Finding Your Happy Place
In the years that I have been in private practice, I have treated various types of disorders such as respiratory, chronic pain, musculoskeletal, gastro-intestinal, addiction, anxiety and depression, weight management, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, chronic fatigue, and other illnesses including many forms of the common cold. The foundation of Chinese medicine dictates that each person is uniquely different. While some people may come to me with the same symptoms as others, everyone is diagnosed and treated differently based on one’s uniquely individual patterns and presentations in my office. On some people I incorporate acupuncture, on others I choose not to use any needles at all but to focus solely on Integrative Energy Medicine and/or Chinese herbal formulas. While the results and responses to treatment varies depending on the individual, it has been interesting to note that everyone feels better at the end of a treatment. You may have heard me comment that you are “in your happy place” when you get up to leave. This is very important for your health and wellness regardless of what the issues are. The very world we live in has left a lot of us frenzied and freaked out. Never has there been more urgency and need to find a haven of inner peace to rely on and a happy place to exist in. I must emphasize that while my commitment is towards helping people overcome chronic and debilitating disease, it is also my hope to help you “find your happy place”, that very place where disease and discomfort have no place to thrive. Therefore, it is also important to focus on integrative protocols that incorporate Nutrition, Qi gong exercises, and meditation as a part of our daily lifestyles. I always like to encourage patients to practice becoming more of a human “being” rather than a human “doing” and to seek out more preventive medicine and wellness care rather than waiting until you are sick to come in for treatment.
It’s been a tough winter season here in the Northeast and we are all wondering when it will end. Ancient Chinese wisdom talks about the 3 friends of winter being the pine tree, the plum blossom and the bamboo. The pine tree teaches us dignity by staying calm and unruffled by the environment around us. Standing tall and erect throughout the year, not being overwhelmed by life’s little intricacies and annoyances, this attitude attracts good health and long life. The plum blossom teaches us wisdom and the tranquility of mind so that even in the deep cold days of winter it still shows its beauty and ability to shine. The bamboo, being flexible, shows endurance and strength. Such flexibility allows one to adapt to circumstances without being broken and offers us the resilience to bounce back from hard times. Now that we have entered into the year of the Goat, let us try to incorporate these attributes into our daily lives. Let’s slow down and remember that the seasons do change and spring will indeed arrive. Rest in that thought, find peace, and most of all enjoy your happy place.
Amy Hausman, M.S., LA.c.