A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.
Secondary Channels of Acupuncture
Nicholas Sieben, LAc
Nicholas Sieben earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology and the Philosophy from Brandeis University, and a Master's degree in Acupuncture from the Swedish Institute, under the direction of Jeffrey Yuen. Nicholas continues to study with Mr. Yuen, inspired by the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine. Nicholas practices acupuncture in New York City. For more information or to contact him, visit nicholassieben.com.