Qiological Shoptalk

Sports acupuncture isn't just for two-legged athletes, competition dogs need the same careful eye, just read through a different lens, and the signs often show up as quirks and behavior shifts long before anyone calls it an injury.
In this episode, we sit down with Kathy Murphy, a veterinarian and certified veterinary acupuncturist, to explore treating canine athletes through Chinese medicine. We unpack qi versus blood deficiency, why aggression and food-pickiness can be diagnostic clues, and why pulse often reads truer than tongue once treats and training enter the picture.
We also dig into the handler's role in recovery, what real rest looks like, and why setting expectations matters as much with four-legged patients as two.
Getting a competition dog back to the work it loves isn't about one perfect needle, it's about reading the patterns and giving the process the time it needs.

Acupuncture and Western medicine don't have to speak different languages. Practitioners who understand both can offer something neither tradition delivers on its own.
In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Chi-Chi Tang — physiatrist, former St. Louis Rams team physician, and acupuncture practitioner — to explore what a sports medicine lens brings to needling work.
We discuss why palpation is missing from most medical exams and what that costs clinicians, how myofascial chains may be doing the work that meridian theory has described all along, and what the fascia reveals about why acupuncture works.
We also explore posture assessment, nerve anatomy, the Stecco family's fascial research, and why the greatest tension in the body is often far from where the patient feels pain.
Finding the source isn't always obvious. Sometimes it takes learning to read the body in ways that Western training alone never quite teaches.

Sports medicine isn’t just about elite athletes. Many of the same principles apply to everyday patients recovering from injuries, surgery, chronic pain, and repetitive strain. As practitioners, we’re always looking for ways to support healing while working with the body’s natural recovery processes.
In this conversation, I sit down with Laura Christiansen to explore microcurrent therapy and its role in acupuncture practice.
We discuss the differences between traditional electroacupuncture and microcurrent, why more stimulation isn’t always better, and how gentle electrical currents may support healing, tissue repair, and cellular energy production.
We also explore the relationship between fascia, meridians, ATP production, injury recovery, and nervous system regulation, alongside practical strategies for integrating microcurrent into clinical care.
Supporting recovery isn’t always about pushing harder. Sometimes it’s about giving the body the resources it needs to repair, restore, and return to function more effectively.

Sports acupuncture isn’t about long treatment plans or complicated theory—it’s about precision, trust, and results athletes can feel quickly. True mastery comes through repetition, refining the fundamentals until assessment and treatment become second nature.
In this Shoptalk, we sit down with Whitfield Reeves to explore what it really takes to work with athletes through a Chinese medicine lens. We unpack the importance of palpation, speaking anatomy instead of abstract theory, and creating immediate changes through movement, strength, and function.
We also explore how trust is built through outcomes, why precision matters more than complexity, and how mastery requires focus, repetition, and letting go of distractions.
Real progress isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the fundamentals exceptionally well.

Pregnancy care is often approached with caution, yet it reflects overall health—not something to fear or avoid. It’s not about rigid rules or avoiding certain points, but understanding the body and responding with intention. True care isn’t about doing less—it’s about using the right tools at the right time.
In this Shoptalk, we sit down with Deborah Betts to explore pregnancy care through a Chinese medicine lens. We unpack the difference between foundational treatments and specialised care, and reframe “forbidden points” as tools for labour preparation—not limitations. Even simple treatments can offer meaningful relief for nausea, back pain, and reflux.
We also explore the importance of palpation, individual diagnosis, and follow-up—building confidence through real outcomes, not just theory.
Real progress isn’t about complexity—it’s about precision, supporting the body so it can do what it’s designed to do.