Mindset Monday: The Wounded Healer In Business with Stacey Whitcomb LAc.

“Wounded Healer” In Business: How Build A Medical Practice That Is Safe For Your Patients AND For You!

If you don’t create a practice with practices in place to continually check in with yourself as a “empath, wounded healer, or highly sensitive person”, you may actually be causing yourself harm.

Much like everything else in life, the world is a very different space for empaths, wounded healer and highly sensitive people. Seemingly small things can trigger your nervous system and suddenly you can’t figure out why your heart is racing and you feel like you need to run, or you need to be in a quiet space for a few minutes…..or days. And if you are an empath like me, that is just what can happen before breakfast.

In this episode I talk about the top three things where the “wounded healer” struggles in creating a safe and healthy (for them) medical practice and how to shift and create healthier practices so you can love the practice you create.

In this episode I talk about the top three challenges we face which include poor boundaries, overcompensating and low self esteem. (Conversely, I don’t actually talk about your superpowers! I’ll give that a gander in another episode! ) Then I give detailed business suggestions to put in place to ensure that when things get challenging your nervous system doesn’t get hijacked.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

• Man’s Search For Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl

8 Deliberate Steps To Grow Your Medical Practice with Stacey Whitcomb LAc.

Using Deliberate Practice To Grow An Acupuncture Clinic

In today’s episode I am going to give you 8 intentional and deliberate practices to grow a soul fulfilling and successful Acupuncture practice.

Having a vision for your future, your career and your personal life will help you stay aligned with your calling, contentment and goals. And it’s okay if it changes along the way, or ends because then you can gather the information and feelings for this new situation and create another path forward with another focused intention. If you live with intention you will be less likely to wake up to a practice ten years from now that you dread. Treating patients you don’t enjoy. Not making the money you would like or traveling the world like you always wanted.

Here is the magical pathway:

1. Ask yourself what you want.

2. Create a vision.

3. Set goals.

4. Create phases.

5. Outline action steps.

6. Be consistent.

7. Keep your head in the game. Spend time visualizing yourself doing it and what it looks like when you ARE there.

8. Celebrate.

9. Repeat.

In order to create a practice that you love and are in alignment with try this, but be flexible. Because things will change. Stay in tune and set quarterly appointments with yourself to touch base and make sure you still want what you are working towards. If an amazing opportunity comes along and it is in alignment with your vision but not part of the plan, grab it! Because when you get in alignment with your inner drive and self so does the universe. Accept the gifts. And when nothing is going your way and everything is an uphill battle. Re-evaluate. Is what you want in your highest good? 

Be flexible.

Be consistent

Be curious

Enjoy the process.

Be kind to yourself

Be yourself.

Let me know how it goes!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes! 

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Mindset Monday: The Wounded Healer: In Medical Practice

Can you practice medicine as a wounded healer archetype?

As children we may have had to read the room before we walked thru it because we were physically or sexually abused by family. We might have learned to know how someone feels by how they moved thru the room or even opened a door. 

We might recognize a parent or sibling on the edge of some sort of meltdown and found that if we do or say something special we could not only get “love”, but also change the potential outcome of that mood. 

We develop “extra-sensory awareness” to survive our situation which later is VERY useful when working as a healer.

We develop “extra-sensory awareness” to survive our situation which later is VERY useful when working as a healer. I often just “know” what points to use. Especially if I palpate and touch someone. I often know when someone feels worse or better than they are letting on because i can feel it in my body. I can feel the second someone shifts when the needles are in because I can feel it in my body. This doesn’t just happen for me in clinic. This happens everywhere. But I use it in clinic. Because it is a gift. If I can keep my panic monster at bay and the imposter syndrome monster quiet, treating patients just flows for me.

 But it is a double edged sword. We have to look for ways to allow those wounds, use our powers to help others heal, all while honoring our own ongoing process of not being perfect yet being perfectly lovable because of it. 

Honor your own ongoing process of not being perfect, yet being perfectly lovable because of it. 

We also need to understand that many humans who were also wounded do not become healers. They become people who wound. Because they were disempowered they crave control and power and often gain that by wounding others. As healers we need to understand that WE are uniquely gifted in helping those wounded wounders similarly heal their traumas and thereby potentially healing others instead of hurting them.

WE are uniquely gifted in helping those wounded wounders similarly heal their traumas and thereby potentially healing others instead of hurting them.

In my experience of working with other practitioners, and being a wounded healer myself i have identified :

Three ways Wounded healers go wrong in practice. 

1. Overcompensation

New practitioners are especially vulnerable to this pattern because they often have a high level of imposter syndrome which is completely normal but our reaction because of our past trauma is not commensurate with the challenge. We tend to over give and try too hard. Or we become frozen and don’t perform the things we know will bring more patients and create more success. 

•  2. Feelings of Low Self Worth

• Why would anyone come see me?

• I can’t charge that much!

• I don’t put them on a treatment plan because I want to earn their trust first.(Letting them decide you are good enough.) I didn’t ask them if they wanted to reschedule.

• I didn’t ask them for a google review even though they were SO happy about getting better.

• I didn’t ask them if they had friends who might like my services.

• I can’t start a practice, I don’t know enough.

• You tend to get Stuck in perfection. It Feels like you are failing a patient even tho they are getting better.

• AND…..  I need to learn more before I can……

• 3.Have a great desire to help but have poor boundaries.

• You give too much.

• Share too much.

• Care more than the patient does.

• Burns out early on.

• Thinks about the patient on personal time.

• Studies for hours about one case.

• Runs over appointment time to do one more thing.

• Doesn’t collect no show fees.

• Doesn’t have cancellation policy. 

If any of this resonates with you I just want you to know that the majority of healers whom I have met have this archetype. It is very common so lean into it. You can learn how to do this. 

I also want you to know that you can do both. You can help people heal while having wounds that you are still healing and some that you have healed.

You can help people heal while having wounds that you are still healing and some that you have healed.

Having this archetype, being this person means you likely are a kind, compassionate, empathetic, sensitive, person and have a special talent when you quiet your mind and all of your anxieties to know exactly what the patient needs. So, Know that this is going to be a process. Just like being in school for forever. Welcome to life school, again. I know it might be surprising and really catch you off guard, so listen in for some suggestions to becoming more resilient and developing the skills to do both at once.

Listen in for some suggestions to becoming more resilient and developing the skills to do both at once.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Acupuncture Doctoral Programs Explained with Phil Settels DAOM

What doctoral degree is right for you?

I see you. On facebook, asking everyone what Doctoral program is best. I also see you confused about the difference between a DAOM program and a DACM program.

I invited Phil Settels on today to clear the air. In today’s episode we are going to talk about:

• The differences between the DAOM and DACM programs.

• Why the DAOM is considered the “pinnacle” degree.

• Reasons you may want to choose the DAOM if you are a new practitioner.

• Why the DACM even came about.

• What may or may not be in your best interest with regards to both programs.

• Phil gives a broad overview of the DAOM program at ACCHS.

Today’s Guest

PHIL SETTELS DAOM, LAC., Dean of Doctoral Studies at ACCHS

Phil Settels graduated from ACCHS in 2011. Early on in his engagement with Chinese Medicine, Phil had the opportunity to study with several amazing Shanghan Lun teachers, including Dr. Arnaud Verluys, Dr. Huang Huang and Dr. Suzanne Robidoux. Phil uses Classical Formulas almost exclusively in his own practice and in his teaching.

Phil was brought in to design the curriculum of the ACCHS DAOM program which started in 2017, and he is currently the Dean of Academics. This program was guided by the ideal of what would best serve clinicians while honoring both the roots of the medicine and its development over time, and empowering graduates to be stewards of Chinese Medicine. The program has a dual focus on Classical Chinese Herbalism as well as Orthopedics and Pain Management, with the goal that graduates have increased skill and confidence to treat any patient who walks through their door, whether their condition reflects an internal or a musculoskeletal dysfunction.

Resources

• PHIL’S CLINIC

• ACCHS DOCTORAL PROGRAM

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

How Creating A Niche Community Network Was Foundational in Her Practice with JoAnne Bates D.C.

can choosing a niche really help get you out of the gate?

For any new health care practitioner choosing a niche can feel really uncomfortable. And honestly, it is not the only way to launch a practice, but it is one way. And a really beneficial way at that!

Listen in while I chat with one of my friends here in Bellingham who launched a medical practice one year ago, chose a niche and built an entire supportive community around that special population.

This is such a beautiful way to support your patients or practice members as JoAnne prefers to call them AND support other like minded professionals also grow their practices.

Prepare to feel inspired!!!

today’s guest

JOANNE BATES D.C., ROOTED IN WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. JoAnne is the owner and founder of Rooted in Wellness Chiropractic in Bellingham, WA. She primarily serves the perinatal and pediatric population. Her passions lie in supporting and empowering women throughout their pregnancy journey and beyond. She received her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College West in the Bay Area and is continuing her education through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) to further her knowledge on all things chiropractic, pregnancy and pediatrics. Outside of the office, she loves getting out and exploring the beauty that is the PNW and playing with her Australian Shepherd, Mozzie.

you’ll learn

• Why and how she chose a niche, and how it affected starting her practice.

• Things she would do differently.

• How having a cash practice is working for her.

• How she talks about money and payment with her practice members.

• How the Bellingham Birth Collective was conceived. (See what I did there?)

• What is next with her marketing endeavors.

  resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Integrating Acupuncture In A Tribal Health Clinic with Michelle Jean Champion LAc.

Acupuncture serving American Indians: Could this be your dream practice?

Are you a new Acupuncturist and you are having trouble putting your finger on the pulse of your career choices?

Here is one you may not have considered.

Join me in this episode where I talk with Michelle Jean Champion LAc. about her journey to serving Indigenous People with Acupuncture and Asian Medicine and how you can similarly make an impact.

today’s guest

MICHELLE JEAN CHAMPION LAC. , LAKE COUNTY TRIBAL HEALTH CLINIC AND CULTIVATE WELLNESS STUDIO

Michelle Jean Champion, L.Ac., M.S.O.M, practices Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, Herbalism, bodywork and teaches classes that empower students with wisdom and tools for wellness. She graduated with a masters of science in Oriental Medicine from Samra University and was licensed by the State of California to practice Acupuncture in 2008. Michelle founded and practiced clinical Acupuncture at Cultivate Wellness Studio in Mendocino County for 13 years. She moved to Lakeport and began serving the Lake County community in February 2019. Her gentle and caring healing arts style is dynamic and provides her patients the ability to ease into sessions, offering profound multi-level shifts towards wellness. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve you, the Lake County Tribal Health community. You are invited to schedule your next Acupuncture appointment with her today!

you’ll learn

• Michelle’s journey to becoming an Acupuncturist and Herbalist for a Lake County Tribal Health.

• How she has educated her western medical team members about Acupuncture and Asian Medicine.

• How she structured her practice, a snapshot of her day and what her business responsibilities look.

• How she negotiated her pay.

• The most common chief complaints she treats and what her patient flow is like.

• How her position has changed and transformed since she started working there.

resources

• Urban Indian Health Institute

• Tribal and Urban Indian Health Centers

• Indian Health Service

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Acupuncture Software: My 5 Favorite Software Solutions To Streamline Business

Enjoy a quick review of my favorite systems!

In this episode I cover my top five software systems to streamline my Acupuncture practice. I use these tools to streamline the business stuff that I don’t particularly love spending time on but are necessary to my practice.

I wanted to share them with you because as a new practitioner you really shouldn’t spend too much time trying to make decisions about software.

You just need to make a quick choice and move your focus to activities that will engage people’s interest and draw them in your doors.

quick links

* SOME OF THESE LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS AND BY CLICKING ON THEM I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION, BUT THEY ARE ALL PRODUCTS THAT I USE AND STAND BY. THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE SHOW!

• *Quickbooks You can get 30% off your first 6 months!

• *Canva is my go to for all of my social media designs, photos for my website, templates for my newsletters and overall branding.

• *Google Workspace is my go to for email, storage for research files, policies and procedure manuals, AND I have also used Google Voice for my phone number.

• Square is the POS system that I like. Do your research on this one! Choosing a POS will depend on your EHR or awesome business bank rates. The reason I chose Square is because not all POS systems will take health savings account cards, but Square does.

• Squarespace is my website provider. I also designed all of my websites. It’s doable!!! Go for it!

• Blue Poppy is my favorite for granules and patents.

• Springwind is my favorite for raw herbs.

• *Horizonwestbookkeeping.com for your free consultation with Sarah.

• *Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get the “Helper Rate” or your first month free!

• GO TO THE TOOLS PAGE TO FIND MORE AWESOME DEALS FOR YOUR PRACTICE.

New Acupuncturist Heidi Markland on SEO And Introverted Marketing Strategies

introverted marketing 101: how a new acupuncturist can get patients in the door their way

Are you an introvert and new acupuncturist wondering how you are ever going to get patients in your clinic?

Are you afraid that you are going to have to be salesy and social?

Does the word “Marketing” make you want to crawl under your treatment table?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

Most of us don’t come by sales, marketing, networking and being overall entrepreneurial naturally. Especially introverts! This is mostly because historically when we talk about buying something we are also conversely talking about being “sold” to. And that conjures up visions of car salesmen chasing us around car lots.

Guess what! Sharing your skillset and serving people who need you is just another term for sales. It’s all in the delivery…….

The internet has broken this marketing egg wide open for INTROVERTED ACUPUNCTURISTS! There are so many ways to reach the people you want to serve so that they hear you AND you get to be true to your own nature.

In today’s episode I interview new Acupuncturist Heidi Markland about her experience as an introverted new practitioner in a new town and how she has navigated marketing her acupuncture practice. We talk about SEO, networking with kind intentions, picking a niche market and patient retention strategies.

Enjoy the show!

today’s guest

HEIDI MARKLAND LAC., ANCIENT SPRING ACUPUNCTURE

Heidi embarked on her journey to better health after experiencing chronic fatigue for many years. She found increased energy and well-being after a family member, that was trained in Acupuncture and herbal Chinese Medicine, treated her with a regimen of herbs and food therapy.

This began a journey of self-study into nutritional healing. The book “Healing with Whole Foods” became a staple that she read from cover to cover. This book introduced many core beliefs of Chinese Medicine and the idea of keeping the body in balance. She finally transitioned from a corporate job to a full-time student at the American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), in Houston Texas.

She fell in love with the beauty and culture of Coeur d’Alene while visiting family over the years. Through prayerful consideration and the new acquaintance of a local acupuncturist, the path forward was clear, and she hasn’t looked back.  Her clinic is now located in downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

you’ll learn

• Heidi has some GREAT SEO tips!

• We talk about some strategies Heidi has used to get patients that don’t feel yucky to her.

• Are you moving? We chat about the challenges of moving somewhere that you don’t know anyone.

• What is it like to have the help of a senior practitioner?

• How to keep costs down in the beginning.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow Stacey on Instagram and Facebook

Simple Bookkeeping For Your Acupuncture Practice with Sarah Quiggle

Simplified bookkeeping for your acupuncture practice

Are you feeling confused about how to set up your bookkeeping?

Confused about what taxes to pay or how much to put away each quarter?

Do you feel overwhelmed about what software you should or could be using?

If you are like me you want to understand and learn how it all works but you can’t seem to find the right help. Boy have I got the right person for you!

It took me a couple years to find Sarah with Horizon West Bookkeeping, and I rode the struggle bus until then. But now my books are in order and I know where, how, and why to budget all of my income to ensure the success of my businesses.

The best thing about Sarah and her team is that they meet you where you are. She loves to teach but is totally content to take over all of your bookkeeping needs so you can focus on patient care.

Sarah offers a free 30 minute consultation to all AcuSprout listeners to ensure she is the right fit for your business. You can grab that opportunity at Horizonwestbookkeeping.com/Acusprout .

today’s guest

SARAH QUIGGLE, HORIZON WEST BOOKKEEPING

Sarah Quiggle is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and a very detail oriented bookkeeper. Her love for numbers led her to pursue a degree in Mathematics, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2003. She is very organized and great at problem solving. She loves helping clients find solutions to what is troubling them most in their business.

She lives in Central Florida with her husband and three children and dog, Scout. She enjoys reading, going to the Disney parks with her family, and listening to true crime podcasts.

you’ll learn

• What to look for in a bookkeeper.

• Biggest mistakes small businesses make.

• Biggest problem you solve.

• 3 Suggestions for new business owners.

• Basic terminology and types of accounting.

• Difference between a bookkeeper and accountant.

resources

• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz (affiliate link) Game changing book!!!

• Novo I LOVE this online bank. Instead of opening a bunch of separate accounts they allow you to move your money into “reserve” categories within the same account, providing you with a visual snapshot of where your money is.

• Quickbooks is what I use and what Sarah teaches.

• Horizonwestbookkeeping.com for your free consultation with Sarah.

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!

• Follow Stacey on Instagram and Facebook

Buying Malpractice Insurance 101

top tips for buying the right coverage

Are you less than excited about researching what malpractice insurance to purchase? Not really sure what you should be looking for? Are you confused by the terms and amounts? Have no idea what any of the legal speak means? How much should you buy? What if you are changing companies?

Buying insurance can be really confusing and it’s one of those foundational choices that you make at the beginning of your career when you don’t know what you don’t know.

Listen in as Rachel and I cover every detail of buying your insurance. This hour could save you SO much money!

today’s guest

RACHEL SCHUMONT, ATTORNEY, OWNER AT COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS

My name is Rachel and I am an attorney that specializes in legal issues that affect your business. 

I began my legal career as a litigation attorney in Northeast Florida but after years of working in a courtroom I felt drawn to another passion and chose to spend a few years teaching vinyasa yoga in Southern California. While teaching, I quickly learned how little yoga teachers understood about their businesses and worked to educate yoga teachers on the nuances of their businesses and help them identify areas where they could limit their liability. From there my business grew and expanded to include other areas of health and wellness. Through my practice, Counsel for Wellness, I work with acupuncturists, dietitians, movement and fitness instructors, health coaches, and others in the wellness field to establish business entities, review and negotiate contracts, get solid legal documents in place, and address any other legal issues that arise along the way.

My experience has been that many business owners put off getting their legal affairs in order because they believe it to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With Counsel for Wellness my goal is to make your legal issues accessible so that you can focus on growing your business and caring for your people. 

you’ll learn

• Malpractice insurance is a special type of professional liability insurance that's just for a health care provider.

• Professional liability insurance covers you if someone states you did something wrong in your professional capacity.

• More specifically, malpractice insurance covers healthcare providers if there is an incident where a patient is injured or dies. That coverage means financial coverage. It covers the costs and expenses associated with the patient's injury.

• Business liability insurance also called general liability insurance, provides coverage for injuries or damage that someone claims that your business caused that aren't necessarily related to your health care services. An example would be someone falling while in your office.

• License Defense is utilized if your license is being challenged due to a complaint filed at the state level.

• Nose coverage covers you for incidents that happen before you had your insurance coverage in place.

• Tail coverage covers you for when you are terminating your existing policy coverage, but you could still get a claim for malpractice down the road.

• Per Claim , also called per occurrence is the limit that the insurance company will pay per incident during the term of your insurance policy. 

• Aggregate limit is the total amount that the insurance company will pay for multiple claims over the course of your policy term.

• A lawsuit is a claim or an action that’s brought before a court of law for a decision to be made.

• Negligence is failing to exercise the care towards others that a reasonable or prudent person would do in the same or similar circumstances.

  • Did you breach your duty of care?

  • Causation

  • Damages.

• Factors to take into account when choosing a policy:

  • Amount of coverage based on your personal assets.

  • Can you keep your business afloat if you get sued?

  • Are all modalities covered?

  • Vicarious liability. (Errors your employees make.)

• Places Acupuncturists are most at risk.

  • Negligence

    • Know the state law standards of practice. Act within scope of practice and duty of care that is owed.

  • Data security and HIPAA. Protecting data.

  • Disclosing info to 3rd party w/o consent.

  • Failure to take reasonable measures to protect your patient’s electronic records.

  • Disclosing too much information in violation of the minimum information necessary standard.

call to action

TEXT A LINK OF YOUR FAVORITE EPISODE TO ANOTHER ACUPUNCTURIST!

5 Factors That Can Make Or Break Your Marketing Strategy

your strategy is your map to success!

How could you possibly know how to get to where you want to go without first defining where you want to go? Are you a new practitioner and want to know how to get new patients? Are you feeling unheard? Do you have SO much passion that when someone asks if Acupuncture can treat XXX you can hardly contain your excitement and can’t wait for them to come see you so you can SHOW them?!! Then they don’t come see you and your sensitive feelers crumble. Because, if they would just GIVE YOU A CHANCE!!!!

If this is you, you are really putting the cart before the horse. Yes, yes, of course, of course it could happen that they schedule with you right away, but I doubt it. People need repetition. They need to be struck multiple ways with your presence and message. They need to see you stick around so they can get to know you. They need someone else to tell them to go see you. They need to hear you talk about them in their own words. They need to find you in ways that resonate with them.

In this episode we till the soil, envision the garden of your business, choose the seeds, plant, nurture, and harvest exactly what we want. This is the way. This is your map to creating the practice of your dreams.

you’ll learn…

THE TOP 5 FACTORS THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY

1. What is your niche? What type of garden do you want?

2. Who is your dream patient? What specific plants do you want in your garden?

3. What is your style? (introvert vs extrovert.) Who are you? How do you relate to your dream patient?

4. Leverage what you have.

5. Have a plan. You can’t have your ideal garden without a plan.

call to action

HEAD ON OVER TO ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE ACUPUNCTURE PAGES ON FACEBOOK AND ASK, “WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST?” Please share the AcuSprout!

Mindset Monday - How To Fill Your Practice By Defining Your Dream Patient

mindset monday - are you trying to figure out how to “get yourself out there”? define your dream patient and you will know where to go.

 Are you afraid that if you have a niche or choose a target market that you will, “miss out” on opportunities to treat patients? Does it feel counterintuitive to get super specific about the cases and people you love to treat? What about all of those other people who might need you or that you actually could treat? What about the missed opportunities to make money??! Especially when that is one of your number one goals right now. Make money = survive.

I get you! I made that same mistake. TWICE! Both as a Massage Therapist and again as an Acupuncturist. Know what happened? As soon as I got clear on what type of massage and what type of acupuncture I love to do and who my favorite patients are, everything clicked and I was making the money I needed.

Choosing your style and defining your dream patient IS the way to attract more patients to you. 

In this episode I am going to cover three ways to shake out who you want to treat and then I am going to explain why this may be one of the most important decisions you make in the beginning.

YOU’LL LEARN

IN THIS MINDSET MONDAY EPISODE I SHOW YOU THREE WAYS TO IDENTIFY YOUR DREAM PATIENT AND THREE REASONS THIS IS GOING TO STREAMLINE YOUR SUCCESS.

1. DEFINE WHO YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE.

   • What character traits repel you?

   • Who drains your life force?

   • What types of cases do you dislike treating?

   • What are you not good at?

2. WHO WOULD MAKE YOU THINK, “OH MY GOSH! I CAN’T BELIEVE I GET TO WORK WITH THIS PATIENT!”

   • What characteristics do they have?

   • What are you treating?

   • What do you love about them?

3. CREATE A FILTER SYSTEM

   • Can you list the top five qualities your dream patient has to have in order for you to work with them?

   • Give a free 20 minute consultation to make sure that you and your potential patient are a good fit.

   • They must have at least 3 of the 5 qualities.

HOW THIS CAN PUSH YOUR BUSINESS ALONG…

1. If you have a target market you know where to find potential patients who are looking for what you have to offer. You know where they hang out, what organizations they belong to, what social media they may or may not use, what types of gatherings they may attend, what publications they may subscribe to and who they hang out with.

2. You can identify how they communicate with each other. Then you can teach them how to talk about their treatment. You can position your branding accordingly, you can randomly do yoga or hike with them, you can teach a class for their group, etc

3. You will become the go-to expert on this population and these people will trust you and want to come see you. They will notice that you have shown up in a way that speaks directly to them. They will feel understood. They will trust you. They will tell other thems!

CALL TO ACTION

The best referral source is word of mouth. If  you enjoy the podcast, please tell your acu friends!

Mindset Monday - 6 Mental Health Survival Tips For Launching Your Acupuncture Practice

mindset monday - time to work on self confidence!

Does this sound like you? You are just starting out and don’t know how to “get out there”. They taught you in school to join a networking group like BNI and the thought of it makes you want to self medicate. You have tried to reach out to the other Acupuncturists in town to introduce yourself and they don’t return your phone calls. You feel a little sad and rejected by this. You aren’t feeling confident. You suddenly aren’t sure how confident you are in your Acupuncture skills either. You want to go back to school and get more education so you can feel ready for this. You have spent marketing money on stupid stuff. Social media is a time suck and you aren’t getting patients.

Being an entrepreneur requires a whole set of skills we didn’t learn in school. Actually, in some ways we learned the opposite. We learned to be sensitive, move intentionally, watch our language so we don’t harm with our words, be patient, have close conversations and be open and available for what comes.

Business is different. In the beginning it can feel unkind, unrewarding, tiresome and full of rejection. If you are sensitive it can really take its toll on your confidence. But it is also rewarding, thought provoking and super fun when it’s clicking. Mostly, it just takes time and exploration to find your groove.

In today’s episode I give you 6 (of many) mental health survival tips for your entry to the business world.

you’ll learn

IN THIS MINDSET MONDAY EPISODE I GIVE YOU 6 MENTAL HEALTH SURVIVAL TIPS FOR YOUR LAUNCH

• #1 FOCUS

  • Know what you want.

  • Create a plan.

  • Get into action.

  • Make decisions quickly. Don’t get sucked into Analysis Paralysis.

• #2 YOUR WHY

  • Why did you go to school?

  • Why do you practice this medicine.

  • Knowing what you want can help you get to your “WHY”.

• #3 HAVE A BUSINESS MINDSET

  • Separate business from personal. If someone doesn’t want to collaborate with you move on. It’s not about you.

  • People can smell fear and desperation. Get into parasympathetic before you interact with others. Including your patients.

  • Set goals, create plans, stay in action, adjust, finish, repeat.

• #4 PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION

  • Perfection will slow you down. Just finish stuff and move on. You will change things as you go anyway.

  • Learn as you go, change it as you grow.

  • Perfection is the enemy of progress. - Winston Churchill

• #5 LET GO OF THE PAST

  • What do you need to let go of to move forward?

  • Feel the fear and emotions and do the things anyway. BUT, be sure to check in with yourself and stay in alignment with the plan

  • What emotional patterns are repeating right now? It’s okay to have them and it’s okay to let go of them and it’s okay to keep going even though you feel them.

• #6 COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY

  • If social media is triggering to you, don’t go there.

  • Focus on your next step.

  • There is no need to look around. Focus on you.

  • You are enough. You can do this!

call to action

• Tell a new practitioner about the podcast!

• Check me out on Instagram!

The Disclaimers, Documents And Policies You Need To Have Visible In Your Acupuncture Practice

did you know that you should have policies and disclaimers on your website?

ACU-023 Me neither!! I mean seriously, I’m a couple years in and I had a pretty extensive business education in school. Here is what I can tell you. The tech world has moved SO fast that very few practitioners realize they are dangling the hook of being sued by pure ignorance of this information. Myself included. It’s not hard. None of this is hard. It’s just the stuff of, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Listen in as we dive into what you need to do. Then, take a look at the RESOURCES section to see who is doing it right!

today’s guest

RACHEL SCHUMONT, ATTORNEY, OWNER AT COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS

My name is Rachel and I am an attorney that specializes in legal issues that affect your business. 

I began my legal career as a litigation attorney in Northeast Florida but after years of working in a courtroom I felt drawn to another passion and chose to spend a few years teaching vinyasa yoga in Southern California. While teaching, I quickly learned how little yoga teachers understood about their businesses and worked to educate yoga teachers on the nuances of their businesses and help them identify areas where they could limit their liability. From there my business grew and expanded to include other areas of health and wellness. Through my practice, Counsel for Wellness, I work with acupuncturists, dietitians, movement and fitness instructors, health coaches, and others in the wellness field to establish business entities, review and negotiate contracts, get solid legal documents in place, and address any other legal issues that arise along the way.

My experience has been that many business owners put off getting their legal affairs in order because they believe it to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With Counsel for Wellness my goal is to make your legal issues accessible so that you can focus on growing your business and caring for your people. 

FIND HER HERE:

INSTAGRAM @COUNSELWELLNESS

COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS WEBSITE

you’ll learn

• For a deep dive on “How To Make A Healthcare Website ADA Compliant” - Episode 016

• “How To Stay On The Upside Of Legal In A Quickly Evolving Tech World” - all things HIPAA - Episode 021

• What legal documents you need to operate your practice. Especially with regards to your patients.

• You need legal disclaimers on your website! Privacy Policy, HIPAA, Terms of Use.

• Disclaimers. You need them for; medical advice, testimonials, blogging, and advertisements.

• The difference between LLC and PLLC.

• What does, “Maintaining an entity mean?”.

• What the hell is, “Piercing the corporate veil?”

resources

• I found you a great example of a website that has the serious legal mumbo jumbo. They are going to totally be flumoxed why their website has a bunch of new traffic. Bwahahaha! Check out Healthpointe !

call to action

• Seriously, just tell another Acupuncturist about the show. It would mean the world to me and might make or break them!

Guest Interviewer and Student, Sarah LeVaque LMT, Interviews Me!

the inside scoop on being a beginner, producing a podcast, and how it has all evolved in the last 3 years.

I have personal and professional mantras on repeat in my head all the time. Some are even incorporated into my meditations. Are you challenged with perfectionism? Me too. So much so that I can turn a two hour project into a 2 week project. AND yes, my work is usually pretty damn good! But I tend to get stressed about time and how I can’t seem to get everything done. OR I don’t start because it feels overwhelming. OR I don’t finish because it feels overwhelming. Let me introduce my favorite concept. Producing a podcast has taught me this: PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION. Since I have started podcasting nothing meets my perfect standards. Podcasts are raw and conversational. Grammar, punctuation and proper sentence structure doesn’t exist. I say fuck. My interviewees cuss, their dogs bark and their kids play bowling alley outside their office while we record. As I have grown, my website is getting confusing and my branding colors are getting lost. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s helpful. I hope it’s helpful….. No. I’m sure it’s helpful!

Since I started my Acupuncture practice I have worked out of 3 different offices in 3 years. I started broad and am now re-defining my niche. I once had a pretty nice beginner website and now I am operating with just a landing page while I get my shit together, which takes time. Everything takes time. And I have two businesses, so it takes even more time.

Before the pandemic I was able to pay myself a little bit. My practice was growing. Slowly, but it was growing. Enter freakish Pandemic which forced me to close. I came home and started a podcast. So far my only return on investment with the podcast is self satisfaction. What I do matters. The same is happening with the post apocalyptic re-launch of my practice. Invest more time, invest more money, work, work, work, and eventually the tide will turn. This is the way.

It’s hard. Sometimes it’s lonely. Sometimes I feel like a Badass Superhero. Sometimes I feel like a total imposter. But I actually know what I am doing and I have a plan. That is something. That feels good! It’s all a process. I promise you this. If you don’t give up, you will get there. Start at the beginning and work your way to the end. That is all. That is success!

A special thanks to Sarah LaVaque for this episode. She conducted a great interview. I couldn’t have done it better myself!

today’s guests

SARAH LAVAQUE LMT, CHINESE MEDICAL STUDENT

Sarah LaVaque, BCTMB, is a board-certified massage therapist and TCM graduate student at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She currently practices massage therapy at a chiropractic clinic in Woodbury, MN. She has practiced therapeutic massage for 16 years and specializes in deep tissue massage, sports massage, and myofascial release. 

STACEY WHITCOMB AEMP, LAC., PODCAST HOST, SHE/HER

Acupuncturist, Podcaster, Perpetual Knowledge Seeker, Teacher, Coach and Magical Cultivator of Supportive Networks. Stacey is the host of the AcuSprout Podcast, new Acupuncturist, old Massage Therapist and business owner and Coach to new Entrepreneurial Chinese Medicine Practitioners. Stacey is a true believer in creating the practice and life of your greatest desires.

After a long and successful massage career of working with competitive level athletes, Stacey loaded up the Tiny House On Wheels and headed to Portland of course, to pursue her Masters in Chinese Medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. (Yes, they are working on the “O” thing….) Upon graduation and launching a practice in a town where she didn’t know anyone she quickly realized two things. One, the landscape of business had changed drastically in the last 25 years and she had some catching up to do. And two, there were very few resources available to new practitioners.

Add a dash of Pandemic and viola! A podcast is born!

You can find her here: AcuSprout

On Instagram here: @acusprout

On Facebook here: AcuSprout

How To Stay Professional and Legal Online

online medical professionalism and keeping it legal

ACU-021 I’m a freedom lover. I LOVE to navigate this world my way and rarely does it come close to the societal norm. I think a lot of Practitioners of Chinese Medicine are like this. We tend to be the outliers and renegades. However, I often see the tendency for Acupuncturists to sweep legal professionalism into the gray space. Not doing due diligence with the “seemingly small things”, like HIPAA compliant emails and posting photos on social media. It’s easy to gloss over these details when starting a practice and it’s hard to recall specifically from our education what best practices are. Our ethics and jurisprudence classes are short and relatively boring and mashed in between the high demands of memorizing an entire pharmacopeia. SO….this is my continued graduation gift to you. Let’s till the proverbial soil and plant some very healthy and robust seeds. In order to keep that seed alive and help it grow, we might encounter some tasks that are not fun but necessary for it to thrive. The same goes for your career and practice. Stay informed about the ever-changing climate and world of technology. Just like following the rules of nature, there are rules that you have to follow with your practice so that you can thrive. In this episode we are going to touch on some laws and practices you need to be aware of as new practitioners. Make sure the light shines on the soil. No shady practices here. We are talking mostly about your online presence and what you need to be aware of with regards to social media, HIPAA compliance, BAA agreements, webinars, emails, phones, and newsletters.

today’s guest

RACHEL SCHUMONT, ATTORNEY, OWNER AT COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS

My name is Rachel and I am an attorney that specializes in legal issues that affect your business. 

I began my legal career as a litigation attorney in Northeast Florida but after years of working in a courtroom I felt drawn to another passion and chose to spend a few years teaching vinyasa yoga in Southern California. While teaching, I quickly learned how little yoga teachers understood about their businesses and worked to educate yoga teachers on the nuances of their businesses and help them identify areas where they could limit their liability. From there my business grew and expanded to include other areas of health and wellness. Through my practice, Counsel for Wellness, I work with acupuncturists, dietitians, movement and fitness instructors, health coaches, and others in the wellness field to establish business entities, review and negotiate contracts, get solid legal documents in place, and address any other legal issues that arise along the way.

My experience has been that many business owners put off getting their legal affairs in order because they believe it to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With Counsel for Wellness my goal is to make your legal issues accessible so that you can focus on growing your business and caring for your people. 

FIND HER HERE:

INSTAGRAM @COUNSELWELLNESS

COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS WEBSITE

you’ll learn

• What services you might hire an attorney to provide you business.

• PHI defined and exactly what our responsibilities are.

• What is a BAA and why is it necessary.

• Should you really be asking for advice on cases on Facebook??!!!

• Can an Acupuncturist also be a Health Coach? If so, what legal protection would a practitioner need in place when coaching?

• How does HIPAA influence our relationship with patients on social media?

• Does your newsletter need to be HIPAA compliant? What about your phone? Yes and yes. I have a solution for you.

resources

• Need HIPAA compliant email, phone and video that’s super affordable? I use Google Workspace and love it.

• Here are some great articles I found in my research. Worth the read!

• Policy Statement From the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards

• Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices

• The Rise of the Empowered Physician in the Digital Health Era: Viewpoint

call to action

• Join me on Instagram @AcuSprout

Case Study: A Classical Chinese Medical Herbal Case Study with Phil Settels DAOM, of ACCHS

can you guess the formula???!!!

ACU-020 Are you a game geek? Love a good puzzle? Maybe a little competitive? Do you miss being read to in class? ME TOO!!! In this episode we are going back to the cozy classroom with Phil Settels LAc.,the Director and Designer of the DAOM program at ACCHS, The Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences. Phil reviews an herbal case he encountered in clinic and breaks it all down for me. Enjoy the show!

today’s guest

PHIL SETTELS LAC.,

Phil Settels graduated from ACCHS in 2011. Early on in his engagement with Chinese Medicine, Phil had the opportunity to study with several amazing Shanghan Lun teachers, including Dr. Arnaud Verluys, Dr. Huang Huang and Dr. Suzanne Robidoux. Phil uses Classical Formulas almost exclusively in his own practice and in his teaching.

Phil was brought in to design the curriculum of the ACCHS DAOM program which started in 2017, and he is currently the Dean of Academics. This program was guided by the ideal of what would best serve clinicians while honoring both the roots of the medicine and its development over time, and empowering graduates to be stewards of Chinese Medicine. The program has a dual focus on Classical Chinese Herbalism as well as Orthopedics and Pain Management, with the goal that graduates have increased skill and confidence to treat any patient who walks through their door, whether their condition reflects an internal or a musculoskeletal dysfunction.

LINK TO JOURNAL ARTICLE WE DISCUSSED HERE.

here is the case:

Female, 41 yrs old, a teacher for toddlers (demanding and stressful)

Appearance:

Obese, big upper body (neck, shoulders, chest, belly), oily skin on face - hunch about primary diagnosis/formula

CC:

1) PCOS - dx 20 years ago

2) Hypothyroid - dx 6 years ago, autoimmune thyroid conditions in her family (both Grave's and Hashimoto's)

Sx:

PCOS: Hirsuitism, missed periods, significant pain and cramping, and some clotting

Hypothyroid: Very low energy, has to force herself through her work day, and then exhausted afterwards

Had a miscarriage 2 years prior, which led to depression, and significant weight gain as she used food for comfort.

Questions

Appetite and Digestion -

She feels best when she eats smaller meals more frequently.

If she goes 4-5 hours without eating she'll get jitters and dizzy.

If she eats too much, she'll get bloating, and feel as though her digestion is sluggish and food just sits there in her upper abdomen.

Fatty or rich foods cause URQ pain. If she eats too late, she'll toss and turn at night with pain, and has to throw up to sleep.

Acid regurgitation all the time. Has prescription pepcid so she can go to sleep.

Belching

Nausea, especially in the mornings

She can eat dinner at 5:30pm and it won't digest and sits there, and then there's acid at night.

Mouth sores

80% sure of primary diagnosis/formula
Bowel Movements

1 in the AM, maybe 1 in the evening

Difficult, dry, started drinking more water but still has issues

Very aware of her elimination, thinks about it a lot

Hemorrhoids - no flare up in a while

95% sure of primary diagnosis/formula

Temperature:

Sensitive to heat, runs hot, always wants the AC on, drinks water with ice

Occasional cold feet

100% sure of primary diagnosis/formula

Dry skin on her legs

Warm extremities

Some visible veins on her legs

80% sure of secondary formula

Body Pain

Joint pain

Muscle cramps at night

Issues with heels when she tries to get up, with tight Achilles tendon at night

100% confident with secondary formula

Other (the cherry on top)

Bitter taste in her mouth? sometimes, and likes bitter foods

Qi Rushing upwards: Palpitations, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, "beyond overthinking (OCD)"
Huandgi Neijing Suwen, Chapter 22
“When the Liver suffers urgency, swiftly eat sweet to moderate it"

"When the Liver desires to disperse, switfly eat pungent to disperse it, for it is tonified with pungent and reduced with sour"

Results after first 2 weeks

Has been evacuating her bowels much more
More comfortable in her upper abdomen
In her next menstrual cycle, bleeding light, not her usual.
No nausea or heartburn other than food trigger. Less bloating. Belching persists, and helps relieve tension
Less desire for the iced beverages. It's not like she needs them as much as before. She's less bothered by the heat now.Doesn't feel nauseous in the mornings, and it's easier to eat

call to action

• Head on over and check out the DAOM program! Be sure to tell them who sent you!

Buy An Acupuncture Practice, Work For Someone Else Or Start Your Own Clinic?

you’re new……what to do? an exploration of possibilities.

ACU-019 New practitioners have SO many choices to make that often feel heavy. We have been a cog in the wheel of the educational machine where we are told exactly what hoops to jump through for 4 years. Suddenly, we sprout into the “real” world and are taxed with the challenge of making a living again. The options of where, how, and with whom are abundant.

Do you want to be an employee for a couple years? Do you know how much you should be paid? Should you be an independent contractor or an employee? Take insurance? Start our own practice? Or maybe you want to purchase a clinic. There are SO many steps involved in that too!

Listen in as I chat with MaryAnn Geness, DC. about EVERY aspect of business ownership. Dr. Geness has personally experienced every strata of the business world. She has been an employee, an independent contractor, associate, partner and boss. She has purchased a practice, sold a practice and dissolved a practice. She has owned large practices, a medium sized practice and a solo practice. She has pretty much done it all and we are fortunate that she is willing to share her experiences.

Grab your tea and a cookie and enjoy the show!

today’s guest

MARYANN GENESS DC., OWNER OF SPARK CHIROPRACTIC AND ACUPUNCTURE

DR MARYANN GENESS has been in the healing arts for 25 years, first as a massage therapist and then as a chiropractor for the last fourteen years. She started into chiropractic as an Associate and then ran several large CAM practices, before selling her practice and downsizing to a smaller practice so she could also run a net-zero farm in Southern Oregon. As a practitioner, she uses gentle humor and understanding, allowing patients to feel safe and open to learning without the feelings of guilt that doctors' opinions can sometimes bring. She recognizes the importance of meeting people where they are and helping them get to where they want to go with love and self-respect. The time she spent as a massage therapist informed her techniques as a chiropractor and she spends a lot of time on the muscles and fascia along with the working on the joints.

Spark Chiropractic and Acupuncture

you’ll learn

• What should a new Acupuncturist know about when considering employment vs. being an independent contractor?

• Is is better to be paid a salary or work for commission?

• What should we know about lease space and triple net?

• What are the extra costs associated with leasing space?

• Should a new Acupuncturist purchase an existing clinic?

• What are the key elements to look for when purchasing a practice?

• How do you find a practice for sale?

• What key things should you take into consideration when purchasing a clinic?

• What size practice is potentially the most lucrative?

• What specific terms or stipulations to put in the purchase agreement.

• How to finance a clinic.

• Why you need to hire an attorney and an appraiser.

call to action

• Join me on Instagram @AcuSprout

How This New Acupuncturist Grew Her Practice On Instagram

could this be the practice of the future?

I went in search of a practitioner who was practicing medicine in the business model I was envisioning as a result of the Pandemic. A practice with multiple streams of income that housed an educational community and platform to answer questions and share the fundamentals of Chinese Medicine. A way to spotlight the spectrum of natural ways it can help people heal. I was looking for a way to treat patients in my office and remotely, and also a way to connect with and build relationships with people who want to be healthier, but maybe aren’t ready for the needles while creating passive streams of income.

Here is what I found. I found a newish graduate who had a baby AND launched a practice a couple months after graduation. A social media expert who might catch up to The Rock sometime soon. A young, intelligent and well spoken woman who NEVER in ANY of our conversations let on that her life changing events were anything but motivational and helpful in her success. And I promise you that you want to stick around to the end to hear what her vision of success is.

today’s guest

CAITRIA THIELE LAC., OWNER OF CONNECTED HEALING LLC.

Caitria's connection to the natural medicine realm began early in life, thanks to her parents who exposed her to chiropractic, acupuncture, biofeedback, and osteopathy for various issues throughout childhood. She began acupuncture school at a young age after stumbling upon a school 30 minutes from her hometown, where she felt an instant connection to TCM. Starting her practice just a few months before the birth of her daughter led to some outside-the-box marketing techniques that really paid off. She now practices in her dream clinic in Southern Wisconsin, working primarily with women's health, pediatrics, and mental health.

FIND HER HERE:

FaceBook: Connected Healing

Instagram: @connectedhealingcaitria

Website: ConnectedHealingLLC

you’ll learn

• Caitria talks about the support systems she had when she started her practice.

• The challenges of having a newborn as a single Mom and launching a practice were real, but they also catalyzed her practice to what it is today.

• Caitria is an Instagram Pro. She talks about what it takes to use social media as her main connection to attracting patients.

• I love her vision of success and you will too.

• We dive into her practice model which includes a membership and masterclasses.

• Her practice evolved because she focused on what came easy and doubled down on that.

call to action

• Go take a masterclass and then see if integrating this into your practice feels right for you.

• If you like the podcast please let other people know about it.

• Leave a review on Applepodcasts!

Why You Should Join Your State Association

your state association is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

Hey AcuSprouts! Are you feeling a little lost in all of the legal jazz your state is offering up? Trying to figure out what hoops to jump through and in what order? Not really sure where to find some help?

Did you know that your state association might have the answers you need? They may even have a detailed explanation or road map for you to follow. And even if they don’t, the ASA has mentors to help you!! Don’t know who the ASA is? Listen in to get the 411, then go join your state association. Maybe even volunteer! Networking the inside is often riddled with surprising gems and opportunities.

today’s guest

BETH HOWLETT DAOM, LAC.

Dr. Beth Howlett, DAOM, LAc, is the Vice President of Communications and Academic Services and adjunct faculty at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM). She began her study of things Chinese in 1994 at Bryn Mawr College, enticed by the prospect of learning a language with no verb tenses. After graduation she was selected to participate in Princeton-in-Asia’s teaching fellowship program in Ningbo, China. Upon returning to the USA, Beth deepened her study of Chinese language and culture by pursuing a MAcOM and a DAOM at OCOM. Since 2008, Beth has returned to China numerous times to facilitate clinical education at the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (NJUCM). Her passion for the medicine and translating source texts has also led her to help facilitate an ongoing relationship between OCOM and the Kam Wah Chung Co. museum in John Day, Oregon, culminating in the creation of a publicly searchable database of the medicinal materials catalogued at the site. In addition to leadership and teaching roles in the field of Chinese Medicine, Dr. Howlett also serves as the Education Working Group Co-Chair for the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (ACIH) and the Board Chair for the Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (OCIM).

FIND HER HERE:

email: bhowlett@ocom.edu

YouTube: Kam Wah Chung I

Kam Wah Chung II

you’ll learn

• How Oregon’s University level healthcare programs are championing collaborative systems that other states and organizations can learn from.

• How we keep students linked to their state associations from graduation to start up.

• This can happen at the school level by providing educational resources to students about what state associations have to offer.

• At the state level, welcome emails or letters to new practitioners may be a helpful entry point.

• Schools could host special events on campus around graduation time to onboard the new practitioners and create personal bonds.

• At the ASA level states could be educated on how to create meaningful packets on how to get your business started.

• States need to provide help where information is based on the specificity of the state.

• Part of the bridge program could be on having a granular herbal medicinary and prescribing.

• The Acupuncture Society of Acupuncturists has a mentorship program! The committee chair is Christine Cronin.

• Listen in as Beth gives her top 4 things Acupuncturists do that could bite you in the ass later. (My words, not hers…)

resources

• National Practitioner Survey: Attitudes and Practices Around Herb Sourcing: LINK

• Oregon Association of Acupuncturists: (OAA): LINK Facebook: LINK

• Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (OCIM): LINK

• OCOM/Kam Wah Chung Medical Collection Database: LINK

• More about Kam Wah Chung: LINK

• American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA): LINK

• American Society of Acupuncturists State Association list: LINK

what to do now…

• Join your State Association and maybe even volunteer!! You can forge some pretty helpful relationships this way.

• Be sure to participate in the National Practitioner Survey.

• Please tell a new Acupuncturist or student about this episode!!! Spread the love, people!

• If your website is not ADA compliant, you need to listen to Episode 016.