A small group gathers in the parlor on the first floor of The Health Collective in downtown Bozeman, where I practice acupuncture. Sometimes we sit in silence, sometimes there is quiet music playing and sometimes we talk.
Time to receive
What matters most is that these individuals who are caregivers, for 30 minutes on a given day, have chosen to receive – to take the time to care for themselves in the form of acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture for Caregivers is in its second year offering free acupuncture therapy for stress relief 1,2 twice a month. Its free because I volunteer my time and we are fortunate to have the help of a generous donor who pays for supplies.
Serving the underserved
Since becoming a Licensed Acupuncturist I wanted to share my skills with what I believe is an underserved population.
There were two inspirations for this community program. The first was seeing the effects of stress on my mother, the caregiver of my father for a decade. The second was during my internship at the Academy for Five Acupuncture where we gave free weekly acupuncture to veterans and their families.
The truth is I, as the practitioner, benefit from this program, too. The people I’ve met have been inspiring and kind and show their gratitude freely. Plus, it’s also a chance for me to take the time to slow down, focus on my breath and just be.
If you know a caregiver of an Eagle Mount Bozeman participant who would benefit from stress relief, please pass this along.