Online is fine, but LIVE is where it’s at!

Whoohoo! Today I am happy to announce a new program called CAN Live Support! This new, free service is available to all LOC members (and future POCA members, as we get that whole train rolling!) to get you up close and personal with other CANers for problem solving, inspiration, and direct support to help you grow your clinic into the blinding “Tungsten” clinic it is meant to be—details here, and a little background, and a huge thank you!

I know you feel me when I say that CAN has been a lifeline at times. We’ve shared so much with each other (most of all our honesty) and it has been the birth and crucible of a movement that will not be stopped! And now it’s about to get even better, with great POCA things on the horizon and the fundamental understanding that we ALL STAND TOGETHER. That’s what it means to be part of a movement. We look out for each other, and make sure we’re all getting to the finish line. We left competition and separation in the dust a long time ago. And we know it’s not about batting averages, it’s about real people–you and your patients.

As you’ve been hearing, the CANference was a giant love fest and reaffirmed that we are some of the most dedicated, inspirational, community-loving acupuncturists in the world, baby! Most repeated phrases: “I just really LIKE everybody here” “Who would’ve thought we’d be having this much FUN at an acupuncture conference?” So don’t worry if you were at home enjoying it there because you’ll be at the next one and it will be even more awesome with you there!

Because sometimes you just need to talk to people who “get it,” who understand you and why you’ve chosen this vocation, this path.
Who are heading down the same road and have learned some tricks along the way.
Who speak the same language about real community and aren’t going to waste your time by suggesting you raise your scale, or look for a fancier office (or market at fancy dinners and golf tournaments), or focus on cosmetic treatments or expensive supplements or fight for insurance reimbursement when most of your patients have none anyway.
People who love your patients as much as you do, without even having met them.
And who don’t care if you swear. (Suzanne and Macey, we love you!!!) HOOOrrrraayyy!!!
So we’ve found each other on line and for one glorious weekend, some of us got to see each other in the smiling flesh! And it made it clear to all of us that we need to do this AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Because as much as we know we’re doing the RIGHT THING, we sometimes wonder if we’re doing the rights things (right?)

Because we’ve chosen to blaze the way with an entirely new way of practicing acupuncture and the reality is that while it’s exciting, liberating, and rewarding beyond our wildest dreams, it’s also challenging, and a crazy amount of hard work, just like any new business:  learning a whole new skill set of being entrepreneurs, employers, community organizers, etc. And sometimes you’re just left wondering if you’re on the right track, or how to make it through the next crossroads, or just need to speak to another, live human who’s been where you are now—another CA punk.

So along with regional nodes. Live Support is another layer to really harness this love fest into the practical, problem-solving, movement-growing machine it is–by supporting each and every clinic that needs it.

I was lucky enough to meet the current Board last November in Portland and can I just tell you I was goofy with excitement! I hadn’t even realized how hungry I was to be around other CA punks and it was there that we hatched this new program to build on Alexa’s brilliant Welcome Wagon for new clinics, by creating person to person direct support for existing clinics—for the not quite new, not quite in the veteran 1000 patients/week category 😉 – something for the rest of us in between, growing our clinics, facing the challenges. It’s meant to help get you to where you want to be.

So we have a fantastic, excited group of experienced CA clinic owners that are ready to offer direct, LIVE support to other CA punks.

See inside the forums for all the goodies here.
You will need to have a clinic up and running to access it, and you will be required to have done the homework and be ready to hear some constructive advice and support. It’s not meant to be therapy, it’s creative problem-solving and there’s no reason it can’t be fun, so don’t hesitate to make the LIVE connection. (Yes, I know it does sound like a CA online dating service (as David calls it AcuMatch.com), but I’m leaving the actual crushes to Ellen, she’s a sparkly 7)

Personally, I just want to thank all of you that shared your stories with me at the CANference—I am stunned by your bravery, inspired again by your enthusiasm. It was a challenging time for me—my mind was on my Dad who’d just had a heart attack, so I wasn’t able to fully play with you all as much as I wanted to (next time!). I flew from Portland to my parents to help out for a week. And while he was napping, I could be distracted by thoughts of all of you—my CAN family. I’m a nervous public speaker but what I’ll say here is what I felt at the CANference and since: I love every one of you. Because you are awesome, authentic, brilliant, crazy, hilarious, inspirational people and you’re doing what I’m doing, loving your patients as much as I love mine and making a difference in the world. I and this support team are simply NOT OKAY with thinking about any of you needlessly struggling out there, at all. So, remember that someone has been where you are now and is ready to help you figure it out. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to make contact. We’re all in this together!

Author: melissa

Found community acupuncture in my last year of acupuncture school and it was like cool water on the dry desert of aculand. It addressed all those nagging questions of how to make acupuncture accessible and inviting to people like me, in my own communities as well as actually make a living and I knew I would practice this way for the rest of my life. I have learned more (about acupuncture, about people and community, about myself) in the past few years of running a CA clinic and being an acupunk at another BDC clinic than ever before. It's one of my all-time favorite places to be. I am eternally grateful to this community for its welcoming support, its passionate determination and its irreverence for useless sacred cows. I look forward to our continued work in supporting community acupuncture clinics worldwide!