Holism: Holism, in terms of philosophy as said by Oxford dictionary is, “the theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. Holism is often applied to mental states, language, and ecology.”
When we are discussing health, it is described as, “the treating of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease.”
This is the basis on which the theory of Chinese medicine is formed. Many aspects of our current western medicine look at the body as if it’s a machine, “take this part out, put this part in”. While there are many areas where this approach works well (I would never discredit the merits of western medicine), there are also many instances where we cannot simply isolate the part that is malfunctioning and address that alone. Chinese medicine takes into consideration how the body is interacting within itself to get to the root of the disharmony. Perhaps the symptom of insomnia is related to a blood deficiency (though it could be many things), through questioning, palpation, observation and pulse taking we will determine the physical, emotional, spiritual (when applicable) and lifestyle factors that either used up the blood your body has or made it so you could not produce enough in the first place. We do not separate the symptom from the person but instead discuss every possible reason your body could have fallen out of harmony in the first place.
My Story
I am passionate about holism and creating homeostasis in the body through diet, mindfulness, movement and recognising that our thoughts shape our physical health. My approach to treatment is based on each individual, working with their past life experiences and their current realities to heal from the inside out. I believe we are all the creators of our own health and with that in mind, we will work together to create a treatment plan to suit your specific needs and limitations at this time.
I am very passionate about women’s health issues, menstruation isn’t something women should have to endure for 40 years, it can be a time of deep connection to our emotional and spiritual bodies when we learn to nurture our natural rhythms. Menopause can be a time of increased self awareness and personal power and through diet and acupuncture the symptoms of hot flashes, insomnia etc. can be greatly diminished or released all together.
Additionally, I am fascinated by the mind-body relationship. Through my education and extracurricular reading I have seen how emotional stress creates room for physical ailments to manifest in the body. I work not only to treat the symptoms of disease but to approach the underlying disharmony that allowed that specific ailment to take hold to begin with.
Acupuncture can treat a variety of concerns including digestion, bloating, water retention, musculoskeletal pain, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, menstrual and fertility issues, age related symptoms, emotional imbalances, memory, concentration, and anemia to name a few. It can aid in weight loss and even improve skin tone. If you would like to know if acupuncture can help you, don’t hesitate to send me an e-mail or book a free 15 minute telephone consult so we can discuss how to best meet your needs.
I began her my by studying psychology in my late teens. Recognising I needed more life experience to counsel people effectively, I spent the following several years working in clinical settings and traveling the world. At 28 I enrolled in the acupuncture program at Pacific Rim College in Victoria and graduated a registered acupuncturist. While studying I learned 5 element style acupuncture, orthopaedic acupuncture, balance method, Mei Zen cosmetic acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, nutrition and diet therapy and of course traditional Chinese medicine.
When I’m not at work or nerding out on new treatment strategies, I can usually be found hiking or gluing bits of things she found in the forest to bits of things she found on the beach and calling it art.