My first encounter with Acupuncture was as a teenager suffering from anxiety and severe, chronic back pain. I was used to being active and involved in sports, and I was no longer able to participate due to my back pain. I went to several doctors and specialists, but couldn’t get any relief. As a last resort, my mom took me to see an acupuncturist.

It was the only thing that helped alleviate my pain! I finally had hope that I could be free of pain again. After a series of acupuncture treatments, I was able to go about my life with ease. I had such a transformative experience of healing—I could jog, do yoga, and swim again—pain free.

What surprised me most was that the acupuncture also calmed my nervous system in a way I had never experienced before. I had become so used to functioning in a fight-or-flight state that I didn’t realize how much tension I was holding. Acupuncture helped create a sense of ease throughout my whole body.

This profound experience planted the seed that would lead me to studying acupuncture and helping others through this medicine.