Chinese medicine has evolved, especially in the last few decades, to include treatment for more modern presentations of illness brought on by modern day stressors and environmental factors. From a mental health perspective, Chinese Medicine now includes 5-Element Theory, modern Chinese Medical Psychiatric care, and extensive personalized treatment options for mental-emotional disorders. 

Using a combination of Traditional Chinese medical theory and 5-Element Chinese Medicine, I’ll identify any emotional or physiological imbalances you may be experiencing. We’ll also determine your dominant “element,” also called a “phase” or personality type, which will enable us to proactively address your current health concerns. Together we’ll review stress management techniques and lifestyle changes that will support a preventative approach for you future health. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), often called acupuncture, is actually a complete holistic health care system that includes acupuncture, acupressure, auricular medicine, herbal medicine, massage, light therapy, topical analgesics, stretching, qi gong, meditation, and food therapy. TCM has existed for thousands of years and scientific research continues to support these ancient treatments, including the World Health Organization which officially recognizes TCM as an effective form of medical care.

If you’re here, you’ve probably had some frustrations with western medical care. Modern medicine tends to approach the body like a machine, where a human is made of divisible parts. Each part is treated by a different doctor with different medications. Symptoms, rather than root causes, are often simply managed. While modern medicine can be life-saving, it frequently falls short when it comes to helping individuals suffering with non-emergency conditions.

Alternatively, eastern medicine sees the body as a garden. Everything is connected and the roots matter. We acknowledge that humans respond to our environment and every part of our lives affect our health. As holistic providers (the gardeners) we work to tend, not control, the garden (you) by nourishing, pruning, and working with, not against, the environment in which the garden exists.

I provide care that approaches you as a whole person—imagine that—that offers a unique, individualized treatment instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the mind or “shen” as it relates to the functional and spiritual components of the organs and viscera within the body in order to develop a personalized  treatment plan.

I start by looking for imbalances that may present in the form of an “excess” or “yang” condition such as headaches, heartburn, swelling, acute pain, acne, or gout. I will also look for any “deficiency” or “yin” condition, which may present as exhaustion, water retention, diarrhea, chronic dull and achy pain, or night sweats. In 5-Element Chinese Medicine, we view a person by elements, also called phases or archetypes. Here we examine personality and how predominant or persistent emotions can affect the individual mentally and physically.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3