Listening

Dear Patient,

Sometimes the most impactful thing I do in the course of a treatment isn’t formulating a diagnosis, or selecting which points to use, or the skill I apply in inserting a needle. It’s listening.

Acupuncture is often the last thing people try. By the time a person gets to me, they may have already seen ten or twenty healthcare providers for the same issue. Some of these interactions have likely left them feeling dismissed, or misunderstood, or ignored, or invisible, or silenced. So I listen. Sometimes it’s not even for that long—maybe just a few minutes.

Being heard, being seen, being believed—these are vital elements in the journey of healing. In this way we can all be healers. I can open up a space between the two of us and let your words fall in. You can do the same for me. Because when someone comes to us for help, they’re not always asking to be fixed. They’re asking to be heard. We all have the capacity to listen, and to heal.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist