Well, what a few crazy days it has been. Last Friday I was the most nervous I have ever been in my entire life. After 5 long years of studying at CNM London, getting the train in every week from Bicester and committing to endless reading, writing and presentations I have finished. Not only have I finished but I sat my final exam and PASSED. That’s Biomedicine, Naturopathic Studies, Naturopathic Principles and Acupuncture all completed and finished. I am so very proud of myself (can you tell ) .
To be honest though, it really hasn’t sunk in yet, if anything it was kind of an anti climax as I walked in a student and walked out of the treatment room a fully qualified acupuncturist. I don’t know what I was expecting to feel, maybe relief, maybe excitement for the future, but nope I just felt numb. No longer will I attend college with my friends, no longer will I be under the supervision of lecturers now I must face the working world of acupuncture alone. If I had to describe it then daunted, that’s how I felt completely and utterly overwhelmed by the years of study and the mammoth task of now putting everything into practise. Perhaps I was actually expecting a huge brass brand with balloons, fireworks choirs chanting YOU HAVE PASSED at the top of their voices. I did get this piece of paper.
Now I have had time to rest and sleep I can look back at the exam on Friday knowing how much better I could actually have done, rather than sweating, panicking and generally stressing out. Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing !
I have enjoyed this course so much and have learnt an enormous amount since attending college and look forward to future courses too. The friends I have made through college I know will be lifelong as we now travel our TCM journey together. 
Not to mention in September I will be travelling to China exploring the country and then observing and attending the University Hospital in Nanjing of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but that’s a different blog coming up. I must also add how thankful I am to all the teachers at college as we really were blessed with the best. TJ was our course director, a man of many many talents who uses his skills well and even went and volunteered to treat the victims and those affected in the Grenfell fire.
This is the link to the college I attended and you can see for yourselves the courses they offer. They have a wonderful new college setting in Kings Cross with well equipped treatment rooms, lecture halls and a nutritious college canteen. Not to mention if you want to learn nutrias cooking skills they now have a fully prepared kitchen. When you enter the building you will be greeted by the friendliest faces of the director of studies who are always on hand to help out, and they always do. (big thanks to Michaela who helped me many times).
If you are thinking about changing your career but like myself now more of a mature student I say GO FOR IT !!! Honestly what have you got to lose and yet you have so much to gain.
I must add a huge amount of thanks goes to my husband who has encouraged me to follow my dreams and allow me to pursue this course. Without his support and his love I would never have got through this, he is my rock holding my world together when I felt like it could all come crashing down. Thank you Matt xx
I feel that I have changed so much over my time at college and this will benefit all of my patients at the Olive Tree. So this week I have focused on setting up the Olive Tree ready to begin acupuncture. Firstly there is the license from the council with authorisation, then I have to get the environmental health inspector round to check over my room, change my insurance details, order new stationary and price lists, decorate and update the decor and order new equipment and stock !!!!!
Therefore my days off have turned into long planning days, but I am feeling inspired for the future . Look out there is a new acupuncturist on the block and I will be taking bookings soon !!
