Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of medicine known to mankind. It has been practiced for over 3000 years and has been continually refined through the centuries. Three-quarters of the earth’s population still use acupuncture as part of their health care. Five Element acupuncture views the person as an integral part of nature, with many correlations between inner states and one’s experience of the environment. If a person is functioning to potential with all systems working in harmony, s/he experiences a sense of vitality that we know as health. When one or more systems become stressed or injured, there is impairment in function and a variety of symptoms appear-pains, physical and mental distress, illness. The practice of acupuncture is a means of helping to restore the person’s natural balance and harmony. Systems that are deficient are nourished and those overworking are calmed. In this way, acupuncture acts as a catalyst to encourage and support the body’s own natural healing process. When internal balance and harmony are restored, the person experiences not only a symptom-free body/mind, but also a vibrant sense of well-being. Diagnosis consists of seeing the person’s presentation in the world, hearing their story, understanding the emotional content, taking the 12 energetic pulses, and doing a physical exam. The goal of treatment is to support the client’s self-knowledge and general happiness.
Practitioner: Dedie King, M.Ed., M.Ac., Lic.Ac.,
Dedie King is Co-founder and clinical director of Listening. She received her BA in Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College and a M. Ed. From Goucher College. She studied with Dr. J. R. Worsley in England and has her bachelor degree in acupuncture from his College of Classical Acupuncture in Leamington Spa. Her Masters of Acupuncture is from the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, Maryland. She also completed a two-year Chinese Herb course with Ted Kaptchuk in Boston. Dedie is on the faculty of the Academy of Five Element Acupuncture, a three-year acupuncture college in Hallandale, Florida. She has been practicing acupuncture for more than fifteen years with private offices in Barre and Amherst. Dedie is a longtime meditator and likes to integrate this practice with her understanding of Chinese medicine.
