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 Bastrop, Texas Acupuncture Relief Effort
AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin, www.aoma.edu, with support from Acupuncturists Without Borders, has been offering free ear acupuncture treatments in Bastrop, Texas for people who have been impacted by the wildfires in early September that destroyed 1600 homes.
AWB Managing Director Melanie Rubin traveled to Bastrop on October 5 to document the work of the clinics and speak with the people receiving treatment. The photos and quotes in this email are from that visit.
Burned Pine Trees After the Fires in Bastrop, TX
So far, 6 clinic sessions have been offered, and approximately 80 people have been treated by AOMA students, staff, alumni, and other volunteers under the coordination of AOMA Director of Community Relations, Sarah Bentley.
AOMA/AWB Treatment Clinic in Bastrop, Texas
Terry and Lynn Kirby lost their home during the fires.
Below are some of their comments after being treated:
(From Terry)
We've been through a lot. We lost our dream house that we built and then lived in and raised our family in for 13 years. Before we even bought that land, we used to go there and sit in a particular place in the pines and think about how we wanted to live there someday. It had a very special energy.
So, there are layers of sadness with the loss.
I wake up now and realize all of a sudden that I'm not in my bed, in my house, and it hits me like a ton of bricks in my chest.
Terry Kirby relaxes during an ear acupuncture treatment in Bastrop, Texas
(From Lynn)
The thing that is hardest in some ways is thinking about the animals on the land. It's been so dry this summer and the animals didn't have enough food or water - so we were feeding them. I know people say you're not supposed to - but we did. And the deer and turkeys and birds would come right up to the house.
The first time they let us go back to our land after the fire, one of our metal bird feeders was still hanging in a tree. The tree was completely charred, and the bird feeder was burned, and there was no food in it or anything. But the birds were all collected there. They didn't have any other place to go. (crying) It was really hard to see.
Lynn Kirby receiving an ear acupuncture treatment from AOMA Graduate Becky Peters
Right After Treatment
(Lynn)
I hope this treatment will help me sleep. I feel so relaxed now after treatment. Right after the fire my mind was just racing and racing all the time.
(Terry)
I feel really relaxed now, and I hope I'll sleep well tonight.
Several Days After the First Treatment
(Lynn)
That night after treatment I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open. I yawned the whole way home and slept like a baby.
(Terry)
After the treatment I wasn't as tired as Lynn was but my mind slowed down a lot.
(Both)
We are planning to go back for another treatment this week. We believe other people who lost their homes could benefit from being treated because it is so relaxing. If they asked us, we'd say "Don't be afraid of it. It was a wonderful atmosphere and a wonderful treatment."
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Scott Arbuckle is a Firefighter and Fire Dispatcher for the Austin Fire Department. Below are some of Scott's comments after receiving treatment:
I take the 911 calls and Dispatch Fire Resources for the Austin Fire Department. When people call in with fire emergencies often they are very upset and not thinking clearly. Of course that's understandable. Regardless, it can be challenging sometimes to get the information we need to be able to dispatch the right kind of truck, crew, and equipment to stop the fire. So, it's a very stressful job. You want to be able to help them, and do your job, but communicating with people who are reporting a fire can be pretty hard.
Recently we took a lot of overflow calls while the wildfires were burning in Bastrop and that was a very difficult situation because people were losing their homes.
When I'm off from work it's very important for me to decompress so I don't carry that stress around with me. This was the first time I've had acupuncture and the treatment was provided for free. There was a little pinch when the needles went in (five needles in each ear), but that went away quickly and then it was very comfortable. I felt relaxed and refreshed during and after the treatment. That night I slept like a baby - actually much better than usual. And there haven't been any negative side effects from the treatment since.
I think this type of treatment is something a lot of firefighters could benefit from to help them decompress from their work.
Scott Arbuckle Receiving Treatment
Additional clinics will be offered at the Kerr Community Center in Bastrop under AOMA's coordination on Wednesday evenings, October 19 and 26, from 6 - 9 pm, and Saturday mornings, October 22 and 29, from 9 am to 1 pm.
AWB would like to thank AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, www.aoma.edu, Sarah Bentley, Meera Hoffman, and Stuart Bailey for the school's generosity and assistance in hosting AWB's two-day training October 22 and 23 (see below), and for their service in organizing trauma recovery clinics in Bastrop. Special thanks to all the students, alumni, faculty and volunteers for their work in the Bastrop clinics.
AOMA Volunteers at Bastrop Clinic Wednesday Night, October 5 (from left to right)
Claudia Voyles (acupuncturist), Robert Laguna (faculty), Meredith Colgin (student), Cori Frels (student),
Gina Wu (student), Sarah Bentley (staff).
Not shown but seen in previous photos, Becky Peters (AOMA alum).
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AWB Training at AOMA October 22 and 23
On Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin, Texas will host AWB to present a two-day, 15 CEU training,
"Healing Community Trauma:
How to Do Acupuncture in the Field for Traumatic Events."
This experiential program will provide trainees with the clinical and organizational skills and information needed to set up and run a local disaster relief effort, or launch a community clinic to treat stress and PTSD.
Additional discounts apply for students, staff, faculty, and alumni of AOMA and for members of the Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. If you qualify for these additional discounts and wish to register, please call AWB by October 14,
505-266-3878.
AWB has extended the earlybird deadline for registration to October 15!
For more information, fees, and to register online, visit:
www.acwb.info
Thank you to AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, www.aoma.edu, and to the Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, www.taaom.org, for their help in getting the word out about this training!
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Opportunity for AWB Trainees to Participate in Bastrop Clinic October 24 On Monday, October 24, 2011, after the AWB training at AOMA October 22 and 23 (see above), training registrants may participate in a clinic to help provide free treatments for people affected by the Bastrop fires. The clinic will run from 9 AM to Noon, with the last treatments begun at 11:30 AM. The location is yet to be determined. Trainees may volunteer on a first-come, first-served basis. Only people who have an acupuncture license and liability insurance in the state of Texas may treat, but other volunteers will be needed. This will be a great opportunity to see how a field clinic for trauma recovery operates!
For information contact |
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In the Spirit of Service,
AWB Staff
Diana Fried, Executive Director and Founder
Melanie Rubin, Managing Director
Henrietta Duran, Administrator
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