Transpersonal Acupuncture Healing Acupuncture in Kingston, New York

Patient: Male in mid-forties.
History: Emotional and physical trauma.
Symptom: Acid Reflux

This patient and I have been working together for a couple of years. The focus of
treatment has spanned the gambit; neck and shoulder pain as well as a constant
reorganizing and balancing of his psycho-emotional health. He concurrently works with a very good therapist. We often support aspects of his therapeutic work. It took this client and I sometime to build a relationship of trust, as this has happened, the work has become richer and more exact. Here is one specific example of how amazing internal changes can come from acupuncture treatment and an individual’s therapeutic process.

Acid reflux was a symptom that this client had for a long time, It was not constant. The acid reflux did not seem to be related to what he ate and it did not get worse when he would lay down. At a certain point in time the acid reflux really became persistent and more prevalent. He went to his Primary care doctor, who put him on a low dose of medication. The medication relieved some of the discomfort but he was still suffering. When he described the symptom to me, he hands kept going to an area near his sternum, where “he felt the discomfort”.

We started the treatment. I took pulses, placed a few grounding needles in his feet and ankles. Then I brought my attention to a point right under the sternum on the midline of his abdomen, where he experienced the sensation. I took a moment to speak about the point; the name is Dove Tail or Spirit Transmitter, this is an integration point. I gave him the visual of an actual dove’s tail and linked my fingers to show him how this point brings the layers of physical and emotional work together. I reminded him briefly about the role of the Pericardium in Chinese medicine and how it guards and protects the
heart or the Emperor of the body. As a abuse survivor, the Pericardium plays a very important role in recovery. This acupuncture point has a strong relationship to the Pericardium. I palpated for the point, took a breath and needled slowly. I intended to have a small movement of qi, instead there was a large unexpected powerful force. The clients eyes opened wide in surprise, I asked him to take a deep breath and settle his energy. He rested on the table for sometime, I came back took his pulses again, removed the needles and had him slowly get up. We talked extensively about taking care of himself after the treatment and drinking some water, eating well and resting.

The symptom of acid reflux rarely bothers him any longer. He was able to get off the medication shortly after that treatment. One of the additional reasons the acupuncture worked so well for this patient was because he was actively working on his issues in therapy.

Patient: Female, mid-twenties.

Initial Symptoms: Allergies, body pain.

We worked for roughly one year on allergies, which had improved significantly. She was still getting a histamine response to certain allergens but there was a lot less sneezing, runny nose, exhaustion. She was able to function much better and had a lot more resilience. Some of her body pain had resolved pretty quickly and some she had to work with strengthening exercises and modify her physical exercise regime. She was doing much better overall and happy with the treatments. 

It was a this time that we switched our focus to a different symptom, ravenous appetite , energy decrease, irritability, and mood changes at certain times in her longer than 28 day menstrual cycle.

We had incorporated this new symptom into treatment and worked with it for a few months. There was some change but we were looking for more. I had decided to apply some specific acu-points that I recently learned about from a lecture by Jeffrey Yuen. She wondered why these points would work and we talked at length about the answer. This client was/is especially inquisitive and I can never refuse an opportunity to talk (and talk) about Chinese Medicine. She also inquired about what I had meant in the last treatment when I spoke about an emotional connection to the physical symptom. I had encouraged her to investigate her emotional climate related to this symptom and suggested she journal to sort out and get clear on this topic.   

Physical symptoms are often linked to an emotional/ mental expression. As the physical symptom is resolved the body-mind will bring our attention via dreams, memories and experiences to that emotional energy that is attached. Once the emotional energy becomes conscious, the symptom can begin to fully resolve. Once I explained this to my client, she said that this was exactly what was happening to her now.

I introduced her to the energetic function of the Large Intestine and Lung meridians. Large Intestine or LI, sorts the waste from nutrients, absorbing what is useful to the body and letting go of the waste.  Lung or Lu, the pair of LI, connects us to Heaven (Heaven can be interpreted in whichever way that resonates with each person, other examples are God, the individual, Spirit energy etc.).  Lu and LI are about expressing yourself innate self and being who you are, here in the world.

At this time, I needled some moving Lu and LI points. I highlighted, a point called Middle Palace, which is about honoring your own preciousness. She rested on the table for a chunk of time and I took the needles out. When we wrapped up, I reviewed the concepts that we had explored once more and she left the office with a lot to contemplate.

Notice that in this case she did not give me the exact details of her process. She alluded to what the issue was with-out giving the details. I encouraged her to speak to friends or family about these topics and made sure that she had support, but it was different from traditional therapy.

Man in his late forties; started treatment six months prior.

Purpose of treatment: alleviation of some aches and pains, and to assist in development and support of his desire to pursue the healing arts.

 The treatments had been very effective and he was rapidly moving forward. He had accomplished a great deal of course work and was setting up a business model, he was satisfied and confident. 

During our last visit, he told me that he had experienced a small set back. He had lost some of his motivation and direction, and he was feeling down. This occurred post-vacation and directly after the hurricane Irene had come through this area.

 I started by taking his pulses. I was thinking that he might be in need of a clearing treatment. However, I found quality in his pulse that indicated dampness. Because I had never felt this quality before in this patient’s pulses, I explained it to him. I described how dampness manifests in people, not just clinically but rather how it affects people psychologically. His eyes lit up and he said, ” yes that resembles my sister”.  He was referring to the sister that stayed in his house while he was away and spent a few days with them waiting out the storm.  So we decided to do a few points to expel dampness and to support his element. The shift was dramatic. He relived a bunch of painful early memories, as he rested on the table. When I took his pulses again, there was no sign of dampness. He felt much better. We talked of keeping up the work, dealing with his familial issues and he said that he would continue to explore the topic.

 This case is an example of how the patient and practitioner relationship can accomplish profound changes, when there is trust. It is not always the words chosen by the practitioner that ultimately influences the patient, sometimes it is the message, the image or theory conveyed. It is very common to hear me say, that “you do not need to understand everything that I am talking about or believe in it, but if you resonate with the sentiment then it will be a successful treatment.”  Bach flower remedies, essential oils, exercises and folklore are other helpful tools that illustrate the aim of treatment with the patient.