Excellent health is your birthright.

I call myself an athlete turned yogi but that is only part of the story. I grew up in a working class Italian family – and yes, there was a lot of pasta, bread and sauce. And meatballs, soda, candy, baked goods, and most of our veggies came from a can. To that end, I was a bit hyperactive, super sensitive, and I had digestive issues (see diet above.) Like most families at this time, there were a lot of antibiotics consumed. I experienced functional insomnia for much of my life, and later depression. But I was active and that helped a lot.

In my 20’s, I had a dog who got very sick, very quickly. She was a rescue who had been shuffled in and out of shelters and homes – and was over-given vaccines. When the Vet said “no problem, she needs meds and steroids for life and will be fine,” I thought there must be a better way. I started exploring alternative care and with a diet change, homeopathy and herbs- my dog went from black leather skin and no hair – to a regular healthy, hairy, happy dog again. This cued me in to my own health and I began exploring how diet, yoga, and meditation could improve my health. In my 30’s while in Massage Therapy school I received Acupuncture. Around the same time, I saw a Classical Homeopath and the little white pills she gave me successfully got me off antidepressants.

My Massage School was heavily based in the Eastern Arts, so my love affair with The Five Elements was ignited. 10 years later, I began seeing David Berkshire, DACM, L.AC for Five Element Acupuncture. I loved the method from the first session. It felt specific, clear, and I loved the Moxa. Each time he lit it, it felt like a prayer. During the first few months of treatment, life got clearer, my stress decreased, and I felt more love, creativity, and compassion; I began to feel more like myself than I had in many years. I also effortlessly started making changes that I had muddled over for years.

As a person who follows a spiritual path, I listen when life shows me where to go. Sometimes this is through things not working out in a big and quick way. This is what happened when I tried to attend a purely 5 Element Acupuncture program. A year later, I ended up studying with David directly at NUNM in Portland, OR – where I not only studied 5 Element Acupuncture, but also studied Classical Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbalism. I didn’t know this at the time, but the herbs, homeopathy, and comprehensive education that I received would be paramount to helping folks with chronic issues to find health. 

I currently live on the Gulf Coast of Florida in Saint Petersburg and have an office here and in Clearwater. I am also developing courses that will assist people in healing themselves using Chinese Medicine, which is my passion. Once I learned how the Five Elements shape our everyday lives and world, I wanted to share with people how easy it is to create more health through balance with nature. I believe that health knowledge is empowering and I want you to have more control over your health!