I arrived at my first Acupuncture appointment exhausted and run down. I was in my first semester of college, and like many other freshmen- I was tired, stressed, and spreading myself thin. My parents had regularly visited our family friend and Acupuncturist, Kim, for their own health concerns. So they suggested that I go to see her. I had no idea what it was all about but my curiosity led me to her office. I was ushered back to a dimly lit, comfortable yellow treatment room.
Kim came in with a warm smile and asked me many questions about my energy, my sleep, my digestion, and what I usually ate in a day.
She then gently put the thin needles in different spots- one between my eyebrows, one or two on my arms, one in my stomach and a few on my legs.
After putting on soft music, she dimmed the lights, let me know I could relax and that she would be back to check on me in a few minutes.
My body felt grounded but lighter at the same time. Tension slowly eased from my stomach, shoulders, and neck. I felt a 10 pound weight lift from my chest!
Kim came back a little while later and removed the needles.
I felt a little tired but also clearer than I had felt in years. Like the clouds had parted and the mental chatter finally slowed down.
I walked out of the office feeling light, my surroundings more colorful, the sounds more clear.I wasn’t entirely sure of what had happened but I knew that I was more myself than I had been in a long time.
Now, almost 15 years later, I am an Acupuncture Physician and Diplomat of Oriental Medicine. I studied Psychology in undergraduate and went on to study Traditional Chinese Medicine in South Florida post-graduate. I worked with Kim for three years in Delray Beach before I relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach in early 2019.
I have always been intensely interested in health, the human body, and brain. I have also always wanted to help people. Like many of us, I have felt powerless watching too many friends and family members suffer from chronic illness; so, when I found an ancient school of medicine with a millennia of knowledge and experience, I knew this was an answer in a world of questions.
In the years since that first treatment, I have turned to Acupuncture – for pain, stress, anxiety, digestion, women’s health issues; and, it has significantly changed & improved my life in many ways. I simply would not be who I am today without this medicine, my family, and my wonderful mentor and Acupuncturist, Kim.
The schooling process was challenging, yet eye-opening as well. TCM does not only treat the disease, it treats the whole person. Whether it be 15 years of IBS or two months of knee pain this constant holds true. It is not magic and you do not have to believe anything for it to work. It is not a belief system at work but the utilization of the body’s natural functions.
Many traditional medical models, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, give patients the tools to help themselves through approachable concepts, natural solutions, and self-confidence. It gives them the opportunity to connect to themselves, to discern what is helpful and useful for them. It is not a one-size-fits-all model but rather, an extremely personal and individualized plan of healing tailored to each person.
My goal is and always has been to focus first on what my patient needs; to give their body the tools it needs – to ease pain, settle discomfort, to heal. I also understand the urgency to get back to the things you love and the life you deserve to enjoy.
This has been what I have found to be my goal and the goal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Life: improved. Acupuncture sparks the self-healing process. It uncovers and utilizes the body’s innate ability to heal. It assists in processing physical and mental trauma, and allows us to come back to ourselves and to our nature. It is living in harmony with the seasons, our environment, and our surroundings. Patient and practitioner work together to uncover and solve the root cause of the present circumstances.
We have been blessed with such a magnificent vessel. It was created to function well. When we facilitate healing instead of mask symptoms, we can prevent a great deal of chronic illness and heal from a life of overwhelm and stress. At its best, Traditional Chinese Medicine gives us the tools to face both health and personal challenges while drastically improving our quality of life along the way. I am here to help you do just that.
—————
Acupuncture is one of many powerful healing modalities in the scope of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Rooted in centuries of observation, Traditional Chinese Medicine utilizes the body’s innate healing mechanism to bring the body back into balance (homeostasis). Acupuncture is one of the oldest and most commonly used methods of healing around the world with the first records dating back over 2,000 years ago!
Acupuncture involves the use of hair-thin, single-use, sterile needles inserted into specific points on the body: acupuncture points. These acupuncture points are at the site of sensory receptors. These sensory receptors send messages to the brain via the nervous system that help reset and assist the body to heal and to self correct.
Acupuncture promotes our body’s own anti-inflammatory and pain relieving mechanisms. When the points are stimulated, it sends messages to the brain via the nervous system. This balances the endocrine system, calms the nervous system, and regulates the release of many hormones and neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and the opioid systems. Acupuncture also promotes blood flow to the affected area which relieves and reduces inflammation.
This brain- body connection is helpful for correcting numerous conditions related to the muscular, nervous system, endocrine, digestive and neurological systems. Some of the conditions that can be greatly reduced include: Muscle tension, pain, stress, anxiety, depression, GI and digestive disorders, hormone imbalances, PMS, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, weight gain, night sweats, hot flashes, and chronic fatigue- among numerous others.
Further, Acupuncture stimulates and regulates the immune system by encouraging the production of T Cells. The effects of this are long lasting. Balancing the nervous and immune systems calms symptoms from skin disorders, allergies, common cold and flu, acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are preventative in nature and can greatly reduce the intensity and length of symptoms. It prevents further illness, treats the root cause of disease, and helps us thrive in our environment.
Traditional Chinese Medicine integrates ancient theories and techniques based on the natural state and abilities of the human body with modern day research and scientific developments to achieve optimum healing, wellness, and quality of life.
Additional Links & Resources:
