Who am I?
Almost-Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Writer, and Coach
About
I will be completing my clinical doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in Fall 2023. While my medical training is primarily rooted in East Asian traditions with its rich history and traditions along with its application in modern practice (including but not limited to nutrition, acupuncture, herbal prescriptions, guasha, cupping, tuina massage, and applied orthopedic acupuncture practices), almost 40% of our education is centered in Western medical practice and pharmacology resulting in what I would call integrative medicine. I see patients in the clinical setting who present with something as simple as a strained muscle to extremely complex cases (e.g., oncology-related cases). What tends to be true for everyone I have seen, and continues to be true for me, is that our well-being as we experience it in our bodies informs our well-being as we experience it in our minds and hearts. If we feel unwell in our minds, then, at some point, we will feel unwell in our bodies and eventually in our hearts. The human experience of health and well-being cannot be dissected into its constituent parts as much as we might prefer to do so. Our inner and outer life experiences influence each other, and this was always meant to be. This is a very good thing because it means that when we treat one part of ourselves, we can also treat other parts, too. This idea is reflected in the notion of holism–we are greater than the sum of our parts..
So, what you will find here are resources related to cultivating health particularly as it relates to learning to be empowered in your own life–wherever you currently are. I have chronic health issues with a background in trauma as many people do, and I have come to view health not as something to be achieved but rather a daily process. We cultivate our health much like farmers cultivate the soil. Health is not a destination or port of arrival. Cultivating health is a daily activity to which we commit daily effort, and, honestly, some people were born “on better soil” than others. Some of us were born in a dust bowl, and we’ve had a hard time figuring out how to make anything grow much less cultivating something. I love working with the “dust bowl” patients because that’s been my experience as well, and I am never without hope that we can heal.
Originally from Texas, I studied Russian language and Botany in New York, French language and translation in France, and Biology in Minnesota. I used to co-own a publishing company and wrote books for occupational therapists and hospitals. I know a thing or two about autism spectrum disorders and biologically-based brain disorders (bipolar and schizophrenia spectrum disorders), and I would love to integrate modern psychiatric interventions with TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). I’m based in San Francisco. I love to free dive, travel, cook, and spend time with my family.
Passions
Achieving Better Health through Nutrition– Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate, T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, Cornell College
Cultivating resilience and joy while managing chronic conditions
Shifting paradigms about modern healthcare and patient care
Introducing herbal medicine to Western medicine and culture– thereby changing how often pharmaceutical interventions are used and/or needed
Making all types of healthcare accessible to everyone who needs it–because everyone will need it at some point
De-stigmatizing mental healthcare and interventions
Trauma-informed care
Introducing NADA-style acupuncture into our communities, clinics, prisons, and hospitals
Get in touch with MJ
If you want to chat with me about modern or traditional medicine, cooking, collaborating, or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You’ll find me at:
theprinciplesofhealing@gmail.com
Principles of Healing 