Why did you become an acupuncturist?
My diverse background and experiences as an adolescent led to an interest in the human condition. While working at a medical clinic in Tennessee, I became interested in medicine. I observed that our struggles with illness and pain, though difficult, have the potential to unite us in our shared experiences and align us with our truest selves. Pain can be an important catalyst for change if we choose to listen to its messages and cultivate awareness in our lives.

I reluctantly became a patient of acupuncture myself while suffering from chronic pain. The pain started to disappear and after I realized the importance of my own role in recovery, my body healed itself. I discovered a new definition of health. I also began to view Chinese medicine not only as a way to achieve individual health and happiness, but as a vehicle to establishing the balance and wellbeing of our communities, on a social and environmental level.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I am dedicated to listening in my practice. I believe my patients experience relief and empowerment when they speak to someone who acknowledges their pain and health struggles. I also incorporate various tools in treatment. I often use massage, when appropriate, because it provides patients with a little something extra that makes them feel pampered. I also sometimes use essential oils and aromatherapy to help people relax or as a therapy for headaches, colds, allergies, and sinus problems.

Often a series of treatments is needed before people experience the true medical benefits of acupuncture. So, I try my best to provide a comfortable, enjoyable experience each time a person comes in. I’d like people to view my clinic as a retreat, a place where they release stress and anxiety, and leave feeling nurtured and restored.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I like listening to peoples’ stories. I find that listening is very rewarding, and it’s essential to developing a sound treatment plan. If we listen to our patients’ stories, often they will tell us exactly what their bodies need. I enjoy seeing an individual leave the clinic happier than when they came in.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
I hear quite a few misconceptions about acupuncture. Two in particular are important. The first one is that acupuncture only treats pain. Not true! Acupuncture is a tool of Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine is a sophisticated and complex system of medicine that has its own philosophy of internal medicine. Acupuncturists use various tools, including acupuncture, herbal formulas, moxibustion, and cupping to help the body heal itself according to these principles of internal medicine. Therefore, acupuncturists treat a variety of illnesses, including problems of the viscera and systemic diseases like autoimmune conditions.

The second misconception is that you have to believe in acupuncture in order for it to work. I know that’s not true because I was a skeptic myself. Acupuncture is not a religion and you don’t have to have faith for it to work. That is good news for skeptics! Some amount of skepticism is normal and healthy for anyone considering medical intervention of any kind. People should have questions and doubts, whether it’s Western medicine or a holistic approach. I’m happy to answer questions, and skeptics are always welcome!

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I try to do as I say, and say as I do. I eat organic whole foods and avoid processed foods with ingredients that I can’t pronounce. If I indulge, I look for good-quality foods with few, natural ingredients. In general, I pay attention to sugar intake and portion size. Portion control is easier to implement than counting calories and fat grams. I try to eat green, leafy vegetables every day. I never buy “non-fat” or “fat-free” products. I cook whenever possible at home, because that’s the best way to control what goes in my body. I take my Omega 3s, probiotics, and Chinese herbs when necessary. I walk my dog every day and try to be silly and have fun—it reduces stress! Laughter is good medicine—they weren’t kidding.

Lastly, if I get off track with my health, I take notice and make changes. Guilt surrounding food choices and habits is counterproductive to health, so that’s something I work on. I think we all need to be more gentle with ourselves as we make changes for our health. Shaming ourselves or others is rarely a catalyst for change.

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guesthouseacupuncture.com
info@guesthouseacupuncture.com
(925) 567-3337
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110 La Casa Via, Suite 200, Walnut Creek, CA 94598

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I became an acupuncturist, herbalist, and author of health and wellness books because I have a passion and desire to help people reach their own individual optimal health and fertility.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
As well as practicing for almost a decade, I am a published author of health, wellness, and fertility focused books. I am an avid professional who is considered one of the nation’s leading alternative health, wellness, and fertility experts.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Helping my patients find peace, joy, and optimum health in a way that works for them.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
Acupuncture to me is much more than just needles—it is a way of life, as acupuncture is just one facet of Traditional Oriental Medicine. I work with my patients on a much deeper emotional, spiritual, and nutritional level. Acupuncture is just one of my many tools.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I practice what I preach. I eat clean. I meditate. I find joy in my every day. I get acupuncture. I am constantly tuned in to the environment around me. I am always eager to learn more.

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aimeeraupp.com
aimee@aimeeraupp.com
(845) 988-6913
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928 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10012
15 North Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
We became acupuncturists because of our combined positive experiences with Traditional Chinese Medicine, our desire to pursue a deeply meaningful career, and our academic interest in a philosophical medicine.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
We practice classical Chinese medicine, an unabbreviated form of Chinese medicine. In classical practice, medicine and health are regarded as arts that are informed by an understanding of our place in the natural world and each individual patient. We treat by choosing among 74 channel systems, using a straightforward, elegant, and thorough understanding of human physiology and pathology as laid out in a variety of classical texts.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
The most rewarding moment for us is when a patient begins to notice the subtle but pervasive changes in his or her daily experience. As patients progress through treatment and become more deeply connected to themselves, they generally begin to feel less divided between “mind and body.” This is a beautiful and humbling time for us as practitioners. It’s an honor to be a part of a person’s process as they become an assimilated whole, casting off pain, darkness, and old misconceptions in favor of a belief in their own capacity to heal.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
The idea that acupuncture and herbalism are only for a certain kind of person is probably the saddest misconception about the medicine. The belief of who this “certain kind” of person is varies. Some people think you have to be rich, or young, or a hippie, or an atheist, or a Buddhist, or have back pain. Acupuncture and herbalism are for anyone who’s interested—and the medicine can help an uninterested person. Certainly active participation yields better results than resistance or disinterest, but we’ve seen skeptical and disbelieving people have excellent results.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
We live as simply as possible, staying connected to our resources and our values. As small business owners ourselves, we support other small businesses so that we can help to grow healthy, vibrant, and self-sufficient communities. We love to cook, using foods we grew and locally grown foods. If we eat out, we favor neighborhood eateries. We believe in the importance of receiving the medicine that we practice, and both get weekly acupuncture treatments and custom herbal formulas. We also get monthly massages. Living in the mountains of Virginia means that we have access to incredible outdoor recreation opportunities. We spend as much time as we can on the Appalachian Trail. We also enjoy practicing yoga and qigong, but get much of our exercise keeping up with our toddler.

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vcacu.com
info@vcacu.com
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22 S. Roanoke Street, Fincastle, VA 24090

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
While living abroad in Japan, my own health journey had a life-altering course correction by a Japanese acupuncturist. I knew I wanted to share this powerful medicine with those in the West and pay my good luck forward!

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I worked at an investment bank in New York to put myself through school for Asian medicine. I understand first hand how stress can wreak havoc on the body. I also believe that dis-ease is a blessing and a lesson in disguise—it puts us out of our comfort zone, which is the sweet spot for growth.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
My patients are my greatest teachers and sources of inspiration. They continually leave me in amazement of the human spirit. I love the journeys I’m privileged to witness on a daily basis.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That you need to “believe” in acupuncture in order for it to work. Acupuncture calls on your body’s own innate ability to heal, despite your mind. Some of the most responsive patients are animals and children, neither of which “believe” in it.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Kundalini yoga and qigong have become vital staples in my daily health practices. As someone with autoimmune, diet is absolutely critical for me, as is regular acupuncture.

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ancienthealingformodernliving.com
acuheidi@gmail.com
(917) 207-9715
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928 Broadway, Suite 1200, New York, NY, 10010

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I became an acupuncturist after Chinese medicine and needles healed me. When I became sick in 2003, a friend simply said, “You need needles.” I did not even know what she meant. But one year, many needles and countless herbal concoctions later, I was not only better but I also was changed. I quit my advertising career and began my journey to help others with Traditional Chinese Medicine, using the tools of needles and custom herbal formulas. Now, I humbly watch as my patients heal from their pain, be it physical or emotional. For me, a healer healed herself to guide others on their journeys of optimal health.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I believe what sets me apart from other acupuncturists is my ability to listen. When I am listening to my patients with an open heart and listening ears—not a pre-meditated diagnosis—they always tell me what I need to do to help them. I look at each patient as a constitutional puzzle—they have all the pieces in their story and it is my job to put the pieces together, allowing for four solid corners and knowing the main picture changes daily. Everything is connected and this changes daily in nature as it does in each of us. The weather, what we ate last night, a good night sleep or a fight with a loved one is part of the puzzle of imbalance. I need only pay attention with respect for me to then place the map of needles that helps restore balance for each one of my patients.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
So many of the people I treat—from 3 years to 89 years old, male, female, rich or poor—come through my door because they are ready for change. Biomedicine has let them down, no pill has fixed them, or a friend or family member has gently suggested acupuncture. I bear witness that after a handful of visits—usually three-to-six—people get better, whatever “get better” means for them. This is rewarding on a daily basis for me. Through active listening and the power of Traditional Chinese Medicine, patients find balance.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
I think the biggest misconception I still hear about acupuncture is that it only treats pain. Yes, we treat pain, but Chinese medicine treats any biomedical disorder as well. And it is not just about needles. I have been trained to evaluate lab work and diagnostics to treat internal health, and I often work with the naturopaths in my clinic. I use Chinese herbs and custom formulas with my patients but I see food as medicine as well. We are what we eat and nutrition is a corner puzzle piece. Acupuncture quickly resolves physical pain, but I see the physical leading to the emotional which leads to the spiritual journey we are all trying to get into balance. It is all connected.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I stay healthy in my own life by trying to walk my talk. While guiding my patients to a balanced lifestyle that includes diet and exercise, I practice this as well. I eat an organic Paleo diet as best I can. I exercise weekly with running. I sign up for races to have goals. I try to take time off to be in nature. I find less is more, most of the time, and try not to over schedule. But, life can get out of balance for me as well, and it is in times of imbalance that I know what tools to reach for. My tools include acupuncture, rest, eating right, chiropractic care, naturopathic care and the natural world.

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dmelanson@elixiawellness.com
(503) 232-5653

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Elixia Wellness Group: 8113 SE 13th Avenue, Portland, OR 97202

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
When I was 29, I suffered from IBS, depression and chronic fatigue. Acupuncture was the only thing that helped and the more I learned, the more I loved it. I decided to leave a high-paying sales position to pursue my dream of helping the world one person at a time.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I am different from other acupuncturists because I am part of a Sufi community that focuses on cultivating the ideal of Divine Embodiment. Many of the community members are healers in one form or another, and our lifestyle, outlook and daily practices cultivate a deep ability to bring healing from a Divine place. I’ve also studied spiritual healing at the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I really enjoy developing relationships with individuals and seeing them make transformations in their lives.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
The biggest misconception that I hear about acupuncture is that it is only for pain. Acupuncture is thousands of years old and can treat the whole range of physical ailments in the human body.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
In order to stay healthy in my own life, I am focused on eating a healthy diet. I believe that the root of all sickness comes from the food we eat. Additionally, I focus on incorporating movement into my daily routine in the form of qigong and yoga (I am a certified yoga instructor) and maintaining my spiritual health (through a variety of Sufi spiritual practices).

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sufiacupuncture.com
sufiacupuncture@gmail.com
(301) 358-5549

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28 South Potomac Street, 2R, Hagerstown, MD 21740

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I felt acupuncture’s effectiveness when I first had it in 1978! Long story. Though I am from Minneapolis, I was living in San Francisco and had a specific health concern at the time. I am honored to say that I received acupuncture from Naboru Muramoto, a Japanese practitioner and the author of Healing Ourselves. I had great success with those treatments and that was the beginning of my interest in acupuncture. I later moved to Chicago to study at the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine and graduated in January 1988.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
After 23 years of private acupuncture practice (I also provided acupuncture to county addictions programs), I connected with the community acupuncture movement and opened Abundant-Chi Community Acupuncture in December 2010. This distinguishes me as a provider of NADA (the ear acupuncture protocol of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association), with experience in providing both private and community acupuncture services. I’ve done it all! Seriously, I treat all sorts of conditions.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love introducing patients to Chinese medicine and acupuncture. It really is a new way of looking at our wellness. It is so much about self-care and self-awareness. Call me to find out more!

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
After 25 years of providing acupuncture treatment, I still think the biggest misconception is that acupuncture is painful. Ha! Almost everyone falls asleep! Our center is quiet and relaxing.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I practice mindfulness meditation and Tai Chi. I am actually a cancer survivor and use Chinese medicine practices and concepts in my day-to-day life. Herbs, foods, self-care, acupressure and movement are all components of Traditional Chinese Medicine for maintaining balance and wellbeing.

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abundant-chi.com
info@abundant-chi.com
(507) 990-3299

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604 2nd Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
Acupuncture helped me recover from a mysterious health condition. I was getting bounced from doctor to doctor and test to test, and no one could figure out what was wrong with me or how to improve my symptoms. A nurse I knew recommended I try acupuncture. I’m happy to say that acupuncture did the trick! Once I had recovered, I kept going because I found the treatments so relaxing. I had originally been premed in college and had always wanted to go back into the medical field. One day while getting acupuncture I had an a-ha moment—I knew this was the path that I should follow.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
My patients say that I give truly personal service, the kind of attention that they wish they got from their Western doctors. I treat each patient as an individual, taking the time to really listen and get to know them. I’m a solo practitioner, not a big clinic. My patients appreciate that when they call or email, they get a fast response from me directly. I am also a true specialist in the conditions that I treat, and my expertise in these areas are a real benefit to my patients. I limit the conditions that I see so that I can give the best care possible. I also combine both Western and Eastern diagnostic tools so that my patients receive the best wisdom of both worlds.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
My favorite part of being an acupuncturist is seeing my patients emerge from the treatment room, totally relaxed, with a huge smile on their faces. I really enjoy when I have a new patient who is nervous about getting acupuncture, and then they emerge from the room a convert! I love introducing people to the benefits of acupuncture and helping them take control of their health.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That acupuncture only treats pain. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists over 40 conditions that acupuncture can successfully treat, from asthma and allergies to painful periods and infertility to migraines and digestive disorders. Even if your specific health condition is not on the WHO list (mine wasn’t!), there is a good chance acupuncture can help!

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I take supplements and Chinese herbs daily. I make it a priority to take the time to relax at the end of each day. I love doing martial arts for exercise and stress relief. And, of course, acupuncture!

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healthinharmonytcm.com
cindi@healthinharmonytcm.com
(408) 761-6251
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621 East Campbell Avenue, Suite 12, Campbell, CA 95008

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
After suffering with almost daily migraines as a teenager, I exhausted all traditional treatments and turned to acupuncture. Within weeks my chronic migraines and almost daily headaches for my entire life went away. This was the first step toward my passion for acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
My practice is inviting and warm. We focus on each person as an individual and spend a lot of time getting to know each patient and really understanding their health and well being concerns throughout the treatment process. We try to be as convenient as possible for our patients. We offer online appointment scheduling and evening hours (Tuesdays and Thursdays) as well as Saturday appointments. Emails are generally responded to within hours (during waking hours!) seven days a week.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love my job. I have such a passion for acupuncture and it has really shown in the success of my practice over the last decade. I enjoy working with each patient to try to get them to their most optimal state of health and well being.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
I have heard it all in over 10 years of treating patients! The most common misconceptions are that it hurts and that it does not work. Well, in general, the treatments are not painful and most people find them very relaxing—many people even sleep during their treatments! Also, I am living proof of acupuncture working. Acupuncture gave me my life back when nothing else worked. I have seen this time and time again with my patients as well.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I am very focused on health in and out of the office. I am an avid runner and my other favorite hobby is cooking. I have been vegetarian for over 20 years and love cooking food for my friends and family. Some lucky patients even get some of my healthy baked goods and even the occasional lunch!

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healingpointonline.com
meredithgmurphy@gmail.com
(610) 265-1827
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215 W. Church Road, Suite 112, King of Prussia, PA 19406

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
My whole career has focused on healing. Being an acupuncturist is a natural extension of nursing and the best outlet for me to give the kind of attention and care to each person I treat while promoting a holistic option for maintaining health and wellness.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
My ability to use both cultures and medicinal theories to provide true integrative care. To connect Eastern and Western values in such a way that solves problems others might not identify.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Having time to build a relationship with those I treat—to sit, listen and share in an environment of calm centered energy that doesn’t feel rushed or limited due to a structured time table.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That acupuncture is not a form of science and precision. That acupuncture is not based on medical standards. That Chinese medicine and the medicine of Hippocrates are not based on the same philosophy.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Like many people, I try to eat well, sleep well, exercise and meditate. And like many people, whatever their path to wellness, I am always working on it.

Can Western and Eastern medicine really integrate?
Yes! If both medicines are open minded, ready to listen and dedicated to meeting the needs of their patient, which is the ultimate goal, we would have the best of both worlds!

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besthealthoption.co
besthealthoption1@gmail.com
(262) 293-4493
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Best Health Option Acupuncture and Wellness: W177N9856 Rivercrest Drive, Suite 112, Germantown, WI 53022

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