Believing

Dear Patient,

A person who is new to acupuncture will sometimes ask me, “Do I need to believe in this for it to work?”

I like this question. It shows that the person is invested and curious. They want acupuncture to work but they don’t want their own belief system, or lack of one, to get in the way. That’s a good sign. They’re not just relying on me to work my acupuncture magic. 

“No,” I’ll say, “Just be open to the possibility that it could help you.”

Sometimes in healthcare, a person can be reduced to a mere object: a thing to be scrutinized and diagnosed, a broken part to be mended. The patient lies on the table while the doctor Does Something and then all is fixed. But this is not really how healing works. You are the one in charge. There’s a place for your beliefs, your doubts, your questions—a place for you—in your own healing. 

Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist