My Story

For as long as I can remember I’ve been intrigued by health and the interplay between our physical and emotional bodies. Growing up in the Chicago area I just never had a model for anything other than mainstream medicine. When I learned that many modern medicines are derived from plants and that plant medicine used to be the norm, a whole other layer to the world opened up to me. However, I just assumed natural medicine was a thing of the past. At night I would actually lie in my bed and try to will my yard to grow into a prairie full of native plants that I could learn about. As soon as I finished High School I made my way here to Olympia WA and The Evergreen State College where I completed my Bachelor’s degree in ecology. Not long after I graduated I experienced a period of profound loss and change. In that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine played an major role in helping me move through an extremely difficult time. Not only was I healing my body but, I was brought back to my first loves of plants and medicine. My own healing process led me to my life’s work.

As soon as I was able I started checking out Chinese medicine schools. I quickly found my place at Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences in Nelson, BC. Where I completed a four-year graduate degree in Traditional Chinese medicine. As a practitioner I believe that all our bodies have their own innate healing ability. It is my job to find whatever imbalances and disruptions are effecting your system and correct them so your body can tap into its ability to heal.

Since starting my Olympia acupuncture practice in 2012 I have invested a lot of time into continuing to learning about healing and Chinese medicine on a deeper level. Most recently I completed a three year apprenticeship with local herbalist and healer Joyce Netishen at Fire Rose Farm. I’m currently working through a two year clinical training with Lonny Jarret. This training looks deeply at the mind/ body/ spirit connection that Chinese medicine beautifully encapsulates. Through working with both Lonny and Joyce I’ve learned to bring five element acupuncture into my practice.

Certifications

Liscenced East Asian Medicine Practitioner by the Washington State Department of Health. Member of the Washington Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Association. Member Americian Society of Acupuncturists. Upledger Institute CST Level 1&2 certified.

Approach

I use a combination of Acupuncture, craniosacral thereapy, and listening to address individual symptoms, facilitate deep healing, and encourage personal growth. My goal is to develop an individualized, holistic approach to working with each person and their particular needs. I also offer patients ways they can help themselves, to continue and expand upon the healing/growth process and I find this education to be an integral and therapeutic aspect of treatment.

Practice

I treat a large variety of patients, with a focus on holistic healing and emotional issues, always looking to address the patient’s causative factor(s) as well as deal with specific complaints. I have four main areas of interest and focus:

• Personal growth and transformation

• Stress, anxiety and depression

• Women’s health

• Acupuncture for pain and muscular-skeletal issues.

I enjoy working with people on journeys of personal growth: increasing personal awareness, learning to be more in the present, or undertaking a spiritual journey. I love working with the Mind/Body relationship or the Mind/Body/Spirit relationship.

Expertise