If you don't live near us, you have several options for finding a qualified TCM doctor. 

• First of all, most states in the US have a board that licenses Acupuncturists. It's easy to go online or call to find out if a practitioner is licensed in good standing with the state. The Maryland Board of Acupuncture can be found at http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/bacc/.
• Another way is to contact your local Acupuncture College or University. They will help you find a practitioner in your area. The college Mr. Landers graduated from in Houston, TX, called the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, can be found at www.acaom.edu. In the Baltimore are, Tai Sophia is the local college, and can be found at www.tai.edu.  
• You can also contact Acupuncture professional organizations in your state. National organizations should also be able to direct you to a licensed practitioner in your area.  One national organization can be found at http://www.aaom.org/ while the Maryland organization can be found at http://www.maryland-acupuncture.org/.
• Finally, you can check with NCCAOM (the National Comission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine).  They have a national searchable database of practitioners who have received "Diplomate" status with their organization which can be found at www.NCCAOM.org.

How do I find a good Tàijíquán Teacher in my area?

Finding a teacher can be tricky. How do you know if you have found a reputable one? How do you know if they will instruct you in the art that they claim to teach? Here are a few quick tips on finding a good teacher:

• Avoid teachers who charge significantly more than most of the other teachers in that art.
  Avoid teachers who insist that you sign a contract without being able to attend a class to see what you are learning. Avoid teachers that are overly-secretive about their art.
• Look for teachers with whom you have a good rapport
• If you have health problems or disabilities, look for a teacher that will help you learn despite your problems, without singling you out.
• Look for teachers who spend their time promoting their art, not trying to tear down others
• Look for teachers who know the first names of every one of their students
• Look at the kind of students this teacher attracts. Are they a rough-and-tumble bunch of hooligans? Or are they there to better themselves?
• Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for complaints about prospective teachers
• Review your own motivations – if you want to learn how to fight, try the army or the police academy. If you want to learn an art through which to better your mind, body, and soul, then you should try Tàijí or some other martial art.

There are a number of qualities to look for in a good teacher. When trying to find a good martial arts instructor, you may want to consider this list:

• They have good communication skills – don’t get me wrong, many of the best martial arts teachers don’t speak English very well, but that doesn’t mean they cannot communicate. Good teachers can always get their point across.
• They want to be a good teacher – they are always learning new and better ways to teach
• They have a positive attitude – they teach by means of reward incentives more than punishments
• They respect their students
• They know their subject matter – their lessons are organized
• They can teach for various types of learners – by explaining to those with strong audial skills, showing those with strong visual skills, and walking those with strong kinesthetic skills through what they are teaching.
• Last, but most importantly, they must have what the Chinese call Wŭdé (武德), or martial arts ethics. Many people believe that Wŭdé is only for older martial arts practitioners who live by a “code of honor.” But the truth of the matter is that learning any martial arts comes with a responsibility for correct conduct. Any martial arts teacher must have a sense of fairness, justice, personal honor, and honesty.

Dr. Daohe Fang -- Annapolis, Maryland

108 Old Solomons Island R. Ste U6

Annapolis, MD 21401

(410) 224-0084

Dr. Fang and Dr. Baisong Zhong (from ACAOM) were room-mates in Chengdu University, where Dr. Fang served as an assistant professor.  Dr. Fang is a treasure to Annapolis, and possesses a wealth of TCM knowledge.

 

Jing Ying Institute -- Arnold, Maryland

Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. #6
Arnold, MD  21012

(410) 431-5200

info@jingying.org

www.jingying.org

Jing Ying Institute is a community-minded, friendly, up-beat school where one can go and learn Chinese martial arts from excellent instructors.  If you live in the Arnold/Annapolis area, there's no better place to go.  Sifu Sean Marshall specializes in Chen-style Tàijíquán, and often has masters from Chen Village as guest instructors.  Truly an excellent school.

American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine -- Houston, Texas

ACAOM

9100 Park West Dr.

Houston, TX  77063
(800) 729-4456 (toll free)
(713) 780-9777
Fax: (713) 781-5781
info@acaom.edu

www.acaom.edu

The American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is an excellent resource for those seeking inexpensive acupuncture treatments.  Student interns perform the acupuncture under the supervision of highly trained, licensed clinicians.  The clinicians all have a variety of specialties offering students a diverse clinical education.  Here are some of the staff and their specialties:

Yanfang Liu -- Herbal Medicine/Women's Issues

Bing You -- Sports Medicine/Pain Management

Lin Jai -- Acupuncture/Tui Na

Kaixun Liu -- Cardiology/Gerontology (Problems of the Aged)

Tao Ma -- Internal Medicine/Herbal Medicine

Yaping Zhang -- Ob-Gyn/Herbal Medicine

Baisong Zhong -- Pediatrics/Autoimmune Diseases

If you have a problem that falls under one of their specialities and you don't mind a student performing the actual acupuncture, you should call and make an appointment.  Be sure to ask for a day when the clinician who specializes in your particular problem is working.

Jill Marie Kleiber

The Right Touch
9 Hollyhock Lane
Wilton, CT 06897
203.210.7174
http://jillkleiber.com

Jill Marie Kleiber attended the Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin (AOMA) where a rigorous four year post-graduate program earned her a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM). This training encompassed all aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including: nutrition, meditation (qi gong), herbology, and acupuncture.

Focusing on musculoskeletal disorders early on, Jill became a nationally certified practioner of Tuina (Chinese massage) as well as becoming a registered massage therapist in 2003. She was invited to teach tuina classes at the academy with Dr. Yongxin Fan and spent the next few years focusing on pain management at a clinic that integrated massage, acupuncture, internal medicine and chiropractic care.

After becoming a Licensed Acupuncturist, Jill Marie practiced at Light Family Acupuncture in Austin Texas, a practice which specialized in all aspects of women's health including: fertility, pregnancy, menopause and beauty. Here she developed her passion for working with pregnancy and fertility.

After a dream contract in 2007-2008 as an acupuncturist onboard the cruise ship, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, Jill returned to her native Connecticut to open her own pregnancy / fertility private practice.