*Monica received her Bachelors degree in Dance at Wesleyan University and four-year Masters degree in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science. She apprenticed under pain-specialist Dr. Henry McCann, DAOM, Dipl OM, LAc and herbalist Dr. Shao Lian Zhao, PhD, DAOM, LAc.

What drew me to acupuncture originally was that Chinese medicine offers a name for conditions we don’t have a concept for in the Western psyche.

As a writer, I believe language determines not only how we articulate our lived experiences, but also how we feel our experiences and make sense of them. For example, there is a condition in Chinese medicine known as “plum pit Qi,” where one develops the sensation of a plum pit stuck in the throat. This condition can come and go, or be constant, for months or years. Nothing would turn up on an X-Ray, however, and this complaint might be written off as “idiopathic” or “psychosomatic.” Yet, it’s a very common condition that can arise for anyone. Just think about the last time you were accused of something you didn’t do, and maybe you didn’t know what to say in the moment or know how to defend yourself. And maybe on the way home from that interaction, you’d develop that throat constriction feeling, or “plum pit Qi!”

Once we have a name for something, we then can observe it, explain it, and eventually treat it. And Chinese medicine doctors have been observing, explaining, and treating humans for the better part of two millennia.

As a dancer, I’m come to realize that the mind alone can get us stuck in loops. Until I started dancing, I was writing myself in circles, trying to “solve” my way out of some painful experiences. Through movement exploration, I was able to unlock the somatic level. I realized my body had a thousand questions my mind couldn’t parse through. That’s where Chinese medicine came in. Once I started receiving regular acupuncture and herbal therapy, a lot of my symptoms started to resolve. I gained momentum in my life where I had previously hit a plateau.

At a time when I was experiencing this confusing mix of emotional and physical distress, but didn’t have a formal Western diagnosis, it was affirming that indeed my experiences were real and not imagined.

Looking back, I’ve come to recognize through my own journey as well as my years of clinical experience that we need to feel safe first before we’re mentally and physically able to process difficult emotions. If our bodies are constantly in fight or flight, it’s not going to prioritize this process. It’s going to prioritize self-protection and self-preservation; which, let’s be honest, can keep us pretty shut down and shut out from the world. My goal as a clinician is to first and foremost guide the nervous system out of fight or flight and into a state of safety. Only then can we begin the work of reconnecting with our most authentic, vibrant selves.

Outside the studio, I’m an avid partner dancer. I’ve learned Argentinian tango, West Coast swing, Lindy Hop, and am currently traveling the world with Hustle. At home in New York, I love playing video games, journaling at my local café, and spending time with my community.