Category: Open City Healing News
Mindfulness based Acupuncture – Laura Hawley
Posted on May 14, 2015 by Laura Hawley, Lic Ac, LCSW - No Comments
Over and over people come in for care reporting not only physical but emotional discomfort. Sometimes there is a clear causal link between emotional difficulty and physical symptoms. Sometimes the two seem to coexist without a clear interaction. In either case, I often ask patients to engage in a simple mindfulness practice while resting on the table. Here’s a condensed version of what I often say: “Bring your attention to your breath as you inhale and as you exhale. Then, attend to your body, noticing where it is resting on the table and where it may not be completely resting. Now use your breath to notice your body, breathing in awareness, and as you breathe out, inviting yourself to lie down more completely on the table. At some point, your mind will wander from this practice. When you notice that, gently, and with kindness, bring your attention back to your breath and to your body.”
Regular Care for Excellent Results
Posted on May 14, 2015 by Laura Hawley, Lic Ac, LCSW - No Comments
“I get acupuncture even if there is nothing wrong with me?” asked a student in the Mindfulness class I am taking. This brings up a common question. We generally seek care when we don’t feel well, and not when we do.
Acupuncture works well to resolve acute issues – from Bell’s palsy to back spasm. Here’s an overview of the benefits of acupuncture from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Once acute symptoms have resolved, why would one put in the time and expense of returning for acupuncture? Why not wait until a symptom flares up again?
Feeling Stuck? Try Acupuncture
Posted on May 14, 2015 by Laura Hawley, Lic Ac, LCSW - No Comments
Feeling Stuck? Try Acupuncture (pdf)
Acupuncture, Counseling and Depression – Untying the knots
Posted on March 10, 2015 by Laura Hawley, Lic Ac, LCSW - No Comments
A new study done in the United Kingdom shows that acupuncture is just as effective as counseling in patients with moderate to severe depression. According to the researchers, up to 60 percent of patients with depression have an inadequate response to antidepressants, and 30 percent do not stick to their medication regimen. They also note that there is a growing patient demand for non-pharmacologic treatment options. Of course, outside of experimental settings, acupuncture treatments can include aspects of counseling.
What does Acupuncture Do?
Posted on February 2, 2015 by Laura Hawley, Lic Ac, LCSW - No Comments
by Laura Hawley
The body and mind are in constant fluctuation. There are so many systems that ebb and flow: respiration, circulation, digestion, sleep and wake, arousal and calmness. We are in a dynamic flow of expansion and contraction. The flow aims to be in balance. Mental and physical pain result when the flow is thwarted by some internal or external cause. Acupuncture is a way of reminding the body to return to balance.