Alumni – Five Branches University

Newsletter & Seasonal Greetings, December 2020

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 12:23:48 +0000

Seasonal Greetings from Five Branches University

Chinese Medicine to Soothe COVID Anxiety

To put it mildly, 2020 has been a strange and challenging time for all of us here in the U.S. and around the world. One year ago scientists became aware of the first cases of the novel coronavirus, and the global infection rate led to so many months of isolation and permeating fear it is difficult to recall what life was like before. Remember you are not alone if you harbor a deep wariness from this pandemic. Hopefully your anxiety has decreased over time, while you have also stayed vigilant about prevention.

Early on it seemed we were all so anxious about catching Covid from doorknobs and countertops that it was practically debilitating. Of course, the silver lining is we have learned so much about Covid from both a Western and Chinese Medicine perspective. We know now the three W’s of Covid prevention: Wear masks, Wash hands, Watch distance. “But of the three, the most important is wearing a mask,” says UCSF infectious disease expert Peter Chin-Hong MD, who asserts by comparison cleaning your groceries or wiping your iPhone are “just distractors.”^[1]

So we have been masking and distancing and (hopefully) able to remain in acupuncture practice, and thankfully we now arrived at the crisp winter air and sentimentality of the holidays. But our celebrations still need to look different this year, whether with a very small ‘pod’ or completely virtual. The lack of community may be made worse by winter being the season of the Kidney Meridian and its associated emotion of fear.

Fortunately, Chinese Medicine is adept at treating many symptoms of not only Covid infection but the anxiety as well. Even though most of us are avoiding contracting Covid we are absolutely affected by the widespread anxiety within and of our families, coworkers, and on the news.

Here are excellent points to press on yourself or have your acupuncturist needle:

Pericardium 6 and Heart 7

Plus any of the following:

Bladder 11 & 20
Conception 6 & 17
Stomach 25 & 36
Liver 2

Spotlight on Graduates: Arcadia Farber LAc

Arcadia grew up in Marin County, CA, and from an early age was interested in artistic and creative pursuits. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a major in fine art and a minor in sociology, but her life was changed forever after a personal experience of healing from acupuncture.

The clarity and peace she found from those first acupuncture treatments amazed her, as did the versatility of this ancient science. Combining art and medicine suddenly seemed possible, and she enrolled at Five Branches to pursue a new path.

Now an acupuncturist and herbalist with more than a dozen years of private practice under her belt, Arcadia works in two offices in Marin; one is a shared clinic where she rents a room alongside several providers, and the other is an outdoor acupuncture cabana she conceived of when the pandemic hit.

Asked about her new open-air treatment space, she says she herself and also her patients love combining acupuncture with the gentle sounds of rustling wind and trilling birds all around them; a lesson in adaptability. Her words of wisdom for all of us in 2021 and especially to aspiring acupuncturists: “Stay creative.”

Holiday Goji Muffins (Gluten Free)

The famed Himalayan goji berry builds the Blood to increase circulation. From a Western perspective, “Many pharmacological functions related to the eyes, kidney, and liver particularly have been promoted by the consumption of goji berry.”[1] For this treat, whisk together then bake in a greased 12-muffin tin at 350 degrees for about 40 min:

2 cups gluten free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill GF 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
6 oz dried goji berries (available at Whole Foods or Asian grocery stores)
3 oz dried blueberries
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
8 oz maple syrup
3 oz almond milk
4 oz softened butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Want to share your story? Please contact us: newsletter@fivebranches.edu

Happy Holidays!

This year has not been easy by any means, but we’re so grateful for you and our extended community of healers. Our deepest thanks for your continued support, and please stay safe. We look forward to welcoming you soon.

-Five Branches University

Paths to TCM

admin — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 14:30:17 +0000

Whether or not you have a background in healthcare, our program strives to equip students with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture knowledge required for competent care and management of modern patients. Who are those studying at Five Branches University? What motivates them to invest their time in learning Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture? Catch a glimpse of our student and alumni population. Get inspired by the experiences they have and begin where you’re at!

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Jessica Brophy, a practicing occupational therapist at a school district in the SF bay area, envisions her own practice where she can treat patients from the beginning to the end.

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Amy Rupprecht, a practicing doula, finds Acupuncture and Chinese medicine to fill in the gaps of Western Medicine when it comes to birth and postpartum processes.

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A massage therapist for 18 years, Kendra seeks to expand her knowledge and healing tools by studying Chinese medicine and Acupuncture.

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Kelly Lake began studying at Five Branches University with interest to integrate Chinese Medicine into his practice of Martial arts, Taijiquan and Bagua Zhang.

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By practicing Tai Chi (Taijiquan) on a daily basis, Donna Tse maintains high energy levels throughout the day, and recovers quickly from exhausting daily schedules.

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Rachel Silverstone was awarded 1st Place in the Nuherbs 2019 TCM Scholarship Program! She took the opportunity to study at a Daoist temple while teaching in China.

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Maryam Arabpour, Doctor of Pharmacy, explored the different dimensions of medicine by studying Western medicine, Ayurveda, and now Chinese Medicine.

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Sarah Tang, a graduate from UC Berkeley, was intrigued by the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the healthy lifestyle of an acupuncturist.

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Aaron Lee, a Certified Health Coach and Licensed Acupuncturist, shares his experiences treating an athletic patient population.

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Crystal Brooks is a Navy Veteran. Five Branches University makes education accessible to qualified veterans and their dependents.

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Juliet, a former Business Financial Analyst, became a Licensed Acupuncturist and TCM Clinic owner upon graduation from Five Branches University.

Come to Join Our Student Activities

admin — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 15:19:35 +0000

You are welcome to join our student-organized activities on campus. Online registration and a completed waiver form are required prior to participation. You can also reach Admissions Office for assistance.

Student Organized Events

Student Lunch Forums

Our student-organized experience-sharing forums have received much attention and attendance! The event envisions a closer knitted student community where all could benefit from mutual experience and knowledge sharing. Sign up and join this event on Tuesdays at 12:15pm in Orchid Room!

Functional Movement

Our students, alumni, and staff have been participating in Functional Movement sessions coached by Son Doung. Son majored in Kinesiology, and also works as a Physical Therapy Aide (PTA) at the Sutter Health Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “We learn about health every day; we should at least keep ourselves fit and healthy,” Son remarks. Utilizing foam rollers and Thera-Bands, Son leads the exercises, incorporating techniques from his experiences in physical therapy. Sign up and join on Mondays at 12:00am!

Taichi for Everyone

Come learn and practice Taichi with Donna Tse, a Certified Taichi instructor, also winner at Taichi competitions. Taichi is a gentle exercise regimen derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts. It is a smooth, graceful form of exercise focusing on balance, body awareness, and deep breathing. Tai Chi is sometimes known as “meditation in motion”. Join on Fridays 6:00pm ~ 7:00pm.

Follow Our Events

Rhythmic Stretching

No dancing shoes nor dance talents needed. All are invited to come and participate in an enjoyable half hour experience in between lunch break. Fill your being with beauty. Cued by Maryam, students move rhythmically with coordinated steps to the background of Persian music. Join Maryam as she leads students to engage physically with music, inhaling and exhaling with each movement. Do you feel your music?

Five Branches University – Celebrating 30 Years as a Leader in TCM

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 10:35:46 +0000

Thirty years ago, we embarked on an ambitious venture. We founded Five Branches University with a mission to set the standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine education and healthcare in the West. 1984 marked the beginning of an auspicious 60 year cycle on the Chinese calendar, and halfway through that cycle we could not be more proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.

Share Your Story
The story of Five Branches University would be incomplete without your chapter. Please share the impact Five Branches has had on your life, family, and career. We also welcome classic or funny Five Branches photos from the past 30 years! Please email stories and digital images to anniversary@fivebranches.edu or contact (831) 476-9424 or (408) 260-0208.

Five Branches Establishes New Hospital Externships in Vietnam and China

admin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:22:43 +0000

Ron Zaidman, President of Five Branches University and Joanna Zhao, Academic Dean traveled to Vietnam in March to establish two new hospital externships in Saigon and Hanoi, Vietnam. Vietnam has a rich history of Traditional Medicine and is a beautiful country. Our graduate and faculty member, Phu Tran, DC., L.Ac., and graduate Diem Nguyen traveled to Vietnam with Ron and Joanna after helping to facilitate relationships with these hospitals.

Joanna was impressed with the strong integration of Western and Eastern medical modalities. In Vietnam, our team witnessed large numbers of computerized simulation equipment used by students for the study and practice of both acupuncture and herbal medicine. Our team was informed of advanced research being performed regarding the effects of acupuncture on DNA.

Students will be able to join this new study abroad opportunity in Vietnam beginning in 2013.

During the trip, Ron and Joanna made a visit to our new sister college, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Fujian, China, with whom we recently established an agreement for externships and a joint DAOM & PhD(China).

Fujian University generously donated access to the most important TCM database of China for use by Five Branches students and faculty. Carol Wang, DAOM Academic Advisor and Director of Research, facilitated this relationship. While in China, Ron and Joanna were also able to visit Five Branches’ oldest sister college, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, China.

We would like to thank Phu, Diem, and Carol for all of their hard work in establishing these new relationships.