
Qiological Podcast
Acupuncture and East Asian medicine was not developed in a laboratory. It does not advance through double-blind controlled studies, nor does it respond well to petri dish experimentation. Our medicine did not come from the statistical regression of randomized cohorts, but from the observation and treatment of individuals in their particular environment. It grows out of an embodied sense of understanding how life moves, unfolds, develops and declines.
Medicine comes from continuous, thoughtful practice of what we do in clinic, and how we approach that work. The practice of medicine is more — much more — than simply treating illness. It is more than acquiring skills and techniques. And it is more than memorizing the experiences of others. It takes a certain kind of eye, an inquiring mind and relentlessly inquisitive heart.
Qiological is an opportunity to deepen our practice with conversations that go deep into acupuncture, herbal medicine, cultivation practices, and the practice of having a practice. It’s an opportunity to sit in the company of others with similar interests, but perhaps very different minds. Through these dialogues perhaps we can better understand our craft.
Latest episodes

May 23, 2023 • 1h 29min
305 Thinking About Business Should Release Dopamine in Your Brain • Danielle Weil
You probably have an image in your mind, and a feeling that goes with having had a bad marketing experience. But do you know what good marketing feels like? It feels like someone cares and is trying to be helpful.Effective and ethical marketing is about connective communication and helping your patients to solve problems. In this conversation with Danielle Weil we focus on the importance of understanding our patient’s needs, and developing the skill to be able to accurately describe their problems. We also discuss some basic copywriting frameworks that will help you both connect with your patients, and to invite them to take the next step in resolving their health concerns. Additionally we explore old school advertising and how to use AI to help with your marketing research and content creation.Listen in for a lively discussion of marketing, copywriting and the effectiveness of mental shortcuts in decision-making and how to use them ethically to better get your message across to patients.Visit the digital tip jar

May 16, 2023 • 1h 17min
304 Considering Qi, or Not • Leah Fehres
East Asian medicine uses a completely different map of physiology and function from that of modern biomedicine to understand health and illness. It’s a set of tools and perspectives that gives us a unique look at the entanglements of function and form. And when using acupuncture to help our patients it’s all about the qi, right? Maybe not. In this conversation with Leah Fehres we consider the relationship between acupuncture points, nerve structures, and the body's intricate nervous and fascial systems. How the bifurcation of nerves is frequently the location of an acupuncture. And how traditional diagnostic methods might not reveal for us how we can consider neurophysiology in formulating an effective acupuncture treatment.Listen in to this conversation that invites you to question traditional practices and embrace acupuncture through another lens. Visit the digital tip jar

May 9, 2023 • 1h 37min
303 Way of the Teishin • Bob Quinn
What’s more powerful, a whisper or a shout? What has more impact, a punch to the gut or an intended and targeted slight? Strength and power, these are two different things.In this conversation with Bob Quinn we explore the gentle practice of using the Teishin, and the landscape that emerges as we attend both to the quiet sensitive aspect of the nervous system as it manifests in the skin, and our rooted sense of perception and attentiveness to the space we inhabit with our patientsListen into this discussion on the potency that can arise from stillness and gentle quiet as you traverse ordinary and sacred space while listening through the teishin.Visit the digital tip jar

May 2, 2023 • 1h 19min
302 The Business and Opportunity of Practice • Jimmy Yen
Business and medicine are interwoven together. Both deeply connect people together through relationships that have an impact.. Yet it’s easy to see the business of medicine as something separate from the practice of medicine. Consider challenging the limiting paradigms and stories you might have on running a business in medicine.A successful business is founded on the principles of providing honest value. And technological advances through social media give us the possibility of connecting with people who are looking for your services. It can be an opportunity to create something that reflects who you are and to promote our medicine by facilitating learning.In this conversation with Jimmy Yen, we dig into the intersection of running a business and leveraging social media for your practice. We discuss self-cultivation, getting our hands dirty with the business of medicine, and the need to band together as Chinese practitioners for the betterment of our medicine. Jimmy also shares his perspective on social media and some tips to make it work for you.Listen into this discussion on the business of medicine and the role of social media as a tool to promote our profession.This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Apr 25, 2023 • 1h 32min
301 Fifty Years of Practice, The Perspectives of Dr Shudo Denmei • Stephen Brown
In the realm of East Asian medicine, uncertainty is a constant companion, a persistent reminder of the mystery of life. Like a meandering river, the health status of our patients is in a state of constant flux. It can be a daunting task to navigate these changing waters, but it is a challenge that we must embrace if we are to become better practitioners.In the face of the unknown, we find the greatest opportunities for learning and healing. We are reminded to trust in the innate wisdom of the body, to be more attentive to the needs of our patients, more sensitive to the subtle cues of the body, and more attuned to our own habits of dealing with change and uncertainty.In this conversation with Stephen Brown, we explore different paradigms of medicine and how they impact our work. We talk about the need to embrace the unknown as a catalyst for growth, the importance of the patient's frame of mind, and how we can find meaning in our work. Stephen also shares some of Dr. Shudo Denmei’s perspectives and treatment techniques.Listen into this discussion on navigating the fluid nature of our medicine and how the uncertainties can be learning opportunities.Visit the digital tip jar

Apr 18, 2023 • 1h 32min
300 Clinician's Guide to the Shang Han Lun • Dr Shou-Chun Ma & Dan Bensky
Medicine is always a discussion, Be it between practitioner and patient, between colleagues talking shop, or through the stream of history and commentary that accompany the classics of Chinese medicine. In this conversation with Dr. Shou-Chun Ma and Dan Bensky we discuss their recently published translation of the Shang Han Lun. And beyond that the importance of building a dimensional understanding between the text, your experience and clinical practice. How the essentials of the classics do not change, but the skills in applying them does. Along with a look at how different kinds of case histories can help to illuminate the text and our understanding, while others might be interesting, but ultimately not clinically helpful.Listen into this conversation on tradition, doctor slams, how to avoid flattening your perspective on medicine and Dr. Ma’s insights into the Jueyin. Visit the digital tip jar

Apr 11, 2023 • 1h 33min
299 Optimistically Integrative • Robyn Adcock
Western and Eastern medicine have often stood at odds, separated by skepticism and worldview. But perhaps the best path is neither, but both. Perhaps the best path to healing lies in bridging the gaps between approaches to medicine—cooking together science and tradition, innovation and adaptive ancient wisdom.The medical systems may contrast, and in those differences perhaps reveal a greater whole. It could unlock a wider perspective and more capacity to help patients. In this conversation with Robyn Adcock, we delve into the curious (and oftentimes contentious) topic of integrative medicine. We look at navigating the barriers into the conventional medicine world by helping those working in conventional medicine ‘experience’ the value of East Asian medicine from the inside through direct experience. Along with why we may need qualitative methods in our medicine, and how we can leverage scientific improvisation in our clinical work. We also touch on the innate trustworthiness of East Asian medicine and its untapped potential.Listen into this discussion on clinical curiosity and expanding integrative medicine through experiential learning.

Apr 4, 2023 • 1h 13min
298 Made in America- The Story Behind Quality Made Cups • Kevin Ferst
Tools in East Asian medicine are not just inanimate objects. They are a tangible extension of the healer's touch, a conduit for their energy and intention to flow through. Our tools are essential for turning stagnation into flow, pain into ease, and the discordant notes of illness into wellness.And while the true power of our medicine lies in the practitioner’s ability to evoke the body’s innate capacity for balance and harmony, the tools are essential to the work. And fine tools are a joy to use.In this conversation with Kevin Ferst, he walks us down the unexpected path that brought him to working with local artisans in the crafting or vessels for healing in the remote Appalachian mountains of New York. We explore the nuances of cup making, from the intricate art of glassblowing to how the quality of the tool makes a difference in the clinical experience of both the patient and the practitioner. Listen into this discussion on creating and using quality tools, and a glimpse into the complexity and challenge of designing and bringing to market handmade cups from rural USA.

Mar 28, 2023 • 1h 30min
297 Covid Long Haul, Threat or Opportunity • Nigel Dawes
In a world where change is the only constant, East Asian medicine offers a way to track change even in the midst of change. Our medicine has a way of adjusting to changing times and has the capacity to bring the essence of ideas and perspectives from the past into the unique moment of the present. History rhymes with itself, and it’s our job to figure out how.In this conversation with Nigel Dawes, we take a dive into the mutability of Covid and other wind viruses, the long-term sequela of Covid, and how to be inventive with our formulas as we look to adapt to ever unfolding change in our clinical work. We also touch on the impact of political, behavioral, and psychological underpinnings of the pandemic.Listen into this discussion on the public health and clinical implications of Covid, and how our medicine offers an opportunity to be of service when the world is coming apart.

Mar 21, 2023 • 1h 34min
296 Considering Long Covid, Research and Practice • Beau Anderson
The principles of Chinese medicine, with its focus on balance and harmony, have long offered effective treatment methods for respiratory disorders, by both fighting pathogenic influence and by allowing the essence of health to flow freely. Our treatment modalities are steeped in time-tested methods and in experience carried forward from one generation to the next.Our experience of the past three years has revealed gaps in our knowledge, fractures in our social fabric and the influence of toxic social media. It’s been a pandemic that has not only affected our bodies, but our minds as well. In this conversation with Beau Anderson, we look at long Covid through the lenses of Western and East Asian medicine, discuss the flexibility and adaptability of Chinese medicine for systemic disorders like long Covid, and the shortcomings of attempting to validate the ancient healing practice using modern scientific methodologies. We also explore possible ways of harnessing and positioning our medicine for the future.Listen into this discussion on the state of long Covid research, including where we’ve been, what lies ahead of us, and the role of East Asian medicine in navigating the terrain.