When Healing Looked Like Magic

A question I encounter often is “How did you get into this work?” 

While my path wasn't always clear, I feel that in many ways, this work found me. I have had a strong pull towards helping others and learning more about the intricacies of the body since childhood.

When faced with this question, one influential time stands out to me.

Our dear family friend had a mature horse who was known for being stiff through his right shoulder. A family friend who is an equine chiropractor came to work on him one day. I remember him working on the horse, feeling its face. He said that he could feel a small hoofprint on the face of the horse and suggested that the horse may have been kicked by another pasture mate when he was younger. That injury could be contributing to the chronic shoulder restriction he was still carrying decades later.

This suggestion was later confirmed by the horses’ previous owner. 

I remember being amazed. How could someone look at a horse, feel how his body moved, and uncover a story from years in the past?

As a child, that felt like magic.

Of course, now I understand that it wasn't magic at all. It was a deep understanding of anatomy, movement, compensation patterns, and the body's incredible ability to adapt and carry the effects of past experiences. But that moment sparked something in me. It showed me that the body tells a story, and that if we learn how to listen, it often provides clues about where discomfort comes from and how healing can begin.

That curiosity has stayed with me throughout my life and eventually led me to study Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. What I love most about this medicine is that it encourages us to look beyond symptoms and consider the whole person. Just as that horse's shoulder stiffness wasn't only about his shoulder, our own health concerns are often connected to a much larger story.

Today, I still feel the same sense of wonder that I felt as a child watching that horse being treated. Every day in practice, I have the privilege of helping people understand their bodies more deeply, uncover patterns that may be contributing to their symptoms, and support their healing journey.

What once seemed like magic became a lifelong passion—and ultimately, a career dedicated to helping others feel their best.