About
It’s nice to “meet you” here.
Here’s an overview of my Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) qualifications and how I might help you:
- Doctor of Acupuncture in practice since 1999
- 3,400 hours + of clinical and classroom training in TCM in order to be licensed
- Over 26+ years’ experience as a Licensed Acupuncturist in Minnesota
- Tens of thousands of successful treatments, helping thousands of patients
- 100 percent safety record
- 94% plus of patients I’ve treated, report noticeable improvement (self-reported)
Doctor of Acupuncture – April, 2020
My Doctor of Acupuncture degree is from the Pacific College of Health Sciences, in San Diego, California.
Minnesota Board of Medical Practice Licensed Acupuncturist/NCCAOM
In 1999, I received my Minnesota Acupuncture License from the Minnesota State Board of Medical Practice. This board issues licenses for Medical Doctors (MD) and other providers in our state.
To get my Licensed Acupuncture (L.Ac) credentials, I had to pass my national board examinations in acupuncture, through the NCCAOM.
For reference, the NCCAOM serves as the gatekeeper for credentialing providers in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine, nationwide.
Master’s of Science in Acupuncture Degree: 1996-1999
In 1999, I graduated from the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture & Natural Medicine (NIAOM), in Seattle, Washington. NIAOM consistently ranked in the top three programs in the USA.
In total, my TCM education consisted of 3,400 hours of training. This was divided into 2,450 classroom hours, and 950 hours of supervised clinical training.
As a result, after nearly four years of full time study in the field of acupuncture and herbal medicine, I graduated with a Master of Science in Acupuncture degree.
Joining the Top Natural Medical Program in the Nation
In 1999, NIAOM merged with the world-renowned Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. To this day, Bastyr University remains in the top 5% of Natural Medical programs in the U.S.A
Herbal Training at the Rocky Mountain Herbal Institute:
Branching out from my training at NIAOM, I enrolled in the Rocky Mountain Herbal Institute’s (RMHI) program in Hot Springs, Montana to study East Asian herbal medicine.
Bachelor’s Degree:
My B.A. degree is from the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN
A relaxed and approachable acupuncture experience:
My goal is to help you have a relaxed, and healing experience during your acupuncture session. Here as some things you can expect, when you come in for your treatment:
- Your treatments take place in a relaxed, and non-clinical setting
- You relax on a heated treatment table during your session
- The treatment room is quiet, with soft lighting and calming music
- This is your time for quiet reflection and uninterrupted relaxation
- You get to rest quietly with your acupuncture needles in place (you may even nap!)
- It is common to feel rejuvenated, refreshed and restored after a treatment
All of this helps your body tap into its natural healing ability.
This approach puts Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pinpoint Acupuncture a million miles away from a sterile, clinical environment. As a result, the calm treatment space gives you a you a place to relax and heal during your session.
Born and raised in Central Minnesota:
I’m from here. I grew up about 10 miles outside of St. Cloud, moving away after college to start my first job.
After college, I worked in Advertising and Marketing. The first job I landed was in an advertising agency in Dusseldorf, Germany. Eventually, I moved back to Minneapolis to continue in Advertising.
During my time in Advertising, I became more and more disillusioned with the industry. I had a strong sense of a calling to find work that would be more meaningful to me, and helpful to others.
This calling led me to explore Eastern Healing Traditions. It lead me to gain an understanding of our mind-body connections and the inherent wisdom that heals and guides our bodies. This interest guided me in the direction of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and eventually led me to study East Asian Medicine.
The Journey
In 1996 I packed up all my belongs and moved to Seattle, Washington where I enrolled in a three-and-a-half year, full time Traditional Chinese Medical program. The school where I started my training, later was acquired by Bastyr University–a global leader in Natural Health education.
That was from 1996-1999, and here I am (some 25+ years later), helping people like you feel better and live better lives. All with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The Return to Central Minnesota
After leaving Seattle in 1999, my wife and I moved back to St. Cloud, where we opened our first acupuncture clinic. Our first location was in the historic Medical Arts Building in downtown St. Cloud. We then moved from St. Cloud to St. Joseph MN for a few years, before coming to our current location in Sartell, MN.
I am grateful every day for the opportunity to do the work that I am doing, while bringing joy and healing to the people whom I am honored to treat.
Pinpoint Acupuncture: Home of Your Experienced Acupuncturist
Experience matters. Finding a Licensed Acupuncturist, with decades of experience, can save you a great deal of time, money and struggle. Results that may have taken me 12 treatments to obtain, I can often achieve in half the time now. Why? Experience: health patterns repeat and cause-effect relationships are solved quicker.
Ultimately, this translates into fewer treatments to get the same or better results as going to a provider with less experience. It’s a win-win for you.
What if Acupuncture Doesn’t Work for me?
If I do not think I can help you, I will try to refer you to others who are a better fit for you. Generally, you’ll want to give acupuncture a fair trial of three to six treatments in total, before determining if it is working for you.
Please reach out to me to start a conversation, to see if acupuncture is right for you. Use the contact form on this website. We can have a “no strings attached” phone conversation or email exchange with me, to see if this is a good fit for you.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope to connect with you soon.
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