APA Dictionary of Psychology

a form of holistic folk medicine originating in China, based on over 2,500 years of medical practice and a guiding philosophy of harmony and balance. Health is thought to occur when a person’s chi, or life-force energy, is free of blockages; is able to travel unimpeded through “meridians,” or pathways between the organs and the skin; and is influenced equally by yin and yang. Acupuncture, herbal remedies, exercise and breathing therapies, meditation, and massage are some well-known TCM strategies. A TCM healer confers with, examines, and observes a patient to identify signs of health and dysfunction and ultimately to treat the individual’s unique presentation of a disease, if any, to restore balance to their chi. TCM is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine.