My journey with acupuncture began back in my senior year of high school when I sustained an injury to my left elbow during a soccer game. Initially, I thought I could ride out the injury and recover on my own, but eventually the pain got so intense that I had to seek medical attention.

I visited my PCP who naturally sent me to an orthopedist for further testing and evaluation. Long story short, the orthopedist recommended a course of cortisone injections which I was very uncomfortable with at the time. I was 17 years old and thought to myself, surely there must be something else besides medication and steroid injections. 

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After a great deal of research I came across acupuncture, which at that time, was not very popular or well known in many circles. Once I felt informed and comfortable enough, I mustered up the courage to call a local acupuncturist and make an appointment. Needless to say I was blown away by the results and wanted to know how something so simple was so effective. 

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The next few years proved to be a testing ground as I attended college and eventually received my Bachelor's degree in History and Political Science. Upon graduation I was faced with a very difficult decision, the decision that most youth are faced with: "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?" To help gain some clarity on my decision I took a week long trip out west to visit a friend of mine in Seattle who was in naturopathic medical school. During my visit, she gave me a tour of her school which coincidentally had an acupuncture program. It was as if the universe was speaking to me directly as I became more and more comfortable with the idea of becoming an acupuncturist. After all, I had always wanted to work with and help people. It seemed like fate so after some discussion with my parents I decided to take a leap of faith and apply. Shortly after applying, I was accepted into the acupuncture program at the renowned Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington.

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In just over 3 years of classroom and clinical studies, which included numerous internships such as working in a Chronic Fatigue Clinic, Fibromyalgia Clinic, Low Income Clinic, International Clinic, an HIV/AIDS Clinic and completing my clinical rotations within the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. 

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Upon graduation, I decided to move back to Rochester, NY so I could not only make this amazing medicine accessible to the community but also shed a new light on how acupuncturists can work alongside other medical professionals and in many cases, dictate patient care while yielding world class results. 

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Like most acupuncturists, I began practicing as a general practitioner but over time I've come to realize that my true love lies in treating pain, namely in a sports medicine setting. I utilize a unique style of acupuncture which is often collectively referred to as sports medicine acupuncture as it incorporates trigger point therapy, motor point acupuncture, electro acupuncture, manual muscle testing, orthopedic testing, dry needling as well as local/distal acupuncture. All of these techniques, along with other adjunct therapies such as cupping, gua sha and tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) are used to develop an effective and personalized treatment protocol. 

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I look forward to working with you and the rest of the local community and thank you in advance for choosing me to be a part of your healthcare team!