GUEST BLOG: “And Now, A Little Holiday Cheer” by Alexa Hulsey
Thank you to Nora, who pointed-out that this letter would make a wonderful blog. And thank you to Alexa, for permitting us to repost it here:
December 2009
Dear Community Acupuncture Comrades,
Happy Holidays from the Music City! I am thrilled to announce that this year I am getting the Very Best Christmas Present Ever. No, it’s not a pony, a Barbie dream house, or even an overpriced, useless First Professional Doctorate. Nope, this year I’m getting my very own community acupuncture clinic!!!
East Nashville Community Acupuncture will be opening its doors about the same time that Santa will be making his famous flight. In many ways, I’ve already gotten more gifts than I could imagine – a slew of gently used $10 recliners, a landlord who is hauling ass on building out my space for free, tons of cheap furniture, and lots of enthusiastic friends and neighbors in a town I’ve lived in for only a few months. Lately, every Saturday morning has felt like Christmas morning – waking up early, pouring myself a nice hot cup of coffee, and finding amazing treasures at local yard sales.
But the best gift by far has been the Community Acupuncture Network. Without all of you, I never could have done this. Your blogs, stories, information, enthusiasm and generous spirit continues to motivate and inspire me. I just finished putting together what I think will become my favorite office wall decoration – a giant map of the US with a bright blue push pin for each community acupuncture clinic. It’s a visual reminder to me of how strong we are, and how many people we are helping. It looks a little barren here in the southeast, but I know it’s only a matter of time before that changes.
If you have any patients who need a referral for a friend or relative in Nashville, please send them my way. And there’s lots of fun stuff to do in Nashville, so if you ever want to come visit the Music City, be sure to make time for a free treatment at East Nashville Community Acupuncture. Hopefully, somewhere down the road, our paths will cross.
I hope you get everything your heart desires this holiday. And may your New Year be filled with lots of new patients, exciting free days, amazing things to blog about, and most of all, health and happiness.
Peace,
Alexa Hulsey, L.Ac.
East Nashville Community Acupuncture
Author: Jessica Feltz, L.Ac.
<p> I learned about Community Acupuncture while studying at the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine (MCOM) in the Spring of 2006 when Lisa Rohleder's first article about her clinic appeared in Acupuncture Today. Coming from a middle-class background myself, I was the only student in my acupuncture class to have not experienced the healing benefits of this medicine prior to beginning studies at MCOM. I couldn't afford it. And my family couldn't understand what I was doing by investing in an education that they didn't perceive to be financially sustainable. </p> <p> The Community Acupuncture model is a perfect fit for me, balancing social justice and taoist simplicity with the patient's innate ability to heal him/herself (with a few gentle nudges from strategically placed needles). I am grateful every day to have found CAN and the love it brings into my life. I want to share that joy by spreading the message about how we can create a new health care experience in our communities through each of our very small efforts...and how those very small efforts can in turn change the world. </p> I enjoy my two sons, my 4 cats, and big stacks of books. I own and operate...
I just received this letter
I just received this letter in the mail along with some business cards this morning and WOW – that is a class act! Thank you thank you thank you, Alexa! Your beautiful cards are now gracing my CAN map, and I’m excited you’ve joined in. Best wishes for wonderful success with your new clinic. I know that with your attitude, you can’t fail!
yay!
we just got this in the mail too, and i thought immediately that i hope this letter makes it to CAN. thanks jessica for makingf it happen. and congratulations to you, alexa!
-tatyana
ditto!
it was really nice to receive your letter yesterday. I opened it while waiting for patients to arrive as I stared out at a snowy winters day in Chicago. I love the colors on your card but more importantly the colors in your spirit. Thanks for brightening my day! Bonny
yup, me, too and
it was in such stark contrast to the boring, removed, clueless letters we’ve received lately from acu students looking for jobs (which is really just funny, somehow). and as i said to alexa in my reply: it’s one of the big reasons i love CAN–real people, willing to show their spiciness and excitement! so glad to have you aboard and you’re just going to love it! best of luck, enjoy the opening days, beginning of your community–they’ll keep you high for weeks!
Melissa
Good health is not a measure of adapting to a sick society.
When the power of love outshines the love of power, the world will know peace.
Thank You Alexa
It was really nice to get your letter today, the timing was perfect. Good luck with your opening, it sounds like you’ve got everything lined up just fine!
Thanks everyone!
Just taking a break from a day of baking to check in with my CAN friends. Y’all are the best! Thank you SO much for all your words of encouragement. Happy happy holidays!!!
Thanks too, Alexa,
for the letter w/ cards. Reading it put a smile on my face. The news from TN was a great Christmas gift to CAN, Nashville and TN. I put a pin in Nashville on my wall map. Congratulations.
Alexa,
Let me chime in with
Alexa,
Let me chime in with the appreciation for your lovely letter, and congrats!
Nothing stuffs my stocking
more than seeing new CA clinics open up. Thanks for the letter, Alexa, and go Team Southeast!!!
Another fan
I felt so lucky to be the partner at the clinic the day your fabulous letter arrived in the mail. Thank you for your inspiration and for sharing your good cheer. Your excitement is contagious! Every time I went back into the office and saw your letter on the table, I smiled and shared that smile with all of my patients.
And thanks, Jessica, for posting this. Good cheer, indeed!
happy, merry weekend, everybody!
Julia in Berkeley
welcome
Well done Alexa! Nashiville now has a little blue pin on my wall, and the cards are ready for people heading east.
we loved your letter too
It’s posted on the wall at WCA. Thanks, Alexa!
It was nice to see your letter from
Nashville. Happy holidays to you!
Tess
Congratulations Alexa, and
Congratulations Alexa, and good luck! I am on the edge of the diving board, needing a little push or some guts!
Renee in Miami
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vlzKaH4mpw
more cheer
A patient of mine was looking at the CAN map in the reception area last night, and it prompted her to tell me that a friend of hers, who now lives in the Nashville area, was wanting to try acupuncture. My patient went to the CAN locate-a-clinic page and there you were, Alexa, having just opened! I can’t really tell you how psyched that made me.
Acupunks: people in Atlanta, Ann Arbor, Abilene, etc. are looking for you. Be there!
Trader Joe’s
has this “location request form” that you can fill-out on their website if you want one of their stores to come to your town…that would be fun to do with CAN, wouldn’t it? Cuz punks who are setting-up a practice could look to see which community already has patients who know about and want a CA clinic, and the newbies could open a clinic exactly where it’s needed & wanted!
Yeah!
Then I can stop nagging people ;^)
Another project for the Board, perhaps? It would be kind of cool to have some kind of form where folks could “nominate” a town (and/or area) and then folks could “second” the nomination – say, a hashmark for every known potential patient. Not sure how that would work, but it could be a fun project. Maybe as part of the upcoming Wiki? – I’ll ask Lesseps about it (after 1/15).
Love it
Yes! This would be great to encourage punks to bring CA into new communities. Fabulous idea!