Ellen Goldsmith, MSOM, LAc, Dip. CH

Ellen Goldsmith, a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, is the author of Nutritional Healing With Chinese Medicine: + 175 Recipes for Optimal Health. Ellen was co-founder of Pearl Natural Health, a naturopathic, acupuncture and Chinese medicine clinic in Portland, Ore. She is on the faculty of the National University of Natural Medicine's College of Classical Chinese Medicine and the Nutrition Program; and the faculty of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, teaching Chinese dietetics. She maintains a private practice in Chinese medicine, lectures widely and lives in Portland.

Previous Articles

Nourishing Ourselves and Our Patients in the Time of COVID-19 (Pt. 2)
July 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 07)
Nourishing Ourselves and Our Patients in the Time of COVID-19 (Pt. 1)
June 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 06)
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News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

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.

Bruce W. Park, DACM