“Frequently Asked Questions And Answers”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from Students and Answers from Dr. Joanny

You may contact us here for more information.

What does Dr. Joanny believe in? In other words, what are her values?

Dr. Joanny says this:

“1. I believe in being honest with people because I believe in my abilities as well as yours.

“2. I believe that children must be raised to have real self confidence based on the evidence they get themselves from being adventurous, trying things out and being curious.

“3. I believe in the value of sport in terms of life lessons that can be gained from such participation.

“4. I believe in work ethic, stick-to-itiveness and outside-of-the-box thinking. Creativity is the zest in life and leads to good things.

“5. I believe in complete confidentiality of my students unless otherwise instructed with expressed permission. And finally,

“6. I believe that every person on earth is fully capable of becoming so much more than they already are, that they are capable of lifting spirit and teaching wisdom.

“7. I believe in personal freedom. With freedom comes responsibility. You’re responsible for the things that you decide which result in the things that happen to you. You are not responsible for what others do, think, say or feel.”

What is Dr. Joanny’s underlying philosophy regarding a medical practice?

Dr. Joanny says this:

“I am a consultant, a teacher and a mentor, not a coach, not a psychotherapist, not a talk therapist. I love getting my students off to a quick start to begin realizing their full potential.

“I will not hold back on anything that will benefit you. I will challenge your comfort zone, sometimes big time, when needed. I will not give you partial answers. You will rediscover what you may have lost along the way. Your light bulb will go off. You’ll be astounded by your self-rediscovery.  You become stronger mentally, emotionally and physically. The result is healing.

“We discuss. You will have questions. You will ask them. We will will have open frank discussions.
You want answers now to the mysteries of life. You will get them and you will heal.

“Anything that happens in our sessions together stays inside the sessions and is completely confidential unless you express otherwise.”

Does Dr. Joanny follow a Code of Ethics?

Dr. Joanny’s Code of Ethics comes from two sources:

First from Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA):

All entrants into the profession are required to write an ethics exam as part of the certification process. She wrote and passed hers in the early 1980s as part of the process of gaining her professional designation.

“Professional engineers and geoscientists shall recognize that professional ethics is founded upon integrity, competence, dignity and devotion to service. This concept shall guide their conduct at all times.

From: https://www.apega.ca/members/legal-obligations/

1. Professional engineers and geoscientists shall, in their areas of practice, hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the public and have regard for the environment.
2. Professional engineers and geoscientists shall undertake only work that they are competent to perform by virtue of their training and experience.
3. Professional engineers and geoscientists shall conduct themselves with integrity, honesty, fairness and objectivity in their professional activities.
4. Professional engineers and geoscientists shall comply with applicable statutes, regulations and bylaws in their professional practices.
5. Professional engineers and geoscientists shall uphold and enhance the honour, dignity and reputation of their professions and thus the ability of the professions to serve the public interest.

There may be several pieces of legislation, codes, and regulations that apply to your work. It is your obligation to remain up to date on this information.

It is also important that you know about your right to practise and reserved titles and designations.”

Then from College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAAA):

This came into practice as of May 1, 2014, exerpted from the CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

ARTICLE 2 ETHICAL PRACTICE
2.1 Acupuncture has been a regulated profession in Alberta since 1988. It is a privilege to be authorized to provide treatments within the specified scope of practice for the health benefits of the public. Registrants must act with integrity, honesty, respect and fairness in all dealings with patients, other registrants of their own profession, other health care providers and the public.
2.2 Registrants must comply with applicable legislation, regulation and the bylaws established by the CAAA, as well as any other applicable professional standards.
2.3 Registrants shall conduct themselves in a manner that enhances the integrity and reputation of, and inspires public confidence in the profession.
2.4 Registrants, in rendering professional services, shall not discriminate against, refuse to advise or provide treatment to patients on such grounds as age, gender, race, national or ethnic origin, or socio-economic status.
2.5 If registrants have reasonable grounds to believe that other registrants have engaged in illegal, unprofessional or unethical conduct, the registrant shall report such conduct to the CAAA or other appropriate authority.

What is Functional Medicine?

According to the Institute of Functional Medicine,
“Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century.”

Given this definition then Classical Chinese Medicine is one of the ancient medical systems that pioneered this health paradigm thousands of years ago. It’s not new, but it’s being revived in its most purest sense today.

In the 1930s the Chinese threw out the baby with the bath water and wanted to become “more modern.” They got together in a historic meeting with two hundred western doctors and between them and themselves, they decided what to keep and what to throw out. They ended up with a product called Traditional Chinese Medicine which is what most schools teach around the world. And the focus is most often on acupuncture and herbs.

Dr. Joanny says, “While those two aspects are important, I soon realized when still at school, that something was missing. My professors taught me about the emotional aspect about dis-ease, BUT they didn’t teach us what to do about it. So I allowed myself to be open to the learning that would only take place inside my clinical practice. And it worked!  Later when I became aware of the involvement of the brain due to our thoughts and feelings – OMG – that’s when I really understood the outcomes I was guiding my clients towards!”

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Why do I need to be diagnosed in Chinese Sports Medicine when I already have a diagnosis from my Western doctors?

“To honestly approach a patient from Center, the physician must have time for giving… By allowing and giving time, the physician did not need their prescription pad: they needed to be a teacher…Effective and defective medicine is largely dependent on giving time. For all patients…giving extra time for a proper investigation changes the face of medicine entirely…This determines the physician’s ability to reach the patient’s Center. Rushing a consultation is never about the patient. When the physician does not have time to see their patients, has become too busy, they change into a businessperson, a technician and a factory of pharmaceuticals.”

~ Yaron Seidiman & Teja A. Jaensch, HunYuan Xinfa The Lost Heart of Medicine. The italics that are in quotes are in the book.

What you really need to know is WHY this pain, injury or disease has happened to you. And that’s what you get with Chinese Sports Medicine. The western diagnosis is actually irrelevant to our way of thinking and clutters the mind. So we throw it out. It only makes you identify with your hurts and that’s a negative influence that you need to let go of right now.

With us, you’ll be led through a thorough but elegant and sophisticated diagnostic process. It requires time to do such a detailed and important job like diagnosis.

Our diagnostic process will dig out the true cause of your pain. Whether it’s an injury, disease or pain, you have pain in your life. So it’s about time to address it properly. Our diagnostic process will dig up what differentiates your from other people.

In Chinese Sports Medicine, there is a saying, “One disease, many causes. One cause, many diseases.” This really means that your unique personal experiences really matter. One disease can have different causes, depending on one’s circumstances. And a single cause can be the reason for different diseases, depending upon the person. So the diagnosis will find the reasons that differentiate you from other people with the same disease, pain or injury. The differences come from your own unique life experiences, what you think and feel everyday and what decisions you’ve made.

So, a broken leg is not just a broken leg because you happened to have an accident. A concussion is not just a blow to the head. These are only the physical triggers of your injury. There are reasons why you have a broken leg at this time in your life, at this stage of your sports career. There are reasons why your body has become weak. Suddenly there’s no mystery. You will get your answers.

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Why does Dr. Joanny love working with top athletes?

Because you demonstrate the ultimate ability to create your world. Because you demonstrate very clearly what’s going on inside your head with what’s going on outside. Because you love what you do. Because you work hard. Because you’re dedicated. Because you set goals. Because you’re fearless. Because you know. What you do is part of who you are. But it’s only one part, it’s not all that you are. You have hidden talents just like everyone else, but you’re brave enough to explore life in order to bring them out.

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 What’s the difference between going to someone who does medical acupuncture and someone who calls themselves an acupuncturist or a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCMD) or a Doctor of Chinese Sports Medicine?

Doctors of Chinese Sports Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, etc whether they be acupuncturists, herbalists, psychologists, physicians or a combination of all of the above, study for several years to master their art and science. Then there are several hundred if not thousands of hours of supervised clinical work.

The standards of scholarship and practice are very high to ENSURE the safety, the precision and the effectiveness of the medicine. There are no exceptions. This contrasts greatly to the sloppy execution of people who have not gone through the DISCIPLINE of Chinese medical education, where the only criteria is that the person know some human anatomy.

If someone claims to do acupuncture, for instance, but does not put you through a proper process to come up with a Chinese Sports medical diagnosis, and actually explain it to you, then they are not a true practitioner of Chinese medicine. For the most part, the western medical diagnosis is meaningless.

Look to see evidence and proof of rigorous education, such as a certificate of diploma or an equivalent to a degree in Chinese Medicine (doctor), acupuncture or Chinese herbology from a sanctioned school.

Just asking how many years their course was, will quickly reveal if you are getting the REAL thing! A weekend course doesn’t cut it, nor does one or two trips to China. Courses like this have merely trivialized the art and science of healing that is deep in the roots of Chinese Sports Medicine. They also mislead the public.

Make sure you are receiving AUTHENTIC Chinese Sports Medicine that is regulated in your part of the world. Avoid all other imitations.

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What is the difference between a solution and therapy?

A solution is a means to receiving the result you want or finally dealing with a difficult situation. So you want a Doctor of Chinese Sports Medicine who is a problem solver. Therapy is only the treatment of a problem but it does not mean it will solve the problem. Merely applying therapy has you revisiting an injury or disease over and over again. It is only temporary relief, not solving the problem. To get to the solution you must find the true cause of your physical and mental discomfort. The diagnosis and the solution both indicate preventative measures.

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Is Chinese Sports Medicine based on science?

Science is the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. Also a science is a systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject.

Chinese Sports Medicine is based on observation and experimentation and of course systematic study, which started thousands of years ago on the battlefield. Of course it had its primitive beginnings, just as ANYTHING in its infancy might, but the science certainly evolved through the ages. It was refined, experimented with, on millions of PEOPLE served. Not on unrelated animals. It is medicine for the human race and is based on Human Experience.

Detailed record keeping kept on top of developments of the day, with practitioners and scholars debating this and that treatment or modality. Finally the observed consistencies were recorded and then textbooks were written to guide students, just as is done today. Our textbooks are in fact, thousands of years old with modern interpretations.

Chinese Sports Medicine due to its culture of origin has its own terminology. Some of it is untranslatable and has no equivalent one to one correlation to western languages. That happens. But we do our best to explain it, however even that has been surmountable and has not stopped the growth in the use of Chinese Sports Medicine throughout the world.

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How does Chinese Sports Medicine really work?

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. All parts of you are connected. The organs and the connective tissues, muscles, veins, sinews and ligaments are all connected. Your choice of mental/emotional state is connected to those as well.

You are one compact network and what happens in one place will affect you elsewhere, good or bad. So treatment for a particular problem will likely benefit you in unexpected ways because of the interconnection of systems. You will receive side benefits not side effects, which are so common in western medicine.

Chinese Sports Medicine activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System, which is the nervous system that calms you down. It’s known as the “Tend and Befriend” nervous system or the “Rest and Digest” nervous system. It is the opposite of the Sympathetic Nervous System, which is activated every time you see, feel and sense negativity. If you let that dominate you!

Too many people are stuck in this “fight or flight” mode, which delays healing.  When you feel good about yourself that’s when the healing starts in earnest. You can’t discount a very important part of you. Your mindset and your emotionset are both very important for recovery. Along with the different modalities in Chinese medicine plus the positive psychology that we practice, you regain your balance by learning how to tap into that relaxed state while controlling the “fight or flight” response.

You become strong again to overcome your illness, disease, pain or injury as long as you diligently follow your doctor’s instructions.

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What is a standard of health?

The word standard means a level of quality or attainment. There are standards for what makes a good cake, for instance, or what makes a successful business successful. Why shouldn’t there be a standard or several standards, for health.

Chinese medicine developed many. Then you can compare what you’re going through with the ideal, which by the way, is attainable by you and anyone else you know. If you want to. It’s not about perfection either.

The simplest standard of health is based on how you feel. If you feel calm and happy, you’re in the flow of energy. If you’re feeling pain, whether it be emotional or physical and often they ARE combined, then you are out of control of your energy.

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What is Dr. Joanny’s underlying philosophy?

As a human being, you have a charter of rights that contains thus:

• You have the right to be here.
• You have the right to feel and have feelings and therefore, to want.
• You have the right to act in the way you see fit.
• You have the right to love and be loved.
• You have the right to speak and hear truth.
• You have the right to see the truth.
• You have the right to know, including accurate information, to the truth.
• It’s okay to be who you are.

We spend a lot of time with you to make sure you understand these. They’re the keys to your long-term happiness and ageless well being. One of our students noted, because we helped several members of the family, that another member of her family observed how calm they had become and wondered about that.

We will always tell you the truth. We understand that this means that we will always focus on the good that you have inside you and in your life. You begin to focus on what’s important to you and on what you really want.

You will understand and practice true responsibility for yourself.

Dr. Joanny is a teacher at heart. The word doctor means teacher. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing: teaching you what to do and how to heal. We teach you to love and respect yourself. This is positive psychology at its best. This is why you will heal.

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What is healing?

One of our students said it best: You will know you’ve healed when you can’t remember what it was like before you came here.

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What about Chinese herbal medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine is based on the same scientific principles of observation and systematization. All medications are to be taken seriously. Anything taken therapeutically is dangerous when taken out of context and misunderstanding of the basic principles of Chinese herbology.

Chinese herbs should be prescribed only by certified practitioners of Chinese Medicine. Chinese herbs can be animal (although many of these have been replaced with less powerful plants), any part of a plant, insect, mineral (rocks) and things (such as oyster shells). Anything from the natural world can be a herb in Chinese medicine. That’s because every one of these herbs has properties that can help you heal.

Through experimentation, Chinese herbs are used in synergistic combinations of herbs, which we call formulas. Chinese herbs are seldomly used in singles, by themselves. Each herb in a formula has a reason to be the formula. Herbs are not combined at random. They are there to accomplish a certain goal.

Herbal formulas remove what you don’t need while others add or increase what you do need in your body. Chinese herbs are medicinal. They are not supplements. They solve problems. Chinese herbs are placed in synergistic combinations that solve a particular problem. These formulas make you stronger by taking specific actions on pathogens that are making you weak and sick.

They are designed to be used for a relatively short time, unless you’re relatively weak, then you may be on herbs for a while but not for the rest of your life as long as you are following your doctor’s instructions for becoming strong and well again. It all depends on your individual needs.

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 What about Chinese acupuncture?

Chinese acupuncture is just ONE tool in our tool kit. So it’s not always appropriate. But it’s the most well known. And today, it seems to be regarded that anyone with the mere knowledge of anatomy can do it. Not so.

Acupuncture points are centers of energy. Each one has very specific, anatomical locations on your body. Each one has spiritual, mental/emotional, and physical attributes. Choosing acupuncture points is not a random decision. Each point has specific uses, metaphorically and intellectually.

There are over 360 of these points around your body. They are arranged in channels or meridians that run in identical pairs, one set of points on each side of the body. There are two different ones that run up the front of your body and another that runs up your spine.

And by the way, you don’t need hundreds of needles stuck around a local area. You don’t need to have them manipulated painfully in your muscles. You should never need to recover from something that is supposed to help you. This is one of the great contradictions in all the history of medicine. Changes are expected. When a change occurs it is part of the healing process.

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Why do I need a sports medicine doctor who is a physician, a psychologist, a mentor and a life coach?

Because we help you to connect the dots in a seemingly complicated chaotic life. Because you’re not wasting your time, energy and resources going here and there and everywhere.

The mother of an international soccer star who was struggling with his injuries told Dr. Joanny that he became tired of dividing his time going from one therapist to another and then to a sports psychologist. He intuitively knew that there was a better answer but didn’t know where to look. He was tired of telling the same story to different people, going to one therapist after another and not getting better. In his exasperation, he asked plaintively why he couldn’t just go to ONE person who could do everything for him. He’s not the first athlete who has expressed the same frustration.

It comes down to efficiency, efficacy and expediency. If you want faster and lasting results, then it’s a much better idea to use as much of your time, energy, effort and resources focused on what you want – to get back on the playing field without the fear of re-injury. There are no conflicting opinions. Stop spreading yourself thin and getting more stressed out which only makes things worse.

By having the right doctor, you will finally find out why something has happened to you and because you now know what those circumstances are, it will be paramount that you take action on them. The right Doctor of Chinese Sports Medicine is your guide, your mentor, your coach and teacher. The word “Doctor” means teacher and that’s what that person should be.

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What makes Dr. Joanny’s Extraordinary Sports Medicine unique?

There is NO overbooking. The time you schedule is the time you begin your session with Dr. Joanny.

There is NO waiting room and old magazines to read! As soon as you arrive at your appointed time, you will be invited into the clinic for your scheduled time. You get the truth. We have rarely made a prognosis that wasn’t full of potential. There is always something YOU can do about your situation.

The diagnostic process lasts up to 3 hours. The diagnosis obtained is explained in plain English. Then the treatment falls out of it quickly. We know where to start and how to proceed.

You will pre-schedule regular meetings.

You will have homework to do so there is work to be done for yourself.

You will report back on your homework.

You are expected to practice what Dr. Joanny teaches, mentors, coaches and advises you to do.

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Is Extraordinary Sports Medicine right for you?

Dr. Joanny likes to work with top elite athletes who are professionals or so-called “amateur” such as soccer players, football players, hockey players, baseball players, track athletes, marathoners, triathletes, golfers, cyclists, swimmers, etc.

Are you the type of person who:

• Is ambitious
• Is motivated,
• Wants all you can get out of life,
• Wants to bring out your full potential
• Wants a great and healthy lifestyle
• Is open minded
• Willing to trust a healing process that is outside-of-the-box BUT effective
• Willing to apply yourself because you understand the high stakes of NOT being on the sports field when it counts!
• Is coachable
• Willing to learn.
• Appreciates investing in yourself
• Especially VALUES health and well-being in the long term for all parts of and the REST of your life.

If you can honestly say “yes” to all of the above, then you are the right student for us.

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 What’s Your Role in Your Recovery?

There’s a lot you CAN control about your recovery. And, the fact of the matter is, YOU are the one that has to do most of the work in this Doctor/Student relationship. YOU have to follow all our recommendations, not just the ones that you “want to” or are “easy”. YOU have to take any prescribed Chinese herbs. YOU have to do any homework we give you. You have to do things that will challenge your comfort zone. YOU have to follow the Chinese dietary therapy we give you. YOU have to work on your stressful thinking. Etc. Etc. You get the point.

Being healthy takes hard work, time and patience. Being healthy is a choice, not a given. In order for you to get the best results, you have to hold up your end of the bargain.

Health is your most precious asset. We promise we will do our best to help you recover faster than ever from your injuries without the fear of re-injury.

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Do You Have the Support of Your Life Partner or Family?

You want to do something very different from anything else you’ve ever done to heal your injuries. You can’t be fighting off someone else’s misgivings unless you’re very strong and determined to get better faster. It’s really important that you have support from your family when you’re healing. You must then make the firm and unshakable decision that this is the help that you’ve been looking for. Then they’ll line up with you and support your goals.

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What are people saying about Extraordinary Sports Medicine?

Here’s the link to Success Stories. https://www.drjoanny.com/success-stories.

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Fees and Insurance

We feel it is important to address this upfront: there is a cost to regaining your health. As they say, anything worth doing is worth doing well. We know it can be expensive. We know that your insurance coverage will only get you so far. We know that you would like a money-back guarantee, but that is not possible (or ethical, for that matter). We are talking about health, not buying a new car. We know you would like to have free health care, but even government healthcare plans are really not “free”.

We recommend that you contact your provider to ask the specific details of your plan with regards to acupuncture coverage, dietary counseling and even psychological counseling. If you have an HSA (Health Savings Account), you can see how far that will cover your investment.

You may contact us here for more information.

Have an AWESOME Day!