Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia MacGlashan.
Julia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m an acupuncturist. In short, I stick people with needles to help them feel better. Even I think it’s bizarre. Most kids don’t grow up thinking “I enjoy sticking people with needles, I’d like to do more of that.” And if they do, they probably don’t become healers. Likewise, most of us don’t decide to become acupuncturists because we’re super healthy and we want to shine our light on the less fortunate. No, we got into acupuncture because, to put it bluntly, we were messed up. We developed various health problems and tried any number of doctors and treatments, and acupuncture was the only thing that helped. It’s the same way that many people end up trying acupuncture for the first time. It’s just that some of us find it so extraordinary that we decide to devote our lives to the vast knowledge and practice of the medicine. And THEN do the light-shining thing.
Has it been a smooth road?
After finishing years of grueling studies in eastern and western medicine, you have student loans up to the wazoo. You’re passionate about your profession, but having no business background… what do you do? Step one: catch up on years of sleep. Step two: freak out. Step three: spend lots of time on craigslist. The answer is really, you will work anywhere that will have you. Because you just need to start working on people. Treat a case of Crohn’s or Hypothyroidism, or Endometriosis. And then treat another. So yes, I will massage people’s feet for minimum wage if it means I can also use one of the rooms to do three acupuncture sessions that week.
I worked at some places that I hated, with people who felt toxic, or whose business practices I disagreed with. But eventually, after that slew of clinics, I found a home. A colleague, a chiropractor, who respects and appreciates my profession for the unique ways in which it differs from her own. Over the last few years I’ve been able to grow as a practitioner in a stimulating and supportive environment. Yes the office still feels bonkers sometimes, but there’s harmony to it. We pay our taxes. There’s less foot-touching.
And working at all of those other places along the way helped me. It taught me to separate whatever was going on within or around me, and just be present with that one person sitting in front of me. Suspect a business owner of massive tax evasion? That’s a problem for later. On the flip side, it’s still hard to not take on my patient’s problems as my own. Because I’ve been there, I’ve felt that pain. But that’s what helps make me a compassionate practitioner. A patient who suspects their partner of having a secret identity who’s running from the law? I do what I can to support them within my scope of practice and then set it aside. We can all keep working on boundaries.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I was trained in Japanese Meridian Therapy, which means that I assess the acupuncture channels that run throughout the body (connecting to your nervous system and all of your organs) to identify which ones are the weakest and which ones are the most stuck. Then by treating those channels, the entire body regulates itself. Compared to other acupuncturists, I utilize more gentle (yet powerful) techniques for folks who are particularly anxious about the idea of acupuncture. Usually, the idea of it is much more intimidating than the treatment itself, and after the first acupuncture point goes in, they shrug and say they didn’t even feel it. Even so, I provide trauma-informed care, ensuring that you know everything I’m doing before I do it, generally why I’m doing it and that you can say no to any or all parts of the treatment. Consent is important!
One of the things I love about East Asian Medicine is that a dozen different people can have the same problem for different reasons. It’s constantly keeping me on my toes and forcing me to check my preconceptions. It also means I get to play with lots of toys. Acupuncture encompasses so many different styles and modalities that there’s something that will work for every person. I use techniques like moxibustion (using herbs to warm acupuncture points), cupping and gua sha to break up adhesions in muscles and improve circulation, tuning forks as sound therapy, ESTIM for folks who want to feel the power of Frankenstein, etc.
At our office, combining acupuncture and herbs, chiropractic, and massage therapy, we provide an integrative environment for the best possible care for each individual. If someone feels better using one of modality over another, we take no offense. We tell people if something is working, keep doing it. It’s your body! We really just want everyone to feel better.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1509 S State St, Chicago IL 60605
- Website: JuliaMacupuncture.com
- Phone: 312-344-1384
- Email: JuliaMacupuncture@gmail.com
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