ACUPUNCTURE

“Dr. Eth, in early 2002, conducted a survey of 225 who escaped the Twin Towers. Asked what had been the most helpful in overcoming the effects of their experience, the survivors quoted acupuncture, massage, yoga and EMDR, in that order”

Bessell Van der Kolk

The Body Keeps the Score

“When a person experiences trauma and is haunted by its memory, Chinese medicine stills the body and harmonises the organ systems, establishing stability for the person to realise the magic held within”

CT Holman

Treating Emotional Trauma with Chinese Medicine

“As part of the universal Tao, we experience the same responses to threat that all animals do. The movement through the Five Elements moves in parallel with Levine’s model for the steps animals and humans use when navigating threat”

Alaine Duncan

The Tao of Trauma

ACUPUNCTURE – ancient healing for modern times

Traditional Chinese medicine theory has long held the view that human emotions and the external events they experience affect people’s physical health, and the physical health of a person affects the emotional or mental health of that individual. Acupuncture is part of the traditional Chinese medicine system and offers a unique approach and method of working with stress, trauma, distress and mental health conditions. It is a gentle, yet powerful and effective approach that enables regulation of the nervous system and helps people return to health and wellness. It can be used on its own as a stand-alone therapy or as part of a treatment approach that involves psychotherapy as well as acupuncture.

Acupuncture and Stress

Many people seek acupuncture for its stress relieving benefits and treatment for stress related or stress exacerbated conditions such as anxiety; depression; IBS; insomnia; migraine and pain. By working with the individual and their pattern of energetic disharmony, a bespoke treatment plan is developed. The aim of the treatment is to balance the energy within the body, and with balance comes health and well-being. I use traditional Chinese medicine.

Acupuncture and Trauma

I first learned of the use of acupuncture to treat trauma several different articles detailing acupuncture treatment given to veterans in the UK via charities such as Stand Easy, and at the Veterans Association in the USA. Research into the efficacy of acupuncture to treat the effects of trauma is growing, with the Veterans Association in the USA leading the way. It is from this research, that new approaches to treating trauma via acupuncture have been developed.

I utilise one such approach, developed by Alaine Duncan called The Dao of Trauma. The approach uses modern western trauma physiology, Somatic Experiencing concepts and Polyvagal theory integrated with the traditional 5 Element model of Acupuncture to bring about healing and restitution of wholeness after trauma.