In 2007, I did a lunch & learn at a family practice near my clinic. I’ll never forget what the pediatrician said to me afterward. She kindly said,
“I’ve read the research on acupuncture. I’m totally on board with referring my patients to acupuncture but I don’t know where to send them. I’m nervous about sending them to the purple crystal healer type, if you know what I mean. Now that I’ve met you and, well, uh…you’re not weird, so I’ll refer my patients to you.”
No joke. Exact words.
If I talked about Qi, Yin, Yang & Shen, this doctor probably would have listened politely, then put me in the purple crystal healer camp only to wonder where she could confidently send her patients. What a waste of time that would have been for both of us.
Within our acupuncturist community, we can honor and appreciate the depth of meaning in concepts like Qi, Yin, Yang & Shen but unless you’ve had the privilege of attending Chinese medical school or studying with the masters, you’re probably gonna hear those words and think they are weirdo jargon.
One woman’s treasure is another woman’s weird garbage.
Skillfully speaking about Chinese medicine in biomedical terms is not only an exercise in expanding our own minds, but it is a gift we can give our biomedical colleagues who are intrigued and curious about what we do. Just like with our patients, we need to meet them we they are. Read the room, speak their language and, in turn, they will understand and respect our medicine and develop the confidence to refer their patients to you.
