KNOW
ME :)
GET TO
My Journey to Nourishing Life
I started my business in 2012, and for a long time I have been wanting to share what I consider some of the helpful gems of East Asian Medicine theory. I think it’s an endlessly fascinating way to see the world around us - each moment is so meta - everything is connected to everything. Studying this medicine is not just learning theory and skills, it is learning a new way of seeing and interacting with the world.
I love acupuncture and East Asian medicine, and have seen both provide truly remarkable results for people. Unfortunately, as with all medical interventions, there are limits to what they can do. If people are not taking care of themselves, then the acupuncture treatments or herbal formulas I provide will either not be as helpful, or will provide only a short-term fix.
I wanted to share more lifestyle information with patients but acupuncture appointments did not allow time for discussion. It was a frustration, but not one that I knew how to address...
And then I had a few extremely challenging years in my personal life — my husband suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) 7 months before the COVID lockdown began in March 2020, and my mom died following a short battle with pancreatic cancer in March 2022. It was a terrible time. As fate would have it, I was also going through perimenopause, and among other symptoms, was struggling with severe back pain.
I realized that I needed to take my own advice and overhaul my approach to life. I needed to form some boundaries with work. I needed to prioritize rest. I needed to process my emotions in a healthy way. I needed to prioritize cooking rather than relying on prepared foods, ("healthy") take out, and meal delivery services. I needed to start exercising in a way that supported me instead of depleting me.
We live in a culture that does not support this kind of self-care. There are no products involved. There is no “quick fix”. Changing how you feel might mean you need to change how you approach your life. To really heal from chronic issues, we must take care of ourselves from the inside out.
I learned a few new (to me) tools. For instance, I found that practicing Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Foundation Training to be enormously helpful in relieving back pain.
I wanted to share what I learned....
This is the practice of Yang Sheng, of Nourishing Life. In East Asian Medicine, it is considered “lifestyle medicine”.
This means asking some questions:
How do I approach work... do I have a healthy relationship with it?
How do I approach sleep and rest... do I prioritize it?
How do I process emotions... am I aware of where specific emotions are felt in my body? do I journal? can I allow myself to be vulnerable and feel my feelings?
How do I approach breath... do I have an awareness of it and can I tap into it to help control stress?
How do I approach exercise... am I moving in a way that supports my physical body and helps improve and sustain good energy?
How do I approach food... does what I eat really nourish me?
How do I approach nature... do I adjust my lifestyle to reflect the seasons?
These questions form the base of the Nourishing Life classes...
In the summer of 2022, I started thinking about what I would share and how the classes could be structured. Building the classes provided a creative outlet that I had been craving and a venue to share what I have learned over the years. My first Nourishing Life class series was in the Summer of 2023, and I have since taught the class series four times. I led my first retreat in May 2025 - it was so much better than I had imagined and I immediately started planning for 2026.
I’m so excited to share the wisdom of East Asian Medicine and it’s enormously gratifying to hear how it has changed people’s lives in big and small ways! I hope you’ll join us for our next retreat!!
Apex Acupuncture
I was first introduced to acupuncture following a shoulder surgery, and continued treatment to relieve chronic headaches and debilitating migraines.
My fascination with acupuncture theory and the success of the treatments made me want to learn more. A lot more. After four years of school, over 3000 training hours, and four board exams, I became a licensed acupuncturist and board-certified herbalist.
When something within us is out of balance, it will eventually lead to greater injury or illness. This inspired me to launch Apex Acupuncture, where our goal is to help people find and maintain their highest point of health.
More information about my acupuncture and herbal medicine practice can be found at apexacu.com
Inspiration for the Nourishing Life Classes
I have been studying all things related to East Asian Medicine since 2008, and I have learned that East Asian Medicine, at its core, is a way of looking at and living in the world. We are interconnected at all times – interconnected with other people, with nature and the seasons, and with what is going on in our community and the world. I am endlessly curious about how humans work and the interconnectedness of all things.
My collective body of work has been gathered from various sources across 17+ years of continuous study, practice, and contemplation of East Asian Medicine. I have so much gratitude for the numerous practitioners, instructors, and world-renowned educators I have had the privilege to learn from, be guided by, and practice alongside. Special thanks to Sharon Weizenbaum and Matt Callison, my primary post-graduate teachers, who continue to play a profound role in my ongoing development.
My yoga practice began in 2001, and I taught from 2007-2019 with Namaskar Yoga in Chicago, and then with Forever Om in Lake Forest. My practice has been influenced by Quinn Kearney, Tom Quinn, Cilla Stoll, Lourdes Paredes, and Rhonda Kantor, among many many other wonderful instructors over the years.
My Tai Chi practice began in 2020 with Xie Ling Welch and has continued with classes from Mimi Kuo-Deemer and Adam Mizner.
I am deeply passionate about sharing these practices and this way of seeing and being in the world. I hope you’ll join us on our next retreat!
Movement Practices
