Tzu Chi University in Taiwan

I will be taking a sabbatical year away from Toronto from September 2014 to August 2015. I have recently received news that I will be receiving a scholarship from the Government of Taiwan. I am excited and honoured for the opportunity to live in Taiwan, deepening my understanding of the Mandarin Chinese language. I also plan to delve deeper into the cultivation and use of medicinal herbs, and the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine with biomedical practice.

My priority is to ensure that you feel cared for and supported. To this end, I would encourage you to:

1) Come in before I leave! I have revised my fees with “summer special” packages… to make it more affordable for those of you who want to come another ’round’ of regular (weekly or twice-weekly) treatments in before I go. As always, I do my best to work with every individual’s specific financial circumstances, so please speak to me if you need additional financial consideration to ensure you can get your treatments in.

2) Know that other practitioners are working with me to ensure continuity of your care. I have recruited other TCM and acupuncture practitioners who are available to support you while I am away. They have agreed to communicate with me at the beginning and end of the year (and throughout, if necessary) to ensure smooth transition and continuity of care. With your written consent, I can pass on a summary of what we have worked on together and where we are with your treatment plan. They have agreed to honour the rates I have given you, and I can work with you to confirm this if needed.

3) Make the transition even smoother, if that’s what you need. Some of the practitioners I have recruited have agreed to meet with both of us together for a ‘transition session’ with you, if that would help make the transition process smoother for you. Let me know if you’re interested in this, and we can arrange the best time and location for all.

4) Stay in touch by Skype (or Facetime / Google Hangout). I will offer any of my existing clients 20% off my regular remote consultation fees, so we can make online appointments, if you would like to consult about diet, herbs, lifestyle, exercise, self-acupressure or meditation. The practitioners I have recruited have generally agreed to provide the physical therapies in conjunction with my remote consultations, for those of you who opt to continue to work together remotely.

Please let me know if you have any concerns or questions about this plan.

On top of all the professional development this sabbatical year will bring, I also intend to find stillness during the time away from my busy life in Toronto. With time and space for reflection, I hope bring a renewed sense of inspiration and joy back to my practice, communities, and loved ones here.

I hope to see you before I go, and wish you a wonderful day!

All the best,
Pauline