Who Am I?

The short story:

Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Vedic astrologer. The Ayurvedic Institute. Albuquerque, NM
Master of Science in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine. Southwest Acupuncture College. Boulder, CO
Certified Massage Therapist- Nevada School of Massage Therapy. Las Vegas, NV

The slightly longer version:

I spent most of teenage years in the world of the punk rock music subculture. I was exploring what was beneath the surface of the known and pushing against social boundaries as a means of discovering who I was and what my place in the world would be. It ultimately was an effort to find out what it meant to live authentically and to learn to trust my inner Self first and foremost. OK, so maybe at the time I wasn’t so clear about that part of it, it mostly just felt like a way to have a good time with friends and a lot of loud concerts. I however now see this as an important beginning to a lifelong interest in self study, empowered healing, and creative expression.

I became a massage therapist in my early twenties which sparked a larger interest in alternative medical modalities, Ayurvedic medicine particularly. After finishing school and working as a bodyworker for a number of years in various settings, the positive benefits I had received through Ayurveda and my continued self study led me to pursue a deeper education in the subject. I enrolled at the Ayurvedic Institute studying with the widely renowned Ayurvedic physician Dr Vasant Lad, BAMS in Albuquerque, NM. While attending the Ayurvedic Institute I also had the privilege of studying with Dr Claudia Welch, a very well respected practitioner in her own right. This academic program consisted of a thorough education in the principles of Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle practices as well as Ayuryoga, herbology, Panchakarma, Marma therapy, and Sanskrit studies. Since graduating in 2005, I have continued my studies of Ayurveda with Drs. Vasant Lad, BAMS, Robert Svoboda, BAMS, G.G. Gangadharan, BAMS, and Hari Pallathery, BAMS. I have also dedicated myself to the study of Jyotish (Vedic astrology) and Vāstu Shastra (Vedic Feng Shui) with Govinda Das, Achala Sylwia Mihajlovic, and Ernst Wilhelm among many others.

After completion of my Ayurvedic program I moved to Boulder, CO where I worked as the primary practitioner in an Ayurvedic spa providing Ayurvedic bodywork and consultations while simultaneously completing a masters degree in Acupuncture and Chinese herbology at Southwest Acupuncture College. This 3,500 hour program consisted of training in acupuncture, Chinese herbology, tui na, moxibustion, and included 1,800 clinical hours.

I now call Tucson, AZ home. Aside from my private practice of Vedic astrology and Ayurveda, I founded and am on the board a busy 501(c)(3) nonprofit acupuncture practice, Common Roots Acupuncture, providing affordable and accessible acupuncture to the Tucson community. I also enjoy teaching workshops on Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine topics as well as being adjunct faculty at the Arizona School of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.