What do you like about practicing in your area or your clinic?

The clinic at which I work also houses naturopathic doctors, massage therapists and body talk practitioners. It is situated in a beautiful old home which lends a different type of atmosphere. The goal of the owner has been to create a healing place – a place where people can achieve a balance in their lives. It is a nice environment for both practitioners and clients. We are very busy and my clients are embracing Chinese medicine concepts of health preservation and disease prevention.

What is your specialty?

I would say I am a “general practitioner” – my clients are very diverse and vary in age from their teens through to their 80s. It means treating (in Western terms) menstrual issues, menopause issues, allergies, chronic and acute pain, acute injuries, anxiety and depression (where I find the 5 Element theories particularly applicable), as well as moderating diabetes and hypertension. I particularly enjoy guiding my clients, with their help, from a state of less than optimum health to balance and good health based on Chinese Health preservation concepts.  Because Chinese medicine has so much to offer – multiple forms of acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, tui na, and moxibustion there is almost always something that can be done to assist our clients.

What made you join CMAAC?

I joined CMAAC as soon as I graduated from school in 2001 after the 4 year program at Michener. I wanted to belong to a professional organization that promoted Chinese medicine in all it’s aspects not some watered down version. I particularly admired Professor Cedric Cheung’s untiring efforts to get Chinese medicine recognized and regulated. What he and the CMAAC have accomplished across Canada is noteworthy.

What do you hope to see in the future of TCM and Acupuncture care in your area, or in Canada?

My background prior to studying Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture was nursing. I worked as an RN for over 20 years in many different areas and had some wonderful experiences, however, nothing compared to Chinese medicine’s concepts and theories regarding the integration of the body systems. Several of the TCM doctors I met throughout my training hoped for an integration of Chinese and Western medicine to create a unified medicine that would change medical care.
That would be the ideal, but in the meantime, the education of the public through successful treatments and exposure to Chinese medicine concepts one person at a time is having significant impact.