Facility Roseville Medical Center Acupuncture Department Address 2120 Professional Drive Roseville CA 95661 Telephone Appt/Advice: (916) 771-6611 View your preventive services

Department Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Closed	8:00 am 4:30 pm	8:00 am 4:30 pm	8:00 am 4:30 pm	8:00 am 4:30 pm	8:00 am 4:30 pm	8:00 am 4:30 pm
Closed during lunch, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

My Specialty and Why I Chose It

I am a licensed acupuncturist (L. Ac.). I was licensed by the State of California Board of Medical Quality Assurance in 1992. I do acupuncture with sterile, one time use, disposable stainless steel acupuncture needles for chronic pain for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PM&R)Department at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville. I decided to become an acupuncturist after I was treated successfully for a chronic lung condition. Also, I fell in love with the philosophy that is the basis of Chinese medicine.

My Qualifications

Ph.D. (in progress)	American University of Complementary Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
M.A. equivalent	Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine; State approved tutorial program in chronic pain management, rehabilitation and paralysis
B.A.	Acupuncture, International College of Oriental Medicine, Sussex, England
B.A.	Anthropology, University of New York at Albany

My Practice Philosophy

From an early age, I was encouraged by my parents to develop and value community and to find ways to give back or serve that community. I am in the process of making the members and employees of Kaiser Permanente part of my community. When possible, I volunteer at community events that are supported by Kaiser Permanente.

Also, I was taught to set goals in five areas: (1) spiritual; (2) physical; (3) social; (4) mental; and (5) financial. I have been able to combine many of my goals as I have pursued my interest in health and training in acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

I come from a family of educators who value learning. I enjoy teaching people about Chinese medicine, yoga, and health. One of the main reasons I joined Kaiser Permanente was because one of the main focus is to educate members about health and empower them to be proactive in their healthcare.

In order to learn how to communicate my ideas better, I became a member of Toastmasters International from 1996 to 2001. I achieved their highest leadership and communication level becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) in 2001.

Also, Chinese medical philosophy states that change, the inability to change or the resistance to change is the cause of 100 diseases.

Although acupuncture can be an effective tool to alleviate pain (temporarily), it is often taken out of the context of Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine requires the patient to look at the areas that need to change in order to change the condition. The focus in Chinese medicine is developing self-cultivation through meditation, breathing (Qi Gong), stretching (Tao Yin, Chinese yoga) and exercise (Tai Qi). These are activities patients can do on a daily basis in order to improve their quality of life and change their relationship to pain.

The Chinese medical approach to healing (or change) dovetails nicely with the PM&R belief system that sees acupuncture as only one part of managing chronic pain. The main focus is giving the patient tools to help them learn to manage and live with their chronic pain. There are many online resources and classes available to patients to teach them the skills.

My Tenure with Kaiser Permanente

In September, 2007, I joined Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, to work full time in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation department in Roseville. I am excited to be part of an organization that is member focused and on the cutting edge of research. My practice is specialized for acupuncture for chronic pain from musculoskeletal pain disorders. I treat only patients who are referred by Kaiser Permanente physicians.

I like practicing at Kaiser Permanente because I can focus on my work and do not have to attend to the details of managing a business. Also, having access to patients medical records and the latest medical research on the computer while I work is a tremendous tool for providing excellent patient care. In addition, we have a great support staff of medical assistants and nurses who help ensure that the needs of the patients are given top priority.

Professional Interests & Affiliations

My professional interests include studying ways to treat chronic pain and chronic degenerative diseases, anatomy, pathology, Chinese medical philosophy and history, Chinese medical physiology and pathology, yoga, relaxation techniques and the benefits of exercise.

On a Personal Note

It is true that we are shaped by our early childhood experiences. At the tail end of the polio epidemic in the 1950's, I came down with a mild case of infantile paralysis (polio) but my identical twin sister did not. My family never focused on my disability; instead, I was taught to be independent and resourceful.

I have always wanted to understand why people do what they do. I studied archeology at university thinking I could get a clue about human nature through the material objects different cultures left behind. I worked for the NY State Museum and Science Service for a while but eventually left to pursue studies in western herbal medicine, massage therapy, nutrition and then Chinese medicine because I wanted more face-to-face contact with people.

My family taught me to value physical exercise and was fortunate to discover yoga (also at the university) and I have been practicing it ever since. Yoga teaches you to develop a conscious connection with your inner strength by focusing your mind and breathing while you do stretching, toning and strengthening exercises. Yoga has helped me cope with my post-polio pain and fatigue. If I stretch enough, I do not have any pain. If I pace my activities, I do not get fatigue.

For 15 years, I taught slow and inner focused yoga at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA. I saw a lot of people change their relationship to their pain and heal their injuries by developing compassion for their physical bodies through yoga.

When I was in my first year of Chinese medical school in England, I asked my anatomy professor what I could do to change the effects of polio on my body. He said that there was nothing I could do but I did not accept his answer. It took about 17 years before I found the answer at a symposium on Post-Polio syndrome run by Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. Now, I am in the process of changing my body with braces and working with a Kaiser Permanente physical therapist.

Change is possible and it is my desire to help patients learn how they can change in order to live healthier lives.

At one point in my life, my father asked me to write down the answers the following three questions: (1) Who am I?; (2) Where am I going?; and (3) How am I going to get there? I think these are universal questions that we can all benefit from asking. My goal is to invite my patients to participate in how they want to achieve their health goals and leading them to the many resources Kaiser Permanente has to offer them.

I would like to point out the links to kp.org/healthyroads; as well as the free audio podcasts (guided relaxations on stress and pain) under the Health and Wellness Tab, Live Healthy; links to classes KP offers; and the resource library.

Be sure to visit the Kaiser Permanente Website for additional information regarding appointments, prescriptions, health education classes and other health-related topics. You can also click on my department link above to receive additional health information.

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If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

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