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.
Lixing Lao, PhD, LAc
Dr. Lixing Lao is president of Virginia University of Integrative Medicine and co-chair (with Yemeng Chen, PhD, LAc) of the Conference on Wildlife Protection in TCM – Celebration of the Year of the Tiger.