acupuncture, classical herbal medicine & zero balancing

Happy Spring. It is here! Buds are popping out everywhere.

This is the time of year when fresh new life sprouts up and out of the ground – from dormancy to action. When the yang energy rises upward in the spring there is a risk that it can get stuck, causing stagnation which can show up as headaches or other pain – or emotionally as in irritability or frustration.

Every spring I recommend moving the body – exercise helps your Qi flow. In addition, herbal medicine, acupuncture and Zero Balancing can be of great help.

I spent this past weekend hosting and participating in an advanced Zero Balancing class about the Spirit of the 5 Elements. We learned a few new fulcrums and got into touching a deeper level in the body. It was rather profound. I can’t wait to share my new stuff with you.

If you were thinking you need a treatment to help your Qi move more smoothly, but aren’t in the mood for needles – or just want to try something new – come get a Zero Balancing session. SCHEDULE NOW

What the heck is ZB? I sometimes refer to it as structural acupuncture and it is super relaxing. I use my hands rather than needles to balance structure and energy, working primarily with bone and fascia.

It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with acupuncture. For a more detailed dive into what it entails, check out this post I wrote in 2019:

3-4 May 2025

ZB 5E is a 2 day hands-on, body-mind therapy training, taught by Michele Doucette DC at Vermont Acupuncture and Wellness – 161 North Street in Burlington Vermont.

12.5 CEUs for MT, PT, OT, DC (VT), LAc
Register before March 3 at $325, April 3 at $350, $375 thereafter, $175 repeat

Zero Balancing and the Spirit of the 5 Elements is a two-day advanced Zero Balancing program that guides the Zero Balancer into what in Chinese medicine can be seen as “the neighborhoods of spirit.” The Zero Balancer learns more about the Five Element anatomy underlying the skeletal anatomy commonly addressed in the core ZB protocol (for example, how the spirit points on the bladder meridian are affected by Zero Balancing the thoracic and lumbar spine). It is widely acknowledged that bodywork can touch a person on all levels; physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. In Chinese Medicine the spirit is seen as the unique true self, the self below conditioning, the part of human nature that is inspired by beauty, art, poetry, music, and profound connections to the greater whole. Through the Zero Balancing protocol, and with this expanded knowledge base in 5 Element Theory the Zero Balancer learns to recognize when a client may be having a body-felt experience of a spiritual nature. Such recognition allows the practitioner to stay optimally connected to the client by modifying the rhythm, pace, and depth of touch, and by holding a safe, non-judgmental space for integration and healing. This amplified attention through touch may result in deeper opportunities for clients to access expanded states of balance, health, and wellbeing. New fulcrums are learned and Core ZB fulcrums take on new significance as the true wisdom of the Zero Balancing protocol is further revealed.

Natural salt is an important electrolyte, helping to maintain appropriate water levels in the body. Celtic sea salt contains the 82 trace minerals that the body needs for proper functioning in the forms easiest for the body to absorb. Some of the ways sea salt benefits the body include: regulating heartbeat and blood pressure, eliminating mucus buildup, improving brain function, balancing blood sugars, increasing energy, providing electrolyte balance, building immunity, promoting restful sleep, and preventing muscle cramps.

Most standard iodized table salts that you find in the grocery store are part of the vast amounts of salt that are produced for food and industrial purposes. After the salt is mined from the earth, it is cleaned, a process that removes the trace minerals, and anti-caking agents and iodine (in the form of potassium iodate or potassium iodide) are added. While the FDA considers these compounds safe, those of us who are trying to eliminate additives of all kinds from our diets may prefer natural salts such as Celtic and Pink Himilayan sea salts.

In the office we have Celtic Sea Salt, a finely ground grey sea salt from Brittany France, and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, a course or fine ground pink sea salt, available for sale. Check out the online store.