Friends, I've come to a decision that I want to share with you. I've been thinking lately about how I can better contribute to my community and the world at large. If you're a regular reader of my blog you know that I've included tons of resources for health and wellness. In my view the total system of a human being -mind, body, and spirit- must be kept in healthy balance in order for us to live fully, and give our best wherever we go. In my volunteer work as a public health advocate with Planned Parenthood over the past 11 years, I've witnessed the dramatic difference that excellent health care can make. A good health care system can uplift an entire population, and I've always wanted to be part of that process in a deeper way. Today I am announcing that I've accepted the position of Board President of the Udistrict Community Acupuncture Clinic!
Why acupuncture? I've been receiving it since I was a teenager, and I've experienced its benefits firsthand. I've also seen it work on many people that I've known throughout my life. Here in Seattle, our clinic founder is Susie Sabunciyan, an extraordinary healer. I've been her patient for almost 8 years, and I trust her abilities and her vision. Community acupuncture is exactly what it sounds like: acupuncture for everyone. Instead of an office with individual spaces, treatments take place in a large, communal room (you can see it on the front page of the clinic website). This arrangement helps keep the cost down, at a sliding scale of $20-$40 per session. Our goal is to reach people form all walks of life, particularly those who would not ordinarily have access to acupuncture, for reasons that include financial hardship, lack of insurance, lack of knowledge about acupuncture, and abandonment by "traditional" health care institutions.
Right now the clinic is offering 5 sessions for $75, which is about as good a deal as you can find anywhere! You can also come in and try one session. Some common reasons that people seek acupuncture are sleep trouble, anxiety, PMS, arthritis pain, digestive problems, and migraines, but the treatments have been known to help all kinds of ailments. Tell Susie what's up when you come in for your appointment, and she will create a personalized treatment plan for you. Once the needles are in you'll relax in your easy chair while soft, soothing music plays as the treatment works its way through your body. Susie will check in on you, and when you're ready she'll remove the needles and send you on your way. Most sessions last 30-60 minutes, but some people need more time, which is perfectly fine. Come and try it out for yourself, and let me know how it goes.
My dream is to help get the clinic into a permanent space (right now we rent), and turn it into a huge community resource. There's a ton of work to do, problems to solve, and many questions to answer. With acupuncture to fortify my constitution, I know I'm up for it! See you at the clinic...