FLOW Symposium 2027 FRI Mar 19

Korean Hand Therapy (KHT) offers acupuncturists an extraordinarily versatile system for assessment, treatment, and self-care. Yet today, many practitioners have had little or no exposure to it. What has been overlooked, and why does KHT deserve renewed attention?

Barbara de la Torre, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, brings KHT back into the conversation. Through compelling clinical cases and the story of a system that once had a greater presence in North American acupuncture education, she will explore what makes KHT distinctive, why it remains relevant today, and the breadth of its clinical and creative possibilities beyond correspondence therapy.

Attendees will discover how KHT can broaden both assessment and treatment options, whether used as a stand-alone system or integrated with other acupuncture methods. It can also offer practical approaches when body acupuncture may not be possible or desirable, along with applications for practitioner self-care and cultivation.

KHT may have faded from view, but its clinical potential has not. It is time to look again at what this powerful and evolving system can bring to acupuncture practice today and where its possibilities might lead next.

This presentation will give an overview of the fascia as the body’s collagen-based soft skeleton that starts from the underside of the skin and goes all the way down to every individual muscle fiber. Biodynamic, fascia adapt and changes as the body changes.

We’ll learn how this happens starting with our embryological beginnings and examine where fascia science and acupuncture theory overlap and reinforce each other.

Specific topics covered include

• Fascia as the conduit for Qi
• Acupuncture meridians and their myofascial counterparts
• Needle grasp, obtaining Qi and mechanotransduction
• Non-Neuronal Communication – Fascia & the Nervous System
• Fascia and the Immune System
• The Interstitium – the fluid continuum that unites East & West

There will be time for questions during the lecture.

A clinically grounded session focused on supporting pregnant patients with thoughtful, safe acupuncture care. This concise, high value refresher covers current best practices, foundational safety principles, and top tips for assessment, treatment planning, and knowing when a referral or co management is needed—so you leave feeling more confident treating pregnancy from the first visit onward.

Experience Korean Hand Therapy firsthand in this practical three-hour workshop focused on skills that can be put to use in clinical practice. Using the hand as a microsystem of the body, participants will learn to identify areas of correspondence, locate reactive points, and apply various stimulation methods and selective protocols.

Through demonstration, guided practice, and treatment approaches for common clinical presentations, participants will gain experience using KHT with one another and learn applications they can immediately begin incorporating into patient care.

No extensive previous KHT experience is required. Participants with prior exposure will have an opportunity to refresh and expand their skills, while those newer to KHT will gain a practical introduction to correspondence therapy and its clinical applications.

Practitioners will be introduced to interconnected fascial anatomy and be shown how to think and treat in a more global/fascial way, rather than local/muscle approach.

Practitioners will learn specific techniques with active micro movements to engage both fascial plasticity and neuroplasticity.

Seated and side-lying techniques will be emphasized | Practitioners will work in pairs | Recommended dress code includes tops with minimal straps or vertical bands that obscure the spine, and loose-fitting shorts.

This class offers a full spectrum view of perinatal acupuncture, with attention to both symptom relief and the broader landscape of maternal health. It includes safety and scope considerations, current research, and collaborative care strategies, as well as how to stay current with relevant clinical and public health issues. Designed for practitioners who want a clear, big picture framework for perinatal care that is both practical and professionally grounded.