We asked our members to tell us why they love being acupuncturists. Find their responses below!
What makes you proud of being an acupuncturist?
[Acupuncture] empowers the patient to know that it’s their own body doing the healing. –John Emanoil
The best [part] is when I hear a patient say, “Thank you for your care and listening to me!” –Rauchelle Meschke
Improving people’s quality of life and helping them to take charge of their own health. –Michelle Ybarra-Rojas
Helping people heal without drugs! –Patrick Yoerger
I know that I’m helping people help themselves instead of being so dependent on big pharma and/or experiencing pain in their daily lives. –Veronica Reavis
Being an integral part of the healing of a human being, family, or community. Every single day I work, someone experiences healing. That level of case is profound and I am very grateful that I get to practice this ancient art. –William Terrell
The ability to help people feel better immediately. –LM
I love when a person’s whole demeanor has shifted when they leave my office compared to when they arrived. I know we’ve done something wonderful together.
Giving patients hope and relief when they have been abandoned by Western Medicine.
Seeing patients change their lifestyle and life in general. Treating the root cause of patient’s health conditions. Using education to empower people about their health.
Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I always loved alternative medicine and Acupuncture was too intriguing to pass up. I was a sales and marketing manager for a large technology company. I was in Chicago riding the El train back from O’Hare when I saw a sign that said ‘Pacific College of Oriental Medicine Open House.’ I was like, they actually have colleges for this? I went to the open house; they did a tremendous sales job, even telling me that I could do it part time. So I enrolled at PCOM and quit my lucrative job and have been in love with acupuncture ever since. Most people thought I was crazy or joking at the time. –John Emanoil
I wanted to help people but not be a pill-pusher. –Rauchelle Meschke
To provide a holistic, more natural approach to help increase quality of life for the individual, family, and society. –Emily H.
I was working as a massage therapist when I had my first acupuncture treatment for shoulder pain. I lay on the table thinking as [the acupuncturist] needled me, “That one is in the trapezius, then infraspinatus, supraspinatus, deltoid.” Then she left the room and let the needles do the work! –Patrick Yoerger
I was a patient first! Acupuncture was the only thing that seemed to help me with a sports injury in high school. –Veronica Reavis
I was pre-med since middle school. As I learned more about the failures of the reductionist model of biomedicine I started looking for alternatives. As I learned and experienced Oriental Medicine, I became thoroughly captivated by its wisdom and experience. I became an acupuncturist to practice this ancient medicine. –William Terrell
I was an athletic trainer first. Acupuncture was a good tool for helping athletes heal faster with no pharmaceutical side effects. –LM
Once I realized that being a GP in Western Medicine consisted primarily of prescribing pharmaceuticals I looked for a healing modality that was more holistic. CM is a complete medical system, has an amazing herbal lineage and one can support oneself practicing it.
To help people become healthier with the help of holistic medicine.