Sometimes our curious venture into solving our problems lures us to overstep the boundaries we did not realize were important. A need to control pain may leave you chained to pain medication. An attempt to numb life stressors may plunge you into alcoholism. Solving a problem in the immediate moment, could lead us into habits that over time wear on the body and spirit.
Defining addiction has long attracted a medley of explanations—with some leaning towards nature, some nurture, and others towards a perfect storm of both. It’s a complicated subject. Especially when our addiction fueled behavior is seen as socially acceptable, or perhaps even valued.
In this conversation with Randal Lyons, we step into the dark forest of addiction, recovery and Chinese medicine. According to Randal, we need the right language to recognize and treat each patient's different expressions of addiction. We discuss the concept of spirituality in medicine, inviting patients to participate in their healing, leaning on remembrance, and how being present goes a long way in connecting with our patients.
Listen into this discussion on understanding the complexities of addiction and recovery from a Chinese medicine perspective.
In This Conversation We Discuss:
- Randal's journey from a native New Yorker engaging the music scene to practicing acupuncture in Canada
- A non-ordinary reality: How a shamanic experience proved to be a life bridge
- The little synchronicities in our lives
- Spirituality and medicine: “How come we don't see shamanism taught in Chinese medicine today?”
- How does Chinese medicine help with addiction?
- Making bridges in addiction treatment through language; “we're all on the same team”
- Sitting comfortably with the questions and leaving room for the unknown
- Defining and breaking down addiction treatment into 3 principles
- Participation in the healing process
- Healing and remembrance: Our role as guides helping patients find the capacity in themselves
- The emotion of fright, the suspension of Qi, and TAHL (Trauma, Abuse, Heartbreak, and Loss)
- Coherence vs. chaos—and how keeping ourselves coherent and present can help our patients
- The importance of connection and figuring out your patient's language
How can we treat a condition that we don’t even have a Chinese Medicine definition of, or a diagnosis for?
Randal Lyons has helped himself and thousands of others achieve sobriety using Chinese Medicine for the past 27 years. A graduate of Emperor's College, he's consulted for dozens of world-class addiction treatment facilities and has taught internationally.
Currently, his focus is Alchemist Recovery, an online program that creates collaboration among CM practitioners, western doctors, mental health counselors and businesses that are in need of support for those struggling with addiction.
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