Chinese Medicine Physician
California
"The teachings are right inside of us. My role as a teacher is to support people in realizing themselves."
How would you describe the work that you do?
Over the years, I’ve started to see the “golden threads” that run through all the modalities I practice: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, the study of qi and the five elements, Reiki, Taoism, Buddhism, and most recently Kabbalah. They all point to the same truth: everything is interconnected. Whether it’s spiritual counseling, gentle or energetic touch, or needles, my work is about guiding people back to a wisdom that already exists inside them. I see healing as reconnecting with this ancient wisdom, older than our own vessels.
My sessions often blend acupuncture with craniosacral therapy, Reiki, gentle energetic touch, breathwork, bodywork, womb healing, Mayan abdominal massage, facial acupuncture, herbal remedies, and emotional release work. Each session is tailored intuitively to each person’s needs, cycles, and rhythms.
What led you to this work?
In hindsight, I think a mix of things. My parents traveled a lot and had a deep love for Eastern culture, so from a young age I was exposed to Hinduism and Buddhism: trips to India, Nepal, and Asia. Also all the statues, drawings, and artifacts in our home. Walking in the Himalayas when I was eight or nine, spending ten days visiting temples, left a real imprint on me. There’s something about the spirit of the mountains that stays with you.
Curiosity and self-inquiry have also always been part of my path. I started out as a fashion designer in New York. I enjoyed it but I remember asking myself, “What do I really want to do?” I remember reading an article on Vitamin B12 deficiency and realizing I was more fascinated with this than others. This led me to study health coaching at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition while still working in fashion.
Who is this work for?
Whether through spiritual counseling, gentle touch, energetic work, or acupuncture, my goal is always to help people return to trust, gratitude, and love for the gift of life itself.
It is for the person I'm working with to embrace, reconnect and come back to a renewed trust. And have gratitude for this gift that we are, that our heart is, that our body is regardless of what's going on in the sense of some imbalance. I like to call it imbalance rather than disease. Because that gives more room for harmonizing.
Who are your teachers?
My teachers are many, and I feel deeply grateful for each of them. My husband, David Elliott, has been a central influence. In Chinese medicine, I studied with David Illa, Dr. Dao in California, Yoan from the Knee family lineage of Taoist Chinese medicine, and Laurie deShar, whose books and teachings on Daoism and healing have been profoundly inspiring. I’ve also studied under Kiko Matsumoto, a Japanese acupuncturist with a unique style, and Reiki teachers including Lisa Levine, Maha Rose, and Stina.
In meditation, Daoism, and tea practice, my teachers have been Morgan Francesca, the founder of Global Tea Hut, and Jack Kornfield, whose Dharma talks I’ve followed for two decades. I’ve been fortunate to learn from many others along the way and my education is ongoing.
What are the different ways people can work with you?
I work with people both one-on-one and in groups, offering personalised sessions that integrate a variety of modalities. I’m trained in acupuncture through programs in New York and California, with eight years of study in Chinese medicine, including pulse reading, tongue diagnosis, and health history.
I also lead weekly breathwork classes at the local yoga studio, spontaneous online breathwork gatherings, a three-month breathwork journey, and annual retreats. I teach Reiki from my home healing space in Ojai, offering two-day certification trainings throughout the year and a six-day masters retreat that combines palm healing, Zen practice, and immersive ceremonies with the elements, including fire ceremonies at the local hot springs.
What do you think personal growth has to do with collective change?
When we cultivate compassion for ourselves, it naturally extends to others. Personal growth isn’t just about improving your own life, it ripples outward. By understanding our own judgments and responding with awareness and care, we can break cycles of harm and contribute to a more compassionate, conscious world. In that sense, individual growth becomes a form of collective transformation.
What are some of your daily rituals and practices?
Since having my daughter eight years ago, my daily practice has shifted. Morning yoga and other spiritual practices like Zen and Kundalini shaped my life before, but now my greatest teachers are my daughter, my parents, and anyone who challenges me.
I’ve learned to integrate practice into the life I have and tending to my home as a temple. I chant, move my body, walk my dog, and even infuse daily acts with intention, seeing them as sacred. My work (Reiki, craniosacral therapy, and teaching) is also meditation, bringing me fully into presence and connection.
What do you keep on your bedside table or on your altar?
A beeswax candle in front of Lakshmi and Buddha.
What words of wisdom do you always find yourself sharing?
That we are so incredible, created by creation. And if we just remember this and each other, this journey becomes a lot more blissful.
Images by Lara Elliot
