In Living Tree I have endeavored to create the sort of safe, clean, comfortable, and unhurried experience that I would like to have as a patient but all too often find lacking in medical settings.
I have an intimate relationship with injury and chronic pain due to a genetic collagen disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobility Type. I came to my studies in massage therapy, acupuncture, and medical qigong because the standard offerings of NSAIDs, narcotics, and cortisone injections frequently caused more problems for me than they resolved.
Just as my background as a massage therapist greatly informs my knowledge of the body and how I approach it through acupuncture, my extensive and ongoing experiences as a patient within the medical establishment continue to shape the ways in which I relate to my patients and inspire me to simply be better in every aspect of the care that I provide.
In April and May of 2019 I completed my certification in Medical Qigong (CMQ) and my Doctorate of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (DAIM) and also published my first book, It’s Raining Zebras: An Acupuncturist’s Guide for the Better Recognition and Treatment of Individuals with Hypermobile Type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I am excited to bring all that I have learned in pursuit of my advanced certificate, degree, and authorship to my patients as I continue to grow as a practitioner.
As of February 2024, I’ve embarked upon a mentorship program with Dr. Yvonne Farrell studying Eight Extraordinary Vessels (8EV) and Secondary Vessels (SV) treatments. These techniques are particularly useful in treating psycho-emotional and psycho-spiritual disorders and do so by addressing patterns of stored trauma within the body–the stuff we either need to integrate or let go of if we are to reach our fullest potential. Given my own trauma background and cPTSD, I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring 8EV and SV treatments to my patients and am grateful to Dr. Farrell for all that she brings to her teaching.