A Five-Minute Speech from a Grateful Heart – 2019 Acupuncture Graduation Ceremony

By Anjulie Mottram

Wow! What an honour it is to be graduating with my amazing colleagues with whom I have shared the most incredible, life-changing journey in learning acupuncture at this fantastic college.

This course has been the most challenging period of study I have ever undertaken, in fact I would say all my previous qualifications pale in comparison to this course.

This course has involved learning the Eastern theory, philosophy and practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (referred to as TCM) and Acupuncture which dates back over 3000 years. We have learnt details of human anatomy and over 300 acupuncture points – their locations, classification, functions and action.

Of course, the focus of the course has been to develop us into acupuncturists “treating disharmony in the body” using the knowledge and principles of TCM. But, alongside TCM, we also studied the foundations of physiology and pathology of disease from a Western medical perspective. We have learnt to scrutinise research and find good quality evidence for acupuncture. Learning in such an integrated way has been so important to be able to relate and explain acupuncture to our patients.

Furthermore, we have been tutored on the highest standards of safe practice, professional ethics and the skills needed to become good practitioners.

In our final year, things got became very exciting as we entered clinic to treat real patients. With the hundreds of hours of practice we put in, our confidence and ability has grown. AND will continue to develop further as we all go on to treat patients in our own practice. The business planning aspects of the course has fully prepared us to take this next step.

Each time a patient tells me of the impact acupuncture treatment is having on their health and well-being I PINCH MYSELF as it still fascinates me how a few tiny needles can have such a profound effect on the human body and mind.

TRULY, WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY MEDICINE THIS IS!!!

I have so many people to thank for helping me get to this juncture.

First of all, I would like to say thank you and express my sincere gratitude to our fabulous teachers. You are all, in my eyes, precious “gemstones”. Each of you have shone your brilliant unique light in helping all of us to understand, develop and grow on this course. Without you, none of this would have been possible.

I would like to thank all the professional admin staff (yes, even though you have left, Pinky, this includes you too) and the clinical assistants. Your willingness, friendly approach and generosity made us feel at home and really cared for…

Finally, without the support of my family and friends I for one would most certainly not be here today.

From the bottom of my heart… Cindy and Edit, my gorgeous friends, I would like to say an enormous thank you for being there for me throughout my studies. Your support has meant so much to me. My bond with you both deepens even further.

And to the two special men in my life, my husband Richard and son Josh, thank you for putting up with me for the last 3 years… and all that Liver Qi Stagnation! I am sorry for all the family weekends I missed whilst I studied… It’s time to make it up xxx. You’ll be pleased to know our walls at home will no longer be plastered with my study materials, diagrams and notes! You’re both my raison d’ d’être and I LOVE YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH XXX.

And to everybody here today: Thank you so much for coming to share this SPECIAL DAY WITH US