Jing-Luo AACMA Official member Magazine Autumn / Winter 2019

JING-LUO AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

Autumn/Winter 2019

ACUPUNCTURE GUIDELINES AND PAIN

FROM HEAD TO HEART

CUSTOMER CARE

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

5 Minutes with

AACMAC Keynote speaker

ACUPUN CT IAN AL

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DICIN E A S

• Since 1973 •

AACMA

NICK BENNETT

Change is in the air 1 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

Regular features 4 From the President’s desk

22 5 minutes with – AACMAC keynote speaker Charles Buck

32 VIC and QLD State Committee Report – First Quarter 2019 33 WA and TAS State Committee Report – First Quarter 2019

34 Members of the board / New Members 35 Classifieds

38 AACMA Events

Special Features 8

16

Change is in the air.

Lights, camera, action: inside AACMA’s new advertising initiative.

14 Customer Care. Why does it matter?

How do you show your patients that you care?

24 Are you sure you have informed consent?

Are you inadvertently breaking the rules and putting yourself at risk in the process?

26 Evil Qi, Begone!

How the sanjiao and the cou li eliminate heavy metals form the body.

18

AACMA Experts

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Dr. Jimmy Le Flame of life: Candle Qigong

12 Dr. Stephen Janz Acupuncture, pain and clinical guidelines 16 Brigitte Linder From the head to the heart

31 Dr. Jimmy Le Safe from harm: Protective Qigong

Case Studies

18 Patsy Wilcox Inside the Clinic: A pain case study

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AACMA 3 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

From the

PRESIDENT’S DESK Hello Fellow Members,

Since the adoption of the new Constitution in February 2018, the past year has seen a huge amount of progress for AACMA including a new location for the National Office.

Government lobbying

AACMA, through appointed project manager Stephen Janz and director Matt O’Hara, has continued to lobby government and the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, for the inclusion of Acupuncture into the Medicare scheme through the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan.

During 2018, Matt and Stephen attended meetings in Canberra – one with senior advisors to Health Minister Greg Hunt and the second with Professor Brendan Murphy, the Chief Medical Officer.

Both meetings have furthered our cause in getting the recognition to be included into the CDM plan.

With an impending federal election, it is hoped that recognition and acceptance of acupuncture by the Federal Government will be granted before the election so that, if there is a change in government, we don’t have to recommence our lobbying with a new government on this issue, potentially having to build relationships with new contacts in a new government.

AACMA will continue to fight for Medicare recognition for its members and the profession.

4 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

Australian Union of Chinese Medicine

This is an AACMA initiative that commenced with an initial meeting at AACMAC in Sydney in May 2018.

AACMA extended an invitation to all the other professional associations that represent Chinese medicine practitioners to this inaugural meeting.

The presidents or their representatives of four of these associations – Federation of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Societies of Australia (FCMA), Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS), Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Society of Australia (CMASA) and Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) – accepted the invitation and attended.

to the mandatory educational standards required to practice as acupuncturists.

This issue was also discussed during meetings with the Health Minister’s senior advisors and the Chief Medical Officer.

AACMA continues to pursue this issue on behalf of members.

The AACMA website and social media

The saga of our new website – which went live at the end of October – continues, with more work being done to make the site more user friendly and informative for members and the public alike.

The integration with the member side of the site is ongoing, ensuring site security is strong to protect member information.

The mandate for this group, which is now called the Australian Union of Chinese Medicine (AUCM), was to speak with a unified voice to lobby government on the Medicare and CDM plan and any other issues.

Our following on Facebook and Instagram continues to grow with very good feedback from members and the public.

Meetings are held every 4-6 weeks or as needed.

April 22, 2019 will see the release of a Community Service Announcement (CSA) filmed in various locations around Sydney.

AACMA member practitioners and their clinics feature in the CSA with Nick Bennett, journalist and multimedia broadcaster, fronting the campaign and presenting on the benefits of Chinese medicine, and especially promoting AACMA members to the public.

The current direction of AUCM is to gain recognition as allied health practitioners rather than natural therapists with the private health funds.

The acupuncture/dry needling issue

Chinese medicine practitioners here and throughout the world are incensed by the injustice of this problem. AACMA has been actively pursuing this issue with submissions to private health funds, professional indemnity insurers and course providers alerting them to the disparity in the training and education that is undertaken by these people compared

The organic reach of content posted on Facebook is much greater than the reach of the paid social media posts. Members and the public are responding positively to our social media posts, ensuring a higher profile for AACMA members and Chinese medicine.

Public television stations will broadcast our CSA at varying times during the day for six months.

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

AHPRA and advertising guidelines

Despite ongoing warnings and provision of information regarding correct advertising from AACMA to its members, there are still members who are receiving breach notices from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with member websites assessed for compliance.

To help practitioners address this issue, the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA) has created a tool for members to apply to their website to gauge compliance.

AHPRA requirements for compliant advertising are that the information provided should be accurate and based on acceptable evidence, and not mislead patients about the potential benefits of certain health services.

Members are encouraged to attend AACMAC to take this rare opportunity to see not only both these speakers but also the rest of the world-class program that is sure to increase your clinical and theoretical knowledge.

In closing...

(Yībù yīgè jiǎoyìn –

“One step, one footprint”)—

Every step makes a footprint.

“Work steadily and make solid progress.”

Laws about advertising for health practitioners and healthcare providers hold advertisers accountable for the way they advertise regulated health services.

AACMAC Melbourne

AACMAC continues to attract quality speakers, both homegrown and international. Jane Lyttleton and Steven Clavey are two very well-known names who will be presenting in Melbourne, and AACMA is very pleased to be bringing worldrenowned Chinese medicine presenters Mazin Al-Khafaji and Charles Buck to Melbourne for AACMAC. Charles will be presenting a pre-conference seminar and Mazin will be presenting over two days at a post-conference workshop.

The AACMA Board continues to progress our association and our medicine.

Membership numbers are increasing, and member benefits as diverse as the Mentoring Program and the Where to Enjoy service are just two of the member services offered.

Advocacy and lobbying on inclusion into the CDM plan and recognition as allied health practitioners continues.

Improved provision of continuing professional development (CPD) online for our rural and remote members will make it much easier for these members to complete the mandatory CPD required without being disadvantaged by distance from major cities. This service will be available later this year.

events throughout the year. The Board really appreciates the valuable contributions you make to AACMA and its members.

My thanks and great appreciation go to my fellow Board members, as well as volunteers who have given up enormous amounts of time from family and clinic to be able to contribute to our association.

A cohesive team who has worked well together, Richard Li (Vice President), Rose Pinter (Company Secretary), Drew Matfin (Treasurer), and Matt O’Hara (Director) – thank you!

Our office staff, under the guidance of CEO Paul Stadhams, have provided excellent support to members and the Board.

Yan (accounts), Mia (events), Elena (membership), Chris (membership), Nicole (reception), Sarah (communications) – thank you for all your hard work on behalf of the members and Board.

Lastly, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you, our discerning members, who continue to choose AACMA as your professional association.

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at AACMAC Melbourne.

Good health,

Waveny Holland

Thank you to all our state committees and liaisons for their continued good work in organising and hosting all of the CPD

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AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

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Flame of life: CANDLE QIGONG If you’re interested in trying a different relaxation technique, this step-by-step is for you Candle Qigong is an exercise in visualisation. It is very useful for calming the mind while also teaching you to feel the sensation of Qi. It is highly recommended that you practice abdominal breathing (as outlined in the previous edition of the Jing-Luo publication) before attempting this exercise.

Begin by standing in a horse stance (feet one-and-a-half to two shoulder widths apart, as if riding a horse), knees slightly bent just to the point where you can no longer see your toes. Your feet should be like tree trunks taking root into the ground below you. Close your eyes, clear your mind and begin breathing – always through the nose unless you are unwell (cold, etc.).

Your hands are resting one on top of the other directly in front of your Dan Tian and ensure that your tongue is on the roof of your mouth to allow the Qi to flow freely (Fig 1) Now visualise yourself in your happy place.

It can be anywhere you feel the most free and comfortable, imaginary or real. You are there by yourself, there is nothing to bother you, all the stress of life does not exist.

Breathe in the positive and all-giving energy of the universe and breathe out the negative thoughts and feelings that you have been experiencing. As you breathe in, imagine your lungs filling to full capacity with positive Qi, and as you breathe out, imagine all the negative Qi passing into your legs and back into the foreveraccepting mother earth.

Fig 1

Continue this for as long as you wish but only for as long as your mind does not begin to wander.

Once you are relaxed, imagine the air around you becoming slightly colder, so you need to warm up. Visualise a tiny candle flame resting between your hands at the level of the Dan Tian – each of your breaths nourishes the gentle flame to grow larger – however, even the smallest breeze could snuff it out, so you must focus on its gentle warmth.

After you feel the warmth growing, bring your hands up to heart level, but keep them in the centre of your body in an open praying position, keeping the hands slightly open and not touching (Fig 2,3).

The small flame has grown larger but so has the wind around you, so keep it sheltered and continue breathing calmly.

When your palms begin to tingle and feel warm, start to slowly rotate them forward in a circular motion while maintaining the hands at heart height.

You should begin to feel a magnetic sensation between your hands as you continue to rotate them forward faster and faster. Visualise the flame growing stronger and stronger between your palms to the point where it feels like it might burn you, then lower your hands slowly towards the Dan Tian while maintaining the hands in an open prayer position with continuous rotation.

Place your hands, one on top of the other, onto the Dan Tian and take three deep breaths.

Fig 2

Jimmy Le has practiced TCM in Sydney for nearly a decade from his clinic – The Chinese Health Institute. The clinic has a strong focus on psycho-emotional health.

He divides his time between practice and lecturing at tertiary institutions while also teaching martial arts. He has practiced martial arts for 23 years and is the founder of the unique style Xing Lin Quan (Apricot Forest Fist).

His philosophy is ‘Balance the Body, Educate the Mind, Nourish the Spirit’.

Slowly open your eyes and remain still for a few moments while breathing slowly (Fig 4).

You have now successfully completed a Qigong exercise. The magnetic sensation between your hands is Qi and this exercise helps you to manipulate it without too much effort. This exercise can be performed up to three times per practice session and is recommended that a set (1 or 3) be performed twice a day for maximum effect.

(Illustrations by artist Lucy Wang) Fig 3

Fig 4

7 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

CHANGE

is in the air Lights, camera, action: inside AACMA’s new advertising initiative

When an industry is facing such challenges as misinformation, misrepresentation and misunderstanding among the general public, perhaps one of the best countermeasures is to educate.

After all, in the words of Nelson Mandela, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

Nick Bennett

Nick Bennett 8 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

inaldi, ams, Eva R Paul Stadh n d, uh oo K w e ck ad Jason Lo l Rahim, W tt, Tanzea Nick Benne

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

It’s a way to show that we’re true professionals in our own right and we deserve that level of recognition and respect for our knowledge.

It was for this reason the AACMA has created its new Community Service Announcement (CSA), which will air on TV networks around the country from April 22. But informing the public wasn’t the only force driving the need for the campaign, explains AACMA president Waveny Holland. “It was so important for us to create this video, not only to provide a better insight into what acupuncture and Chinese medicine can do for the public and make people aware of the safety aspects of coming to a qualified acupuncturist; but also to really boost the profile of the association, which can, in turn, provide huge benefits to members.”

By boosting the association’s profile, more people will turn to the AACMA website’s practitioner search function to find someone qualified to take care of their health needs, explains Waveny.

“The campaign is an excellent example of how the association is working for its members to promote our medicine to the masses.”

The CSA will also combat the growing number of healthcare providers who practicing acupuncture and other Chinese medicine treatments without the proper training and accreditation. “It’s a way to show that we’re true professionals in our own right and we deserve that level of recognition and respect for our knowledge.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by AACMA CEO Paul Stadhams, who reveals they’ve been working on the CSA as part of a

larger push for better education around Chinese medicine. “The TV ad is just one part of our overall campaign to better educate the public on what an acupuncturist is and how much training practitioners have to undergo before they can do that job. We also want people to understand that they need to be mindful of other healthcare providers out there who are offering what seem to be similar treatment options, but aren’t as well-trained.”

The CSA an exciting initiative that’s been in the works since mid-last year. “Our aim was to put together a really credible and professional video,” explains the director Tan Rahim, who worked with producer Szewun Lau on the project. To make something credible, you have to make it authentic, Tan adds – and in keeping with that ethos, he and the team decided not to hire actors to play the parts of practitioner and patient, but sourced AACMA members and their clients to showcase treatments in genuine settings.

“We filmed real consultations. When they laid down on the bed, the needles really went in. We didn’t want to fake it. We wanted to see their facial expressions, to show how calm you can be during an acupuncture treatment,” he explains.

Respected journalist and broadcaster Nick Bennett also came on board as the face of the campaign, his own experiences with acupuncture drawing him to the project. “It’s a way to show that we’re true professionals in our 9 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

own right and we deserve that level of recognition and respect for our knowledge’,” he explains.

“I’m also very aware that there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and I think that’s really where the power of AACMA comes in. It’s very easy to get confused as a consumer in the marketplace of medical services. You need to be vigilant about finding a fully qualified practitioner, and that’s what AACMA does very well: funnelling people towards reputable providers.”

With TV networks required by law to give CSAs free air time, they offer an incredibly low-cost way to put out an important community service message with huge reach. “The outlay you put out for a video like this is minuscule compared to the amount of money and coverage you get back. All you’re 10 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

really paying for is production, then the media is free,” explains Tan. But make no mistake – this was no backyard production. “We had fantastic attention to detail from some of the industry’s best directors, lighting people, sound, autocue people, wardrobe, make-up… it was a big deal,” says Nick.

A top-quality production with such wide-reaching air time will surely have beneficial knock-on effects for AACMA members – and the results should be tangible. “The amount of exposure you’re getting is everywhere. It’s regional, it’s metro, and you’re entering into people’s periphery,” says Tan, who’s been creating successful CSAs for more than a decade. “As a result, as momentum builds, the organisation becomes more and more credible. We know people are ready for this kind of messaging.

They want to make choices, they want

to make informed choices. CSAs are a magnificent way to communicate with the world for very little money. And the impact is worth every cent.”

Waveny agrees. “It’s as simple as this: if we raise our profile in the wider community, that should filter down to all of the membership somewhere along the line.

“The AACMA is the only professional association purely dedicated to Chinese medicine practitioners that is doing something to raise the profile of our medicine in society. Yes, we are one of the more expensive associations, but we’re also lobbying more and we’re active in promoting our expertise to the masses and to government.”

And as Paul explains, this CSA is only the beginning. “This is the first step. It is part of an overall approach to boosting the

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

THE AACMA’S NEW ADVERTISING INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT EDUCATING CONSUMERS – BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE HUGE BENEFITS FOR OUR PRACTITIONERS AS WELL?

profile of the association and increasing people’s awareness and understanding around acupuncture and Chinese medicine,” he says. “It’s not the only thing we, the association, are doing. We’re also meeting with governmental bodies to try to address this area. Members need to know that we are working hard for them on this, and educating the public is the most important part, because an educated public can make better choices.”

AACMA CSA Ca st an

d Crew

By Alix Nicholson 11 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

ACUPUNCTURE, Pain and Clinical Guidelines What is the relationship between the quality of evidence available for acupuncture’s effectiveness and how often it is recommended as a treatment for pain?

The answer might surprise you...

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s (AHPRA) stance on advertising therapeutic claims has drawn attention to the quality of acupuncture evidence. It would be easy to think that low-quality evidence was of no value at all, and some practitioners may lose confidence in treating conditions where only low-quality evidence exists. It would be expected that high-quality evidence would lead to a positive recommendation for treatment in clinical guidelines1. It may come as a surprise that low-quality and very low-quality evidence can result in a strong treatment recommendation as well1.

This apparent paradox is because the development of treatment guidelines requires consideration of other factors, including cost, clinical judgement and patient preference1. It turns out that many clinical practice guidelines recommend acupuncture based on varying qualities of evidence, and most guidelines pertain to painful conditions.

A recent review by Birch et al examined recommendations for acupuncture worldwide2. The review identified positive recommendations for acupuncture in approximately 1200 clinical guidelines or treatment recommendations between 2013 and 20172. This review did not consider the quality of the underlying evidence or the methodology of their development, but focussed on the number of guidelines or recommendations and their growth over time. Approximately 70 per cent of all positive recommendations for acupuncture between 2013 and 2017 were for painful conditions. The review also noted that the increase in positive 12 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

recommendations for acupuncture year on year followed an increase in positive research reports. This demonstrated the association between positive research findings and increased clinical practice recommendations.

The US Department of Health & Human Services’ National Guidelines Clearinghouse has maintained a record of summaries of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines3. Of the 49 guidelines specifically recommending acupuncture in 2017, 37 recommendations were for painful conditions and 12 were for nonpainful conditions4. This percentage of recommendations for painful conditions (75 per cent) is similar to the study by Birch et al2 outlined above. Of note is Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain, published in 20175. Acupuncture is recommended as one of the nonpharmacological treatments for acute, subacute and chronic low back pain even though the evidence quality is low (acute and subacute low back pain) and moderate (chronic low back pain)5. The Choosing Wisely program recommends acupuncture for chronic pain6.

In China, 18 clinical practice guidelines have been developed using the Cochrane GRADE system. These include guidelines for treating herpes zoster; depression; migraine; Bell’s palsy; poststroke pseudobulbar palsy; primary dysmenorrhoea; low back pain; chronic constipation; adult bronchial asthma; insomnia; allergic rhinitis; simple obesity; and chronic atrophic gastritis7. In the United Kingdom, the National Institute for

Health and Care Excellence (NICE) included acupuncture in guidelines for migraine and tension type headache in 20128.

In Australia, guidelines recommend acupuncture for various painful conditions including post-operative pain, rotator cuff syndrome, labour pain, primary dysmenorrhoea, tension-type headache, migraine, back pain, and acute burns pain9, 10. More recently, Commonwealth and State health departments have recommended acupuncture for pain as an alternative to opioids11.

The common theme from the abundance of clinical guidelines recommending acupuncture is that acupuncture is especially useful for treating a wide range of painful conditions. Recommendations follow positive research findings, so it is important to keep the research coming.

The evidence used to support these recommendations is not always of the highest quality yet has been determined enough to include a positive treatment recommendation. Evidence that is unsuitable for AHPRA advertising is still suitable to inform clinical practice. Given the fears of a US-style opioid crisis developing in Australia, acupuncturists are well placed to advertise and treat confidently a wide range of painful conditions. It is not difficult to identify the evidence supporting acupuncture for these conditions – just make sure AHPRAacceptable evidence supports your advertising claims.

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AACMA Life member Stephen Janz, BN BAcu MPH, is a former AACMA president, clinic director of the Kenmore Centre for Health and co-author of the The Acupuncture Evidence Project.

References: 1.

Balshem H, Helfand M, SchĂźnemann HJ, Oxman AD, Kunz R, Brozek J, et al.

GRADE guidelines: 3. Rating the quality of evidence. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

2011 Apr;64(4):401-6.

2.

Birch S, Lee MS, Alraek T, Kim TH. Overview of Treatment Guidelines and Clinical Practical Guidelines That Recommend the Use of Acupuncture: A Bibliometric Analysis. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, NY). 2018 Aug;24(8):752-69.

3.

US Department of Health and Human Services. National Guidleline Clearinghouse. [cited 2017 October 24].

4.

Guo Y, Zhao H, Wang F, Li SN, Sun YX, Hang MJ, et al. Recommendations for acupuncture in clinical practice guidelines of the National Guideline Clearinghouse. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 24 Jan 2017, 23(11):864-870.

5.

Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2017 Apr 04;166(7):514-30.

6.

Choosing Wisely. Treatment to Relieve Chronic Pain. 2018 [3/1/2019]; Available from: http://www.choosingwisely.org/patient-resources/treatments-to-relieve-chronicpain/.

7.

Zhao H, Liang F, Fang Y, Liu B. Application of Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) to the guideline development for clinical practice with acupuncture and moxibustion. Frontiers of Medicine. 2017 Aug 12.

8.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Management of migraine (with or without aura): NICE guideline CG150. In: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, editor.2012 (updated 2015).

9.

Hopman K KL, Lukersmith S, McColl AR, & Vine K. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Rotator Cuff Syndrome in the Workplace. The University of New South Wales. 2013.

10.

Schug SA, Palmer GM, Scott DA, Halliwell R, Trinca J. Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence, fourth edition, 2015. The Medical Journal of Australia. 2016 May 2;204(8):315-7.

11.

Therapeutic Goods Administration. Tips for talking about codeine: Guidance for health professionals with prescribing authority. Available from: https://www.tga.gov. au/tips-talking-about-codeine-guidance-health-professionals-prescribing-authority.

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CUSTOMER CARE

Why Does it Matter?

How do you show your patients that you care?

AACMA member Jeff Shearer shares his what he’s learnt in his many years practicing Chinese medicine

As healthcare practitioners, one thing that sets us apart from so many other industries is written into our title: the word ‘care’. As caring people, we want to make a difference in the lives of those we work with.

We are so committed to this end that we spend countless hours training and learning our modality, but we spend much less time on understanding or training ourselves in customer service. To my mind, customer service is like the empress: without it, the organism – your practice – is a shell. You can be the best practitioner in the world and provide the most amazing results, but if your care begins and ends with the treatment itself then I guarantee you will continue to struggle in practice.

By providing quality customer service we build a greater rapport and trust with our 14 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

clients. As they are putting hard-earned money on the table, their expectation becomes one of a complete service that hopefully exceeds their expectations.

Customer service tips:

1.

PRESENTATION Whether we like it or not, people do judge us on our appearances, particularly when they are paying you. Looking professional and presentable demonstrates respect for both clients and prospective clients. Keeping your workspace clean, tidy and organised shows that you, as a professional, pay attention to the finer details. If you do this in your physical environment, it suggests you do so in your treatments as well.

2.

COMMUNICATION Be sure to always provide all of the relevant information in every communication.

Answer questions, provide fee and

payment information, details of health fund rebates, consultation duration, available appointments, condition explanations, treatment plans, advice and so on. The more information you provide as succinctly as possible, the fewer hiccups are likely to occur. Effective communication is like watching a world-class ice skater: it looks easy and seamless, but it takes a lot of planning, preparation and repetition to achieve perfection.

3.

COMPLAINTS Deal with any problems or issues head on. A dissatisfied customer can do irreparable damage to your reputation, whether their complaint is legitimate or not.

Acknowledge their issue and work with the client to resolve it. The issue may not have been your fault, but if they think it was, that’s what they will tell everyone.

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

Jeff Shearer is a Chinese medicine practitioner who has run several successful practices and now works in Newcastle, NSW. Conscious of the struggle many practitioners face in achieving practice success, Jeff developed Ethical Practice, an informationbased business helping practitioners to be all they can be.

Visit www.ethicalpractice.net

Take some time to look at your practice. What could you improve? How can you provide that extra special experience for the people you want to help?

4.

DELIVERY Don’t make any promises or guarantees. Regardless of how good you are, you may, at some point, not meet them. I always say to my clients: “In my experience, this is what we can expect. However, I would be foolish to give you a guarantee.” Make sure your clients’

expectations are reasonable. We have all had the client who tells the story about their grandmother’s hip problem that was solved in one treatment, but again, no matter how good a practitioner you are, this may not always be the case. Educating clients around reasonable expectations means that everyone understands the playing field, which leaves you free to get on with the job of helping your clients without undue pressure.

5.

SERVICE This means exactly what it says: providing everyone with the best service you can in any way possible.

Calling a taxi for a patient, providing a referral for someone who you can’t fit in, checking in on clients who may be struggling, providing good quality information sheets, a smooth booking process, electronic payments and health fund claiming, getting back to people quickly, sending email or text message

reminders, remembering the little things like anniversaries, and above all, doing what you say you will do and providing the best environment and experience possible with what you have.

I’ve been in practice for 24 years now. In that time I have learnt a lot, and I am good at what I do. I also know other practitioners who would leave me in their dust. The difference is my focus on customer service as well as my skills. The result has always been a very busy practice despite my being a nomad and starting all over again in different cities numerous times.

Take some time to look at your practice.

What could you improve? How can you provide that extra special experience for the people you want to help? Think about a visit to your practice being an experience rather than just a treatment. I guarantee your clients will love you for it.

15 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

“

The head is too wise.

The heart is all fire.

”

– MAGGIE STIEFVATER

From the HEAD to the HEART Diving a little deeper into the links between mind and body, and the importance of keeping them in alignment

Chinese medicine practitioners may feel an affinity with this quote because of our association of the heart with the fire element and the brain (the head) being an extraordinary organ. The heart can be considered the emperor – the commander and the very essence – of our intrinsic system. According to Chinese medicine, the brain is regarded as the house or residence of marrow, and if marrow produces blood in a Western medicine context, then how is blood generated?

Even though it resembles the question of the chicken and the egg, the heart-brain connection is not simply mechanical.

Recently I visited India and Nepal as part of a Buddhist pilgrimage. The first teaching we received upon our arrival in Dharamshala, India, was: “Every pilgrimage is a journey from the head to the heart.” At the time, I wasn’t aware how accurate and 16 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

intelligent those words were, however, as our teacher had led many pilgrims on this journey before, they captured my attention.

Over the next three weeks – being free from my usual responsibilities – I paid attention to what was going on in both my head and my heart, and I developed an insight of the connection between the two.

An emperor makes decisions that are best for his kingdom and not necessarily for himself. Or, at least, a good sovereign should act that way. He views a problem from several angles and receives input and recommendations from his ministers on their respective area of responsibility.

Strategically, he will be aware of the consequences of his actions on his kingdom and his people. In the same way, the heart envelops our whole existence: the past, the present and a little bit of our future.

Brain-led decisions are not wholesome decisions as they exclude the essence of the heart. Decisions made in the head are neither long-term nor rock-solid. They are very momentary and lack consistency.

When we act from the head, we become centred on ‘I’ as the head is only concerned about itself. Additionally, brain power is about on or off, yes or no, cold or hot; it’s judgemental in its nature.

Have you considered the difference between short-term and long-term actions and consequences? This is apparent when we act for ‘I’ rather than ‘We’. I see it with my patients. I recognise their anxious mental states and worries about themselves. Anxiety is worry about self that is usually brought about by circumstances or situations involving others. Centrally, it’s about ‘I’.

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I believe that self-centredness has increased dramatically in our society. We no longer listen to understand someone else; we listen to respond to them. It has become important for us to say what we think and what we feel and how this or that has affected us. We are often isolated from our surroundings and circumstances that we are in. It’s all about me, myself and I. Are we competing for drama? Are we trying to have the best ‘story’, always searching for ways to make it more dramatic? Sadly, as no one truly listens, it’s wasted time and energy anyway.

When someone is in trouble and we offer our help, what is the true motivation of the help we render? Is it to help ‘I’ or ‘We’? Is it to make you feel better or is it because you genuinely want to assist the person in need? I know from personal experience that soon after I start helping someone, I often feel tired and stressed and worn out as I have given so much of myself. It is often the same with my patients, too. I become impatient with them or feel they have taken up too much of my valuable time or feel they don’t pay me enough to listen to their often complex situations and problems. What has happened to us that we think in such a manner?

My best suggestion to deflect selfcentredness is to apply reflective meditation practices such as simply

observing the current state of our world without a need to be focussed on anyone or anything. By recognising the state of our affairs with the heart, we start to develop compassion. Compassion moves the focus from ‘I’ to ‘We’. From the ‘I’ to the ‘We’ is from the head to the heart. Feeling compassionate inspires wholesome actions towards achieving a better situation. As we recognise the suffering of others, we admit our own. To develop compassion is to help others and self at the same time.

To establish the ‘We’, we need to understand the ‘I’. For this understanding to include our whole existence, we want to establish a healthy flow of energy and blood between the head and the heart.

The head has its reason for existence, but simply relying on the head is unsafe for both the ‘I’ and the ‘We’.

Once a good flow is established and the responsibilities are clear, we can start applying it in our families, at work and within our communities. The effects will be phenomenal! Not only will the ‘I’ feel enhanced and more integrated, but the head and brain will become more aligned with the heart. Why? Because the heart always rules. And in one heartbeat, you will have changed everything.

Brigitte Linder is a Chinese medicine practitioner and runs Safflower, an expert Chinese medicine dispensary service for practitioners and an acupuncture clinic for everyday patients.

Visit safflower.com.au and chinesemedicinehealthalliance.com.au

By Brigitte Linde

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17 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

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INSIDE THE CLINIC: A pain case study

AACMA member Patsy Wilcox shares her own experiences using acupuncture to treat pain in this fascinating case study On November 28, 2018, a 54-year-old female came complaining of post-herpetic neuralgia on her face. She suffered an outbreak of shingles a month prior. The blisters cleared but the pain remained. The GP prescribed Lyrica (pregabalin). Even though the patient knew of the potential side effects and was already taking Epilim (sodium valproate – also an anti-epileptic drug) for her bipolar disorder, the pain was so intense she decided to take the Lyrica anyway.

The list of potentially serious side effects of Lyrica is one reason that prompted my client to look for alternative treatment for the pain. She read online that acupuncture can be effective in the treatment of shingles.

The GP had recognised it as shingles immediately and prescribed Zovirax (aciclovir), an antiviral drug. Early treatment reduced the severity of the attack; however, some blistering did occur across the left side of her face and scalp, and the rash also affected her left eye. When the virus infects the eye, it has the potential to cause scarring, glaucoma and vision loss if left untreated. This piece of information frightened my client quite considerably.

Most clients have already done their research beforehand and so it is important to me that I have a thorough understanding too. It also helps me know what their mindset is when they come to their first treatment, bringing with them their fears and their own set of expectations.

I will call her Rose… When Rose came for her first treatment, I could see there was redness in her left eye, across the left side of her forehead and temple. The skin was warm to touch. She felt spasms of stabbing pain and intense itchiness from the eye into her scalp, which flared during the evening. Vision from her left eye was blurred.

Distal points used: L SJ5, R LI4, St44, GB37. Local points used: UB2 SJ23 (eye), St8 UB3 (hairline), UB8 Du20 (scalp) I chose these points around the edge of the rash, rather than needling into the rash.

I call this ‘shadow needling’. I also did some foot reflexology, the areas connecting with the head and face. I massaged her neck 18 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

and shoulders to release the tension from holding. We don’t realise how much we hold ourselves tight when we are in pain, to the point of clenching our teeth.

Rose said she often got temporary relief from an ice pack. Instead, I applied an alternating hot and cold compress, adding a few drops of lavender oil into the hot water. Lavender oil has anti-inflammatory properties, making it great for soothing and healing red hot skin, such as sunburn.

Basically, I had a bucket of hot water and another of cold, and had a face washer in each, which I wrung out and applied it over half her face and scalp, pressing gently.

I did this back and forth for about 10 minutes. Rose later reported the alternating hot and cold had a longer lasting effect than ice. Cold contracts and pushes the toxic heat further into the body. Alternating hot and cold affects Qi and blood flow by the actions of open and close, expand and contract, fill and empty. Hence, one can flush out the area of accumulations and toxins.

Two days later Rose came for another treatment. She reported only one bout of pain on her face and scalp. The itchiness was also less intense.

Distal points used: L SJ5 + R GB41, Liv2, LI11, L SJ3, L GB37. Local points used: UB3 UB2 St8 (hairline), SJ23 (eye), SI18 (cheek) The skin was still pink, and I could feel heat radiating off the left side of her face, especially around her eye. I decided to use Buddha Palm to pull the heat out. It is a curious Qigong technique and it works wonders. Ten minutes of extracting the turbid heat and Rose could sense her face was cooler. When I first started, the heat was mild, but as I progressed, it became more intense and radiated at least 20 cm from her face. Then, after some minutes, the heat slowly dissipated. It is a good idea to wash your hands in cool salt water afterwards because you will feel the toxic heat prickling uncomfortably on your palm and fingers.

Rose returned three days later. She had not taken any more Lyrica. The skin had returned to a normal colour. Her vision was no longer blurry. There was only mild

itchiness on the outer edge of the left eye.

The radiant heat coming off the skin was hardly noticeable.

Distal points used: L SJ5 + R GB41, Liv2, LI4. Local points used: L SJ23, L GB14 I noticed that, over the treatments, my shadow needles became an everdecreasing circle as the rash and pain decreased in area.

Rose phoned a week later to say she was feeling well, and was very pleased with how quickly she responded to the treatment.

She was relieved she could avoid taking any more Lyrica than was necessary.

I enjoy using complementary techniques with the acupuncture. I went to a lecture

by Stephen Birch many years ago. He reminded us that the sum of individual parts adds up to greater than the whole, often exponentially. That concept has stuck with me.

What is Buddha Palm? Simply put, you activate your hand with mind and breath.

Place it over the area you want to treat, not touching the body. Move your palm closer and farther away until you feel where the edge of energy change is. Sometimes it is heat, other times cold or heavy. In this case, you want to extract the heat. With gentle movements of your hand pull the toxic heat out and away. You can use a sweeping motion, or really whatever is comfortable and meaningful to you. You will notice as you begin that the ‘cloud’ of heat intensifies and expands quite a distance from the body, sometimes up to 60cm. Keep pulling and sweeping it away until you feel it dissipate.

I had done this technique on a lady who had recent radiation therapy on her back.

Her back was fire red and intensely painful.

She could not lie down and lost a lot of sleep. By the time she came to me, she was exhausted and in tears. She sat up while I did this technique for 20 minutes.

I did nothing else, just Buddha Palm. She phoned me the next day to say she could lie on her back and had her first proper sleep in weeks.

Some of the simplest treatments can be the best. That goes for a lot of things in life.

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“

Some of the simplest treatments can be the best.

That goes for a lot of things in life.

Patsy Wilcox is an acupuncturist and massage therapist, who has been working from her own clinic in Brisbane’s Ferny Hills, north west Brisbane since 1987 – The Ashi Acupuncture and Qigong Centre. She also runs morning Qigong classes at the local hall.

”

Visit ntpages.com.au/ patsywilcox

19 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

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5 Minutes with

AACMAC KEYNOTE SPEAKER CHARLES BUCK

We chat to the conference’s second international speaker, who has been a key player in the Chinese medicine field for more than 30 years What do you believe is the biggest challenge that you face as a Chinese medicine practitioner?

The big challenge we all face is the gap between the public perception of the validity of Chinese medicine and what we ourselves know to be the reality. I’ve worked in various ways to try to change this. As a clinician, my challenge is never quite having sufficient skills to meet the needs of all patients – Chinese medicine is hard to do well.

What is your vision for the future of Chinese medicine as a collective profession?

I want us to be seen by all as serious healthcare professionals offering valid healthcare choices. However, working against this is the sense that we have so much ‘diversity’ in the treatment options available that it is hard to define what patients will actually get when they see a practitioner. The ‘anything goes’ perception of the ‘wacky world’ of alternative medicine is a concern and I would like to see us move away from that. I hope that we can work together to define what our core models and beliefs actually are – without strangling innovation.

What drew you towards Chinese medicine?

Obsessed by science from an early age, I was a child of the ’60s and ’70s, so my hair began to grow, and I investigated ‘The East’, settling on Buddhism and philosophical Daoism. In 1976, I found myself doing brain research on rats and asked my supervisor what the most interesting new area in neurophysiology research was.

“Acupuncture – definitely!” he said. A weird thing to say at that time but, after looking 22 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

into it, I came across the early acuendorphin research. My physiology career stopped and after a few months messing about in the Himalayas, I signed up for three years’ acupuncture study with Dr J D van Buren in the UK. Sheer good fortune led me to Chinese herbal medicine study in ’83, right at the beginning in the UK, and a lifetime’s obsession set in.

What do you believe is the greatest accomplishment for the profession so far?

I am proud of the way that, in the 1990s, the leaders of our professions in Australia, North America and the UK worked for educational and regulatory standards.

We also have to thank all those who have contributed to the body of science that supports our clinical work and helps confirm the value of this medicine for the modern world.

Why did you decide to become an advocate for Chinese medicine?

I’m a provocateur, not a committee man, and was cajoled into a political position. I only said yes because I’d explored branding, PR, belief change, and so on. I am passionate about the need for more effective, joinedup advocacy processes.

We have a responsibility to keep our living tradition alive for the future.

Charles is a pioneer practitioner with more than three decades of experience of study, practice and teaching in Chinese medicine. His career has spanned multiple disciplines including medical sciences and the theory, philosophy and practice of clinical oriental medicine. He has a particular interest in fertility, cancer patient care, and dermatology and for years he has taught these and other subjects extensively in the globe.

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23 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

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Are you sure you have

INFORMED CONSENT?

As practitioners, we all understand the necessity of getting clients’ informed consent. But are you inadvertently breaking the rules – and putting yourself at risk in the process?

All health practitioners would be well aware of their requirements to obtain informed consent from their patients before assessment or treatment takes place. However, Guild Insurance’s vast experience in managing claims made against health practitioners has highlighted that many practitioners don’t meet all their informed consent requirements.

What is informed consent?

There is an explanation about informed consent in the Code of Conduct for each of the professions regulated by AHPRA. In this document, informed consent is defined as “a person’s voluntary decision about healthcare that is made with knowledge and understanding of the benefits and risks involved”. This statement highlights the difference between consent and informed consent.

If a patient hasn’t been made aware of the benefits and risks, their consent isn’t informed.

Informed consent isn’t just required for treatment. Depending on the nature of the healthcare being provided, informed consent should also be obtained for assessment.

Informed consent and insurance claims

The conversation must:

Informed consent can feature in insurance claims against practitioners in a couple of ways.

•

etail the recommended assessment d and treatment as well as alternative treatment options.

It’s not uncommon when a patient is unhappy following treatment for them to allege they weren’t made aware of the risks when they consented to treatment.

Quite often they will allege the treatment was negligent and has resulted in harm or suffering. They then add that, had they been informed of the possible risks, they wouldn’t have consented.

•

i nclude the expected benefits of that treatment.

•

rovide information about the risks of p the treatment.

•

llow time for the patient to ask a questions.

•

e held in language that can be b understood by the patient, which means practitioners should avoid technical clinical language.

•

t ake place in a private area where the patient will feel comfortable being open and honest about their health situation.

•

e tailored to that individual patient b and their unique clinical needs.

In other cases, patients may not make any allegation about consent; their complaint might solely focus on the clinical outcome, yet when their claim is being managed it’s found that they didn’t give their informed consent prior to treatment being provided.

When this occurs, it makes it challenging for Guild to prove that the practitioner has treated appropriately and met their requirements.

The informed consent conversation Informed consent requires a conversation between the treating practitioner and the patient. This conversation needs to occur prior to assessment and treatment.

Recording informed consent It’s imperative that practitioners make a note in the clinical record regarding the patient providing their informed consent.

This needs to be more than ‘IC given’. The record needs to show what treatment options and risks were discussed as well

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as any questions asked by the patient. The record should also show what the patient consented to, as well as what they didn’t consent to where relevant.

The informed consent form One area that leads to some confusion about informed consent is how to use an informed consent form. Having a patient sign a form is seen as a quick and simplified way of having a patient provide their informed consent and keeping a record of that. However, they are unfortunately too often used inappropriately.

Signed forms aren’t a requirement. While recording consent is required, this doesn’t need to be done using a form. Notes in the clinical record are sufficient. However, signed forms do provide additional evidence if there is an allegation that informed consent wasn’t given.

Forms can’t be used to replace the informed consent conversation. A patient cannot read a form and gain the same level of understanding as they would from a conversation with the practitioner. Nor can they ask questions of the form.

A form should only be signed after the conversation with the practitioner has been had and the patient understands what it is they’re consenting to. Patients

are occasionally asked to sign consent forms at reception before they’ve seen the practitioner. As there has been no assessment or discussion about treatment at this stage, this can’t be considered informed consent as the patient hasn’t been informed.

Some practices combine new patient forms with the consent form. This isn’t ideal as the two forms serve different purposes. Also, having them on the one form encourages patients to sign the consent form at reception before they’ve seen the practitioner. Therefore, they should be divided into two separate forms.

Informed consent is not a one-off event Practitioners regularly ask how often their patients need to give informed consent. There is no set time frame for when informed consent conversations or signed forms need to be repeated.

The requirement is that when a patient is receiving any assessment or treatment, they need to have given their informed consent to this.

Therefore, informed consent should be an ongoing process; it’s a continual conversation with patients during consultations. And when there is any change in the treatment being provided, or if the patient has returned following a period of absence, informed consent

needs to be revisited. A general ‘consent to all treatment’ for the life of the therapeutic relationship is not appropriate.

Informed financial consent As well as consenting to assessment and treatment, patients should also give their informed financial consent. This means they need to be provided with information about the expected cost of treatment before this treatment commences.

In summary…

There is no one right way to undertake an informed consent conversation and process. Practitioners must adapt what’s discussed for the patient they’re treating and that patient’s unique circumstances.

However, what must occur in all cases is that the patient is informed of and understands the proposed treatment, alternative treatment options and the risks involved. Only with this information can they give their informed consent. The practitioner must also be sure to make a record of this informed consent discussion in the clinical record.

Guild Insurance Limited ABN 55 004 538 863, AFS

Licence No. 233 791. This article contains information of a general nature only, and is not intended to constitute the provision of legal advice. Guild Insurance supports

your Association through the payment of referral fees for certain products or services you take out with them.

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EVIL QI, BEGONE! How the sanjiao and the cou li eliminate heavy metals from the body We take a look at one of the more misunderstood organs of TCM and its role in detoxifying the body

Twelve major organs exist in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). One of these 12 organs of TCM is not recognised

by Western Medicine. This mysterious organ has many names, including sanjiao, san-jiao, triple heater, triple burner, triple energiser, three heaters, tri-heater, triple warmer, and the three burning spaces.

The sanjiao organ has been cloaked in mystery for thousands of years, even among TCM practitioners. Many TCM

26 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

practitioners believe that it is NOT even an organ as such, but constitutes a series of multifaceted biological and biochemical functions that occur throughout the entire body. I prefer to call this unique omnipresent organ complex the sanjiao organ metasystem.

The following are excerpts from the book The ‘Mystical’ TCM Triple Energizer: Its Elusive Location and Morphology Defined1. This original book endorses

that ancient authors of many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) classics were fully aware of anatomical infrastructure that is only now being discovered by modern research, in the form of the primo vascular system (PVS), the interstitium and the glymphatic system. The book1 is perfect for anyone wanting to know more about modern scientific confirmation of TCM anatomical infrastructure associated with tissue organisation throughout the body.

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For example, the book discusses how ‘Evil Qi’ (eg. heavy metal toxins including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) can be eliminated from the body through the sweat glands.

I believe that this so called ‘fu of uniqueness’, the sanjiao organ, is a truly unique organ. It is omnipresent throughout the entire body, right down to the minute spaces (cou li) dispersed throughout our body, which extend down to the minute pores in our skin. In spite of massive research into our anatomical makeup, the superficial layer of the human body is still not well understood by researchers.

I discuss this below. Actually, the extreme variation of the fascial system throughout the body means it has ‘no form’. As I propose that the connective tissue metasystem is intimately related to the sanjiao organ, it is no wonder that the ancient medical text the Nan-ching likewise said the sanjiao has “no form”.

The TCM terminology ‘cou li’ exactly describes the highly structured network system of li-textures and cou-spaces that is distributed throughout the entire body.

This ubiquitous cou li arrangement thereby connects upper and lower, external and internal, shallow and deep within the entire body. It is because of this microstructure of the sanjiao organ that TCM teaches that “the flesh and muscles belong to the spleen, whilst the skin and soft body hair, at the most external layer of the body, belong to the lung”. I suspect that this connection will be shown to be due to the interconnection pathways of the newly discovered (March 2018) largest organ in the body – the interstitium. Pertaining to one functional aspect of the sanjiao organ, which was to eliminate toxins from the body, ancient Chinese medical scholars believed that “sweat is derived from the blood”, and that sweating is nature’s way of eliminating toxins from the blood and the body safely through the very large surface area of the skin1. Please read a summary of the research details below.

The Superficial Layer of the Human Body Is Still Not Well Understood by Researchers Regarding the cou li, in the 2011 article entitled The Fascia: The Forgotten Structure, authors Carla Stecco et al., on page 128, state, “The superficial fascia (or membranous layer of the hypodermis) is still an object of debate; some authors even admit the existence of a membranous layer separating the subcutaneous tissue into two sublayers; others exclude it; and yet others describe multiple such layers.”

This article was published as recently as 2011. I believe the discrepancies are due to failure to realise the interstitium was involved, but that was not taken into

consideration because the massive organ was only discovered in 2018. So, incredibly, even the most commonly investigated superficial connective-tissue layer of the human body is not well understood by medical researchers. Imagine what is yet to be uncovered by researchers about the deeper and more complicated fascial structures, and complexes that complement the connective tissue metasystem, AKA the sanjiao organ! These structures include the newly discovered organ complexes the primo vascular system, the interstitium, the glymphatic system and the very recently discovered (Jan 2019) blood vessel system within bones, the ‘trans-cortical vessels’. I will discuss these systems in detail at the 2019 Melbourne AACMAC in May, and how they relate to the TCM ‘irrigation’ infrastructure of the sanjiao organ.

Extreme Variation of the Superficial Fascia throughout the Body Means It Has ‘No Form’ With regard to the superficial fascia located throughout the body, in their 2011 article, authors Carla Stecco et al.2, on page 129, state, “Its arrangement and thickness vary according to body region, body surface, and gender. It is thicker in the lower than in the upper extremities, on the posterior rather than the anterior aspect of the body, and in females more than in males. Our studies have also revealed the constant presence of a membranous layer of connective tissue of variable thickness inside the subcutaneous tissue, dividing it into superficial (SAT) and deep adipose tissue (DAT).”

Because of its extreme variability relating to arrangement and thickness depending on body region, body surface and gender, this fascia could easily be described as having no form. As I propose that the connective tissue metasystem is synonymous with the sanjiao organ metasystem, it is no wonder that the ancient medical text the Nan-ching likewise said the sanjiao organ has “no form”.

In Ancient Times, ‘Jiao’ Meant Cavities, Spaces, or Gaps, Both Large and Small The small cou spaces may well include tubular conduits within the connective tissue metasystem that carry the many different fluids (yuan qi, zhen qi, wei qi, etc.) throughout the body. Perhaps the cou spaces involve the primo vascular system and the interstitium, which are known to be a highly complex systems composed of hollow microtubules that do carry various complex fluids throughout the entire body “and form a cohesive network interconnecting the zangfu and their associated tissues including muscles, flesh and the skin”. This recent scientific finding

Louis Gordon is a practitioner with a heightened interest in women’s health services and musculoskeletal conditions, and operates his practice in Toowoomba, Queensland.

He is also an author and has presented original information on the San Jiao at AACMAC – he will do so again at AACMAC in Sydney in 2018. is discussed in great detail in the book1.

The Original Meaning of the Chinese Word Li Is ‘Network’ Subsequently, the terminology ‘cou li’ exactly describes the highly structured network system that is distributed throughout the entire body. Lifang and Garvey3 state, “The li-textures, their associations and distribution, thereby connect upper and lower, external and internal, shallow and deep. The cou, the spaces, are located between the body tissues and their textures: their existence is dependent on this association.”

With this in mind, my proposal makes perfect sense, as the small cou spaces or hollow tubular conduits within the connective tissue metasystem would carry the many different fluids throughout the entire body due to the li (collagen) network of the cou tubules with their highly complex and extremely ordered structure, which would “thereby connect upper and lower, external and internal, shallow and deep”3 due to the highly organised infrastructure of the cou li. I believe the interstitium is a major player in this regard, with its collagen conduits carrying body fluids via an “ocean of moving fluids” throughout the entire body. The fact that it is the “largest organ in the body” and makes up 20 per cent of the entire weight of our body is highly suggestive that it is indeed a major component of the sanjiao organ.

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Body Tissue Types and Zangfu Relationships Engender Cou Li Networks On page 31 of the book The Primo Vascular System: Its Role in Cancer and Regeneration, world-leading PVS researchers Kwang-Sup Soh et al4. state there is a “close relation between the [primo vascular system (PVS)] and the fascia”. I propose that the PVS throughout the entire body will be found to be intimately associated with and directly or indirectly connected to the omnipresent connective tissue metasystem, and I propose that the PVS is also a major subcomponent of the sanjiao organ complex1. I further believe that, along with the interstitium, the PVS will be found to be responsible for body tissue types and zangfu relationships as per the example given by Qu Lifang and Mary Garvey3 above, where they stated, “The flesh and muscles belong to the spleen, whilst the skin and soft body hair, at the most external layer of the body, belong to the lung.’ I believe that our TCM ‘theory’ will soon be verified by science to be absolutely anatomically correct, just as our ‘Chinese Clock’ theory is now being investigated and monetised under the scientific realm of chronopharmacology.

Once again, western medicine will be seen to be 5000 years behind the time of ancient sagacious TCM physicians, who we emulate.

The Sanjiao Organ-Cou Li Network Extends to the Ultimate Exterior Extremity I suggest that the cou li extend right down to our pores, where the oily liquid material is constantly oozing from our skin. For example, we can wipe our fingers as much as we want, but we continue to leave a fine film of our individuality on everything we touch, called our fingerprints. Even the residue of our fingerprints is secreted through our most superficial cou li, thanks to our omnipresent sanjiao organ. Again, with every breath, we exhale moisture, carbon dioxide, some 14 per cent oxygen, alcohol (if we have had some as drink), personal chemicals emitted from our mouth flora, and volatile food components (for example, from garlic or peppermint).

Some dogs and cats have been known to detect that individuals have medical conditions, including cancer, from the

exhaled breath of the individual. Other cats and dogs are known to detect that a person is close to death from their breath.

So chemical markers for disease and death are also present on our breath, thanks to the distribution function of our sanjiao organ. Our constant slightly moist breath is a representation of the mist from the lungs within our upper heater, thanks to the ubiquitous presence of the sanjiao organ.

Due to water diffusing across the moist surfaces of breathing passages and alveoli in the lungs, exhaled air has a relative humidity of 100 per cent. So along with urine removed through the bladder and sweat secreted through the cou li (pores) in our skin, we also regulate water balance through our exhaled breath and also in our faeces.

Body Toxins Are Collected in the Chin Liquid and the Blood, and Eliminated in Sweat The sweat is designed to eliminate toxic matter through the skin as it is more toxic and more acidic than other chin liquids.

Because the ancient Chinese medical scholars believed that sweat is derived from the blood, I trust that the ancient medical scholars were aware that sweating is nature’s way of eliminating toxins from the blood and the body safely through the very large surface area of the skin. But is there any scientific proof that this ancient belief is actually true?

Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ontario, Canada, performed a metaanalysis of 24 studies on toxicant levels in sweat. The findings were published in the Journal of Public and Environmental Health in the article entitled Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review. Sayer Ji5 reported that the researchers made the following observations: •

I n individuals with higher exposure or body burden, sweat generally exceeded plasma or urine concentrations, and dermal could match or surpass urinary daily excretion.

•

rsenic dermal excretion was A several-fold higher in arsenic exposed individuals than in unexposed controls.

•

admium was more concentrated in C sweat than in blood plasma.

•

Sweat lead was associated with highmolecular-weight molecules, and in an interventional study, levels were higher with endurance compared with intensive exercise.

•

Mercury levels normalised with repeated saunas in a case report.

The researchers concluded, “Sweating deserves consideration for toxic element detoxification.” This research confirmed that blood and urine analyses fail to reveal the true extent of loading of toxic heavy metals within the body. Modern science and western allopathic medicine is only now catching up with these common-sense observations utilised by complementary medical practitioners for a long time.

Recent research (2015) proves that sweating instigates more than simply a cooling function for the body. The research proved that sweating positively eliminates heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) and ubiquitous toxic petrochemicals, including bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate compounds, both of which are endocrine disruptors. Sweat can concentrate arsenic up to 10 times more than blood, cadmium up to 25 times more than blood, lead up to 300 times more than blood, and mercury somewhat more than blood, leading to effective elimination.

Thus, it can be seen that the cou li, in the form of sweat glands, have an important role of keeping the blood clean and protecting the body by eliminating toxic heavy metals and petrochemicals, which are excreted through the skin in the sweat.

This confirms that the sanjiao organ, which controls the cou li, is ensuring that the ‘irrigation’ fluids of the body are kept free from ‘Evil Qi’ in the form of heavy metals and other petrochemical toxins. Three cheers for the triple burner!

References: 1.

Gordon L. The ‘Mystical’ TCM Triple Energizer. Its Elusive Location and Morphology Defined.: Xlibris Press, Australia; 2016. 766 p.

2.

Stecco C, Macchi V, Porzionato A, Duparc F, DeCaro R. The fascia: the forgotten structure. Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology. 2011;116(3):127-38.

3.

Lifang Q, Garvey M. The location and function of the Sanjiao. Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2001;65:26-32.

4.

Soh KS, Kang KA, Harrison DK. The Primo Vascular System. Its Role in Cancer and Regeneration.: Springer; 2012.

5.

Ji S. Research Confirms Sweating Detoxifies Dangerous Metals, Petrochemicals. 2015 [updated 21 January 2015. Available from: http://www.theartofhealing.com.au/research_ research_confirms.html?utm_

28 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

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30 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

Safe from harm:

PROTECTIVE QIGONG

If you ever find yourself feeling drained thanks to another’s negative energy, try this simple technique.

Protective or Barrier Qigong is an exercise that can be performed by everyone and should be performed by all Chinese medicine practitioners. As many of you have likely experienced, patients (or even friends) with negative energy can really drain your own Qi. As such, this particular exercise can create a protective shield or barrier around you to prevent this from happen.

The rationale behind this exercise is to visualise and draw upon the five elements and the four celestial animals to protect you from negative energy or pathogenic invasion. It is essentially a way to specifically optimise your Wei Qi for protection.

As everyone holds different beliefs and associates with different spiritual alignments, you should visualise what works for you; but the central intention should remain as creating a barrier around you to protect you from external sources.

4.

ow visualise a deep blue lake behind N you, like a glimmering sapphire. Rising from the middle of it is a wise black tortoise, which will use its shell to protect you. Absorb the Qi by taking three breaths into the Dan Tian.

5.

Picture a lush green forest full of abundance to your left and, as a gentle breeze starts to stir, an auspicious jade dragon rises to the heavens. Take in the Qi with three breaths into the Dan Tian.

6.

Next, imagine a warm sensation building up from the ground in front of you that erupts as a red phoenix rising from the earth and flying upwards, the flames turning into crimson cherry blossoms. Absorb the Qi with three breaths into the Dan Tian.

7.

inally, visualise Bai Hui (DU20) F opening up and allowing the warmth and Qi of the universe to pour into you. A warm feeling should envelope you and fill your body – allow this to remain as long as you wish, and you may keep it open as long as you have performed the previous steps.

8.

ake nine breaths T into the Dan Tian and bring yourself slowly back into an awakened state.

I have met many practitioners who each have their own variation of this particular exercise and I encourage you to find the one that works best for you. The one listed below is the one I personally use and find most effective.

1.

While standing or seated, close your eyes and hold your hands about one inch over your Dan Tian, feeling the Qi in your palms. Calm your mind and take nine deep breaths into the abdomen as you direct the Qi into your Dan Tian.

2.

Visualise yourself standing or sitting on grass that is bathed in a golden dawn light as the Qi from the earth rises and enters your body, and take three breaths into the Dan Tian.

3.

Next, visualise a range of snowy mountains to your right – majestic, jagged – and then picture a regal white tiger guarding the mountain range and lending you strength. Draw it in by taking three breaths into the Dan Tian.

Jimmy Le has practiced TCM in Sydney for nearly a decade from his clinic – The Chinese Health Institute. The clinic has a strong focus on psycho-emotional health.

He divides his time between practice and lecturing at tertiary institutions while also teaching martial arts. He has practiced martial arts for 23 years and is the founder of the unique style Xing Lin Quan (Apricot Forest Fist).

His philosophy is ‘Balance the Body, Educate the Mind, Nourish the Spirit’.

The number of breaths is stated at nine for the first and final segments as nine is considered a reinforcing (strengthening) number.

Practice this technique every morning as you wake up or right before clinic to maximise the protective effect.

(Illustrations by artist Lucy Wang)

By Jimmy Le

31 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

VICTORIA STATE

Committee Report - First Quarter 2019 The Victoria State Committee started the year with its Chinese New Year Celebrations on Feb 10th at the Palms Restaurant in Syndal.

We look forward to this event as an opportunity to hold a relaxed social gathering and meet with other AACMA members to share good food and conversation.

A raffle was drawn on the day and prizes awarded to participants, including a one-year subscription to the JCM and several vouchers for TCM supplies.

The Vic State Committee offers a huge thanks to Helio Supply, Acuneeds and China Books for their generous contributions to the prize draw and their ongoing support of our activities.

Our first seminar of the year was held on March 17th and was booked to capacity.

Dr. Sarah Fogarty (PhD) presented a Professional Issues topic entitled Ethics and the Promotion and Practice of Acupuncture.

This was an interactive and engaging seminar with plenty of discussion between participants. The aim: to

enable participants to gain a better understanding around the ethical issues pertaining to the promotion and practice of Acupuncture.

sciatic pain.

We then have an interesting line up of seminars and workshops scheduled for the second half of the year.

October 20th

Following AACMAC Melbourne in May, the Victoria State Committee will hold a meeting to ratify its members and elect officer roles.

July 21st

Heidi Yuen – Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping and Gua Sha in modern China. Heidi Yuen will share experiences and reflections on her time spent in TCM hospitals in China, including methods, techniques and case studies.

Serg Mezhov – Acupuncture Controversy – True or False?

Serg Mezhov will be presenting his findings on developments in Acupuncture Research and on the differing approaches and interpretations of these studies.

September 15th:

Joe will be discussing protocols and strategies for successful distal treatments for neck, back and sciatic pain. This will have a practical workshop component utilising Master Tung points and wrist/ankle techniques.

Details still to be confirmed.

November 17th:

Steven Booth – Antahkarana Meditation – A foundational selfdevelopment practice from esoteric acupuncture. This workshop will offer practitioners the opportunity to expand their toolbox of self-care and personal development practices, especially those with spiritual inclinations.

The Victoria State Committee is thankful to AACMA members for their ongoing support of the State Committee activities and looks forward to a successful year of seminars.

Joe Azuolos – Useful distal treatments for neck, back and

QUEENSLAND STATE

Committee Report - First Quarter 2019 There have been three very successful events hosted by the Queensland State committee for members to acquire their CPD points in the past 6 months.

In October 2018, a four hour presentation on Cyber Security was very well received with great feedback from members.

Presented by an industry specialist who also lectures in cyber security at the Australian Catholic University, this seminar provided the mandatory 4CPD points on professional issues.

A bilingual presentation on Shang Han Lun Formulas and their use was held in conjunction with the annual Chinese

32 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

New Year celebrations. Member feedback was very positive and helped our members who don’t have English as first language. Members enjoyed a Chinese banquet lunch and also had the opportunity to socialise at this event.

Trigger point therapy was covered in the last CPD event. This gave members the opportunity to fine tune their skills in this type of needling which other non-Chinese medicine practitioners often refer to as dry needling.

In future State Committee events to be held in June and August, there will be a workshop on musculo skeletal deep needling and the classical use of

acupuncture points in clinical practice.

The final event for the year in October will be a professional issues seminar with more information being provided to members closer to the date.

Thank you to my fellow committee members for volunteering their time and effort to help organise these events.

On a very happy note, the Queensland State Committee would like to congratulate our fellow committee member Alicia Mengshi Ye and her husband Patrick on the birth of their son Declan. We wish them all the best.

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

WA STATE

Committee Report - First Quarter 2019

The WA Committee started the year 2019 by having a Chinese New Year get-together for all WA members. It was a casual event at the Henry Summer Garden Bar in Northbridge. Practitioners met with peers and this helped to get ideas and to generate a conversation with members about their concerns and needs.

Our last committee meeting was held in March where Rose Pinter, just back from a visit to AACMA Queensland, updated us about the upcoming new nationwide developments within the AACMA. Nominations for the new year where submitted, and upcoming WA AACMA State Events were discussed and organised.

We were fortunate here in WA to have managed {with AACMA’s help} to secure Daniel Spigelman who was here on 14th April presenting a workshop valued at 6 CPD points; Tangible Qigong in the clinic: The Daoyin of Needling.

And we are excited to be offering our members access to high quality speakers with the following events and workshops planned: 1st May

18th August Marie Hopkins; Mail Chimp seminar I would like to conclude the WA State Committee quarterly report with many thanks to the WA committee members for their hard work and effort and look forward to another successful year with them.

Birga Krieger, WA State Committee chairperson

Vitality Days. Two state committee members of WA will represent the AACMA at Endeavour, Perth.

23rd – 24th June David Hartman; Acupuncture point combination. A 2 day, 6 hour seminar.

TASMANIA STATE

Committee Report - First Quarter 2019 And meanwhile in Tasmania………..

We kicked the year off at the start of February with AHPRA coming to town for a forum for all TCM related stakeholders.

They provided us with an informative few hours of up to date information on among other things, the history of registration, the role of AHPRA and the Chinese Medicine Board, notifications process’ and auditing and advertising guidelines.

Quite a few of our members were in attendance at this meeting and I think all present appreciated the forum greatly.

On March 10 we had a wonderful workshop with Jeff Shearer.

We were able to take advantage of him holidaying in our beautiful

state and giving us time to give us his interesting, thorough and very informative presentation on advertising guidelines and marketing our practice.

His presentation was spot on and full of useful tips and easy to follow interpretations. His passion for TCM and good practice was evident and appreciated and the presentation was loved by everyone in attendance.

We are looking forward to another workshop from an interstate presenter in June.

The workshop by well-known practitioner Winston Wang: Pulse Diagnosis, using Huangia Yiquan Thousand Step Pulse technique should be fascinating. This too should gather a fair audience of AACMA

and non AACMA practitioners.

In the past 12 months we have gained several more TCM practitioners to Tasmania which is a great addition to the small number of practitioner’s state wide.

We look forward to having some AACMA member’s workshops later in the year to discuss case studies and other practice issues.

It has been a busy and very positive year for us all in Tasmania and we look forward to more events, more positive practitioner interactions and a greater awareness in the population about the benefits of TCM for all.

Regards Geraldine Robinson

33 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

WAVENY HOLLAND

RICHARD LI

MATT O‘HARA

DREW MATFIN

ROSE PINTER

President / Staff Liaison / Membership Officer

Vice President / Disciplinary Committee

Director

Treasurer

Secretary

WELCOME TO OUR NEW

AACMA MEMBERS

Adriana Ramirez Romero

Jesse Georgiadis

Stephen Berndt

Alexis Newman

Jessica Bagnall

Sung-Hee Cho

Albane Thorn

Alison Harriman Amber Denny Anna Boetto

Baki Haluk Cil

Belinda Matkovich Bing Hung Wong

Brendan O’Loughlin Carolyn Butler

Claire Williams

Constantina White Courtney Fisher Danielle Rush

Daria Sheptitskaya Derek Doran

Eddy Chi Tak Pun

Elizabeth Hannen Ella Mcleod

Ellen Dunne Emily Cox

Filip Nguyen

Francisco Ponce Alvarez Frida Svensson Grace King

Graham Pennington Izabella Buirski

Jacqueline Murphy Jason Clarke Jee Hue Lee

Jenn Thong Wong 34 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

Jessica Devine Karen Salafia

Kathryn Dyson

Kaylene Minett Keryn Hawker

Kiah McGowan Lee Fah Yap Leigh Lei

Lindy Smithies Lisa Smith

Madeleine Walker Mary-Ann Hardy

Mary-Ellen Young Meiding Wang Melanie Yong Michelle Li

Natasha Barnes

Nicolette Truscott Olivia Sizeland Pei Yang

Rachel Vujcich Robin Arora

Ryan Whatford

Sarah Laharnar Sean Wright

Sebastian von Medem Sheree Robinson Sonya Mattiazzi

Spyros Georgopoulos Stephan Skerra

Su Yeon Lee

Surya Schimana-Chiller Tahnee Burchmann Teaine O’Brien

Tegan Harrison Thi Von Hua

Toni Watson

Trevor Wai Lok

Wai Chu Elsa Lee Xiangxu Zeng Xue Dong

Yi-Chen Su Zoe King

Zoe Rankin

Zoe Papadatos

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT ACT BRUCE

Sale new Head only of TDP magnetic heat lamp CQ-29, $70 each one. Delivery free if order more than $200.00.

Dr_y_b_cai@hotmail.com or Charlie 0409 558 852

FOR SALE/WANTED NSW SYDNEY

A rare opportunity to purchase a leading Allied Health clinic located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Set in designer decorated dedicated accommodation, the Clinic has a well-established reputation for providing quality services, including Acupuncture, Nutrition, Dietetics, Massage Therapy, with a special interest in Women’s Health. For further information info@newLifecentreforWomen.com.au.

NSW SYDNEY

Inner West/inner city Sydney clinic for URGENT sale. Database, website, protocols, equipment, books, everything included.

Have been practicing for 10 years. Price negotiable.

Prue 0414 856 969.

VIC COBURG CBD

Well established 34 year old acupuncture clinic business for sale.

There are 4 patient rooms plus an office and waiting room downstairs with residential facilities upstairs. Interested parties can call the Chong Kheng Traditional Medical Clinic and ask for Chong whereupon further details can be obtained.

(03) 9350 4196

QLD MORAYFIELD

Established acupuncture business for sale.

Located on Main Street. All infrastructure included with large clientele base, all you need to do is just walk in. Huge potential.

Just had brand new floors laid. For more information email info@vitalpointacupuncture.com.au

CLINICS/ROOMS NSW ARTARMON

NSW GLEBE

Beautiful clinic space for rent in an established practice. Opportunity to rent the space, various days and half days available, or collaborate as partners of Glebe Point Acupuncture. Open treatment room, 2 tables, HICAPS, eftpos and all facilities.

Centrally located. Phone or email with expressions of interest. info@glebeacupuncture.com.au 0404 492 830 NSW MAROUBRA Shop front alternative clinic for rent in eastern Sydney. Flexible rent fee.

Days available: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays.

0451 262 035

NSW MERRYLANDS

Large, fully furnished consulting room available for rent in long established Chiropractic and Wellness Practice in Merrylands NSW. Would suit naturopaths, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and/ or Holistic Doctors. We are offering: 4x3m consulting room, linen, can supply massage table, full admin and reception support, online appointment book, advertising support, internet. The Practitioner must preferably be: self-motivated, fully qualified and registered, be work ready with ABN, insurance and health funds (if applicable).

Terms: $120/day (+GST), $80 half-day (+GST), discount for full week. jobs@completechiro.com.au 0404 444 542 NSW PENRITH

Room for rent in a long established, multi therapy clinic. Weekly occupancy is preferred but will consider daily usage. Outer western Sydney area. rayzar007.rr@gmail.com VIC BAYSWATER Room for rent. TCM practitioner wanted to join Myotherapist (20 years SE suburbs) & Chiropractor, in newly set-up Natural Health Clinic, with gym space. Two rooms available, un/&furnished, varying availability.

Established business preferred. Beautifully warm & welcoming rooms, 1 w window, ducted heat/AC. info@symmetryhealth.com.au Tracey 0423 099 186

VIC BRUNSWICK

Room for shared rent at Australian Shiatsu College. Available Mon, Tues, Fri and Sat. 1/2/3 day rent $60/100/140. Suit new practitioner setting up or experienced practitioner with own clientele. Room furnished with desk, table, Healthpoint / EFTPOS, granule dispensary etc. admin@dantianhealth.com.au Jason 0424 883 409 VIC ESSENDON

Room for rent in an Osteopathic clinic in Essendon, VIC, alongside two Osteopaths with almost 30 years combined experience.

Full time or daily room rental, or percentagebased agreement will be considered.

Level 2 First Aid, insurance and ability to claim through HICAPS essential. info@ lifespanosteopathy.com.au (03) 9372 7714 VIC NIDDRIE

Clinical space, currently set up for Pilates and Physiotherapy. Looking to sublease for several days per week, or hand over entire lease. Great location. Upstairs in multidisciplinary medical clinic: Upstairs: Physio, Podiatry, Speech Therapy; Downstairs: Doctors, Pathology, Cardiology, Psychology, Physiotherapy. Space can be redecorated/rearranged as needed. jordancoleman@domainhealth.com.au 0487 888 668

QLD ASHGROVE

Room for Rent. Ashgrove close to CBD. Quiet street with plenty of parking. Fully furnished, air conditioning, natural light. Well established clinic, Wi-Fi access, and large reception area. Must have own insurance and memberships. $50 + GST half day, $90 + GST full day. ashgrovevitality@gmail.com

Well-established clinic at a very good location is looking for TCM practitioners or health professionals to join them.

Established business preferred. Full time or daily room rental: $110 + GST per day, $425 + GST per week (negotiable). contact@cancareclinic.com.au or (02) 8054 4466

35 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

QLD CHIRN PARK

Short term clinic room available on the Gold Coast, Chirn Park. I will be overseas from December 12 -January 25 and my room is available over that period. $60/day. 2 days a week minimum rental.

0449 601 894

SA MCLAREN VALE

We have a room(s) becoming available June in the McLaren Vale Chiropractic Centre (SA). These rooms have been leased by an acupuncture/Chinese medicine practitioner for 12 years. Options for renting space; starting at $250 per week for a room.

(Includes electricity).

VIC BEAUMARIS

VIC PRAHAN

admin@comohealthgroup.com.au

info@angea.com.au

Como Health Group Beaumaris Victoria is seeking an Acupuncturist to join a 30 yr. established eclectic natural medicine group currently offering Acupuncture, Naturopathy & Chiropractic Mentoring available.

Applicants with a long term view need only apply. EmailCV to

VIC BENTLEIGH

mclvchiro@internode.on.net

Locum required for busy Melbourne practice 20 May – 22 Jun. must be registered for acupuncture & Chinese herbs. Experience with treating fertility/pregnancy & familiarity with Cliniko preferred but not essential. For further details Phone Gillian on

(08) 8323 9755

0414 999 604

or Phone Joe or Tina

LOCUMS/POSITIONS VACANT NSW NEUTRAL BAY

Health in the Bay is looking for an Acupuncturist to join our great team, in Neutral Bay. The room is available 2 to 5 days/week. We offer a generous commission based structure, including full time reception, TYRO/EFTPOS, linen, towels, Internet, phone, kitchen, cleaning etc. martina@healthinthebay.com.au NSW ROUSE HILL

Acupuncturist TCM practitioner wanted Rouse Hill Sydney. This is a great opportunity to take over an existing patient base with an ongoing steady stream of new patients. Professional multi-disciplinary wellness centre. Full reception and great facilities. Experience in fertility helpful. Email resume and cover letter to corinne@rhwc.com.au or (02) 8824 3334

(03) 9557 8930 or

VIC CARNEGIE

Melbourne Integrative Oncology Group is seeking a P/T Acupuncturist with experience in treating Cancer patients during chemotherapy/radiotherapy/surgery.

Must be a degree qualified, compassionate and focused individual who stays abreast of latest Integrative Oncology research.

Interested individuals Email resume and cover letter to manager@miog.com.au or phoe (03) 9571 7498 VIC GEELONG

Acupuncturist & herbalist wanted in Geelong. Want to join a team of experienced CM professionals that can help you become the best practitioner you can be? Check out our job video at https:// australianacupuncturecentre.lpages.co/ acupuncturist-job/ and make an application.

Applications closing 19th Feb 2019.

VIC MORNINGTON

Chinese Medicine Practitioner required for busy Mornington Multi-Modality Clinic.

Applicant should have keen interest in women’s health conditions; pre-conception, ivf/art support, pregnancy support. AHPRA Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine registration essential. stephen@peninsula-acupuncture.com.au (03) 5973 4116

We are looking for a dynamic acupuncturist/ herbalist to join our team working alongside a group of talented women passionate about women’s health. We require a team player to align with our values of honesty, reciprocity & commitment. Minimum 2 years’ experience required or new graduate. Email CV to QLD BUDERIM

Bloomhill Cancer Care is a Centre for excellence in integrated cancer care on the Sunshine Coast. We are seeking expressions of interest from experienced acupuncturists who may wish to join our holistic team in a consultancy role 1day/ week. Recent oncology experience highly valued. For information email hr@bloomhill.com.au

QLD FORTITUDE VALLEY

Looking for a motivated Acupuncturist to join our natural therapy clinic, locates at busy place in Fortitude Valley with many potential clients. Rental includes equipment & furnishings; reception and advertising support, eftpos/HICAPS facilities, Wi-Fi, outgoings. Affordable rate!

(07) 3852 1688

QLD FORTITUDE VALLEY

Volunteer acupuncturist needed for 3rd Space community centre in Fortitude Valley.

One Monday per month. Treating clients who are homeless or in financial difficulty. Email Alison at: al.greer73@gmail.com QLD MALENY

Acupuncturist Required for a busy practice in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast.

The positon is for 3 days per week to start.

Steve 0401 909 122 QLD NAMBOUR

Seeking qualified Chinese Herbalist/ Acupuncture with AHPRA, to join our newly established Reflexology/Massage Clinic. Situated on the Sunshine Coast Nambour CBD $200/week includes GST, plus electricity. Weekly occupancy is preferred but will consider daily usage, free undercover parking. rosehammond53@gmail.com Rose 0413 173 459

QLD NEWMARKET

Opportunity available for an experience Acupuncturist to work with a team of Allied Health professions – Osteopathy, Dietetics, Pilates, Remedial Massage located in Newmarket. Sub-contractor position. Brand new clinic in busy medical precinct.

Email CV to: reception@allaboutmovement.com.au.

36 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

QLD NORTHLAKES

We are currently seeking an enthusiastic, passionate and client-focused Acupuncturist to join our Health Hub team.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a supporting and expanding clinic located at North Lakes. Registered, or eligible for registration with AHPRA; Current Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Email applications to: admin@psychsense.net.au

QLD PADDINGTON/ROSALIE

Acupuncturist wanted – an amazing opportunity. Beautiful new clinic managed by a very experienced Japanese Acupuncturist. Fertility, pregnancy, women’s + children’s health are our focus.

Experience in these areas and Japanese Acupuncture experience an advantage but not necessary. Ability to work some nights and possibly Saturday also advantageous.

Camilla@happyhealthyclinic.com.au WA EXMOUTH

We are seeking an experienced Acupuncturist and TCM practitioner to work in our busy multi-disciplinary Wellness Centre in Exmouth, WA. Our current Acupuncturist is taking extended maternity leave and we are looking for someone to fill the position for up to 2 years on a permanent basis or seasonally, with the possibility of staying on after this period. Our practice is in a prime location in the centre of town with good foot traffic, we have a large database of regular local clients and Exmouth has over

200,000 visitors annually, many who stay for long periods. We have two beautifully fitted out modern rooms available for acupuncture with wooden floorboards, natural light and washbasins with sensor taps. Exmouth is known for its pristine white sandy beaches and crystal clear warm water with the Ningaloo Coral Reef just a swim from the shore. You can snorkel with whale sharks, manta-rays and humpback whales! It also has world class fishing, diving, surfing and ocean side camping.

Applicants must be registered with AHPRA, Private health rebates, and have professional indemnity insurance. Our ideal candidate is motivated to build on the existing practice, works well independently, shows initiative and speaks fluent English. If you are a professional and enthusiastic practitioner who would like to work with a great, supportive team and enjoy the amazing lifestyle that Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef has to offer then please send your CV with an introductory

For all AACMA classified listings please go to: https://www.acupuncture.org.au/ resources/classifieds/

To register your listing with AACMA Classifieds go our booking form at: https://www.acupuncture.org.au/ resources/classifieds/classifiedbooking-form/

admin@exmouthwellnesscentre.com.au WA EAST FREMANTLE

Applications are invited from committed and preferably established Chinese Medicine Practitioners/Acupuncturist, Herbalists to join the Chinese Medicine Centre in East Fremantle. The centre is a spacious Federation house, fitted out with genuine antique furniture. Located in a prime location. Free on-street parking. chinesemedicinecentre@live.com.au or Jan Hilbert 0404 971 618

37 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

AACMA OFFICIAL MEMBER MAGAZINE

AACMA EVENTS MAY

5

17

ADELAIDE: SA State Committee Event.

Part A: The Hidden Culprit (Discovering a common cause of low back pain, often hidden from sight) | Part B: Hegu (LI 4) Clinic Indication. Time: 2:00pm to 6:00pm. CPD: 4 CPD points (Part A: 2pts; Part B: 2 pts). Location: The Box Factory, 59 Regent Street, Adelaide 5000 Registrations and payments are to be done either via BPAY or over the phone via credit card. Please contact AACMA national office on 07 3457 1800 RSVP by 2 May 2019.

MELBOURNE: Propagated Needle Sensation. Time: 9.00am to 12.00pm.

CPD: 3 CPD points. Location: Pullman Melbourne on the Park, Pullman Melbourne on the Park, 192 Wellington Parade, Melbourne VIC 3002. This event is sold out.

17-19 MELBOURNE: Australasian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Annual Conference (AACMAC). 20 CPD points for full attendance. Location: Pullman Melbourne on the Park, Pullman Melbourne on the Park, 192 Wellington Parade, Melbourne VIC 3002. Registrations is open till 3 May 2019. Visit www.aacmac.org.au or contact AACMA national office on 07 3457 1800 for more information.

20-21 MELBOURNE: The Eight Methods for Resolving Heat. Time: 9.00am to 5.00pm. CPD: 12 CPD points. Location: Pullman Melbourne on the Park, Pullman Melbourne on the Park, 192 Wellington Parade, Melbourne VIC 3002. Registrations is open till 3 May 2019. Visit www.aacmac.org.au or contact AACMA national office on 07 3457 1800 for more information.

JUNE 23-24 PERTH: WA State Committee Event (2-day event). Acupuncture point combination. CPD: 12 CPD points. More details and the start of registration will be announced closer to the event date.

30

HOBART: TAS State Committee Event.

Pulse Diagnosis: Using Huangjia Yiquan Thousand Step Pulse in Clinic Practising. Time: 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

CPD: 4 CPD points. Location: The Lotus Centre,1st Floor, 45 Victoria St, Hobart TAS 7000

FREE event sponsored by ThisHerb Health.

Pre-registration is required. Please contact AACMA national office on 07 3457 1800 or email aacma@acupuncture.org.au for RSVP. RSVP by 25 June 2019.

38 JING-LUO AUTUMN / WINTER 2019

21

MELBOURNE: Part A: Acupuncture Controversy: True of False? | Part B: Acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping and Gua Sha in modern China. Time: 1:00pm to 5:00pm. 4 CPD points.

Location: Phyllis Hore Meeting Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive (Off Cotham Road) KEW Victoria 3101.

Registrations and payments are to be done either via BPAY or over the phone via credit card. Please contact AACMA national office on 07 3457 1800. Only 70 seats are available.

AUGUST 18

PERTH: MailChimp seminar. More details and the start of registration will be announced closer to the event date.

SEPTEMBER 15 MELBOURNE: Useful distal treatments for neck, back and sciatic pain.

Location: Phyllis Hore Meeting Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive (Off Cotham Road) KEW Victoria 3101. More details and the start of registration will be announced closer to the event date.

31

SYDNEY: Korean Hand Acupuncture Course – Beginners. CPD: 6 CPD points. For more information, please visit www.handacupuncturecourses. com

1-2

MELBOURNE: Foundation Level I & II Esoteric Acupuncture Advanced Energy Healing (Spritual side of Acupuncture). CPD: 26 CPD points. For more information, please visit www. intofreedom.com.au

2

BRISBANE: Yin Yang and Five Elements and their clinical practice. CPD: 4 CPD points. For more information, please email admin@chineseherbalsupplies. com.au

JUNE

21-23 GOLD COAST: Advanced Level III Intensive Esoteric Acupuncture Advance Energy Healing (Spiritual side of Acupuncture). CPD: 26 CPD points.

For more information, please visit www.intofreedom.com.au 23

SYDNEY: Moxa Introductory Skills Workshops 2019. CPD: 7 CPD points.

For more information, visit www. elthamacupuncture.com.au

28

BRISBANE: Psoriasis & Eczema. CPD: 6 CPD points. For more information, visit www.acuneeds.com

NOVEMBER 17

MELBOURNE: Antahkarana Meditation – A foundational self- development practice from esoteric acupuncture.

Location: Phyllis Hore Meeting Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive (Off Cotham Road) KEW Victoria 3101. More details and the start of registration will be announced closer to the event date.

EXTERNAL EVENTS MAY 4-5

MELBOURNE: TCM For Anxiety, Depression & PTSD. CPD: 12 CPD points. For more information, visit www.acuneeds.com

5

BRISBANE: New Perspectives on Qi and the Channels: A Neurophysiological Explanation of Acupuncture. CPD: 4 CPD points. For more information, visit www.fimia.com.au

18-19 MELBOURNE: Korean SAAM Acupuncture Seminar. CPD: 16 CPD points. For more information, email saam.association@gmail.com 19

MELBOURNE: Nutrition for Expanded Consciousness. CPD: 7 CPD points. For more information, email jaiwatson@gmail.com

30-31 MELBOURNE: Foundation Level I & II Esoteric Acupuncture Advanced Energy Healing (Spritual side of Acupuncture). CPD: 26 CPD points. For more information, please visit www. intofreedom.com.au

JULY

AUGUST 9-11 MELBOURNE: Advanced Level III Intensive Esoteric Acupuncture Advance Energy Healing (Spiritual side of Acupuncture). CPD: 26 CPD points.

For more information, please visit www.intofreedom.com.au 25

BRISBANE: Combination of Cupping, Acupuncture and Lamp. CPD: 4 CPD points. For more information, please email admin@chineseherbalsupplies. com.au

31-1 SYDNEY: TCM For Anxiety, Depression & PTSD. CPD: 12 CPD points. For more information, visit www.acuneeds.com

SEPTEMBER 21-22 BRISBANE: TCM For Anxiety, Depression & PTSD. CPD: 12 CPD points. For more information, visit www.acuneeds.com 23-24 MELBOURNE: Basics of Zhu Scalp Acupuncture: Module 1. CPD points: 6 CPD points per day. For more information, please visit www. sustainhealthacademy.com.au 25-29 MELBOURNE: Internal Medicine, Psychiatric, 5 Senses and ER: Module 4. CPD: 6 CPD points per day. For more information, please visit www. sustainhealthacademy.com.au

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