About Me
After growing up in central Vermont, I moved out to Montana to do trail work for the Forest Service out of Livingston and Paradise Valley. After four years there I was thrown from a horse and suffered a low back injury, which put me out of work and desperately seeking to recover both my health and my livelihood. I saw an acupuncturist who helped me through my recovery and taught me the basics of Chinese medicine. From there I was hooked.
I'm so excited to be back in Montana after living in the Bay Area for eight years to attend school and start gaining experience. It is such a huge privilege to practice Chinese medicine, and I am so thankful for what it has given to me and my patients.
What is Chinese Medicine?
Chinese medicine has been practiced in China for over 3,000 years and remains a large part of their medical system to this day. Treatments are highly tailored to the patient's individual needs, which means that no two treatments are ever the same and will include elements of the following:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin filiform needles into specific point locations on the body that associate with 12 energetic meridians. The needles are retained in the body for 20-30 minutes while the patient relaxes, and then removed. Many find that while the needles are inserted they feel calm and relaxed and take what is often referred to as an "acu nap." Needle insertion itself is largely painless.
Sports Medicine Acupuncture
Sports medicine acupuncture was developed in the late 20th century by Whitfield Reaves and physical therapy pioneer Dr. Janet Travel. In melding their two practices they developed a system of acupuncture that uses orthopedic testing and anatomically determined trigger and motor points. Sports medicine acupuncture works well to treat both acute and chronic pain.
Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbal medicine works hand in hand with acupuncture treatments, or well on its own. Herbal formulas are developed based on signs and symptoms and modified for each patient at each visit. We source herbs from manufacturers with stringent heavy metal testing abilities to make sure your herbs are of the highest quality and we use local products when possible.
Nutritional
Counseling
Nutritional counseling is nutrition seen through the eyes of Chinese medicine. Foods are recommended based on the patient's presentation and is totally optional. My approach is to incorporate small dietary changes that will support healing and maintenance of balanced health long-term.
Cupping
& Gua Sha
Cupping is the creation of a vacuum at certain points on the body to draw out tension in the muscles, and gua sha is repetitive scraping of the skin with a blunt tool. Not only do they work well for musculoskeletal conditions but are also used to treat colds, asthma, headache, painful menses and GI disorders.
A Holistic System
Chinese medicine works so well because it's a holistic medicine, which means that it considers the patient's whole health picture before developing a treatment plan. We look at the root cause of illness rather than just treating one symptom.