For over three decades, Dr. Ted J. Cibik has been at the forefront of Classical Chinese Medicine, Medical Qigong, and Traditional Naturopathy, guiding patients toward true healing of the body, mind, and spirit. As an 89th-generation Zhong Yi (Chinese physician) and the Executive Director of Inner Strength, Inc., he offers a rare and profound approach to wellness that bridges ancient Eastern traditions with modern holistic practices. At his renowned clinic in Leechburg, PA—one of the longest-running centers for Classical Chinese Medicine in the Eastern U.S.—Dr. Cibik welcomes patients for immersive, personalized treatments. For those unable to travel, his innovative distance healing programs ensure that transformative care is accessible to all. Through in-depth evaluations, customized protocols, and unique modalities like Sun Therapy, Dr. Cibik empowers individuals to reclaim their health and vitality. In this exclusive interview with Mystic Mag, we step into the world of a true healer—exploring the wisdom, philosophy, and techniques that make Dr. Cibik a sought-after expert in integrative medicine.
Your journey into health and wellness began with overcoming “incurable asthma.” What were the key turning points in your healing process, and how did they shape your approach to medicine and healing?
That’s an excellent question because everybody has a story—at least, every healer I’ve run into. I was born with severe asthma and allergies, so severe that doctors didn’t think I would live past the age of two. I was taken to hospitals all over the United States, including the Cleveland Clinic and Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, but no one had any answers. In fact, they told my parents that I was probably one of the ten worst asthma cases they had ever seen in the world.
Fast-forwarding a bit—I had frequent and prolonged asthma attacks, some lasting for days. One particularly severe attack happened in the spring. It lasted five days, and by the second or third day, I ended up in the ER. I don’t remember exactly when, but the doctors told my parents that my heart was going to give out. As a last resort, they decided to try an experimental drug—curare, a paralytic used by South American hunters to immobilize animals. It had never been tested on a human before, and they accidentally overdosed me. I flatlined on the table, was given my last rites, and was pronounced dead.
Fifteen minutes later, I came back.
After that experience, I had serious questions. Around the age of six or seven, I asked my dad, “Why is God punishing me? What did I do?” He simply looked at me and said, “God helps those who help themselves.” That moment was a turning point for me.
I was fortunate to be an intelligent child—I could read before I started first grade. Back then, there was no internet (yes, I’m dating myself), so I practically lived in the library. I would go to libraries all over, even in downtown Pittsburgh, researching biology, medicine, and anything that might help me find a solution.
Fast-forward again—I started using supplements and protein powders, practicing martial arts, and learning to meditate. I discovered that if I could control my mind during an asthma attack, I could calm my body down and get through it. I began studying Qigong at a young age, guided by a great martial arts teacher who taught me various breathing and energy techniques.
At age 12, I had another multi-day asthma attack, ended up in the hospital, flatlined again, and was pronounced dead. To me, that was confirmation. I was on the right path, but I wasn’t there yet.
By the time I was a teenager, I no longer had asthma attacks, my skin had cleared up, and all the symptoms I had suffered from were gone. The doctors dismissed it, saying, “Oh, he just grew out of it.” But I knew the truth—it was a strategy, my strategy.
Then, at 17, I was diagnosed with bone cancer. I spent three months in the hospital with multiple surgeries. It was a rare form of cancer, and doctors were referencing medical records from France to guide my treatment. I won’t go into all the details, but it gave me a lot of time to think. During that time, I developed a five-stage plan for my life because I was determined to beat cancer just as I had beaten asthma.
That five-stage plan became Inner Strength, Inc. — my clinic, my martial arts school, my educational center, and my retreat space. Everything we do here stems from my personal experiences and my relentless pursuit of knowledge. I continue to research and learn because I love solving difficult cases. Give me a challenging case, and I’ll be the detective who figures it out—because that’s exactly what I had to do for myself.
My real schooling began when I was five. That was when I started preparing for my life’s work. Some people look at my story and say, “Wow, you had terrible luck.” But I don’t see it that way. I was incredibly fortunate because it shaped my mind and allowed me to see the gaps in the medical system—so much of it is just miscommunication. The way your body communicates is critical, and I’ve seen so many autoimmune diseases that are simply the result of miscommunication within the body.
As an expert in Medical QiGong, how do you explain its healing benefits to those unfamiliar with it?
I like to use science to explain things when I can because it makes concepts more believable, even for skeptics. If you truly understand the human nervous system, you’ll see that it’s essentially a process driven by ions—charged particles that move across cell membranes. This movement generates electrical impulses in the nervous system. These ions could be considered “chi.”
The ancient Chinese didn’t have knowledge of ions, electrons, or protons, but they understood that a form of energy flows through the body, serving as a communication system. Everything in the body is electrical—your heart, your brain, the conductivity through the central nervous system, and the innervation of muscles all rely on electrical signals. This process is based on ionization, and you can train your mind to become aware of it. When people say they can “feel the chi” in their blood, what they are really tuning into is their body’s own communication system.
The Chinese mapped out this energy flow thousands of years ago through what they called meridians—pathways that allow this energy to travel. This system forms the foundation of acupuncture, which has been practiced for over 4,000 years. Interestingly, similar ideas exist in Japan, Korea, India, South America, and virtually all indigenous cultures. While these concepts are taught in different ways—some call it yoga, others call it Qigong—the name doesn’t matter. What matters is understanding how your body functions and learning how to tune into it.
As a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and a Traditional Naturopath, I integrate these ancient principles with modern science. Today, we have access to raw healing materials from all over the world, including herbs, mushrooms, plants, and essential oils. These natural substances play a crucial role in healing.
One fascinating example is the first asthma drug ever created—Theophylline. It was derived from coffee. Instead of just extracting a single compound, why not use the whole plant? Coffee, for instance, has many other health benefits—it helps prevent colon cancer and supports liver function. Nature has provided us with powerful healing substances that offer not only one benefit but multiple synergistic effects.
This is why I prefer to use natural healing methods. I believe in a science-based approach, but it’s also rooted in ancient wisdom. I often joke that what people call “alternative medicine” is actually the original medicine. Allopathic medicine, which is only about 177 years old, is the true alternative. Traditional healing practices have been around for thousands of years, proving their effectiveness over time. That’s the way I see it.
What type of services do you offer?
Not only do we have a clinic here where I see patients from around the world, but we also have an Education Center. We have classrooms set up to teach people how to do what I do because it’s not enough for me to know it—I want to share this knowledge with others. We have a wide range of participants, including psychiatrists, medical doctors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and even laypeople who want to apply this information to help their friends, family, and loved ones.
Education has now become about two-thirds of my work. I spend almost every weekend teaching or traveling to teach, including at acupuncture colleges and other institutions. In addition to education, we also offer retreats. We have a guesthouse where people can stay and over 100 acres of property with walking trails and nature paths. It’s a total immersion experience in healing.
When people come here, they stay on-site and have consultations with me. In the mornings, I provide them with personalized herbal supplements, dietary recommendations, and treatment plans. They then return to the guesthouse to prepare their meals, practice Qigong, and focus on their healing. Later, they come back for treatments. My work is incredibly diverse, and I love every aspect of it. It’s so fulfilling that I will never retire—I plan to do this for the rest of my life. As I continue learning, I see my work evolving into a beautifully integrated healing system.
When other healers visit, they’re often amazed at the depth of information I can provide to help them strengthen their own practices. For me, disseminating this knowledge is crucial. There’s a saying in China: You should always stand on the shoulders of your teacher. In other words, each generation should improve upon what came before, so the next generation of healers is even more skilled and capable. That philosophy has always stayed with me, and it’s exactly what I strive to do for my students and patients.
Interestingly, many people who heal from their own health challenges feel inspired to become healers themselves. There are countless paths—some become herbalists, massage therapists, or counselors—each contributing to the greater field of healing. Regardless of the modality, understanding that nature is the guiding force behind all healing is essential. That’s also the deeper philosophy behind Qigong—it aligns human beings with nature, creating a synchronicity that provides incredible strength and empowerment.
On top of everything else, we also have a farm here where I grow fresh herbs and medicinal plants. Balancing everything can be a challenge, but I truly love what I do, and helping people is my greatest passion.
With your specialization in oncology and immunology, how do Classical Chinese medicine approaches support patients dealing with immune-related conditions and cancer?
Take the best of both worlds. From an allopathic perspective, there are fascinating insights we can gain from blood work. What I’ve done is take standardized allopathic blood work and, in a way, inverted it to understand the body’s energetics. This allows me to translate the results into an energy-based perspective—identifying what’s working, which systems are interacting effectively, and what’s not functioning optimally. Using this as a template, I then incorporate the diagnostic methods of Chinese medicine.
Interestingly, allopathic doctors used to examine the tongue as part of their diagnosis, but most no longer do. In contrast, Chinese medicine continues to use this practice. We also assess the eyes, take pulse readings, and analyze a concept known as Wei Qi—the electromagnetic field surrounding the human body. How this field synchronizes with the Earth provides valuable insight into a person’s pathology. When combined, these assessment tools—Western blood analysis and Eastern diagnostic techniques—form a comprehensive picture of health.
Regardless of a Western diagnosis, we ultimately determine an energetic diagnosis and work from that perspective. The key difference is that an energetic diagnosis identifies imbalances before they manifest as physical disease, whereas an allopathic diagnosis is given after a condition has already formed. If we address these imbalances early—correcting the body’s energetic communication—the physical form can often change as a result.
This integration of both approaches is incredibly effective, utilizing all available tools to optimize health. And why not? When I was ill, I would have tried anything—Western, Eastern, it didn’t matter. The priority was healing. That’s the approach we should take today: fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across medical traditions. By doing so, we can create a more holistic and effective healthcare system—one that ultimately leads to a healthier future for the next generation.
You also provide corporate programs on stress management and wellness. What are the biggest health challenges you see in corporate environments today, and how do you address them?
Just like in the 1980s, stress remains a major issue, but the nature of that stress has changed. The pandemic was a clear example of this—the entire world shifted. People were isolated, unable to socialize, and subjected to repeated lockdowns. As a result, we lost a significant level of communication. Now, more than ever, we need to double down on improving our communication skills.
We also need to understand what’s happening inside our bodies. Stress remains a primary driver of inflammation, which, in turn, contributes to various health issues. That hasn’t changed—it’s human nature. We inflame ourselves with our thoughts and self-talk, with environmental factors, and with the consumption of processed foods. In fact, we are inflaming ourselves more today than we were 20 years ago. This chronic inflammation—essentially another form of stress—is a critical issue that each person must address individually. No one else can remove it for you. You have to use your own mind to recognize it, process it, and release it. Teaching people how to do this is a powerful healing strategy.
This is one of the reasons I am frequently invited by corporations to teach communication. The way we communicate with ourselves is just as important as how we communicate with others. If we don’t understand our own internal dialogue, it’s like speaking a foreign language—we experience miscommunication, which leads to stress and, ultimately, inflammation.
I am deeply passionate about communication and the flow of Qi as a means of facilitating it. Helping people feel or experience this flow in any form is a major focus of my lectures. Traditionally, this might have been called stress management, but I prefer to think of it as inflammation management through effective communication.
