The most important relationship I seek to nurture in the treatment room is the one a patient has with their own body. We live in a culture that teaches us to override pain, defer to outside authority, and push through discomfort. Patients often arrive hoping I can “fix” them, but the truth is, we can’t do the work for them. We can offer guidance, insight and support, but healing requires their full participation.
Ayra Nielson, PhD
Dr. Arya Nielsen is an assistant clinical professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health. She developed and directed the Acupuncture Fellowship for Inpatient Care at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Her research includes treatment of chronic pain in underserved populations, acupuncture therapies for acute care and the inpatient setting, and both the physiology and therapeutic effect of the traditional East Asian healing technique gua sha.