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I first became interested in complementary therapies and acupuncture in particular whilst working as a staff nurse in Intensive Care. I was looking at the nature of health and illness, giving much thought to the reasons why people had become so unwell as to require life saving and invasive medical intervention. Having always been interested in people's health and general well-being I decided to study to become an acupuncturist and to work with people in a less invasive and extreme way.
Acupuncture's ability to see the person as a unique individual and not just a composite of symptoms is important to me. As a form of treatment, acupuncture recognises that illness and disharmony of an individual's mind, body and emotions, have many underlying causes, one often being linked or leading to another. Thus, by treating the person and addressing the cause, not just the symptoms, as a practitioner I can help to bring about renewed health and vitality that may have been previously lacking. Acupuncture does not seek to simply remove or suppress symptoms in isolation, as may be the case when one takes paracetomol to subdue pain from a migraine. Although this type of outcome can be achieved through acupuncture treatment and can reduce the need for medication, acupuncture's aim is to rebalance and restore health and well-being to the individual as a whole.
In 1998 I went to study in Reading at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine. I studied two disciplines of acupuncture, these being Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and Five Element Acupuncture and I qualified in 2001 with the Licentiate of Acupuncture. I have practised in Bristol for six years and currently now work within the multi-disciplinary team at
The Fishponds Practice.
I began teaching Acupuncture in 2005 and I now teach as a member of faculty at
The College of Traditional Acupuncture in Warwick, where I lecture in Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine.
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