“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” ~  3 John 1:2

Life takes some delicious twists & turns, doesn’t it?

A bit over a year ago, one of my best friends sent a letter to me that included a purple & gold flyer from The Maryland University Center for Integrated Health (MUIH). She had been having acupuncture there for several months with terrific results. I had no idea she was having treatments and I had never heard of MUIH, located in Laurel, MD. She was extremely positive and excited about how well she was now feeling due to her visits to MUIH. Because she was retired military, she was able to participate in their “Help For Healing Fund.” She felt that I could possibly take part in the program, too. You see, the Natural Care Center (NCC), a part of MUIH, is always in need of patients to attend the clinic in order for the therapists to accrue the required number of hours treating patients to earn their certifications & degrees. The “Help For Healing Fund” truly is a blessing to both the practitioner and the patient.

I was accepted into the program and began treatments at the end of April, 2017. My first therapist was Barbara. She was wonderful at listening to my needs each week as well as  designing an effective treatment plan. Barbara took care of me for a full 8 months. Under her care, I saw an improvement in my energy, in the strength of my legs, feet & toes, in my emotional health…..even in my sleeping….. all of which had been affected by MS (and aging) over the years. I will never forget the evening that my toes wiggled in a way that they hadn’t for decades, after one of Barbara’s treatments. (I realize this may sound like something insignificant but I promise you, it was a big damn deal to Barbara & especially to me!)

When Barbara was ready to graduate, it meant that I needed a new therapist. I will be honest, I was a bit sad and nervous to lose her.

Enter Bree.

I never, ever, ever expected to bond with another acupuncturist the way that I had with Barbara.  Barbara has a pure joy in helping her patients to feel better that is palpable. Her smile will light you up! Bree has similar qualities and an easy ‘flow’ to her personality. I realized she was comfortable not only sharing her medical knowledge but also her deep faith in God. A lot of folks are hesitant to do that. Barbara was so kind to recommend this beautiful soul to me, knowing the importance of my faith to me. It was common for Bree to pray with me before I left the center after treatments.

What I am most wanting to convey to you is that healing in acupuncture takes many forms. Yes, physical, for sure. And also, emotional…….and especially spiritual. Body — Mind — Spirit. It was explained to me that the Ancient Chinese believed that during the process of healing through acupuncture, the mind is the first thing to heal, followed by the spirit……..and then the body ‘catches up.’

By having one practitioner, then another…..and experiencing that they were both effective and truly unique in their delivery of the treatments gives me great confidence in MUIH & their guiding principles and  especially in their graduates. I believe the education provided to their interns is top-notch. Having met numerous supervisors…..I believe they are top-notch, too. Barbara has moved on to her calling of helping cancer patients through her healing treatments. Bree will graduate next month. It will be interesting to see where her heart — her faith — guides her.

If you have never tried acupuncture, I highly recommend it. The difference in my well-being is significant. You are able to contact MUIH and provide your zip code so they can locate one of their practicing graduates, near you. I am hoping to identify one near Wilmington since I won’t be driving to Maryland for treatments any longer. The commute has proven to be cumbersome for me now since my work has picked up so nicely.

I miss Barbara
I know I will miss Bree, too. My last treatment at MUIH was today. It’s bittersweet, for sure. Now that I have had two wonderful healing experiences with two wonderful MUIH graduates, I am excited to meet the next one and see where he/she guides me. My part in this journey is to relax, meditate, eat well, sleep well, study, learn and see where the Lord takes me next.

In my next post, I’ll describe a couple of my treatments so you will know what to expect should you decide to go for your own treatments. As I stated above, I highly recommend acupuncture and I am happy to share my experiences with you in the hopes you will receive similar benefits that I have had. Namaste.