Course Descriptions

This course is a general overview of psychology for students of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. It focuses on areas of psychology which provide Chinese medicine practitioners a basic knowledge in the mental health field in order to communicate effectively with other health professionals. This class presents the major philosophies of psychology, as well as the basic clinical conditions most likely to arise in acupuncture practice. Essential to this class is the development of an understanding of when, and to whom, it might be useful to refer patients. The class also emphasizes the mind-body connection, the psychology of stress, and psychological impacts of medical illness. Experiential exercises designed to enhance clinical interviewing skills to gain skillful communication methodologies and specific counseling techniques will also be included.