As someone who has worked in, and studied, Chinese medicine and other modalities for the last 20 years, I am always looking for more answers to the question of why people become unwell and how they can maintain good health.

For a long time now I have been looking for a modality - to complement my acupuncture practice - that can influence the affective and emotional landscape of a person. Whilst Chinese medicine theory does speak to this in a manner, it doesn’t really provide a roadmap for altering someone’s psychology (outside of the later, elaborated ‘styles’ which in my opinion are just giving people another version of a story to believe).

What is ‘participatory medicine’? Essentially, it is a collaborative model of healthcare that invites the patient to engage in their treatment and share in decision making. It describes a modality that moves away from the tradition Western medical framework of the physician adopting a position of authority, rendering the patient a passive recipient of their treatment or prescription.

The roots of the medicine we practiceas acupuncturists are deep, especially if you choose to adhere to the classical texts from which it originates. Most mainstream acupuncture that is practised these days is referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which is misleading in its use of the work ‘Traditional’, given that it is relatively very recent.

It has been 2 months now since my father passed away. His sudden death, from a massive heart attack, left us all in shock, but was also made more upsetting by the fact that he lay on his patio flagstones for several days before anyone became aware of his passing. Days and nights went by while we remained oblivious, continuing our lives while nature took its course with his body.

Moving into the realm of the untouchable....

Chinese medicine can be a controversial subject. What is 'qi'? Where are these channels they talk of? Can you point to them in a cadaver? Can you dissect one and examine it under the microscope?

I am often inspired to write after reading, and recently these words from Anne Laure Le Cunff did just that: Taking the time to write slows you down just enough to notice what’s going on in your mind, clarify your thoughts, and explore your curiosity with intention. Over time, it becomes not just a record of what you’ve done, but a mirror for how you think.  It really is an attempt to understand my thoughts, and recently what I have been trying to understand is what is it about anything that is ‘helpful’?

I have always enjoyed writing, and I am an avid consumer of other peoples’ content. However, I have often wondered whether anything I had to say would be of any interest to others. With the astronomical amount of content that our human race now has access to, what could I write that hadn’t already been written?

I am feeling restless as I write this, unable to shift a cloak of irritation that is sitting like fog on my mood. I'm irritated that my husband was away all week and then fell asleep early last night (with his earplugs firmly in place, a habit I find ironic in a not-funny way given that he is the snorer in the bed) when both our teenagers were yet to be home. I am not enjoying the sleeping habits of this teenage phase.

I tend to err on caution's side, and be wary of over-promising, but I think I'd be safe to say that along with my colleagues at Miller's Way, we are fairly confident when it comes to treating pain and we more often than not will get good results.