While Gathering Recliners

A blog post by Manchester Acupuncture Studio's Andrew Wegman about the simple and important connections made while building and running a community acupuncture clinic.
Originally posted on the website of The People's Organization of Community Acupuncture:
https://www.pocacoop.com/prick-prod-provoke/post/while-gathering-recliners

There seems to be some real momentum starting to move forward prepping for a secondManchester Acupuncture Studio clinic here in southern, NH.  For my part this weekend, I'd been out picking up recliners from folks selling their unwanteds on Craigslist. And I'm remembering how much I love the recliner gathering part of opening a clinic.

I don't know if it's simply Glorious summertime in New England, but I'm getting to meet folks who are clearly looking for a connection of some sort - a chance to offer a pat on the back, share a story of two, or making an extra effort to see the recliner off safely.  All to a person, simply show genuine interest in the acupuncture clinic the chair will be working at and the marvel that it fit in the back of my wife's Prius.  

It's been a real treat meeting a kind couple with a rust-colored recliner who happened to know of regular estate sales who will normally have recliners for 'next to nuthin'.  She'll be keeping me in the loop for future reference.

I was equally happy to have met the older man with a red Lane recliner, who's son 'didn't want it any more' who's recent attack of Bell's palsy got him a referral to his local Community Acupuncture clinic in Concord, NH. The last chairs of the day were delivered by a generous Dad with a big truck who lived across town from the clinic, who insisted making a trip so I didn't have to make a second one.  For his troubles, he got to see where his chair will seat many happy fannies.

One could make the observation that our clinics are simply spaces for connections to made; person to clinic, person to new friends and staff and fellow clinic-goers and of course, person to themselves.  I'm remembering the process of gathering for the creation of these spaces, is openly representative of the connections to be made, and a lot of damn fun!

an Acupunkik Oath

Shared by a comrade from Poke Community Acupuncture in Vancouver, B.C.


Because acupuncture does not have to be 
expensive in order to be effective ∂ Because
military budgets balloon while health care is 
cut ∂ Because nothing breaks through the
isolation of pain, illness and depression like 
healing in a room with other humans ∂ Because
our favourite way to spread the word about how 
well acupuncture works is to make it available to
people ∂ Because we are pleased to challenge 
the notion of value being attached to price
∂ Because there aren’t enough spaces where 
strangers switch off cell phones and slumber
side by side ∂ Because for thousands of years 
acupuncture has been practiced in groups ∂
Because returning acupuncture to its roots makes 
us the happiest of humble radicals ∂ Because
the vast majority of us love our work so much we 
couldn’t imagine doing anything else –
We are a part of the community acupuncture movement.




Creative Commons non-commercial share-alike Canada license

Nice weather for biking, if you're able

pregnancy and community acupuncture research

Do you love acupuncture and PCA?
Are you currently pregnant or less than one year postpartum?
Has acupuncture changed your life?
Are you interested in the future role of acupuncture in conventional medical care for pregnant women?



Grace Chow, A Brown University Medical student is doing research this summer on pregnancy and Providence Community Acupuncture.  She is seeking PCA patients to share their stories with her.


Interview subjects will be compensated for their time with a $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com.
Participation in the study is voluntary. Refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of
benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You will still receive acupuncture care at Providence
Community Acupuncture. You may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss
of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.


Please contact Grace for more information at 516-448-9235 or grace_chow@brown.edu.

Teacher Appreciation Summer Special

$10 treatments for teachers from Friday, June 22 through July 4.

If I Could Teach You, Teacher
If I could teach you, teacher,
I'd teach you how much more
you have accomplished
than you think you have.
I'd show you the seeds
you planted years ago
that are now coming into bloom.
I'd reveal to you the young minds
that have expanded under your care,
the hearts that are serving others
because they had you as a role model.
If I could teach you, teacher,
I'd show you the positive effect
you have had on me and my life.
Your homework is
to know your value to the world,
to acknowledge it, to believe it.
Thank you, teacher.
By Joanna Fuchs

Of promos, POCA, and proletariat. TWO-FOR-ONE SPECIAL THIS WEEK!

Tuesday, May 1st, get a free treatment if you sign up to be a member of our new cooperative, POCA, The People's Organization of Community Acupuncture. Takes probably 5 minutes, and all info is at the front desk. Unless you'd like to read more here.


This day happens to be May Day. We're celebrating the end of winter, if a very mild one, at PCA, and the beginning of warmer weather and more fertile and active times. A very important time to get regular acupuncture to help re-awaken the body and to keep things free-flowing.


May Day is International Worker' Day. We helped start the Community Acupuncture movement so that
people with working class jobs and working class incomes, our friends and family that is, could afford quality natural healthcare. We also believe that most illnesses we treat stem from stresses associated with the struggle to balance work and self-care. We want to do all we can to see that self-care wins, In our world, that's revolutionary. So please join us: for a free treatment for yourself or friend, and in making the People's Organization of Community Acupuncture a strong and sustainable advocate for affordable healthcare for all.


And here's a funny and very serious link about work and stress:

Join Our Cooperative !

PCA is part of The People's Organization of Community Acupuncture. And, NOW, YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER of our cooperative!. The more of you sign up, the stronger we'll be as a clinic and as a now international movement to make acupuncture more affordable and effective. If you're still wondering why you should become a member, our top ten reasons are below. 

In short, you are the reason we exist, and we want to do more for you and give you the opportunity to have more of a say.


1) To keep acupuncture affordable here in Providence.
2) To get connected to a now international movement and join one of the most fun
and hard working bunch of people you'll ever meet.
3) To help us create community acupuncture clinics in parts of the country that desperately need them.
4) So that you can have more of a say in how we do things.
5) To help create more jobs for acupuncturists in Rhode Island and beyond.
6) To get three "First Treatment Free" cards for use at any clinic.
7) To receive a free birthday treatment every year.
8) To participate in occasional fun-having at the clinic.
9) To find volunteer opportunities within our clinic and within the larger organization.
10) To help provide a working model for sustainable, ethical, and affordable healthcare practice.
11) To receive a subscription to our monthly newsletter, Sticking Together.


I know that's actually eleven reasons. And, there's actually lots more. You can find all the info
and sign up at the clinic.


 By becoming a member you're not committing yourself to any extra work or participation, but you are giving us a huge hand in resource and spirit by supporting us in doing what we do.