Chinese Geneeskune Praktijk Smelbrege

After my medical training (March 20, 1981), I knew a lot about treating various diseases but little about preventing diseases. I was curious about how other cultures approach health and disease. In addition to my work as a nursing home doctor, I was able to pursue training at EUTCM in Utrecht, the Netherlands. This is how my discovery of acupuncture and the ideas about health and disease from an Eastern perspective began.

Every person is unique. It makes sense that each person requires a different treatment. The physiology and pathology of Traditional Chinese Medicine added possibilities to assess each person individually and identify treatment options. By listening, observing (tongue), feeling (pulse), and asking questions (anamnesis), the picture of that person becomes clearer. And each treatment reveals more details about this unique person in front of me.

For a long time, I performed acupuncture treatments alongside my work in Western medicine. After working as a nursing home doctor, I started working as a general practitioner at a psychiatric institution. I then worked in various departments of public health services (including school health, environmental health, and forensic health) and at occupational health services. It was only ten years ago that I decided to fully focus on my acupuncture practice. So, I gained a lot of experience in various workplaces in the medical field and am now my own boss in the world where I feel most comfortable: my acupuncture practice.