Acupuncture (the insertion of fine sterile needles at certain points to assist in healing) and acupressure (the use of energy meridians for treatment via the application of pressure at particular points) are two techniques in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Since the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), these techniques have been documented to positively treat psychiatric illness and mental- emotional behavioral issues. Presently, mental health practitioners are working in tandem with acupuncturists to provide acupressure techniques in counseling sessions throughout the United States and abroad. To understand acupuncture’s and acupressure’s use in emotional and behavioral health, this entry references the historical and modern applications, as well as the pathophysiology base, and explains the TCM paradigm of a holistic system of body, mind, emotions, and qi (the ...

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