JD Yang, MD (Author + Expert in Chinese + Integrative Medicine
A respected scholar, teacher and prominent practitioner of Chinese and Integrative Medicine
Dr. Jingduan Yang is a renowned board-certified psychiatrist who has established a unique blend of traditional practices and cutting-edge evidence-based medicine. Relying upon classical Chinese methods such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, neuro-emotional techniques, and nutritional and dietary consultation, Dr. Yang emphasizes a revolutionary holistic approach to treating both the mind and body.
A foremost expert in the field of integrative medicine, Dr. Yang draws upon a strong foundation that incorporates a solid understanding of Chinese medicine coupled with a distinguished medical education. A board-certified psychiatrist and fifth-generation teacher and practitioner of Chinese medicine, Dr. Yang was trained in neurology and psychiatry at the prestigious Fourth Military Medical University in Xian and WHO Collaborative Center of Mental Health in Shanghai, China, and worked as professor at the Minnesota Institute of Acupuncture and Herbal Studies. He has also completed a research fellowship in clinical psychopharmacology at Oxford University; residency training in psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and Integrative medicine fellowship in University of Arizona led by Dr. Andrew Weil.
As the founder and medical director of Tao Integrative Medicine, a medical center that has pioneered a combination of Western and traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, Dr. Yang is a respected scholar, teacher and prominent practitioner. He is the director of the Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Program at the Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine, as well as an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Thomas Jefferson Hospital. Dr. Yang is also part of the faculty at the Integrative Medicine Department of the University of Arizona. In addition to his vast academic achievements, he is also a board member of the International Organization of Integrative Mental Health.
Dr. Yang’s two upcoming books both take on his noteworthy meld of Eastern and Western approaches. With Facing East, collaboration with noted designer and fashion icon Norma Kamali, which will be released by HarperCollins in 2015, Dr. Yang presents groundbreaking anti-aging and facial rejuvenation techniques. His textbook titled Classic Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, soon to be published by Oxford Press, targets medical professionals.
Whether providing strategies to eliminate stress and psychological imbalances, offering ways to enhance one’s physical appearance, or presenting complementary methods to traditional medication, Dr. Yang above all advocates a philosophy of integrating the emotional, the physical, and the spiritual in order to improve the lives of his patients. In his own words, “It takes our head, our heart and our gut to be on the same page to accomplish anything, to make any change in our behavior and to achieve optimal health.”
NY Times -Style Section
Stick It to Me
WOMEN'S FASHION
By SANDRA BALLENTINE
I didn’t think I was a good candidate for facial acupuncture. For one thing, the only time I’m perfectly still is when I’m asleep (or getting an expensive haircut). And quite frankly, if I’m going to be stuck with needles, I would like them to deliver the kind of instant gratification that only Botox can provide. That said, when I heard there was a kind man in Midtown who would listen to my problems (but not judge me), calm me down (without meds) and erase my fine lines (without toxins or fillers), all in under an hour, I snagged the first available appointment.
The designer Norma Kamali (who is 66 but looks more like 46) turned me on to Dr. Jingduan Yang, the director of the acupuncture and Oriental medicine program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and the medical director of the Tao Institute of Mind and Body Medicine, which has locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Manhattan.
Kamali tore her meniscus during a workout just over a year ago and was desperate for a way to relieve the pain without resorting to surgery. “I did a lot of research, and Dr. Yang’s name kept coming up,” she says. “He’s very respected, and when it comes to acupuncture, you want the best.”
Dr. Yang eased the pain in her knee, and Kamali was hooked — and going back for more. “I had two questions: do ‘acupuncture face-lifts’ really work, and can you turn gray hair back to its natural color,” she says. “What do you expect? I’m a fashion designer. We’re all about the superficial.” Although more interested in what goes on below the surface, Dr. Yang admitted to having success on top of it, too. “The morning after my first facial treatment, I looked like I’d had a great night’s sleep,” Kamali says. “People kept complimenting me.” After a year of weekly sessions with the doctor, she says the results have been astonishing. “I feel and think I look a lot fresher,” she says. “But it’s more than skin-deep. He addresses your emotional health, your immune system and everything to do with wellness.”
Needless to say, it was with pretty high expectations that I agreed to become a human pincushion. As soon as Dr. Yang (who’s also a psychiatrist) saw me, he said: “You’re very stressed. Tell me what’s going on.” I gave him the usual excuses: deadlines, family, love life, not being able to find a cab. He listened carefully, and his steady gaze made me painfully aware of how fidgety and overwrought I was.
I’m not sure if it was Dr. Yang’s soothing manner, the pressure points he squeezed or the tiny needles placed strategically in my face, scalp, abdomen, neck, hands, arms and feet, but I felt pretty great — and remarkably relaxed — after our first session. I would be lying if I said the needles don’t hurt at all, but it’s just a little twinge. (However, if you move your hand around trying to sneak your BlackBerry when the doctor leaves the room, it can hurt a lot.) Patients with sensitive or thin skin (like me) sometimes experience tiny bruises. But they vanish quickly.
For accelerated results, the doctor recommends two or three visits a week for 6 to 10 weeks. But he’s quick to point out that wrinkle relief isn’t his motivation. “It’s not just about vanity,” he says. “I don’t want people to merely look healthier, I want them to become healthier. The health and well-being of your face is the reflection of the health and well-being of your internal systems and organs.”
I’ve been seeing Dr. Yang for a few months now, and I haven’t cheated on him with Dr. Brandt once. I even got a little jealous during the photo shoot for this story, when he proceeded to ease our model’s headache and treat the hairstylist’s injured ankle. Maybe there’s an acupoint for jealousy, too? I made a mental note to ask Dr. Yang at our next session.
A session with Dr. Yang is $495 for the initial evaluation and $295 for follow-ups; (866) 437-3826; taoinstitute.com.