The Islander News, The Life and Times of Key Biscayne, Florida

EAST MEETS WEST AS ACUPUNCTURE PHYSICIAN
PRACTICES WITH INTERNIST

By Jodi Rodgers

Most people who make dramatic career changes seem to feel they have to start from scratch to break into their new field. But Steven Chasens is one of the fortunate few who did not have to leave his past behind to begin again.

Chasens, an acupuncture physician who practices out of the Palmer Clinic on the Key as well as offices in Coral Gables and in the Waterways in Aventura, was once upon a time a marine scientist, a computer consultant and even a lifeguard at Crandon Park before he went back to school to become a practitioner of Oriental medicine.

And somehow Chasens, an intelligent man who holds a master's degree in environmental science from the Rosenstiel School as well as a spiritual man who sought a deeper meaning in his life than the corporate world offered, found a way to have it all.

While some people may think of acupuncture as a New Age treatment for those who wear Birkenstocks, Chasens proves that it is actually an age-old medical practice for anyone who has a bodily imbalance that depletes their health--which is everyone in the stressful West.

"In our culture and society, the stress and demands of life create an imbalance," the former Key resident explained. "Therefore, nobody is in perfect health. When people say, 'What can acupuncture or herbal medicine do for me? I'm perfectly healthy,' the reality is in most cases, they're not.

"All organisms tend toward homeostasis, which is a natural balance," he continued. "When in balance, an organism functions at its highest efficiency. I can't tell you what happens when you stick a pin in a wrist in just one sentence, but Chinese medicine says acupuncture and herbs help the organism restore balance."

Being a doctor of Chinese medicine makes perfect sense for a man like Chasens, who dresses not in Birks, but in long-sleeved, button down shirts, pressed slacks and loafers and presents a poised, clean-cut professional face to his clientele.

Chasens had worked as a research assistant with the Rosenstiel School, conducting oil pollution surveys in Biscayne Bay, then as a "lab rat" for an electronics company making medical equipment.

"At that point, I became disillusioned with the corporate world," he recalled. "I was a very small cog in a very big wheel and I didn't really feel like I was contributing."

Chasens had the same experience with the six years he spent computer consultant at a real estate development firm. So in 1990, he quit his job and spent the next three years working as a lifeguard in Crandon, surfing some of the world's most beautiful beaches and collecting his thoughts for the next move.

"I left everything," he said. "I left it all behind."

A clue to his future came in the form of a lower back injury in Hawaii which led him to seek the help of an Oriental Medicine Doctor. The 20-year-old injury, which Chasens got from repetitive use, had not responded successfully to conventional Western medicine.

"This accident in Hawaii really crystallized my need for a solution, knowing that pain pills, orthopedic surgery, chiropractics, yoga and meditation were of limited value in this particular case," he said. "I made a conscious choice to try something different."

Chasens couldn't get any more different than the tiny, painless needles the doctor placed at various points in his body.

"With maybe six to eight pins, I knew immediately that I had found something that worked for me, the right type of care, and that's the message I try to give my patients: that at some point, it's your responsibility to make decisions about your health. Just as you choose between a healthy and an unhealthy meal, you need to take the responsibility to choose the type of care that gives you the best results."

Chasens returned to the U.S. and began to study formally with Dr. Fudi, who at that time ran the Community School of Traditional Chinese Health Care in North Miami, an intensive, three-year course. Following his graduation, Chasens studied Chinese herbal medicine intensively, including during a one-month externship in China.

And Chasens feels that professionally, he has come home. Particularly at the Palmer Clinic, where he can combine forces with Dr. Roger Palmer, an internist, for an educated treatment team that blends East and West.

"Because we're in the same office, he'll say, 'Steve, let's talk about patient X with these symptoms," Chasens explained. "The ideal is to put together teams that respond to the needs of the community. Traditional Western medicine is very powerful. It's extremely effective. What we have at the Palmer Clinic is the blend. Take advantage of the U.S. health care system, exercise your choices and find the modality that works best for you."

Chasens said his hope is to bring Oriental medicine into the health care mainstream.

But, he added, "I don't practice blindly. I don't say, 'Acupuncture is it, Chinese herbs are it and that's the magic bullet.' I feel a sensitivity to the patient's needs, which are the ability to make informed choices about their care."