Stop Bitching and Start a Revolution!
I saw a bumper sticker that said Stop Bitching and Start a Revolution, I am trying to do that in my own little way with my clinic in this slightly conservative close knit Italian community. It has been busier here since February and there are times when I have to remind myself to breathe as I go from one patient to the next. “breathe in… breathe out, needle TW5” I say to myself. When I read that Moses treats about 4000 patients a year I thought, “how does he say grounded? Just by skateboarding?! I wonder how many patients I could see and still stay centered?” Things that I have found helpful are a Kripalu/Bikram yoga class, Irish Set dancing, and weight lifting. I would be interested in hearing from others about how they replenish themselves.
I found that in January, when it was slow, I was having patients spread out throughout the day, so I tightened up my hours a little and it has been working much better. Someone was recently blogging about the online appointment system and I have to say that I like my invisible receptionist system and self scheduling book that I have on the front desk. Patients can just schedule their next treatment(s) when they come in and then put their payment in the envelope and hand it to me in the treatment room. Call me a luddite, but it has been working well, the patients like it, and it is low cost!
I have had a pretty good response to the sign up sheet I put on the front desk for the Tai Chi class that will be taught here starting next month. One patient signed up and is bringing her daughter, her friend and her friend’s daughter. “It’s going to be girls night out” she said. How wonderful to have a girl’s night out that doesn’t involve alcohol!
Back to Balance has been open for a year now and we will be celebrating it on Saturday 3/28 with free acupuncture (of course) and people will also have a chance to meet Bill, the Tai Chi teacher. He will be doing short, inspiring talks on Tai Chi and demostrating a little of the sequence.
Author: thomasriordan
<p> Tom Riordan has been involved with Eastern philosophy and healing arts since 1990. After earning a B.A. in History at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, he spent four years working at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. In addition to daily hatha yoga and meditation practice there, Tom completed the Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training the Kripalu Bodywork Training. </p> <p> Tom is a graduate of The New England School of Acupuncture, in Newton, MA, the oldest accredited acupuncture school in the United States. He maintained a private practice for several years in Columbia, Missouri. He was the first person to be licensed to practice acupuncture in that city. He became very active in the State acupuncture association by serving as secretary for two years and treasurer for one year. Tom is certified by the National Council for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and he is licensed to practice in Massachusetts. </p> <p> He currently practices in Medford, MA where he has maintained a community acupuncture clinic since 2007. </p>
Hey, I’m with you on the IR
Keepin it simple with the paper method. 🙂
I do Qi Gong every morning and sit with a few needles in and meditate for 15 minutes after that. It helps keep me cheerful and mindful of my energy.
I have found that the busier my clinic gets, the more I need
to take time out to hike in the woods, have little weight-lifting/rebounding workouts, do Tai Ji, needle myself, and have meditation retreats. These are now mandatory for me, no longer a luxury! So it’s really hard for me to leave my place before 10 a.m., though some patients are asking for earlier hours.
I’m still a I.R. luddite, too, but considering a change in my next clinic down south.
Things that help recharge
On top of the usual (food, plenty of sleep, yoga and meditation), lately I’ve been getting lots of mileage out of gardening and listening to black metal.
I take Alexander technique
I take Alexander technique lessons to keep good body mechanics. Still need to work on other ways to stay centered.
I also love the invisible receptionist and my patients get a kick out of the name. Tatyana wrote a post a while back that talked about it, too.
I once “introduced”
a patient to the IR by saying, “This is the invisible receptionist” and gesturing to the desk with the schedule book and boxes and the empty chair (and a twinkle in my eye) and the patient said, “Pleased to meet you.”
Loved it!