Why am I an acupuncturist?

Acupuncture is becoming more and more mainstream; you hear about it on the news, you read about celebrities who are treated with it, and modern research is proving its efficacy. When people first learn of my profession they usually ask, “Why did you become an acupuncturist?”

If you told me when I was in my twenties that I would someday be an acupuncturist, I would have considered you seriously uninformed, to say the least. After college, with a bachelor of science degree in Computer Science, I started working for large computer firms doing Software Engineering. I loved the problem solving and logic of coding, and worked for over a decade in the software world. But after many years of working crazy hours to meet unrealistic deadlines set by other people, I realized that I should be doing something else because I knew I dreaded getting up every morning wasting my life away in a cubicle. I longed to do something that brought me joy, personal fulfillment, and helped others.

One day while hiking I injured myself. I had no idea how it would ultimately change my life. It was a particularly long, hot, and steep hike in the White Mountains, and I developed a bad case of plantar fasciitis (PF). This literally stopped me in my tracks and I couldn’t walk for more than a half mile without serious foot pain. I tried everything conventional medicine had to offer with little lasting relief, and certainly not producing a cure. I did physical therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises, iced, wore night splints, took anti-inflammatories, and even changed my diet. This went one for over a year with only moderate improvement, but never leading to a full recovery. I was beyond frustrated; I was doing everything “right” and still not getting better. Grasping at straws I decided to try “this acupuncture stuff.” My first appointment was an eye opener. I LOVED that she took the time to get to know me, and that the intake session was so complete. No allopathic doctor had even taken so much time to really get to know me. After my first treatment, I left feeling calm and rejuvenated. While it took a few months for the PF to completely heal, I noticed along the way how much better I felt in general. My sleep was better, my digestion was easier, and I now reacted better to the stresses of daily life. I was amazed that these simple, elegant, and relaxing treatments had such a profound effect on all parts of my health, both physically and emotionally. I was hooked! The more I learned about this medicine, the more I wanted to learn and to be a part of it.

Which brings me back to my software career and soul searching; I now knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. So, in 2002, I took the leap, changed careers, and went back to school to get a masters degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. And I haven’t regretted it once! I consider myself so fortunate to be excited to go to work every day. I love what I do; I get to work with wonderful people, help them to live better lives, and I’m continually amazed by the gentle, natural, and effectiveness of this medicine. Acupuncture has gotten me back out into the woods hiking, backpacking, and appreciating my connection to nature at a much deeper level.

So, when someone asks me why I became an acupuncturist, my short answer is, because Acupuncture Rocks!