I often get asked how I came to practice acupuncture.

As a kid, my mother made me go to the acupuncturist every week. I had some unexplained kidney problems. Even though I was in and out of doctor’s offices and hospitals, my mom always made a priority to complement the western remedies with eastern medicine. I was an American girl growing up in the 80′s and associated acupuncture with old Chinese men and big hand sharpened needles. From those early experiences, I developed a phobia of needles.

At Berkeley, I majored in comparative literature while also completing prerequisites for medical school. Somehow the finiteness and minutiae of the western scientific method didn’t make sense to me and I never made it to med school.

In my 20′s, I taught Jivamukti yoga in New York City. One day, during my own practice, I fell during a head stand and injured a cervical vertebra. For months, I got recurring migraines. My teacher sent me to an acupuncturist in Chinatown. I had not experienced acupuncture since my childhood. Although I was nervous, the needling was relatively painless and few weeks later, the migraines stopped.

After the events of 9/11, I felt a calling to re-prioritize my life. I remembered the dramatic healing of my acupuncture treatment, then decided to return to school to study Chinese medicine. Ironically, by studying yoga and Ayurveda, I inadvertently returned to my cultural roots.These days, I continue to apprentice with my inspiring teachers: senior acupuncturists Robert Zeiger (OMD., PharmD.) and Raven Lang (O.M.D., legendary midwife). They keep my wits sharp and my ego humble.

After years of practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine, I still find myself in awe of its potency. I am humbled to be a part of in my clients’ return to health.

Licenses, Degrees, and Certifications

• Licensed Acupuncturist: California Acupuncture Board
• Master’s in Traditional Oriental Medicine: Emperor’s College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (FABORM)
• Advanced Certification in Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Rejuvenation: Chiakra Center
• Certified Clean Needle Technique: Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
• Certified Yoga Teacher: Jivamukti Yoga Center, New York
• B.A. in Comparative Literature: University of California, Berkeley

Professional Organizations Licenses, Degrees, and Certifications

• American Acupuncture Council
• California State Oriental Medicine Association
• American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
• American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine
  American
• Society for Reproductive Medicine