Years ago, my positive experiences as a patient of acupuncture inspired in me a belief that health care could be about so much more than the disparity, inefficiency and alienation rife in the modern medical environment. A co-worker had recommended acupuncture to me; I went and quickly had success with chronic back pain, skin problems, and fatigue. Working on a profound level, acupuncture also helped me to feel clearer about my path and more in tune with my environment. Here was a practical, safe and inexpensive medicine that dealt with the whole person. Clearly it had endured through the ages because it worked. Soon I knew I wanted to study it on the deepest possible level.

Each time I witness the impact acupuncture makes in the lives of my patients, I consider myself more and more fortunate--amazed even--to be on such a profound path and able to share this powerful medicine.

Training and skills

I come out of one of the top acupuncture-only graduate programs in the country, Tristate College of Acupuncture. During my intensive three-year clinical Masters of Science program, I studied a wide array of needling styles, from classical Chinese to modern myofascial trigger-point release. I also studied adjunct therapies such as East Asian forms of massage (Shiatsu and Tui na), Qi Gong, Cupping, Gua sha (cutaneous friction-massage), and East Asian dietary therapy. My training included hundreds of hours of grand rounds with acupuncture masters, as well as a year of internship in a Manhattan community clinic where I treated a wide range of cases.

While I’ve been fortunate to have the guidance of a number of wonderful teachers, I consider the world-recognized acupuncture master Kiiko Matsumoto to be my greatest influence. Kiiko’s ingenious acupuncture system, based on the work of great Japanese acupuncture masters and her decades of clinical experience, combines classical Chinese medical principles with modern pathophysiology in a way that brings out the best in both. I have spent hundreds of hours in observation with Kiiko, and continue to study with her at every opportunity. I find her energy, spirit, and profound clinical genius to be a true inspiration. For more about Kiiko Matsumoto style acupuncture, visit kiiko.com/kiiko-style-acupuncture.

Before arriving in Bucks County, I ran a busy acupuncture clinic in New York City, down under the Brooklyn Bridge. I have also obtained extensive experience treating sports-related trauma and pain conditions in the martial arts community. I’m constantly honing my skills as I strive to offer the best possible care. This includes ongoing observation of acupuncture masters at work, as well as study of key texts, practical nutrition and body awareness.

For years, I have dedicated myself to rigorous self-cultivation practices including Zen meditation, Qi Gong (Chinese breath cultivation exercises), and the martial art of Aikido. I seek to apply principles from these studies in my practice of acupuncture.