difference in the delivery of healthcare in our country, by choosing the communities we want to make a difference in, and using our imagination and heart to create new models of delivery.Education and the use of the Internet are tools we can make better use of. We most likely will need to step out of our comfort zone, but that is where real progress becomes possible. Need someone to bounce ideas off of, or gin up your motivation? Chloe's here for that!

In this short conversation Toby and Ji Ling Lin discuss some of the basics of Saam acupuncture. How it uses a combination of the yin and yang, the five phases, and the six confirmations. Additionally they touch on the way the system combines yin and yang organs in a novel way, that actually makes a lot of sense when you see the dynamic complementary relationships that are involved. Qiological is offering a live in person (and live streamed) class this June on Introduction to Saam Acupuncture: The Acupuncture of Wandering Monks. Visit the website for details and to register.Toby Daly, L.Ac, Ph.DToby began studying Chinese medicine in 1997 with Sunim Doam, a Korean monk trained in the Saam tradition. He earned his master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2002 upon completion of training at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and Chengdu University in China.During his four years of training in San Francisco, he interned with the prominent acupuncturist Dr. Angela Wu and learned to apply the lofty theories he was studying in school into the pragmatic setting of a busy clinic. Afterward he completed a PhD in Classical Chinese Medicine under the guidance of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffery Yuen.Toby developed the Chinese Nutritional Strategies app to provide digital access to the wealth of Chinese dietary wisdom and the Chinese Medical Characters app to enable direct access to foundational Chinese medical terms and concepts. In 2023 he published his first book, An Introduction to Chinese Medicine a Patient's Guide to Traditional East Asian medicine.For the past four years he's been teaching the Saam method as it was taught to him by his teacher.

In today's Shop Talk segment, Michelle Grasek, acupuncturist and marketing strategist, shares three new perspectives on marketing to help you approach your marketing with enthusiasm and consistency so you can get more visible in your community and help more patients.If you feel resistant to putting yourself or your business out there with marketing or can't seem to truly be consistent with your marketing, then this Shop Talk is for you.Michelle's reason for sharing these ideas with you is to help you remember that marketing is simply a neutral tool that we can use to reach and help more people.Her hope is that one or more of these perspectives really resonates with you, feels energizing and provides new motivation for getting visible with your business!If you still need help with your marketing, Michelle teaches an online course called Acupuncture Marketing School where she walks you through everything step by step. The ultimate goal is for you to get more patients through creating a strong, clear brand and a marketing strategy tailored to your ideal patients.If you didn't have much marketing education in acupuncture school, or you just don't know where to start, this class is a great choice.And this week, Michelle and her team are offering two scholarships to Acupuncture Marketing School – one to an acupuncturist and one to an acupuncture student. Submitting your application is free and easy and there are no strings attached.The deadline to apply is this Thursday, May 4th, at midnight Pacific time. Instructions for how to apply can be found at michellegrasek.com/scholarship.You're welcome to email Michelle with questions – michelle@michellegrasek.comHere's the link for Acupuncture Marketing School, for the Shop Talk landing page: http://michellegrasek.com/acupuncture-marketing-school/And the link for the Scholarship Information page: michellegrasek.com/scholarshipMichelle GrasekHi there, I'm Michelle! I'm the host of the Acupuncture Marketing School podcast. I'm a practicing acupuncturist and marketing strategist and I've been teaching marketing, both online and in-person, for 9 years. In that time, I've taught marketing to over 3,500 acupuncturists. It's my mission to help you grow your business using marketing techniques that are genuine and generous.Through my articles and online PDA courses, I aim to help you outline a strategy, focus on marketing that's authentic, and get new patients every week. I share all of my practice-building tips at michellegrasek.com and on social media @michellegrasek.

In this Shop Talk segment I explain how to balance the pulses using acupuncture. We need to return the pulses back to that healthy baseline so that the person can get on with the business of their life .In this talk I'll take you through a basic assessment where we compare the relative strength or size of the pulse to determine excess and deficiency and then use acupressure to key points to determine the effect on the pulse..This can be used as a simple standalone treatment, or as a way to begin a longer treatment.To learn more from Brenda, contact her at: hoodcmcourses@gmail.comBrenda HoodI was born and raised in Peace River, Canada. Then wound up going to China to study Chinese medicine after becoming disillusioned with a degree in psychology. I spent over twenty years there being completely enamored with the medicine and acquiring a few degrees. After returning to North America spent some years teaching Foundations of CM and other basic courses at NUNM. I'm back up in Canada now working on a foundations book to explain the energetic and philosophical bases of the medicine with an eye to using the classics and historical texts as my sources.Clinically, I started out using the TCM system, but I couldn't really get it to work like I thought it should. I stepped out of CM academia and spent a lot of time with “folk practitioners” and cultivators. There are a lot of hidden gems in China though living there and speaking/reading the language was definitely required.The study of CM is endless. This is the medicine of the Heart whose medium is joy. When there is a quiet joy to what you are doing, it reveals a truth and integrity of being.

In this short conversation we discuss Toby's unique patient centered approach to helping patients and potential patients understand and use East Asian medicine. In his new book he helps the layperson to understand how our medicine can help, without attempting to give them a Chinese Medicine 101 education.He accomplishes this by emphasizing the importance of providing context and using terms that patients can understand. And discusses Chinese medicine through the avenues of clinical experience, historical context and scientific research.One of the key aspects of this book, and that makes it so helpful to everyday reader, is the way he talks about Yin and Yang in such common everyday language that you don't even realize he's talking about Yin and Yang.You can find this little gem over on Amazon, or ask your local bookstore to order it so others can enjoy it as well.Toby DalyToby began studying Chinese medicine in 1997 with Sunim Doam, a Korean monk trained in the Saam tradition. He earned his master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2002 upon completion of training at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and Chengdu University in China.During his four years of training in San Francisco, he interned with the prominent acupuncturist Dr. Angela Wu and learned to apply the lofty theories he was studying in school into the pragmatic setting of a busy clinic. Afterward he completed a PhD in Classical Chinese Medicine under the guidance of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffery Yuen.Toby developed the Chinese Nutritional Strategies app to provide digital access to the wealth of Chinese dietary wisdom and the Chinese Medical Characters app to enable direct access to foundational Chinese medical terms and concepts. In 2023 he published his first book, An Introduction to Chinese Medicine a Patient's Guide to Traditional East Asian medicine.For the past four years he's been teaching the Saam method as it was taught to him by his teacher.

Many children present in the clinic with a condition that does not easily fit into our usual classification of the deficient (xu) or excess (shi) child. We see a mixed picture. There are signs and symptoms of deficiency, alongside those of Heat. Yet the Heat signs and symptoms are not reconcilable with either Full or Empty Heat. Where do we start? Should we focus on tonifying or clearing?Once we understand the concept of yin fire, everything begins to make more sense. The first complete and influential description of yin fire was written by Li Dong-yuan in his Treatise on Stomach and Spleen (Pi Wei Lun) in 1250CE. Modern authors e.g. Maciocia, Flaws, discuss the role of yin fire in complex, physical conditions usually seen in adults, such as cancer and auto-immune conditions.However, in this talk we will explore how yin fire really is the 21 st century pathology in children. So many commonly-seen aspects of children's lives lead to it arising. It is involved in some of the most widespread childhood behavioural and emotional conditions. You will come away knowing how to both spot it and approach treat it with acupuncture. This will revolutionise your paediatric practice!Rebecca AvernUsing acupuncture to help children thrive, and teaching others to do the same, is my passion.I have treated children with acupuncture for over 22 years, and now treat exclusively children and teenagers. I founded and run two children's acupuncture clinics in Oxford, UK, one of which offers affordable acupuncture to children and the opportunity for practitioner internships. I teach a year-long diploma in acupuncture paediatrics at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine (www.acupuncturecollege.org.uk) in the UK. I also teach extensively online – notably a complete paediatric acupuncture certificate course through TCMAcademy (www.tcm.ac). I also teach in person seminars internationally. I have been a senior faculty member at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, UK for the past 15 years. I am the author of two books. The first is a textbook Acupuncture for Babies, Children and Teenagers. My most recent book is for parents as well as practitioners and is called Chinese Medicine for Childhood Anxiety and Depression: a practical guide for practitioners and parents. I founded the Hub of Paediatric Acupuncture www.paediatricacupuncture.com an online community providing information for parents and support to practitioners who treat children. Web linkswww.rebeccavern.com and www.paediatricacupuncture.com

In this Shop Talk segment we discuss the multi-sensory aspects of listening, and begin to explore the vast topic not of the “what we do” in clinic, but instead the “how we are.”Presence and attention, being inquisitive on behalf of our patients and keeping a rein on our ego are all skills that have nothing to do with what points we choose, and everything with how we interact with those points.Michael MaxI thought I'd know a lot more after 25 years in practice, and I've also learned so much that I never expected.Over time I've learned to say less in clinic and to listen more. It sounds easy; it's not. It's not easy because it is oh so easy for the helpful spirit in me to want to be of service and ‘give something' to my patients. It's taken a long time to realize that attempting to give something to a patient that they did not want or ask for was a burden to them, and a waste of time and breath for me.Over time I discovered that getting still and seeing if I could understand my patients from their point of view, if I could connect with the kind of empathy that seeks first to understand, or if I could patiently wait for a patient to tell me what they actually needed, it seemed to help. It made diagnosis easier, and my treatments more precise.

In today's Shop Talk Damo Mitchell explores the Craft of Acupuncture and our relationship with the primary tool of our trade— the needle. Along with a practical understanding of Butcher Ding and the critical importance of knowing how to slide through the sinew channels with an attentive awareness, so we can target our treatment to the primary channels.You can find out more about Damo's work at Lotus Nei Gong, Xian Tian College, and on Youtube.Damo MitchellI started out in the martial arts which I began at the age of four; it was through these studies that I first encountered Chinese medicine which I began to learn at age 14 with Tuina.Fast forward 28 years or so and I find myself having completed a UK degree in Chinese medicine as well as having been apprenticed to a number of Chinese medical doctors in China and South East Asia. Never really finding myself comfortable in a conventional ‘clinical;' setting, I always leaned more towards study with esoteric and Daoist practitioners of medicine who worked in smaller communities or out of their own home.To me, the separation of personal cultivation from Chinese medical study shouldn't really exist and they both form an equal part of my lifepath.These days, I am the head of the Xian Tian College of Chinese Medicine as well as the director of the Lotus Nei Gong School of Internal Arts which keeps me more than busy!

In today's Shop Talk segment, Michelle Grasek, acupuncturist and marketing strategist, walks you through how target market and copywriting intersect to create great marketing.Target market often gets a bad reputation for being a theoretical exercise without practical application. But in reality, it offers powerful insights that can make your marketing much more compelling.She also addresses frequently asked questions that she gets from marketing students and clients, including, “What if I do this wrong?” and “What if I scare away patients by niching down and getting too specific with my marketing message?Her goal is to help you see the positive impact that identifying your target market can have on your copywriting, and show you how to apply it in real life to make your marketing more effective.If you still need help with your target market and putting it into practice, Michelle teaches an online course called Acupuncture Marketing School where she walks you through these concepts step by step. The ultimate goal is for you to get more patients, and the class helps you do that through creating a strong, clear brand and a marketing strategy tailored to your ideal patients.If you didn't have much marketing education in acupuncture school, or you just don't know where to start, this is a great choice.You can take a look at Acupuncture Marketing School here and use the discount code QIOLOGICAL200 to save $200.You're welcome to email Michelle with questions- michelle@michellegrasek.comHere's the link for Acupuncture Marketing School, for the Shop Talk landing page: http://michellegrasek.com/acupuncture-marketing-school/Michelle GrasekHi there, I'm Michelle! I'm the host of the Acupuncture Marketing School podcast. I'm a practicing acupuncturist and marketing strategist and I've been teaching marketing, both online and in-person, for 9 years. In that time, I've taught marketing to over 3,500 acupuncturists. It's my mission to help you grow your business using marketing techniques that are genuine and generous.Through my articles and online PDA courses, I aim to help you outline a strategy, focus on marketing that's authentic, and get new patients every week. I share all of my practice-building tips at michellegrasek.com and on social media @michellegrasek.

When I was living and studying medicine in Beijing in 2003, Craig Mitchell shared with me a book he found on herbal medicine. Back at that time I was working on my Chinese and it was not very good, but reading interesting books on medicine was a way I encouraged myself to keep at the Chinese. When I first read Ten Key Formula Families in Chinese Medicine I thought my Chinese was perhaps getting worse, because the ideas contained in it were so different from what I'd previously been exposed to. Turns out, I was understanding it, and the perspective of Dr Huang Huang changed how I thought about and used herbs.Dr Huang has continued to develop his ideas and Eran Even did his Ph.D in China with Dr Huang. He's a great resource for engaging the ideas of Dr Huang, and he's got some great classes on formula families. You can find those over at www.chinesemedicineclassics.com.And Ten Key Formula Families in Chinese Medicine is available from Eastland Press.

In less than 2 days, a single acupuncture treatment heals a wound that 2 months of conventional treatments couldn't help.This case exemplifies the power of Saam, a Korean tradition of acupuncture. I hope this case will inspire more acupuncturists to study Saam and be of interest for those already practicing Saam. A deep understanding of the qualities of the 12 channels of Saam was necessary to come to the correct diagnosis, the key that along with proper treatment unlocks the amazing healing potential of the body.Kristin WisgirdaI have been steeping in everything Saam since Toby Daly began teaching this tradition. Now Toby's teaching assistant, I work closely with him in developing my own offerings. I was the original moderator for the Saam forum on Qiological for 2 years and now have my own Saam mentorship program in the White Pine Circle. Guiding students through cases and the basics of Saam practice is a joy.I graduated from PCOM San Diego in 1999 and have been practicing in southeastern Massachusetts since.I am grateful for the opportunity to translate the beautiful world view of our medicine into results-oriented practice.Here are the Saam teaching opportunities with Kristin:12 Channels of Saam: Essential QualitiesThe course is broken up into 6 easier to assimilate modules and the calls are recorded. A private forum enables those who can't attend live to ask questions and participate and keep the conversation going between classes.This class will immediately improve your clinical prowess whether you have just taken the Intro to Saam class or have been practicing for a few years.Register Here: https://www.qiological.com/saam-12-channel/The Bright and the Dull: Eye Observation for Saam Acupuncture (recorded)Register Here: https://www.qiological.com/qiological-live-saam-eyes/Saam Mentorship with Kristin Wisgirda (ongoing)More info and registration here: https://whitepinecircle.org/saam-mentorship/If you're interested in the basic principles of Saam. This is the course for you:Introduction to Saam Acupuncture with Toby Daly (recorded)Register Here: https://www.qiological.com/online-intro-saam/

The importance of assessing Rate on Exertion with Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis:Pulse diagnosis can be scary for lots of practitioners; not everyone has been fortunate enough to spend years deep diving into the intricacies and subtleties, and often practitioners don't even spend much time checking pulse at all. In this ShopTalk episode, I detail one of the most important assessments on the pulse, explain its significance, and detail how to do it. And it is EASY and QUICK to perform. If you treat pain, emotional issues like depression/anxiety/panic, or complaints like insomnia, dizziness/vertigo, or specialize in internal medicine conditions like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, POTS, and autoimmune disorders, you will find this assessment super valuable. You can also check this link https://rossrosen.shenrosen.com/rate-on-exertion-assessment-demo/ to see a demonstration of me performing it. To learn more about me and my teachings in Shen-Hammer and Classical Pulse, as well as Heart Shock and Daoist medicine, please check the links below and feel free to reach out to me at rossrosen@gmail.com. https://rossrosen.com/events/https://www.acupunctureandherbalmedicine.com/https://www.facebook.com/rossrosenhttps://www.instagram.com/rossrosen/

In today's Shop Talk segment, Michelle Grasek, acupuncturist and marketing strategist, shares actionable tips to help you get better results from your email marketing. She also addresses frequently asked questions that she often gets from marketing students and clients, including, "What if I'm annoying people by sending email?" "What the heck am I supposed to write about?" and "Who has time to write a consistent email newsletter?" Her goal is to help you send simple emails that get more patients on your schedule. She's also offering a discount code for Qiological listeners for her Year of Email Templates for Acupuncturists. If you feel like writing emails is simply not your thing, Michelle's done it for you. This is a collection of 26+ emails she sends to her own patients, focused on pain, anxiety, and digestion, among other topics. All you have to do is copy and paste the emails, edit quickly to match your clinic, and hit send. You can take a look at the templates here and use the discount code QIOLOGICAL30 to save $30. Enjoy!About Michelle GrasekHi there, I'm Michelle! I'm the host of the Acupuncture Marketing School podcast. I'm a practicing acupuncturist and marketing strategist and I've been teaching marketing, both online and in-person, for 9 years. In that time, I've taught marketing to over 3,500 acupuncturists. It's my mission to help you grow your business using marketing techniques that are genuine and generous.Through my articles and online PDA courses, I aim to help you outline a strategy, focus on marketing that's authentic, and get new patients every week. I share all of my practice-building tips at michellegrasek.com and on social media @michellegrasek.

In today's Shop Talk, Lisa presents basic Biomedical and TCM information about BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), a condition that every Acupuncturist will most likely see in their clinic at some point in their career unless you don't treat older gentlemen. She presents common causes, symptoms, biomed treatments, TCM differentials and a few basic points. You can use these points in your clinic tomorrow to start successfully treating this condition! It's a condition that responds very well to what we have to offer, acupuncture and herbs! For a more in-depth understanding on BPH and other common men's health conditions you can take one of Lisa's courses. Information on my upcoming courses will be announced on herb blog at: https://whole-healthacupuncture.com/blog. She also offers consultations services and is always open to just talk to other practitioners about this subject, of which she is so passionate about! You can contact Lisa directly at: Lisa.whacupuncture@gmail.com.About Lisa LapwingDr. Lisa Lapwing a specialist in men's health (Andrology). As you may be aware, we're not taught much about this subject in school and I therefore, had to learn about it myself through reading/researching, talking to other professionals and trial and error. Now, over a decade later, after treating various sexual health conditions for men and women, I'm filling in the gaps in education on Andrology in TCM. As an expert in this field I have spoken for and have had an article published with SUNA (Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates), I've taught classes for AOMA and FSOMA.