Becoming a licensed acupuncturist is no small feat. But once you’ve passed the exams, found your first job or opened your space, a new kind of challenge begins: learning how to actually practice — in real life, with real people, real decisions, and real emotional labor.

Here are a few of the most common challenges I see newer practitioners face — and some guidance I wish more of us had at the start.

  1. Imposter Syndrome

You can know the theory inside and out, but the moment you’re sitting in front of a real patient, it’s normal to wonder: Do I really know what I’m doing?

What helps: Practice doesn’t make perfect — it builds presence. Focus less on “fixing” and more on listening. Choose one or two areas to grow in at a time. Get support, ask questions, and remember: every senior practitioner you admire once felt exactly the same way.

  1. Overgiving

You want to help. You want to be useful. But giving more time, more access, more energy than you can sustainably hold leads to burnout — and eventually resentment.

What helps: Boundaries are not barriers — they are containers for care. Structure helps both you and your patients feel safe. It’s okay to charge fairly, limit communication between sessions, and trust that enough is enough.

  1. Inconsistent Systems

From scheduling to charting to how you explain treatment plans — lack of consistency drains energy and confidence.

What helps: Systems don’t need to be fancy. They just need to work for you. Create a rhythm for how you start and end sessions, respond to emails, and prepare for your day. Even a simple intake template can help anchor your clinical flow.

  1. Not Feeling Seen

If you’re the only acupuncturist in your clinic — or building something on your own — it can feel lonely. Like you’re doing a lot of figuring out in the dark.

What helps: You don’t need a big group. You need the right person (or people) to walk alongside you — someone who understands your values, your pace, and your questions. Mentorship doesn’t mean someone telling you what to do. It means someone helping you listen more clearly to yourself.

If any of this resonates, just know: it’s not just you. And it doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this work. It means you’re human. And that’s exactly what your patients need you to be.