haunani: November 26, 2019, 11:59am
Aloha!
I’ve been feeling the need for a mentor for a few years now but wasn’t sure how to approach this. I graduated in
2011 and have continued to practice since, although the past few years with very limited time and space to do so
(living overseas). Then after listening to Michael’s podcast at Symposium I thought, “yes, that’s it. I just need to
ask.” So here I am. How does one go about getting a mentor? I know there is Sharon W’s White Pine Graduate
Mentor Program but honestly, herbs are not my thing (we move every 1-3 years which makes working with herbs
very challenging, less than ideal).
I do still admire several of my teachers from TCM school. Is it appropriate to contact them and say, “Hey, it’s me.
Doubt you remember me but I’m looking for a mentor.” I also know our field is full of amazing teachers with
experience who I’ve never met before and am open to learn from.
I did take Toby’s Sa’am course via online in St. Louis and have been using it on myself (I technically can’t practice
right now because I live in Okinawa) but my fingers are needle-itchy to get back to treating others. I will be
moving back to the States in summer 2020. I also have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and love the business side of
life. With that said, I have so much to learn.
Any recommendations about how to get/find a mentor? How much should I expect to pay for mentorship?
KristinWisgirda: November 27, 2019, 9:41am
Having a mentor is a great idea! All I have to share is my experience with Sharon.
haunani:
I know there is Sharon W’s White Pine Graduate Mentor Program but honestly, herbs are not my thing
I have taken Sharon’s GMP twice and can’t tell you how invaluable it has been to my practice of medicine overall.
She has made more sense to me than any other teacher. The way she brings the beauty of Classical Chinese
Medicine to life is always, always practical and sensible.
She teaches you to see your patients clearly and helps you practice putting aside information that just isn’t helpful
for the practice of our medicine- like the patient’s storyline, most western medical diagnoses, etc. Thanks to Sharon
I always ask “what do I know for sure about this patient”? The critical thinking she teaches certainly made it easier
to understand and integrate a system like Saam.
She addresses every aspect of practice, including personal habits/belief systems that get in the way of your
practice. She has a whole module on “what you do when you don’t know how to diagnose”. She also has offered 2
x1 hour personal mentorship sessions with her. The biggest takeaway from working with her was really
understanding that my job is NOT to be the best acupuncturist I can be, NOT to study harder and longer, NOT10/01/2024, 13:40How to find a mentor? – Qiological Community
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strive give my patients the most time efficient, cost effective treatments. My job is simply to protect my true
nature. The strongest medicine I have to offer comes from that sacred place.
I am primarily an acupuncturist and secondarily an herbalist. Sharon teaches herb and formulas as a tool for
understanding physiology and pathology. The concepts she presents are very translatable to acupuncture.
She does this with a huge amount of humility, generosity and an obvious love of both our medicine. She really,
really wants her students to understand CM and her teaching.
You can look for mentorship elsewhere, but I doubt that you are going to find a program or individual who has
thought out mentorship so thoroughly and executes it so well.
I’m considering taking the GMP a third time. I am happy to answer any more questions you might have about it.
michaelmax: November 27, 2019, 5:14am
Great question @haunani. How to find a mentor.
It’s not an easy question because first it helps if you can answer for yourself “what lights me up?”
I was lucky to find a teacher in Taiwan, and I learned plenty from him. But part of all that was deciding to throw
myself into an entirely foreign situation and let that teach me something.
I think our clinical encounters are the most profound teacher. And having some kind of sounding board, or group,
or teacher, or someone who can help you to puzzle it out is helpful.
From what I’ve heard part of what makes Sharon’s GMP helpful is the interaction with other students. We all have
a lot to teach each other. So the mentor might not be a person. I could be a group. Or a dedicated course of study.
Indeed if you have teachers from the past who you’d like to reconnect with… then do! It does not matter if they
remember you, it matter if they can see your passion and flame now.
Daniel: November 28, 2019, 2:29pm
Based on your comments Kristin, I just registered for Sharon’s online Clarifying Diagnosis course. Interestingly, I
use almost no herbs in my practice. But I sense nevertheless, this will stimulate clinical development in an
important way. Thanks1
Jeffrey: December 4, 2019, 6:46pm
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haunani:
I’ve been feeling the need for a mentor for a few years now but wasn’t sure how to approach this.
@haunani, this is certainly a noble idea. After all, it is the historic method of the ancients. Prior to the
cannonization of Chinese medicine, or more correctly, the medicine of china as it is pluralistic and not of one
source, mentorship was a prominent model. Now with standards in education and testing things look very different.
There’s no doubt that the ways that each of us finds our teachings, teachers, methods and even mentors in some
cases are to be plural as well. Certainly trying to find, and or signing up with a program is one. M Max’s example
of “finding one” is another and likely an example most opposite to the previous. All are valid and can present the
opportunity for learning, and deepening that learning by having discourse with the teacher/mentor. I did it both the
same and different to the above mentioned. I found ” what lights me up”, or at least i thought so at the time, then
studied and took all the classes that were available. Then in some organic way I suppose, those teachers too me on
as “their student” and I interned in their offices. I consider them to still be my mentors years later. And on occasion
still ask questions when I feel challenged or at a loss.
GOOD LUCK! I’m sure the right situation will find you.
michaelmax: December 5, 2019, 12:22pm
Jeffrey:
I found ” what lights me up”, or at least i thought so at the time,
I think this is part of the process. Something catches our attention, a spark that catches fire. We follow it. It is our
path. But it might not always be our path. Maybe it takes us to something quite different. But we still need to
traverse that path to get to the next thing.
I don’t think it is about finding the “right” teacher, it’s about noticing your interests, curiosities and resistances.
I’ve found that those are reliable tools for navigation on the journey.
haunani: November 17, 2020, 5:39pm
A long overdue response. This has really made me come back to her mentorship program. And thanks to her
interviews on Qiological (thank you @michaelmax), I am really seriously considering it.
Btw, we moved back to the States this summer. I’m baaack but the culture shock is real. I look forward to
reconnecting with this community.10/01/2024, 13:40How to find a mentor? – Qiological Community
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haunani: November 17, 2020, 5:42pm
Thank you Jeffrey. I really do feel it in my bones that “mentorships” post graduation are really lacking in our field.
I wonder if this will change? I also believe, “when the student is ready, the teacher arrives.” Thank goodness I see
all people as my teacher. I guess the mentors are allllll around me. I just need to widen my vision and really
analyze my beliefs of “enoughness” when I feel so disconnected from an Acupuncture community and clients for
so long. Beliefs are our teachers and mentors too, right?
haunani: November 17, 2020, 5:44pm
@michaelmax whether you realize it or not, I see you as a mentor. Your willingness to make Qiological available
has continued to keep me inspired and tuned-in to what lights me up when I feel so disconnected/removed from a
community I use to lean into deeply. THANK YOU!
michaelmax: November 18, 2020, 2:31am
haunani:
Beliefs are our teachers and mentors too, right?
Oh @haunani this is so true! Our experience and willingness to engage it is key.