Ya'll, it's so amazing to reread this article right now and remind myself why I'm doing this work, and also heartbreaking that I can't do this work right now because of the COVID-19 shut down orders. đ« If you missed the article the first time around, check it out! I am featured along with several … Continue reading
Did you miss last weekend's free Gender 101 webinar for practitioners? You can still catch the replay! I am so honored to have participated in Lhasa OMS, CSOMA, and Smarty Practice's 'Love Your Practice' digital summit last weekend, where I led a 1-hour training on 'How LGBT-Inclusion Can Grow Your Patient Base.' We reached 900 … Continue reading
Supplements and Surgery: You most likely know already that there are certain supplements and medications that you should avoid before surgery. Mostly these are supplements and medications that can cause excess bleeding, as well as those that can interfere with the anesthesia. Surgeonsâ opinions vary on which medications and supplements are okay and when to … Continue reading
Just a little throwback to this video about my gender-inclusivity activism at my alma mater, the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College (AIMC) Berkeley. It's so wonderful to reflect on how much my practice and my knowledge has evolved; all with the support of my wonderful patients. This has been a long process and I'm looking … Continue reading
Plum blossom therapy is a great alternative to prescription finasteride (which can come with unwanted side effects) and toxic creams and over the counter medications. I love plum blossom therapy, it's gentle and effective for hair loss (more details). It involves using a tiny hammer with light pressure just until slight redness appears. This stimulates circulation … Continue reading
photo credit: Practical Cures on flickr CC Constipation is extremely common post-surgery, especially in combination with constipating pain killers, less physical activity, and irregular fluid and food intake. Often a bowel movement is required before a hospital will let a patient go home, so encouraging this process is especially beneficial to get you home sooner. … Continue reading
Why Should We Treat Scars? Scars may not only be cosmetically undesirable, but may also have an impact on the health of the individual. This is especially true for very large scars; scars with abnormal coloration, lumpiness, numbness, tingling, itchiness, heat or cold sensations, achiness or pain, tenderness to touch, and muscle restriction. Such scars and associated adhesions … Continue reading
I'm so honored to have had my article (First Steps Towards Making Your Clinic Trans-Inclusive) recently published in the California Journal of Oriental Medicine (CJOM), a semiannual peer-reviewed publication of the California State Oriental Medical Association (CSOMA). My hope is that this article will help other practitioners to start making their clinics more trans, queer, and … Continue reading
âInstead of saying that all gender is this or all gender is that, let's recognize that the word gender has scores of meanings built into it. It's an amalgamation of bodies, identities, and life experiences, subconscious urges, sensations, and behaviours, some of which develop organically, and others which are shaped by language and culture. … Continue reading
Avoid making harmful assumptions about your patient. Whether youâre assuming theyâre straight, cisgender, uneducated, dealing with addiction, or any number of things, any time youâre assuming rather than asking and listening to your patient you arenât giving them the care they deserve. (For example, donât ask a patient about her boyfriend when she hasnât told … Continue reading
When asking about gender or pronouns, consider your intentions. Do you need to know a patientâs gender/sex-related medical history for your treatment? Or do you just need to know their preferred name and pronouns to develop practitioner-patient rapport? Knowing what your goals are will help you decide what and how to ask. Remember, curiosity is never an … Continue reading
Prism Integrative Wellness 