We’re excited to announce that Acupuncturist Kelly Chan, L.Ac, MSTCM, (she/her) has joined the Olo Acupuncture team. Kelly comes to Olo as an extremely thoughtful practitioner with a highly skilled touch. Her needling, though, was just a small piece of what really set her apart in a very competitive round of applicants, and we are so grateful to have her on the team. 

Kelly is taking over Access Hours—our Queer BIPOC-centered shifts—on Wednesdays from 9 AM to 2 PM, as well as Friday Afternoon’s Community Acupuncture shift from 2 to 7 PM. 

Below is an edited conversation we had to introduce her to the Olo Acupuncture community. Her complete profile is available on the team page.‍

Hi Kelly, can you tell us about what led you to Chinese Medicine and to pursue acupuncture as a career?

I became an acupuncturist because I felt the need to better connect with my body. I’ve lived much of my life identifying as a writer. When I devoted myself to research, writing, and editing, I found it very easy to engage with the world on a pretty cerebral level. As I got older, I became more curious about what my body was telling me, and how I could perceive so much information about myself and the world through my body.

‍That is interesting. Many acupuncturists are introduced to the medicine through a personal health concern or through that of a friend or relative. It’s nice to see that there really is a range. But there is a big step between that and committing to it as a profession. How did you get to that point?

A few things helped me say yes to this path. One was intellectual interest—I was starting to open up to Eastern philosophy after having mostly read Western philosophy. Another was the joy I always felt when I spent time interviewing people and writing profiles about them. I recognized how effortless it was for me to take an interest in people, to bend my attention to meet the other, and discover what feels like a whole universe in a person. Somehow, I knew that being an acupuncturist would set things up for me to continue doing that in a way that feels natural to me.

‍That’s great and so true. Successfully helping people is so often about being curious, listening, and uncovering those details that inform the pattern for diagnosis and treatment.  And what about community acupuncture; what attracted you to it? 

The first time I received acupuncture was from a Chinese medicine practitioner in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Though it wasn’t a community acupuncture clinic, I could sense instantly that this practice served the community. So many different kinds of people came through that door to see Dr. Chen, and the space was enlivened by what looked like ephemera from patients over the years. There was something about this expression of inclusiveness that felt so alive and right to me. I think I thrive in environments that aim to foster inclusiveness and community acupuncture is beautifully oriented that way.

‍And Olo, Why were you interested in working here?‍

The thing that really caught my attention at Olo was the Foundations in Balance program. I think about how meaning depends so much on context. If your first experience with acupuncture (or acupuncture with a new practitioner) is contextualized as part of a process, something that takes time to develop and reveal itself and something that extends beyond the acupuncture clinic and into your life — that will change the expectations that you bring to the session, in ways that I think better match with reality.

‍Yes, the foundations in balance series is a really important way to set both context and expectations, regardless of the prior experience and condition the patient is coming in for. I’m so glad that stood out to you. And since you will be taking over the Wednesday Access hours shifts, how did that play into your decision to take this position?

I'm excited about being an access hours practitioner because I want QTBIPOC community members to claim the care they deserve. The easier that is—the fewer barriers, and the more pride—the better.

I also think all of us have to compress parts of ourselves to get through life, especially when we feel that parts of us are not allowed. It's a very real, visceral feeling when you enter a social space that invites a fuller version of yourself. It's rare, but it changes you, and I think it gives access to deep unwinding and healing. I want to participate in creating space for that, and I feel proud that Olo's access hours support that.

‍Well, we’re so happy to have you on at Olo, and access hours, and helping to continue this important work. 

‍Perhaps connected to that, I know that acupuncturists are often considered generalists in terms of the medicine and the types of conditions we treat, but are there any conditions and types of patients you like to work with?

I’ve worked with patients on a lot of musculoskeletal tension, menstrual irregularities, psychological symptoms like anxiety and depression, and nervous system imbalances, including recovery from head trauma and other physical injuries. I’m also interested in providing support for cancer care. In general, I do like working with all kinds of patients, but especially patients who sense an emotional undercurrent in whatever unease they’re experiencing. It’s very rewarding when I’m able to help people more fully express what they’re going through. That’s a gift that one person can give to another. And that’s something I find continuous with the writing and editing work I’ve done and the way I practice acupuncture—I’m interested in supporting the expression of something that wants to be expressed.

‍It really is a gift, isn’t it? And one that is connected to what you were saying before about taking an interest in people and listening.

One of my favorite aspects of practicing so far has been listening to people process and share their individual experiences of receiving an acupuncture treatment. In many cases, I’ll be reminded of how this medicine is both art and science. It’s also been wonderful to observe how trust develops between people over time. I love doing a job that constantly teaches me to let go of assumptions and keep my mind open.

‍Thank you, Kelly. Again, welcome to Olo. We’re looking forward to working with you. 

Thank you.