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.
Suzanne Friedman, LAc
Suzanne Friedman is an acupuncturist, herbalist and doctor of medical qi gong therapy. She is chair of the Medical Qi Gong Department at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, Calif., where she runs the Medical Qi Gong Anmo Asian Bodywork Certification program.