Acupuncturists Without Borders Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

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Acupuncturists Without Borders

Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

 

A team of acupuncturists from around the country

are setting up a program to work with people

suffering from the devastating psychological (among

other) effects of Hurricane Katrina. This group is

devoted to using acupuncture and the NADA (National

Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol for

treating trauma from disasters and conflict.

 

During the month of September we will be raising

funds, organizing logistics and putting together teams

of acupuncturists who can go to Houston or other

areas. We will implement the program on the ground

as soon as feasible.

 

We will be recruiting Acupuncturists who are

interested in participating in this effort, and we

will be requesting that Acupuncture College Clinics

and Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine related

organizations set up fundraising drives to support

this effort.

 

The things we need most are individuals who can

commit some time to doing Acupuncture Relief, and

funds to support the effort.

 

Contributions, which may be collected through

several national and state Acupuncture and Oriental

Medicine organizations, can be made through the

Acupuncture Alliance by sending checks to Acupuncture

and Oriental Medicine Alliance Attn: Robin-Hurricane

Relief, 6405 43rd Ave. Ct. NW, Suite A, Gig Harbor,

WA 98335 or you can make a credit card donation by

phone (ask for Robin) 253-851-6896

rbeckman. If you are interested in

participating or contributing in another way, you can

contact me at cneipris, or you can

contact the project Director.

 

 

Diana Fried, Director

acupuncturewithoutborders

(505) 417-0152

 

 

 

1. If people are NADA trainers they can

automatically join our group. If they are NADA

certified, or are acupuncturists without NADA

training, we will have a screening process that will

consist of a one-page written proposal we will

request with specific questions (pending approval by

the State Licensing Board). Our main objective will

be to find people who can cope with the difficult

situations, and the trauma, we will face.

2. Our program will initially be based in

Houston. Our expectation is that there will be a call

to send teams to other areas where refugees are

located.

3. We will be setting up a base in Houston.

Riverside Hospital is considering our proposal to use

their facility as a home base. We will also be

contacting the acupuncture school in Houston as a

possible location as well. From there we will go to

the Astrodome or to other locations where we can

serve people directly. We will attempt to have teams

working all day long.

4. We will treat refugees and others working on

the relief effort, including trauma service workers,

doctors, nurses, city officials, aid workers, etc.

5. We will have a web page set up to cover our

activities.

6. Our goal is that team members will stay for

a minimum of one week, and preferably two weeks or

longer. Ideally we will have five team members on the

ground at all times.

7. We will have a supervising team member

available at all times.

8. We will attempt to raise enough money so

that we can cover expenses for all team members,

minimally, and ideally pay for time as well. We will

ask for one week of volunteer time in all cases. We

will propose that those who are in a position to cover

their own time and expenses do so.

9. We will use research tools to measure the

success of our work. This will consist of an initial

post-traumatic stress disorder instrument, and we

will attempt follow up with the same individuals.

Nityamo Lian, who works in acupuncture research and

recently completed a NIH-funded grant which studied

acupuncture diagnosis and treatment of Post-traumatic

Stress Disorder will head the research effort and will

supervise the collection of material.

10. We will be working with State Licensing

Boards to get approval for acupuncturists from around

the country to do this work temporarily.

11. We are working with national acupuncture

associations and will be contacting all state

associations.

 

 

Survivors of traumatic events report acu detox

(NADA protocol) to be useful in alleviating symptoms

of Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder. Trauma and post-traumatic stress can cause

people to dissociate and act out in ways they would

never otherwise do. The NADA treatments are a

powerful way to bring people back to themselves at a

deep level. NADA treatments have the potential to

transform situations from a level of crisis to a

level that is manageable.

 

WHY USE ACU DETOX AFTER TRAUMATIC EVENTS

 

Very EFFECTIVE: The effects are cumulative,

meaning the more you receive it, the longer treatments

last, and the less you need it.

 

Very SIMPLE: No side effects.

 

Very FLEXIBLE: It can be done anywhere with no

special facilities/equipment. It can be easily

integrated into a wide range of settings including

hospitals, clinical practices, outdoor clinics in

developing countries or in natural disaster

situations, while people are waiting for other

services.

 

Very ECONOMICAL: Treatments cost .30 cents or

less per person.

 

Very ACCESSIBLE: Immediate “treatment on demand”

without lengthy intake or wait. Neither does client

have to wait to feel its impact, as relaxation

generally occurs within minutes. Placing needles just

in the ear, recipients can easily receive a treatment

fully dressed (for ex: on the scene emergency workers

who need a break)

 

It can be used on all those who may be involved

in a traumatic incident:

The victims

The mental health staff

The police and emergency personnel attending to

incident

Each other (acu detox specialists)

 

It is a nonverbal treatment. Inability to be

verbal is not an obstacle to getting help. This means

that it is especially useful for:

Those who may not be receptive initially to

verbal counseling due to wanting to avoid the stigma

of mental illness.

Those not able to communicate verbally due to

feeling numb.

Don’t speak the dominant language well, are deaf,

mentally retarded, unfamiliar with cultural norms.

Those not able to communicate verbally due to

emotional overwhelm.

 

Bessel Van der Kolk showed through MRI’s that the

frontal lobes of the brain can shut down in emotional

overload when people get close to their trauma- the

limbic/emotional areas light up and the

Broca’s/speech area shuts down, blocking verbal access

and ability.

 

Those who might not seek out treatment for Acute

Stress Disorder, may be willing to have acupuncture.

Done in groups, it can help break the isolation often

felt after traumatic events. Creating resiliency may

depend on a positive group interaction.

 

 

CORE TEAM BIOS

 

Diana Fried, Diplomate in Acupuncture (NCCAOM),

has many years of experience and training in

emotional/trauma healing work, along with years of

work in international grassroots community

development, including travel and work in Central

America and Africa. She graduated from the Academy

for Five Element Acupuncture (1999), and is trained in

acupuncture detox work by the National Acupuncture

Detoxification Association (NADA). Writer and media

consultant.

 

Laura Cooley is a licensed acupuncturist and

Registered National Acupuncture Detoxification

Association (NADA) Trainer. She is nationally

certified and holds licenses in Vermont and Texas.

Laura served as Volunteer Director of acupuncture

services for the Austin HIV Wellness Center and for 9

years. She has trained over 600 health care

professionals in the use of acu detox, She supervises

programs that use this tool in drug treatment

programs, jails, hospital settings, homeless and HIV

outreach programs for the purposes of drug treatment,

alleviation of trauma symptoms, and stress relief.

Currently Laura is making a video to document the

usefulness of acupuncture in emergency/disaster

situations and creating a training manual for treating

trauma with ear acupuncture.

 

Wendy Henry, a graduate of Pacific College of

Oriental Medicine, and a licensed acupuncturist in New

York, has been instrumental in coordinating

Acupuncture and Wellness programs for trauma

survivors, firefighters, search and rescue workers,

and individuals affected by 9/11. She works for the

Fire Department of New York in addition to her

private practice.

 

Dard Muhammad is a licensed acupuncturist in

Texas. He has been doing acupuncture detox work since

1992. He has done treatments at the Corrections

Center and now works with substance abuse at the

Riverside Hospital. He is a registered NADA trainer.

 

Cynthia Neipris is licensed as an acupuncturist

in New York and California, with certification from

the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association as

an Acu-Detox Specialist. She is the Outreach and

Community Education Coordinator for the New York

campus of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, one

of the largest and most well respected Acupuncture and

Oriental Medicine Colleges in the nation. She

previously served as Assistant Academic Dean at Yo

San University of Traditional .

 

Nityamo Lian is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine in

New Mexico. She is nationally certified in

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. She works in

acupuncture research and recently completed a

NIH-funded grant which studied acupuncture diagnosis

and treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr

Lian is active in promoting acupuncture use in public

health settings. She started a low-income, public

health, pain clinic, and she volunteers at Healthcare

for the Homeless doing acupuncture detoxification for

substance users

 

 

 

 

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Hello everyone,

 

Thank you so much for your incredibly generous offers

to help out with the acupuncture relief effort we are

organizing. We are unable to respond individually to

your emails at the moment. Also, email is far

preferable to phone calls if you need to be in touch

with us.

 

We are in the midst of organizing many aspects of this

effort. As soon as we raise the necessary funds (about

$10,000 to get us going) we will start sending people

to Houston, and eventually to other areas. We hope to

do this within the next few weeks, though it could

take up to a month.

 

Our treatment focus will be on the NADA protocol (5

ear points) to help with the trauma so many are

experiencing. We will work with service workers as

well as refugees.

 

Our most urgent need is for funds. We also have urgent

need of someone to put information onto a website and

to manage the website. We would welcome offers to help

raise cash, in-kind donations of acupuncture supplies,

other supplies (e.g. alcohol swabs and other such

items), airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars,

etc.

 

Funds can be contributed through one of two

organizations:

 

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance

Attn: Robin-Hurricane Relief

6405 43rd Ave. Ct. NW, Suite A

Gig Harbor, WA 98335

or you can make a credit card donation by phone (ask

for Robin) 253-851-6896

rbeckman

 

National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA)

PO Box 1927

Vancouver WA 98668-1927

(360) 254-0186

NADAOffice

<NADAOffice >

All contributions are tax deductible.

 

If you have access to locations where we could set up

treatment areas in any of the cities where there are

major relief efforts please let us know.

 

We will send out a screening form within the next week

for you to fill out as an application (if you are

already a NADA trainer you will not need to fill out

the complete form).

 

We will also make every effort to keep you regularly

updated about our progress. Many of you have asked

about time frames, and we certainly understand the

need to plan in advance. As soon as we go through the

screening process with your applications we should be

able to give you more information, but this is going

to take a few weeks.

 

Thank you again for all your generosity and

commitment.

 

Diana Fried, Project Director

Acupuncturists Without Borders

 

I am only one; but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;

I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

- Helen Keller

 

 

 

 

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