I graduated from the San Diego campus of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2004 with a Masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I started practicing in Portland, Oregon in 2005. I had spent many years as a union ironworker in Atlanta, Georgia. Major back problems led me to deep massage and serendipity led me to spend a year in Thailand learning and receiving Thai Massage. Feeling better but running out of money sent me to Alaska and fishing boats. So I stayed on the water, got a Coast Guard license as a marine engineer, got older, more back problems, couldn't tolerate the fumes of my profession and I figured out I needed a change. In 2000, at age 52, I went back to school. I went for my health, my mind and for my spirit.
I believe in and have experienced the effectiveness of many health modalities, from massage and chiropractic to Chinese Medicine. Along with diet and exercise all are valid and effective, sometimes alone and sometimes in combination. Chinese Medicine has been the most effective at treating my joint, back, shoulder and neck pain. In these times of heightened stress and anxiety, acupuncture is great way to treat yourself and let you breathe.
During my studies I learned Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, I also studied Japanese style acupuncture. I tend to use distal points that effect the qi of a problem and local points. I use deep needling as well as very light needling depending on the condition of the patient and depending on the patient.