My name is Maria Karabova. I am a fully licensed Acupuncturist specialising in a variety of holistic treatment services, mainly chronic conditions and mental health problems.
Originally from Slovakia, I moved to the UK in 2012 to enroll in a three-year study of Acupuncture at the International College of Oriental Medicine in East Grinstead, Sussex. The course consisted of both Chinese Medicine and Western medicine, in order to understand an illness from both perspectives and recognise the most efficient treatment in time. We covered extensive curriculum in Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, as well as the history and different schools of Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture points and a unique treatment system called Stems and Branches. Furthermore we also covered the basics of research and therapy. Perhaps the most rewarding lessons were Personal and Professional Development classes. This was a course dedicated to learning how to be a better practitioner. In order to do that, we had to work through our own emotional trauma, and learn to heal ourselves first.
These three years were (up until then) the most challenging years of my life - the course required not only excellent language and academic skills, but it was also both in-depth and very quick-paced. Simply keeping up was not enough - deeper understanding was essential. However, the entire process was, in a strange way, enjoyable: thanks to the intensity of the course, we built strong bonds of friendship with my fellow classmates, which made me feel somehow at home.
Throughout the course, we have received amazing amounts of support from our teachers, who went well above and beyond their responsibilities, to enable us to become better practitioners - and better people.
I graduated from International College of Oriental Medicine in 2015 with a Bachelor's degree in Acupuncture.
Since graduation I have practised at Bridgeham Clinic in Crawley. This was a busy Complementary medicine clinic which offered Osteopathy, Pilates and massage, naming a few. There I quickly gained invaluable skill in treating a range of musculo-skeletal problems. In order to broaden my expertise, I also volunteered in the UK (Olive Tree Cancer Centre) as well as in Slovakia (where I set up a pop-up multi-bed clinic, and treated up to 20 patients per day), in order to gain as much practice experience as possible.
Unfortunately, due to considerable financial strain, this was not a feasible plan for many years to come. I managed to keep this up for nearly a year, before realising that I could no longer keep it up.
Shortly thereafter, due to personal circumstances I wrapped my business in the UK up and at the end of 2016 relocated to the Isle of Man.
For better or for worse, setting up business in the Isle of Man took over a year, but felt that much more rewarding! I tried to set up in several places, until I finally settled at the Rushen Abbey Complementary Clinic in Ballasalla. This clinic has been set up by three practitioners: Sukie Davies, a Chiropractor, me, the acupuncturist, and Jenny James - an aromatherapist and Yoga teacher. Together we are working on improving the quality of life, health and wellbeing of Isle of Man residents (and visitors) on every level - physical, psycho-emotional and spiritual.
History and Methods
First mentions of physicians using a highly developed systems of medicine date back to 500 B.C. China.
It is assumed that at first, stone needles were used for early acupuncture, and were later replaced with gold and silver.
The theory behind this ancient system of medicine has been written and compiled to form The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, a book supposedly written by the Yellow Emperor himself. It explains in great detail the organisation of the body, its working and functions of its parts, as well as its relation to the outside world. In Chinese medicine, everything in human body is connected, just as well as every human body is connected to its surroundings - one influences another.
This belief is what shaped and crafted Chinese medicine to the form we see today. The practitioner uses a holistic approach to each and every issue, incorporating it to their diagnosis like a jigsaw puzzle, creating a bigger picture.
In Chinese medicine, no symptom appears of its own accord, there is always an underlying cause. In order to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms, it is vital to remove the root of the illness first - otherwise the symptom will reappear again, or worsen over time.
The system of Stems and Branches Acupuncture reveals patient's constitution, the genetic setup they were born with, and mental make up which forms their personality. In other words, who you are, how you react to situations and people around you, what comes naturally to you and what your challenges are - on both physical and emotional level.
This then enables the practitioner to have a further understanding of the root cause of patient's problem, and help each patient overcome their issues in a way best suited to their needs.
MY PURPOSE
In my life and in my practice I always take time to listen, understand and help. That is why I made it my specialisation to treat those who often feel like they have nowhere else to go - patients with long-term, chronic conditions or those suffering with mental health problems.
Everyone is fighting their battles. However big or small they may be, my purpose is to enable you to win. In your own time, without judgement.
“A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day.”
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching