Rowan Ching

DAHM, DiplAc, LAc

I am a body nerd. As a dancer, academic, and doctor of East Asian Medicine, I have dedicated my life to the study of movement. A line from the classical Chinese medical text, the Huang Di Nei Jing states, “where there is no flow, there is pain; where there is pain, there is no flow.” Movement is therefore fundamental to the cessation of suffering in all aspects of life.

My journey to acupuncture has been that of circular movement. I grew up in both Hawaii and the Bay Area surrounded by family who practiced Asian Medicine. However, I disregarded much of it and turned instead toward Western Medicine. At Bates College, I majored in Dance with a concentration in the study of the human body. I served as the teaching assistant for the Dance Kinesiology and Anatomy class with a focus on injury treatment and prevention, and I did my undergraduate research on the topic of somatics. As I learned more about western somatic practices, I quickly realized that many of these forms had roots in East Asian traditions.

I enrolled in a masters program for East Asian Medicine, and
suddenly many of the traditions I grew up with- drinking ginger tea for colds, postpartum seaweed soup, and never leaving the house with wet hair- all made sense. I felt deep gratitude for memories of my Korean maternal grandfather who incorporated acupuncture into his physical therapy practice as well as newfound respect for my Chinese father who has built a thriving life as a massage therapist.

After receiving my Masters of Acupuncture from the Won Institute in Warminster, PA, I worked as an acupuncturist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia treating staff in the Otolaryngology MDs & Fellows ENT Wellness Program. I also worked as a clinical research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, facilitating neurodiversity affirming mindfulness therapies for autistic adults.

Hungry for more knowledge, I enrolled in a doctorate program to pursue advanced training in pain management, mental health, and treating chronic illness. I received my Doctorate in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from AIMC Berkeley in Berkeley, CA. My dissertation was on acupuncture for post-operative mastectomy care. Moving back to the Bay was very much a full circle moment for me, as I am now able to practice in the community that first introduced me to Asian Medicine.