STEPHANIE'S STORY

Stephanie is originally from Calgary, Canada.  She went to the University of Calgary and earned her Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1995. Over the course of doing her degree work she was fortunate to have had some unique experiences.  During a volunteer trip to South America, she studied bats, snakes, frogs and lizards.  She helped build a thatched roof women’s craft center, participated in community malaria testing and educated residents of remote Amerindian villages about cholera prevention.  In the final year of her Zoology degree, she got the opportunity to study Japanese Macaque monkeys in Texas.

After several kayak trips, hiking the West Coast Trail, and a university field trip to Bamfield Marine Station, Stephanie felt compelled to move to Vancouver Island.  An opportunity presented itself and she was off to the North Island to immerse herself in nature with the Northern Resident killer whale population. They became the focus of her research, and she completed her Master of Arts in Environmental Management in 2003 at Royal Roads University.

After meeting her husband-to-be on Vancouver Island, getting married, having kids and spending five years in Alaska - Stephanie and her family relocated to the Pacific Northwest so she could attend acupuncture school.  She received her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2008 from OCOM in Portland.  She started her acupuncture practice in Washington State in 2009. 

Stephanie became interested in acupuncture following a personal health challenge.  Upon her return from Texas in 1995 – she became very ill with severe joint pain, headaches, fatigue, a cough and a fever.  She went to acupuncture twice per week for two months, changed her diet, took herbs and her symptoms disappeared.  Symptoms returned in May 2012 after she was bitten by a tick.  More accurate testing was available in 2012, and she was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease.  Again, her recovery included acupuncture, herbs, dietary and lifestyle changes.

Her experience with chronic illness has made her a more empathetic and compassionate practitioner.  Stephanie has a very gentle needling style.  Her sense of humor allows patients to feel at ease. She relies on her intuition and background in analytical thinking to unravel a potential chaos of symptoms, many of which may seem unrelated.  Each situation takes a unique combination of empathy and strategy.  Her goal is to facilitate balance by using acupuncture to restore harmony and integrate the mind, body and spirit.  Her treatments are designed to help the patient heal at the core and make genuine, long-lasting changes which will benefit a lifetime.  

Stephanie has a thirst for knowledge which keeps her busy with webinars and reading.  She is constantly striving to bring the most up to date health information to her patients.

When she is not practicing or learning about health and nutrition, you will find her behind the lens of a camera, exercising, watching Seattle Mariners baseball, spending time exploring the North Island with her husband and youngest son, visiting their oldest son and his wife in Alaska or travelling to warmer destinations.

Stephanie is a Registered Acupuncturist in British Columbia and a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of Montana.  She is U.S. board certified in Acupuncture by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).  Stephanie received her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AcOM) from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) in 2008.  Stephanie earned a BS in Zoology from the University of Calgary in 1995 and an MA in Environmental Management from Royal Roads University in 2003.  Stephanie is a member of the British Columbia Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Practitioners (ATCMA).

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For a full listing of Stephanie's continuing education classes taken, click here.