"My goal is to develop an individualized, holistic approach to working with each person and their particular needs. ... I also offer patients ways they can help themselves, to continue and expand upon the healing/growth process and I find this education to be an integral and therapeutic aspect of treatment."
Having studied mathematics and physics in college, I was very familiar with physical energy, but not at all with bio-energy (energy in the body,) also known as qi. After college I spent two years training in Gestalt and Bio-Energetics - both energy-based psychotherapies, and got introduced to the concept of qi. During my training, I had amazing experiences that opened my eyes to bio-energy, and how it could be felt and worked with. I was hooked and wanted to learn more - I decided to study Acupuncture.
In 1972, I went to England and began my journey with the foremost teacher of Five Element Acupuncture, Dr. J.R. Worsley. Dr. Worsley was a remarkably gifted and charismatic teacher who made acupuncture come alive. He taught acupuncture as the mind/body/spirit system that it is. As a student, I found that I loved working with patients, and the possibility for change on multiple levels that the Five Element system offered. Excited, I returned to the states in 1973 and began to see patients, travelling to England twice a year to study for the next decade.
After completing my training with J.R., I went on to study many other types of acupuncture, including Dr. Tan's Balance Method and with other teachers including Ted Kaptchuk and Dr. So. While I do integrate elements of other acupuncture styles, the Five Element system is still the foundation of my acupuncture practice.
In one of J.R.'s acupuncture classes in the early 70's, I also had the privilege and very good fortune to meet Dr. Fritz Smith, an Osteopath and M.D. from Watsonville, CA, who went on to develop Zero Balancing. Fritz became not only another very important mentor for me, but also a close friend and collaborator. Over the years I have learned much about the healing power of touch, the importance of clear boundaries, and the elegance of simplicity from him.
Licensed Acupuncturist by the State of Massachusetts, Board of Registration in Medicine. Diplomate in Acupuncture, National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Fellow of the National Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Certified Zero Balancer, Certified Zero Balancing Teacher
I use a combination of Five Element Acupuncture, Zero Balancing, and counseling to address individual symptoms, facilitate deep healing, and encourage personal growth. My goal is to develop an individualized, holistic approach to working with each person and their particular needs. I often use both acupuncture and Zero Balancing in the same session to help people move deeper, relax more fully, and heal faster. Often the work moves into helping people connect to their own Core, and feel more centered and grounded. I also offer patients ways they can help themselves, to continue and expand upon the healing/growth process and I find this education to be an integral and therapeutic aspect of treatment.
I treat a large variety of patients, with a focus on holistic healing and emotional issues, always looking to address the patient’s caustive factor as well as deal with specific complaints. I have three main areas of interest and focus:
I enjoy working with people on journeys of personal growth: increasing personal awareness, learning to be more in the present, or undertaking a spiritual journey. I love working with the Mind/Body relationship or the Mind/Body/Spirit relationship. I am also particularly interested in working with people undergoing chemotherapy and its aftermath.
Dr. JR Worsley of Leamington Spa UK, my main teacher, profoundly influenced my development. Dr. Worsley was a brilliant teacher and practitioner - when he held your hand to take your pulse, it felt as if he were holding all of you. Dr. Worsley always stressed that rapport with the client is essential to treatment and even determined treatment success. The depth of his contribution to the Five Element tradition is still unmatched.
Dr. Fritz Smith, founder of Zero Balancing, is an ongoing inspiration in my practice and in my life, as a teacher and as a human being. His intelligence, skillfulness, love and compassion come through with everyone he teaches and treats. He is a wonderful role model in his positivity and continual willingness to grow and learn.
Reichian psychologist Jorge Carballo has also been instrumental to my personal growth, and my ability to work with clients on a mind-body level.
And last but not least, my wife Betsy Kelly, also a psychologist, has helped me connect more deeply and with more caring to all people, and to our world.