“Wounded Healer” In Business: How Build A Medical Practice That Is Safe For Your Patients AND For You!

If you don’t create a practice with practices in place to continually check in with yourself as a “empath, wounded healer, or highly sensitive person”, you may actually be causing yourself harm.

Much like everything else in life, the world is a very different space for empaths, wounded healer and highly sensitive people. Seemingly small things can trigger your nervous system and suddenly you can’t figure out why your heart is racing and you feel like you need to run, or you need to be in a quiet space for a few minutes…..or days. And if you are an empath like me, that is just what can happen before breakfast.

In this episode I talk about the top three things where the “wounded healer” struggles in creating a safe and healthy (for them) medical practice and how to shift and create healthier practices so you can love the practice you create.

In this episode I talk about the top three challenges we face which include poor boundaries, overcompensating and low self esteem. (Conversely, I don’t actually talk about your superpowers! I’ll give that a gander in another episode! ) Then I give detailed business suggestions to put in place to ensure that when things get challenging your nervous system doesn’t get hijacked.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!
• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook
• Man’s Search For Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl

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Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

Using deliberate practice to grow an Acupuncture Clinic

In today’s episode I am going to give you 8 intentional and deliberate practices to grow a soul fulfilling and successful Acupuncture practice.

Having a vision for your future, your career and your personal life will help you stay aligned with your calling, contentment and goals. And it’s okay if it changes along the way, or ends because then you can gather the information and feelings for this new situation and create another path forward with another focused intention. If you live with intention you will be less likely to wake up to a practice ten years from now that you dread. Treating patients you don’t enjoy. Not making the money you would like or traveling the world like you always wanted.

Here is the magical pathway:

1. Ask yourself what you want.
2. Create a vision.
3. Set goals.
4. Create phases.
5. Outline action steps.
6. Be consistent.
7. Keep your head in the game. Spend time visualizing yourself doing it and what it looks like when you ARE there.
8. Celebrate.
9. Repeat.

In order to create a practice that you love and are in alignment with try this, but be flexible. Because things will change. Stay in tune and set quarterly appointments with yourself to touch base and make sure you still want what you are working towards. If an amazing opportunity comes along and it is in alignment with your vision but not part of the plan, grab it! Because when you get in alignment with your inner drive and self so does the universe. Accept the gifts. And when nothing is going your way and everything is an uphill battle. Re-evaluate. Is what you want in your highest good? 

Be flexible.

Be consisteent

Be curious

Enjoy the process.

Be kind to yourself

Be yourself.

Let me know how it goes!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes! 

And be sure to join my monthly newsletter where I share more support and inspiration for your new career journey.

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If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

Can you practice medicine as a wounded healer archetype?

As children we may have had to read the room before we walked thru it because we were physically or sexually abused by family. We might have learned to know how someone feels by how they moved thru the room or even opened a door. 

We might recognize a parent or sibling on the edge of some sort of meltdown and found that if we do or say something special we could not only get “love”, but also change the potential outcome of that mood. 

We develop “extra-sensory awareness” to survive our situation which later is VERY useful when working as a healer.

We develop “extra-sensory awareness” to survive our situation which later is VERY useful when working as a healer. I often just “know” what points to use. Especially if I palpate and touch someone. I often know when someone feels worse or better than they are letting on because i can feel it in my body. I can feel the second someone shifts when the needles are in because I can feel it in my body. This doesn’t just happen for me in clinic. This happens everywhere. But I use it in clinic. Because it is a gift. If I can keep my panic monster at bay and the imposter syndrome monster quiet, treating patients just flows for me.

 But it is a double edged sword. We have to look for ways to allow those wounds, use our powers to help others heal, all while honoring our own ongoing process of not being perfect yet being perfectly lovable because of it. 

Honor your own ongoing process of not being perfect, yet being perfectly lovable because of it. 

We also need to understand that many humans who were also wounded do not become healers. They become people who wound. Because they were disempowered they crave control and power and often gain that by wounding others. As healers we need to understand that WE are uniquely gifted in helping those wounded wounders similarly heal their traumas and thereby potentially healing others instead of hurting them.

WE are uniquely gifted in helping those wounded wounders similarly heal their traumas and thereby potentially healing others instead of hurting them.

In my experience of working with other practitioners, and being a wounded healer myself i have identified :

Three ways Wounded healers go wrong in practice. 

1. Overcompensation

New practitioners are especially vulnerable to this pattern because they often have a high level of imposter syndrome which is completely normal but our reaction because of our past trauma is not commensurate with the challenge. We tend to over give and try too hard. Or we become frozen and don’t perform the things we know will bring more patients and create more success. 

•  2. Feelings of Low Self Worth
• Why would anyone come see me?
• I can’t charge that much!
• I don’t put them on a treatment plan because I want to earn their trust first.(Letting them decide you are good enough.) I didn’t ask them if they wanted to reschedule.
• I didn’t ask them for a google review even though they were SO happy about getting better.
• I didn’t ask them if they had friends who might like my services.
• I can’t start a practice, I don’t know enough.
• You tend to get Stuck in perfection. It Feels like you are failing a patient even tho they are getting better.
• AND…..  I need to learn more before I can……
• 3.Have a great desire to help but have poor boundaries.
• You give too much.
• Share too much.
• Care more than the patient does.
• Burns out early on.
• Thinks about the patient on personal time.
• Studies for...

What doctoral degree is right for you?

I see you. On facebook, asking everyone what Doctoral program is best. I also see you confused about the difference between a DAOM program and a DACM program.

I invited Phil Settels on today to clear the air. In today’s episode we are going to talk about:

• The differences between the DAOM and DACM programs.
• Why the DAOM is considered the “pinnacle” degree.
• Reasons you may want to choose the DAOM if you are a new practitioner.
• Why the DACM even came about.
• What may or may not be in your best interest with regards to both programs.
• Phil gives a broad overview of the DAOM program at ACCHS.

Today’s Guest

PHIL SETTELS DAOM, LAC., Dean of Doctoral Studies at ACCHS

Phil Settels graduated from ACCHS in 2011. Early on in his engagement with Chinese Medicine, Phil had the opportunity to study with several amazing Shanghan Lun teachers, including Dr. Arnaud Verluys, Dr. Huang Huang and Dr. Suzanne Robidoux. Phil uses Classical Formulas almost exclusively in his own practice and in his teaching.

Phil was brought in to design the curriculum of the ACCHS DAOM program which started in 2017, and he is currently the Dean of Academics. This program was guided by the ideal of what would best serve clinicians while honoring both the roots of the medicine and its development over time, and empowering graduates to be stewards of Chinese Medicine. The program has a dual focus on Classical Chinese Herbalism as well as Orthopedics and Pain Management, with the goal that graduates have increased skill and confidence to treat any patient who walks through their door, whether their condition reflects an internal or a musculoskeletal dysfunction.

Resources

• PHIL’S CLINIC
• ACCHS DOCTORAL PROGRAM
• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!
• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

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If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

can choosing a niche really help get you out of the gate?

For any new health care practitioner choosing a niche can feel really uncomfortable. And honestly, it is not the only way to launch a practice, but it is one way. And a really beneficial way at that!

Listen in while I chat with one of my friends here in Bellingham who launched a medical practice one year ago, chose a niche and built an entire supportive community around that special population.

This is such a beautiful way to support your patients or practice members as JoAnne prefers to call them AND support other like minded professionals also grow their practices.

Prepare to feel inspired!!!

today’s guest

JOANNE BATES D.C., ROOTED IN WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. JoAnne is the owner and founder of Rooted in Wellness Chiropractic in Bellingham, WA. She primarily serves the perinatal and pediatric population. Her passions lie in supporting and empowering women throughout their pregnancy journey and beyond. She received her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College West in the Bay Area and is continuing her education through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) to further her knowledge on all things chiropractic, pregnancy and pediatrics. Outside of the office, she loves getting out and exploring the beauty that is the PNW and playing with her Australian Shepherd, Mozzie.

you’ll learn

• Why and how she chose a niche, and how it affected starting her practice.
• Things she would do differently.
• How having a cash practice is working for her.
• How she talks about money and payment with her practice members.
• How the Bellingham Birth Collective was conceived. (See what I did there?)
• What is next with her marketing endeavors.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!
• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

Acupuncture serving American Indians: Could this be your dream practice?

Are you a new Acupuncturist and you are having trouble putting your finger on the pulse of your career choices?

Here is one you may not have considered.

Join me in this episode where I talk with Michelle Jean Champion LAc. about her journey to serving Indigenous People with Acupuncture and Asian Medicine and how you can similarly make an impact.

today’s guest

MICHELLE JEAN CHAMPION LAC. , LAKE COUNTY TRIBAL HEALTH CLINIC AND CULTIVATE WELLNESS STUDIO

Michelle Jean Champion, L.Ac., M.S.O.M, practices Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, Herbalism, bodywork and teaches classes that empower students with wisdom and tools for wellness. She graduated with a masters of science in Oriental Medicine from Samra University and was licensed by the State of California to practice Acupuncture in 2008. Michelle founded and practiced clinical Acupuncture at Cultivate Wellness Studio in Mendocino County for 13 years. She moved to Lakeport and began serving the Lake County community in February 2019. Her gentle and caring healing arts style is dynamic and provides her patients the ability to ease into sessions, offering profound multi-level shifts towards wellness. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve you, the Lake County Tribal Health community. You are invited to schedule your next Acupuncture appointment with her today!

you’ll learn

• Michelle’s journey to becoming an Acupuncturist and Herbalist for a Lake County Tribal Health.
• How she has educated her western medical team members about Acupuncture and Asian Medicine.
• How she structured her practice, a snapshot of her day and what her business responsibilities look.
• How she negotiated her pay.
• The most common chief complaints she treats and what her patient flow is like.
• How her position has changed and transformed since she started working there.

resources

• Urban Indian Health Institute
• Tribal and Urban Indian Health Centers
• Indian Health Service
• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!
• Follow AcuSprout on Instagram and Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

Enjoy a quick review of my favorite systems!

In this episode I cover my top five software systems to streamline my Acupuncture practice. I use these tools to streamline the business stuff that I don’t particularly love spending time on but are necessary to my practice.

I wanted to share them with you because as a new practitioner you really shouldn’t spend too much time trying to make decisions about software.

You just need to make a quick choice and move your focus to activities that will engage people’s interest and draw them in your doors.

quick links

* SOME OF THESE LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS AND BY CLICKING ON THEM I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION, BUT THEY ARE ALL PRODUCTS THAT I USE AND STAND BY. THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE SHOW!

• *Quickbooks You can get 30% off your first 6 months!
• *Canva is my go to for all of my social media designs, photos for my website, templates for my newsletters and overall branding.
• *Google Workspace is my go to for email, storage for research files, policies and procedure manuals, AND I have also used Google Voice for my phone number.
• Square is the POS system that I like. Do your research on this one! Choosing a POS will depend on your EHR or awesome business bank rates. The reason I chose Square is because not all POS systems will take health savings account cards, but Square does.
• Squarespace is my website provider. I also designed all of my websites. It’s doable!!! Go for it!
• Blue Poppy is my favorite for granules and patents.
• Springwind is my favorite for raw herbs.
• *Horizonwestbookkeeping.com for your free consultation with Sarah.
• *Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get the “Helper Rate” or your first month free!
• GO TO THE TOOLS PAGE TO FIND MORE AWESOME DEALS FOR YOUR PRACTICE.

Mentioned in this episode:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Explore What Jane Has To Offer!!!

introverted marketing 101: how a new acupuncturist can get patients in the door their way

Are you an introvert and new acupuncturist wondering how you are ever going to get patients in your clinic?

Are you afraid that you are going to have to be salesy and social?

Does the word “Marketing” make you want to crawl under your treatment table?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

Most of us don’t come by sales, marketing, networking and being overall entrepreneurial naturally. Especially introverts! This is mostly because historically when we talk about buying something we are also conversely talking about being “sold” to. And that conjures up visions of car salesmen chasing us around car lots.

Guess what! Sharing your skillset and serving people who need you is just another term for sales. It’s all in the delivery…….

The internet has broken this marketing egg wide open for INTROVERTED ACUPUNCTURISTS! There are so many ways to reach the people you want to serve so that they hear you AND you get to be true to your own nature.

In today’s episode I interview new Acupuncturist Heidi Markland about her experience as an introverted new practitioner in a new town and how she has navigated marketing her acupuncture practice. We talk about SEO, networking with kind intentions, picking a niche market and patient retention strategies.

Enjoy the show!

today’s guest

HEIDI MARKLAND LAC., ANCIENT SPRING ACUPUNCTURE

Instagram: @ancientspringacu

Heidi embarked on her journey to better health after experiencing chronic fatigue for many years. She found increased energy and well-being after a family member, that was trained in Acupuncture and herbal Chinese Medicine, treated her with a regimen of herbs and food therapy.

This began a journey of self-study into nutritional healing. The book “Healing with Whole Foods” became a staple that she read from cover to cover. This book introduced many core beliefs of Chinese Medicine and the idea of keeping the body in balance. She finally transitioned from a corporate job to a full-time student at the American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), in Houston Texas.

She fell in love with the beauty and culture of Coeur d’Alene while visiting family over the years. Through prayerful consideration and the new acquaintance of a local acupuncturist, the path forward was clear, and she hasn’t looked back.  Her clinic is now located in downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

you’ll learn

• Heidi has some GREAT SEO tips!
• We talk about some strategies Heidi has used to get patients that don’t feel yucky to her.
• Are you moving? We chat about the challenges of moving somewhere that you don’t know anyone.
• What is it like to have the help of a senior practitioner?
• How to keep costs down in the beginning.

resources

• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get a one month grace period!
• Follow Stacey on Instagram and Facebook
• Visit the TOOLS website page for more new practitioner deals.

Mentioned in this episode:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

If you would like to support the show please consider our sponsors!

Simplified Bookkeeping For Your Acupuncture Practice

Are you feeling confused about how to set up your bookkeeping? 

Confused about what taxes to pay or how much to put away each quarter? 

Do you feel overwhelmed about what software you should or could be using?

 If you are like me you want to understand and learn how it all works but you can’t seem to find the right help. Boy have I got the right person for you! 

It took me a couple years to find Sarah with Horizon West Bookkeeping, and I rode the struggle bus until then. But now my books are in order and I know where, how, and why to budget all of my income to ensure the success of my businesses. 

The best thing about Sarah and her team is that they meet you where you are. She loves to teach but is totally content to take over all of your bookkeeping needs so you can focus on patient care.

 Sarah offers a free 30 minute consultation to all AcuSprout listeners to ensure she is the right fit for your business. You can grab that opportunity at Horizonwestbookkeeping.com/Acusprout .

TODAY'S GUEST

SARAH QUIGGLE, HORIZON WEST BOOKKEEPING

Sarah Quiggle is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and a very detail oriented bookkeeper.  Her love for numbers led her to pursue a degree in Mathematics, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2003. She is very organized and great at problem solving. She loves helping clients find solutions to what is troubling them most in their business.   

She lives in Central Florida with her husband and three children and dog, Scout. She enjoys reading, going to the Disney parks with her family, and listening to true crime podcasts.

Free 30 Minute Consultation!

YOU'LL LEARN

• What to look for in a bookkeeper.
• Biggest mistakes small businesses make.
• Biggest problem you solve.
• 3 Suggestions for new business owners.
• Basic terminology and types of accounting.
• Difference between a bookkeeper and accountant.

RESOURCES

• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz (affiliate link) Game changing book!!!
• Novo I LOVE this online bank. Instead of opening a bunch of separate accounts they allow you to move your money into “reserve” categories within the same account, providing you with a visual snapshot of where your money is.
• Quickbooks is what I use and what Sarah teaches.
• Horizonwestbookkeeping.com for your free consultation with Sarah.
• Jane Electronic Medical Records. Use this link to get your first month free!
• Follow Stacey on Instagram and Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

If you...

TOP TIPS FOR BUYING THE RIGHT COVERAGE

Are you less than excited about researching what malpractice insurance? Not really sure what you should be looking for? Are you confused by the terms and amounts?  Not sure about the terms? How much should you buy? What if you are changing companies?

Buy insurance can be really confusing and it’s one of those foundational choices that you make at the beginning of your career when you don’t know what you don’t know. 

Listen in as Rachel and I cover every detail of buying your insurance. This hour could save you SO much money!

TODAY’S GUEST

RACHEL SCHUMONT, ATTORNEY, OWNER AT COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS

YOU’LL LEARN

• Malpractice insurance is a special type of professional liability insurance that's just for a health care provider. 
• Professional liability insurance covers you if someone states you did something wrong in your professional capacity. 
• More specifically, malpractice insurance covers healthcare providers if there is an incident where a patient is injured or dies. That coverage means financial coverage. It covers the costs and expenses associated with the patient's injury.
• Business liability insurance also called general liability insurance, provides coverage for injuries or damage that someone claims that your business caused that aren't necessarily related to your health care services. An example would be someone falling while in your office.
• License Defense is utilized if your license is being challenged due to a complaint filed at the state level.
• Nose coverage covers you for incidents that happen before you had your insurance coverage in place.
• Tail coverage covers you for when you are terminating your existing policy coverage, but you could still get a claim for malpractice down the road.
• Per Claim , also called per occurrence is the limit that the insurance company will pay per incident during the term of your insurance policy. 
• Aggregate limit is the total amount that the insurance company will pay for multiple claims over the course of your policy term.
• A lawsuit is a claim or an action that’s brought before a court of law for a decision to be made.
• Negligence is failing to exercise the care towards others that a reasonable or prudent person would do in the same or similar circumstances.
  • Did you breach your duty of care?
  • Causation
  • Damages.
  
  
• Factors to take into account when choosing a policy:
  • Amount of coverage based on your personal assets.
  • Can you keep your business afloat if you get sued?
  • Are all modalities covered?
  • Vicarious liability. (Errors your employees make.)
  
  
• Places Acupuncturists are most at risk.
  • Negligence
    • Know the state law standards of practice. Act within scope of practice and duty of care that is owed.
    
    
  • Data security and HIPAA. Protecting data.
  • Disclosing info to 3rd party w/o consent.
  • Failure to take reasonable measures to protect your patient’s electronic records.
  • Disclosing too much information in violation of the minimum information necessary standard.
  
  

CALL TO ACTION

TEXT A LINK OF YOUR FAVORITE EPISODE TO ANOTHER ACUPUNCTURIST!

Mentioned in this episode:

Schedule your 15 minute bookkeepping consultation here!