Sometimes what holds us back isn’t a lack of skill or knowledge, but an old story unknowingly agreed to. One that says it’s unseemly to want success, that business is at odds with healing. But what if your clinic wasn’t just a way to help people—but also a practice of alignment, agency, and even joy?
In this conversation with Julie Bear Don’t Walk, we explore how business and medicine aren’t separate pursuits but reflections of each other. A long-time practitioner and now coach, Julie brings both clinical experience and a fresh, grounded perspective on how your values, mindset, and systems can support a flourishing practice.
Listen into this discussion as we discuss financial trauma and healing, collaborative care models, the subtle art of patient retention, and how team dynamics reflect the qi of a clinic.
Julie reminds us that a successful practice isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about congruence. When your clinic reflects who you are and how you want to show up, the business part starts to feel a lot more like medicine.
In This Conversation We Discuss:
- Reframing business as an extension of Chinese medicine values
- Healing financial trauma through entrepreneurship
- The myth of “I’m a healer, not a businessperson”
- How collaborative care empowers patients and reduces practitioner burnout
- Creating structured treatment plans with clear communication
- Patient retention as a clinical and relational skill
- The emotional weight of trying to “save” patients
- Understanding the qi of your clinic through team dynamics
- Leadership as guidance, not hierarchy
- Building a team culture based on micro-mindfulness practices
- The impact of mindset and personal narrative on business growth
- Using breath and intention to maintain presence in clinical and leadership settings
Presence is as equally important as the needles when helping people. And being present–in every aspect of your practice– is not a fundamentally draining state of being. As a matter of fact, being present will re-source your qi as you see patients.
Julie Bear Don't Walk, L.Ac
I’m a regenerative business coach who helps acupuncturists grow thriving practices that are nourishing, sustainable and profitable. Practices that honor the principles and practices of Chinese Medicine in daily practice. That doesn’t mean perfection–but it does involve a commitment to practicing being present.
I grew my practice from a one-person show seeing 12 patients a week in 2014, to a team of eight people helping over 150 patients a week in an all cash practice. My commitment to practicing this medicine is always deep healing. Healing patients, having a healing workplace, healing generational trauma, healing being broke. Healing is my deepest commitment. And that means being present with the qi, listening, and calibrating to flow.
In May of 2024, I closed my robust clinic to focus on helping other practitioners grow their practices with Lifeflow Consulting. This helps me fulfill my commitment to being in the world, which is to help as many people as possible—feel better. If I can help practitioners have thriving practices, I exponentially increase my ability to make a positive impact on the world we live in. By fostering transformation and healing in all corners of this medicine, which includes having a vital, nourishing practice.
Links and Resources
visit Julie on her Website, on Instagram, her Regenerative Business Practices Facebook Group or TikTok.
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