After two years practising out of her home in Revelstoke, Erin Potter has opened Jade Mountain Wellness & Acupuncture which opened in September in a new retail location on the main floor of the Selkirk Medical building

Erin Potter, R.TCM.P (Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner) is one of several acupuncturists in Revelstoke, but she is now the only TCM practitioner -- a title that denotes the combination of acupuncturist and herbalist.

Potter trained in Vancouver, where she went through a curriculum that starts with western anatomy, and expands through philosophy, Chinese medical culture, acupuncture, herbs, massage and more.

TCM is gaining acceptance in western societies, and Revelstoke is no exception, says Potter. “Even since I’ve started ... studying, which is only about 10 years now, in that amount of time I’ve seen things change quite a bit. It seems more -- I wouldn’t say mainstream -- but at least it’s known and more accepted now than it was, in 2000.”

Her new location in the Selkirk Medical building was the right one for Jade Mountain. Potter says that doctors in Revelstoke who practise traditional western medicine have been been great and accepting, including sending referrals to her.

To put TCM in a nutshell, Potter says it is about restoring a healthy balance in patients through herbs, diet, lifestyle, and other physical treatments. “The diagnostic terms in Chinese medicine are all terms that relate with nature because the body is a micro-system of the universe, which is the macro-system,” says Potter. “In the universe there’s wind, there’s dampness, there’s water, there’s fire and all of this is in the body as well, and, so, in health, everything is balanced, and in unhealth, or when people have a disease, there’s either an excess of something or a deficiency of something.”

Treatments start with an initial consultation and varies from there depending on the patient. Since she started practising in Revelstoke, Potter says she’s built a clientele that comes from all demographics. “In Revelstoke, it’s been really good. I’ve had a great seniors following. I’d probably say maybe 30 to 40 per cent of the people that I see are above 60, and probably as young as 15 are typically what I see.” When she started, she thought she might draw heavily from those involved in outdoor mountain sports, treating sports-specific injuries such as muscular or skeletal injuries.

Potter says doing a little research on TCM is a good way to get a better understanding of the underlying fundamentals and says buying a book or exploring on the Internet can be a helpful introduction. “I think the main barrier is probably just lack of knowledge. The number one thing I get asked is, ‘Does Chinese medicine treat ... ?’ or ‘Have you treated ... ?’ and so, it’s not as well known yet as it could be, or not that it’s not well known, but the details of it aren’t as well known.” For their part, many health plans have come around to TCM. Many extended medical plans cover modalities such as acupuncture or Chinese medicine.

Potter treats chronic health issues such as pain, skin conditions, digestive complaints, psychological and emotional problems, and a variety of conditions that span the health spectrum.

Jade Mountain is located in the former barbershop on the first floor of the Selkirk Medical building. The space has been extensively renovated to include two treatment rooms and a consultation office. Features include original raw brick and lots of Asian inspired details such as Buddha wall hangings, spiral bamboo and other plants. Salvaged antique windows high on the walls bring natural light to the treatment rooms. Jade Mountain Wellness & Acupuncture is located at 101 First Street West in the Selkirk Medical building.