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.
Christine Sanmiquel, LAc, DAOM, PMP
Dr. Christine Sanmiquel is a licensed acupuncturist, educator, and clinician with over two decades of study in Chinese medicine and qigong. She maintains a private practice in California, where she specializes in women’s health, pediatrics and emotional well-being. She currently teaches research courses for Five Branches University’s doctoral program, as well as courses for the public. In addition, she holds certification as a project-management professional (PMP), which gives her work a grounded and practical tone. Her work is known for thoughtfully integrating traditional Chinese medicine with modern scientific perspectives, supporting both clinical depth and clear communication within contemporary health care settings.