Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2007

Saturday, October 20th, marked the beginning of our community acupuncture clinic here in Victoria. We offered free treatments and had nearly 40 people in 5 hours! I felt like a busy waiter on a Saturday night – dancing from chair to chair, a big smile on my face. I was in heaven. They came!

Monday, official day one, I treated one person. I was a waiter on a slow day, hovering, checking my watch, wondering when the rush would begin. It felt like the first day of school, or worse, the first day on a new job – a job that I felt untrained for. The empty chairs afforded my brain the opportunity to generate a myriad of beliefs: “What have I done?” “How do I do this?” “I don’t know how to do this!”

On Friday, the third day since opening, I treated 7 people, one more than I would normally treat on my busiest day in private practice! I was thrilled. The following Monday saw another 7 people walk in – there’re coming! It’s now my favorite place to work.

The inspiration for this clinic had been rustling around in my head for several years, but truly emerged after attending the workshop on community acupuncture in Portland this past spring. Six months later I am standing in my dream, and I do know what I have done, I have created something that, in my heart, I really believe in -- affordable, community health care. In just a few short days I have already been touched by the gratitude from my patients, and I realize I am now part of something much bigger than me! Oh yea, there are still moments where I think, “how do I do this?”, but that’s okay, it's part of the adventure.

I wish there was a way to have “visiting community acupuncturist” days, so I could sit around with Lisa and Skip and laugh and joke around. I think we are going to have to organize a workshop for graduates of their training – a sort of class reunion perhaps.

All I can say is that I am happy to be apart of this great big Vision!
Thanks to all for your support and advice!

Michael
Victoria, BC
hemma.ca