We recently connected with Felice Chan and have shared our conversation below.

Felice, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

The defining moment in my professional career was when I decided to take a 180 spin on medicine. I was always medicine inclined ever since I was a child. I had an obsession with medicine and spent my summers in middle and high school shadowing doctors, observing surgeries, and learning about healthcare. I studied neuroscience and pre-med in undergrad and worked in a hospital for a couple years afterwards as that was the trajectory outlined for me to become a doctor.

I grew up on Hong Kong, where medicine is very much westernized. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was not highly sought out and to find it we had to know a TCM “uncle” or practitioner who practiced not in the main city centers of Hong Kong. My parents, also Chinese who grew up in Hong Kong, did not expose me to acupuncture as a child. However , TCM was integrated into my household as a kid with nutrition, soups, herbs, and a way of life.

When I was working at a hospital in Boston post college, I had an epiphany or essentially a spiritual awakening that lead me down the path of holistic health. In the hospital I was seeing that most diagnosis was compartmentalized and the body was not assessed as a whole. I was yearning for a medicine that also looked at the root cause and TCM was the medicine I wanted to study. It was my childhood, it brought back so many memories and also aligned with my values. TCM recognizes emotions and the soul as part of our pathology, which is so integral to us being humans.

I decided to move to Los Angeles to study TCM at Emperors College for 4 years and the rest is history. Everyday I see how beneficial and effective TCM is and I am so glad I made the shift.

Felice, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and Acupuncturist in Los Angeles. I am originally from Hong Kong and have a background studying neuroscience. I got into TCM when I had a realization that I wanted to practice a medicine that is more holistic and that addresses emotions as one main driving factor for most pathologies. The spirit is essential in TCM and helping patients in my clinic, I am able to see that their mind, body, and soul eventually align. In my practice, I see all sorts of pathologies, you name it and TCM can probably help with it. I look at imbalances in a person that cause pathologies they suffer from, ex. back pain, infertility, hypothyroidism, weight gain, hormonal issues, acne, neuropathy etc, and with acupuncture, herbs, lifestyle therapies, Chinese nutrition, and other TCM modalities, I am able to help shift their imbalances back into balance. I look at the body as a whole and see what organs or meridians are out of balance, that need shifting back into place.

I believe what sets me apart from other doctors is that…

1. the medicine I practice is holistic and is based off 3000+ years of tradition, therefore it is effective

2. I have a background growing up in Hong Kong with the understanding of Chinese medicine, and I also studied neuroscience, giving me an East/West knowledge of the body

3. I am passionate and want to spread the medicine to as many people as possible, whether it is in my clinic or through social media

4. This medicine works and I stand by the power of TCM. No matter how many people do not understand it/ will see it as “voodoo” medicine, TCM is a science that is intricate and effective

I am most proud of sticking with my passion and  taking the shift from Western to Eastern medicine. I remember sharing with the doctors I worked with in Boston that I was taking a shift and leaving to study TCM/acupuncture and not one doctor understood why nor gave it the time or thought. My parents initially were also weary about the idea as “western” medicine was all I studied before moving to Los Angeles. However, with my passion, my hard work, and my compassion for others, my parents and family supported this shift.

As much as external professional and family validation helped, what drove me the most with feeling aligned with my decision at the end of the day and feeling lighter and brighter than ever. My excitement drives me everyday and I am committed to learning for the rest of my life and forever being a student with this medicine. TCM is a vast medicine full of a wealth of knowledge and I am eager to keep learning more and more, for the purpose of helping others.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Being confident in what you do is most important as a Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncture. The medicine is so powerful and sometimes not being able to see the tangible proof can make a practitioner feel imposter syndrome. We have to trust the process, trust the medicine, and trust our intuitive abilities!

As a medical practitioner, we also cannot take things personally if and when a patient decides not to return. A persons health journey is so personal and when they are ready and open up for an alternative medicine that isn’t fully understood by most, they are taking bounds and leaps to find help. Compassion, kindness, and active listening is essential. People want to be heard and given the time to heal.

Also, knowing that this medicine is not a quick fix and that consistency is key! Wellness and health is not a one stop shop, but takes a lot of effort, time, and patience.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Being transparent, candid, and sharing the wealth of knowledge this medicine has to offer. Through my social media, I have found that patients are endlessly curious and are seeking ways to live happier and healthier Being transparent, candid, and sharing the wealth of knowledge this medicine has to offer. Through my social media, I have found that patients are endlessly curious and are seeking ways to live happier and healthier lives. With little tips that help someone take control of their health, ex. a acupressure point for headaches, they feel empowered to heal. People are craving new solutions that is not “here is a pill to fix this”. Pharmaceuticals are merely a bandaid, though necessary at times, however very much over prescribed. With TCM, we get to the root of the issue, therefore helping numerous symptoms down the line.. With little tips that help someone take control of their health, ex. and acupressure point for headaches, they feel empowered to heal. People are craving new solutions that is not “here is a pill to fix this”. Pharmaceuticals are merely a bandaid, though necessary at times, however very much over prescribed. With TCM, we get to the root of the issue, therefore helping numerous symptoms down the line.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.feliceacupuncture.com/about
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felice.acupuncture/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felice-chan-b57a69ba/