Acupuncturists from around the country will soon be making their way to San Diego for the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM) annual convention. The 2006 Pacific Symposium, Nov. 2-5 at the Catamaran Hotel, will feature more than 40 workshops from well-known members of the acupuncture community, as well as an exhibit hall showcasing the latest vendor products and services.
Now in its 18th year, the symposium will feature a number of first-time speakers, including Mark Kastner, LAc ("Advanced Needling"), David Simon, MD ("Ayurveda - The Science of Life"), and Paul Schell ("Posture and Pain"). Returning presenters include Alex Tiberi ("Energetic, Strong and Euphoric, Part 1 and 2"), Kiiko Matsumoto, LAc ("Psychosomatic Illnesses, Part 1 and 2"), Jeffrey Yuen ("The Ancestral Vessels") and Lillian Bridges ("The Treasures of the Face"). Acupuncture Today columnists Darren Starwynn, Dipl. Ac. ("Microcurrent Electro-Acupuncture"), Felice Dunas, PhD ("Taking on the Business World"), John Chen, LAc ("Herb-Drug Interaction") and Jake Fratkin, LAc ("Chinese Herbs & Neurotransmitters, Part 1 and 2") are also scheduled to present at this year's event.
Keynote speaker Ted Kaptchuk, OMD, will discuss how man's view of illness and health has changed from the religious traditions of pre-Confucian times to the rational perspectives evident in the Nei Jing. He also will discuss the quality of Eastern medicine care versus the quantitative approach in biomedicine. Dr. Kaptchuk earned his doctorate in Oriental medicine from the Macau Institute of Chinese Medicine in 1975. He is currently the associate director of the Center for Alternative Medicine Research and Education at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Kaptchuk was first involved with the symposium in 1989 and, as a speaker, has always been in high demand. He has written widely on the topic of traditional Chinese medicine, including more than 100 scientific and medical articles and his book, The Web That Has No Weaver.
A highlight of this year's symposium is the Restoration Track, a hands-on series of workshops that provides an in-depth examination of bodywork and massage. The Egoscue method, which corrects body posture and balance through exercises and a variety of stretching routines, also will be featured. For the first time, a series of "Advanced Acupuncture Techniques" workshops is being offered to provide the opportunity to learn advanced needling, palpatory diagnosis, pulse analysis and pain management methods.
Pre- and post-conference workshops will be offered this year on the Wednesday before and the Monday and Tuesday after the symposium. On Nov. 1, Jeffrey Yuen will be discussing the concept of shen in Chinese medicine and how it is the single factor that is the root of all diseases and conditions of life. Shen and its dynamics are rarely taught within the curriculum of traditional Chinese medicine. He will talk about the different aspects of shen and its manifestations, including the concepts of ling, hun, and po.
Lillian Bridges will present "Facial Diagnosis and Shen Healing," an interactive workshop on how to identify the indication of health problems shown by structural changes and markings on the face on Nov. 6 and 7. Attendees who sign up for the workshops also will be able to attend a lecture by Alex Tiberi on "Chinese Medical Pediatrics," which will discuss how to grow your practice by networking through daycare settings, schools and playgrounds, and how to diagnose common childhood conditions, from picky eating to autism.
In addition to the numerous lecture and workshop opportunities, the symposium will showcase more than 50 vendors this year, including Acufinder.com, Bio Essence, Honsa, Blue Poppy, Kan Herbs, Mayway, Golden Flower Chinese Herbs, Lhasa OMS, Carbo Trading, NuHerbs and the Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine.
To find out more about the 2006 Pacific Symposium, visit the PCOM Web site, or call (800) 729-0941.
TrA-2, my primary needle location, I needle 95% of the time and I think it works the best. You’ll know you have the right point location when you discover the muscle twitching when applying electric stimulation.
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