About Me

My mission is to assist people on their path to healing.

I believe optimal health is your birthright! I welcome all symptoms including "undiagnosed" and things that others might consider "small" (no type of discomfort, illness, or pain is too “small” – your body is asking for attention and I take that very seriously). I believe all concerns are important. No matter what you come into my office for, you will receive my full dedication and respect.

Within the limits of my resources & time and within the limits of my innate, inherited, & learned abilities, I assist those who ask for, want, and are ready & willing to receive the type of assistance I am meant to offer them. I am most effective at the individual / small group level (individual for any service; group for Qigong instruction only).

It is my calling to assist and teach people to:

•  alleviate / heal from discomfort, illness, pain, and trauma and

• improve emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual (whatever that means to you personally) health.

I'm extremely blessed to have finally found this calling and even more blessed to be allowed to witness the strength and courage of my clients as they progress in the healing process.

Whether treating a client or teaching a Qigong exercise session, my therapeutic approach always starts with a strong foundation of energetic hygiene and safety – this is absolutely paramount when working with another person’s energy! With this foundation always in place, I seek to understand the client’s unique short- and long-term energetic patterns as well as to understand the unique ways in which a client’s energy does not fit “textbook” patterns. The patterns provide information about what techniques to use when and how to modify exercises, treatments, and self-care recommendations to most effectively get the client’s Qi balanced and flowing smoothly (thus, improving one’s health).

I am a firm believer in recognizing both where I can help someone and where I can't and, therefore, when appropriate / necessary, I partner with (and / or refer to) other practitioners to provide the client the best possible healing experience.

Knowing a little bit about your practitioner as a person can help some people feel more comfortable and at ease during the appointment. Here is a little bit about me:

Chinese Medicine (specifically Medical Qigong) is my calling, but when not treating clients or studying you might find me doing any of a wide variety of activities including:

• dancing (favorites = foxtrot, free-style, line-dancing, rumba, swing, two-step, & waltz);

• drawing;

• knitting;

• landscape photography;

• meditation;

• organic gardening;

• outdoor activities (cross-country skiing, hiking, kayaking, riding a bike, playing tennis, walking, white-water rafting, ziplining, etc);

• Qigong;

• reading (mostly educational / self-development, but it's occasionally hard to resist a good sci-fi or fantasy);

• snuggling with Miss Adora Button (my cat and assistant); and

• volunteering (food banks, environmental clean-up / conservation, Teacher Assistant for MQ)

If you schedule an appointment at the Effective Deep Healing location, you will likely meet my assistant, Miss Adora Button.

For most of my life, I have been drawn to health science as well as to alternative and complementary approaches to the healing arts. I began my journey into healthcare in 1988 with studies in biomedical engineering. I completed a Bachelor’s degree in biology in the early 1990s, and a few years later, I began to study Taiji and Qigong. By the late 1990s, I began teaching generic Qigong / Taiji for health classes.

However, in early 2014, I experienced the best thing that ever happened to me: I was found out that for approximately 8 years, I had a progressive disease that causes central nervous system and organ failure (which, of course, ultimately leads to death) and was told I would need to be on very high dosage prescription pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of my [shortened] life. You may ask, how could a devastating and debilitating disease be the best thing that ever happened to anyone? Simple—it ultimately made me realize my mission in life. I spent the next year exploring both allopathic and alternative / complementary medicines. During that exploration, I found a branch of Chinese Medicine called Medical Qigong—it was a perfect fit given my early interest in healthcare and Qigong. Medical Qigong improved my lab test results more than other treatment options (without the horrific side effects!). After eight Medical Qigong treatments and a year of very dedicated practice of the "prescription" exercises, I was 95% symptom-free (and am currently 100% symptom-free). And, as a bonus, Medical Qigong cleared some pre-cancerous cysts in my breasts (one from the size of walnut to vanished completely!), decreased pain in my low back, and helped me to decrease and release emotional trauma and stress. While not always easy, all aspects of my health are continuously improving with time.

It is my goal to bring this effective form of holistic & natural healing to others. In 2016, I passed the clinical, oral, and written exams required for Medical Qigong Practitioner certification and was able to help others in their quest for optimal health. In January 2019, I passed the clinical, oral, and written exams required for the Medical Qigong Therapist certification. In June 2023, I passed the clinical, oral, and written exams required for the Medical Qigong Master* certification.

Please see the "What are your credentials for practicing Medical Qigong?" section on the FAQ page.