When I wrote Realigning Medicine, I wasn’t trying to crank out another “10 steps to success” manual. God knows we’ve all read enough of those. I wrote it because after 20+ years in the trenches—from broke massage therapist to doctor of Oriental Medicine to professor and consultant—I saw too many good practitioners burn out, quit, or end up hating the work they once loved.
I’ve lived that grind myself. The hamster wheel, the financial panic, the “maybe I should just go back to IT” moments. That’s why I wanted to write something different. Realigning Medicine isn’t about copy-paste business hacks. It’s about building a practice that actually feels like you.
And honestly? The best way to wrestle with the book is together—in a book club with other practitioners who aren’t afraid to get real.
Part One: The Inner Work
The first section is about aligning yourself before you even think about running a practice.
- Chapter 1: The Practice Vision. This is where we do the North Star exercise. What’s your actual dream practice? Not the “me too car” practice you think you’re supposed to build. The conversations here get deep fast—especially when people realize they’ve been chasing someone else’s dream.
- Chapter 2: Emotional and Financial Setpoints. Here’s where it gets uncomfortable. When I first hit six figures, I felt like I was doing something illegal. Your subconscious money and success setpoints will mess you up if you don’t drag them into the light.
- Chapter 3: Avoiding Self-Sabotage. This one’s about the ways we trip ourselves up. I’ve done it plenty—saying yes when I should’ve said no, chasing patients I didn’t actually want to work with, letting fear call the shots. In a group, it’s freeing to admit, “Yeah, I’ve f**ked this up too.”
Part Two: The Outer Work
This is where the rubber meets the road.
- Chapter 4: The Patient Journey. A practice isn’t just needles or adjustments—it’s the whole experience. From the phone call to the follow-up, you’re either building trust or breaking it.
- Chapter 5: Authentic Communication. Stop sounding like every other practitioner on Instagram. “Acupuncture is great, come see me” isn’t a brand—it’s white noise. Talk like you.
- Chapter 6: The Art of Congruence. This is about walking your talk. Does your office, your messaging, your vibe actually reflect who you are? Or are you code-switching into someone else’s skin to please patients?
Why Do This Together?
Because reading alone is too easy to gloss over. In a book club, you’ll hear your colleagues admit things you’ve been scared to say out loud. You’ll see that you’re not the only one who feels stuck, broke, or stale. And you’ll push each other to get back to your North Star.
Realigning Medicine was never meant to be homework. It was meant to be a conversation. And honestly, the best conversations happen when we’re willing to be vulnerable, laugh at our failures, and hold each other accountable to build practices that actually feel like home.
