About Me

I am a Licensed Acupuncturist in practice with three other Acupuncturists at Lokahi Acupuncture in San Jose, California. My work is immensely rewarding for me. Long before I knew what I wanted to do in my life, the one thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to work in close contact with people. I wanted to interact with people, and I wanted to touch people's lives in a way that would be helpful for them and improve their quality of life. There is nothing more fulfilling than a patient reporting the benefits of her or his treatment - be it the immediate reward of feeling less pain, feeling more rested, relaxed, or calm and at peace; the effects she or he felt throughout the week of experiencing less headaches, less wheezing or breathlessness, less PMS symptoms, less digestive distress, less back/ neck/ shoulder/ knee or elbow pain, more strength, more energy, better sleep, and overall improved well-being; or the more long-term effects of experiencing less allergy symptoms, getting sick less often, feeling less stressed and more at peace in his or her body and the world, her cycle becoming more regular, not wanting to kill her partner when she is pre-menstrual (the partners really appreciate this effect, too!), and, one of the most exciting of all, the long-awaited positive result of a pregnancy test!

I have had, and continue to have, the privilege of working with amazing individuals and share in on a variety of aspects of their lives. One of my favorite things about my work is that my patients allow me glimpses into their lives. They open up to me and share details with me that range from the most mundane to the most intimate. Whether they tell me about a stressful interaction with their boss or co-worker while I am rubbing out kinks in their neck before starting with the acupuncture treatment, or they tell me about a recent break-up, the loss of a loved one, the magical experience of the birth of their first child, or their innermost fears, which they hadn't dared share with anyone for worry of being thought less of, I feel blessed and honored to be allowed to glean a part of their experience on this Earth!


My own journey on this Earth began in Singapore in 1979, where I was born to a French mother and German father, both teachers, who, at the time, were working at the local German school for a couple of years. When I was two months old, my family returned to Germany and settled in the small town of Wangen im Allgaeu, where I grew up with my 3-year older sister, my 3-year-younger brother, and, later on, my 12-year-younger sister. I lived there until I finished the German equivalent of high school at 19 years old (high school in Germany went through grade 13 when I was growing up, and, at age 19, I was still one of the younger graduates, with many of my classmates already being 20). I had always itched to go beyond the confines of my small town, and so I had barely received my diploma when I found myself sitting on a plane headed for New York. I ended up staying in NY, where I got married and started a brand-new life. Two years later, my then-husband Jim and I moved from Poughkeepsie, NY to Santa Cruz, CA, where a chain of synchronicities led me to Five Branches Institute (now known as Five Branches University), the school at which I ended up completing my Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Throughout my studies, I met many amazing individuals, made friendships for life, discovered the value and benefits of the ancient healing method of Traditional Chinese medicine both first- and secondhand - by experiencing relief from my own symptoms and witnessing the progress of countless patients, whose treatments I had the privilege of both observing and administering in the school's clinical setting -, and, last but not least, learned the beautiful, healing, and centering art of Qi Gong. Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese exercise form that combines breathing and movement with gentle stretching and guided visualization. Qi Gong has taught me many lessons - from becoming more centered and grounded within myself to moving more effortlessly with the flow of life. I quickly fell in love with this simultaneously calming and invigorating practice that taught me to be more at home in my body and this world, and I went on to become a teacher of Qi Gong myself. I wanted to share the powerful healing value I'd experienced for myself with others. Through the classes I taught, I met truly amazing people who touched my life in many ways. After several years of teaching, I decided to take a break, as my Acupuncture practice was becoming increasingly more busy and I’d enrolled in a two-year certification program in nutritional and vibrational healing that was demanding my time and attention. I am currently in the process of completing my second year at the Bioenergy Balancing Center in Palo Alto, where I also have the great honor of working as a co-practitioner with the founder, Priscilla Kapel – an incredible learning opportunity and deeply humbling experience.

Today, after many minor and a few major life changes, I live in San Jose with my partner, Carol. I love to travel, and I try, whenever possible, to build in trips to new destinations amidst my regular visits to Europe to see my family. Although most of my family live abroad, I am blessed to have a couple of family members nearby - my mom and little sister moved to the Bay Area from Germany within a month and a half of my own move to Santa Cruz from NY in the summer of 2000. Talk about synchronicity!

~

When I was 18 years old, I read a book that tremendously shaped my belief system and outlook on life. This book - an autobiography of a woman who'd manifested all sorts of incredible things and situations for herself! - was only the beginning of a long list of books, which taught me that attitude is everything in life and that we all have within us the power to create anything that our hearts desire. The book also taught me about the Law of Attraction - i.e. that we attract into our lives what we focus on, be it positive or negative.

Over the years, I have experienced a tremendous amount of amazing synchronicities. The synchronistic events in my life always increase when I consciously tune in to life and engage in activities that are centering, or I listen to speakers or read books that I find inspiring. There are times when I will slack off a bit in my own motivational practice (one may call it a spiritual practice -- for me, spirituality includes such down-to-earth activities as going for a walk and tuning in to nature, listening to the birds singing, noticing the brightness and vibrancy of a flower's color, or stopping to breathe in the fragrance of a rose). Whenever I start to 'slack off,' things begin to appear more dull around me. The world loses some of its vibrancy. But all it takes is for me to stop and listen to my inner voice, pick up a good book before bed, or re-connect with a friend over a cup of tea, a nice dinner, or a hike. And, very quickly, the world begins to lighten up again! Everything seems more alive and vibrant. The colors appear stronger and brighter, the fragrances more invigorating, and people around me seem friendlier.

My mission on this blog is to help inspire YOU the way many writers, musicians, artists, family members, and friends have inspired ME. To remind you that YOU have the power to make your life colorful and bright; to live a life full of joy, energy, and vitality! So, without further ado, I invite you along on this journey. I look forward to your feedback and comments and wish you much peace and love in your life.

(Updated May 29, 2011)