We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Emily Siy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Emily, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I started my practice almost immediately after graduating with a master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In many ways it was not difficult back then because the costs of running the business were not high. I rented a treatment room from another acupuncturist one day a week and I worked 5-6 days a week at other acupuncture clinics. Starting my own business itself was not difficult but I was working a lot! Within a year of working almost everyday, I was able to fully establish my full-time clinic. Working at other clinics was helpful because it helped me have steady income while also experiencing what it was like to treat in different settings, different clientele and gaining experience.

Some of the things that helped me set up my practice was being very prepared and planning well. I knew all the steps and costs it took to get my licensing and board certifications so while I was still in my last year of training I set aside money, scheduled my exams and made sure I filled out all the paperwork in order to begin practicing as soon as I could.

Before going to acupuncture school I spent almost ten years working in graphic design and retail marketing. This helped me have an understanding of what it took to run my own business and how to reach people in order to have clients. Reaching people in New York City can seem daunting because there are acupuncturists on almost every corner in Manhattan. It can feel like the market is saturated and competitive but I have found that it is much more of a benefit than it is a hinderance. Because there are so many acupuncturists here, I don’t ever feel like I have to serve everyone, which is such a relief! People will find what they need easily and it is more so, my job to distinguish myself from others and be clear about what I offer.

I think one of the biggest challenges in being an acupuncturist is the various ways it can be viewed due to biases in our country. Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese or East Asian Medicine. Because of licensing, which varies state by state, it is often thought of as separate [from Chinese Medicine] or as a stand alone modality. I meet people who think acupuncture is not effective or inferior and on the other end of the spectrum I meet people who expect miracles from it. The truth is, it is just like any other form of medicine. It should be administered over time, and it will work if you follow a treatment plan. The other important aspect that people forget is that Chinese Medicine is a form of medicine that has been practice consistently for thousands of years. It has a longer history and use than the Western Biomedical system we are used to here in the United States. It is not to say one is better than the other. Being someone of Asian descent and Chinese ethnic background it can sometimes be a challenge to see people’s biases come up especially when they are rooted in how they feel about certain cultures or people.

Another challenge in starting my own clinic was building energetic boundaries. I think it can be easy when entering a healthcare but being in what is deemed “alternative” medicine, is there is a tendency to lead with empathy. There is an aspect of wanting to provide “help” to others. In my experience it really requires you to do internal work while also looking at the larger picture. You have to confront your ego, self-reflect and realize you cannot help everyone. For me, this looks like giving patients trauma-informed care and providing a safer place for people to tell me their stories while also educating people on the medicine and how it help them achieve their health goals. I look at the process more as a team effort. This might not be for everyone, and that is also ok.

For those who are considering starting their own practice, I suggest that they do some soul searching on what it is they want to offer and why. Because Chinese Medicine is unique and comes from a culture that we are likely not familiar with living in the United States, it is important to understand the context it comes from and to carefully consider how it is transmitted and practiced. I think its important to consider racial biases and how that relates to how people are able to access healthcare in general and also how acupuncture or Chinese Medicine can be perceived. Having a deliberate mission in providing acupuncture or Chinese Medicine will shape your practice in a way that will make it easier for the people who are meant to come to you for treatment, find you.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am, Dr. Emily Siy, (She/They) a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) and a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) in NY and NJ. My clinic is located in downtown, Manhattan. I am nationally board certified in Chinese Herbology and a Diplomate of Chinese Medicine by the NCCAOM. I received my Masters and clinical Doctorate degrees in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at Pacific College of Health Sciences (PCHS).

I am a child and grandchild of immigrants. I grew up watching my parents run their own business which served an immigrant Asian population in Flushing, Queens. I saw how they helped people while also building a network of care and community.
As a child I had the privilege of having my grandparents take care of me for a number of years. During this time, I was exposed to at home herbal medicine and remedies that my grandparents brought from China. I was also able to receive acupuncture as a teenager. I was always interested in how these medicines worked, while also recognizing that not everyone was exposed to this type of medicine. In parallel, I was also learning more about how racism and discrimination, how it affected me. In many ways, learning about Chinese Medicine was not just about a career but also to understand more about myself and how to exist.

While in acupuncture school, I can remember hearing some of the basic principles about health being echoed and to me in the English while also recalling those same principles said to me as a child, by my parents or grandparents in our language
(Hokkien).

My work in a lot of ways is very personal. It is tied to my journey of establishing identity while also a vehicle for me to reconcile some of the problems in society that create inequalities in healthcare access.

Have you ever had to pivot?

During the 2020 Covid pandemic lockdown, I had to pivot my business to stay afloat. In many ways, being prepared was the biggest help. Though many people could not conceive of a shutdown, it was something I saw ahead of time and planned for. Though I did not know it would be as shocking or last as long as it did, I did plan for it. I ended up spending that time studying for my doctorate and also building up the herbal side of my business. At this time of my practice, acupuncture was the main modality I was using. Not many of my patients were taking herbal medicines but during the lockdown period it became the one of the only ways I could treat patients. I began seeing people virtually and sending them their herbal formulas. I was able to complete my doctoral program in two terms and once I came back to working in-person the herbal part of my practice was also growing.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

During the acute part of the Covid pandemic a lot of people in the Asian American community were facing targeted racial attacks and discrimination. Because I have always talked about my identity and heritage as a part of my journey to this field it became an opening for many people to reach out and connect with me. During this time I organized virtual and in-person workshops for people in the Asian American community to meet and speak about our experiences and learn more about personal safety and self defense. Prior to the pandemic I held workshops and gatherings for women of color to meet and learn about Chinese Medicine techniques and receive ear acupuncture. Creating safer spaces for those who might be discriminated against in healthcare settings was an important part of my practice. Being open and vocal about it, allowed some people to feel more comfortable approaching acupuncture or herbal medicine if they have not really experienced it before.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://emilygraceacupuncture.com
• Instagram: @emilygraceacupuncture
• Facebook: n/a
• Linkedin: n/a
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emilysiy7842
• Yelp: n/a
• Soundcloud: n/a

Image Credits

Photos by Chanel Matsunami Govreau