Why did you decided to
become an
acupuncturist?My background is in the health food industry. Essentially I got frustrated with not having enough time or education to effectively help people with their health care concerns. My formal training started with a certification in western herbal medicine. This training just didn't seem comprehensive enough and the certification didn't legally allow me to diagnose or prescribe. My answer to this dilemma was to go on and study Chinese medicine, learning the eastern approach to herbs and the theory and practice of acupuncture along the way which was utterly fascinating.
What sets you apart as a practitioner?
I like to work with my hands. I've played the violin and made jewelery since elementary school. I think this has helped me develop my sense of touch, allowing me to use a very delicate technique in my treatments. I also really like to work in a relaxed, unhurried manner. This gives patients plenty of space to ask all of their questions and say what they really need to say, and results in a treatment experience that is comprehensive and stress-free.
What aspect of healing are you most interested in?
At the moment I am delving back into diagnosis. In Chinese medicine there are many, many different ways to make a diagnosis. There is face diagnosis, eye diagnosis, pulse reading, abdominal palpation, tongue diagnosis, and more. All of these methods give important information about what is really going on in the inside of the body that can be useful when making a diagnosis.
How did you arrive in Asheville?
I came here to go to school for Chinese medicine. I used to come here to camp and when I heard that there was a school in the area I knew that's where I had to study. Within three months of living here my husband and I decided that this is where we wanted to settle.
What's your favorite nature spot in Asheville?
I love the woods! Especially if there is a great swimming hole or waterfall. I also love spots that have unique plants, like the Pink Beds trail in Pisgah, a rare mountain bog where the flower Swamp Pink grows.
What do you love about Asheville?
The sense of community. Everybody here is intertwined into one big, beautiful family. I know all of my neighbors by first name and can't go to the supermarket without seeing someone I know. That is something very special.
What is your philosophy about health?
Prevention is the key. It is so much easier to treat things when they are in their infancy, before they have had time to advance and take root. Always aim your compass toward higher levels of health.
What do you like about working at the Center for Holistic Medicine?
I love working in my neighborhood! I love being within walking distance to the Center and downtown West Asheville. I have also always been interested in working with practitioners from other fields of medicine and it is very exciting to see this come to fruition.
What's your favorite music?
My favorite genres jazz, especially bossa nova, and west african. I'm also a sucker for new wave. In my treatment room my favorites to play are Marina Raye and Deuter. Both are so beautiful and relaxing, they really enhance the whole experience.
What are your hobbies?
I've been doing a lot of gardening lately. We are replacing our lawn, which doesn't grow under the shade of our maples anyway, with native woodland plants like blueberries, wild ginger, trilliums, service berry and elderberry. It's so nice to be naturalizing our little suburban plot. I also love to go out hiking and do a little plant identification. There is an unbelievable diversity of life here in the mountains and I always learn a new plant or two.
How has your practice evolved over time?
At first I was just an herbalist. Once I studied Chinese medicine I came to see the value and effectiveness of acupuncture and now use it all of the time. It was also great to study Chinese medicine, which is so ancient and different, and have my brain expanded with the total paradigm-shift thing.
What were you doing before you entered your field?
I worked in health food stores. This started when I was an undergrad and joined the local food co-op. I always worked in the herb department and consider my years in retail as a kind of informal education. I also studied philosophy as an undergrad and in graduate school at New York University. This introduced me to important concepts like Daoism, Confucianism, and medical ethics that I still use in my practice today.
What is the most common response after a treatment?
Seems like no matter what folks come in for, whether it be shoulder pain or seasonal allergies, they always leave feeling more relaxed than when they came in. There is something very special about acupuncture that helps people really get in the zone. I think it is so important to take the time out to rest and devote a little bit of your day to taking care of yourself. Even just an hour once a month of your time can be so beneficial.
Click here to read Nancy's philosophy about her practice.
xxxx