Your Practitioner: Karen Velasquez

Karen received her BS in nursing from Indiana University in 1987. She had an 18 year career in Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatrics. While living in San Diego, she discovered holistic medicine and decided to embark on a career in Acupuncture. She received her Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Orient

In addition to studying Acupuncture, Karen has studied Chinese Herbs, Nutrition, Tai Chi & Qigong, Electro-stimulation, Cupping and Moxibustion.

In 2006, Karen spent a year with Master Reiki teacher, Barnsley Brown to become a Reiki Master. Since then, she has had students of her own obtain levels I and II Reiki practitioner certificates. She utilizes Reiki in her own practice and for herself.

Karen loves to help people with their Nutrition and continuously educates herself and works extensively with Standard Process. She utilizes Nutrition Response Testing in her practice to make sure patients receive a customized nutrition program.

Karen is also a certified meditation specialist and loves to teach her patients meditation and Qigong. These are two vital practices for promoting the relaxation response and building the Qi, which aid patients in recovering and healing many conditions including adrenal fatigue.

Karen is active in her profession having served on the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board from 2008-2011 and is currently the chapter representative for The North Carolina Society of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine. She regularly coordinates and teaches continuing education events for practitioners. She is an Acupuncture advocate providing the public and legislators with education about Acupuncture practice and benefits.

Show Less

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is part of an integrated system of primary healthcare, known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has an uninterrupted history of development dating back thousands of years in China and other parts of Eastern Asia.

The origins of acupuncture in China can be traced back at least 2000 years, making it one of the oldest and most long-standing health care systems in the world.

Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine, sterling needles into specific sites (acupuncture points) along the body's meridians to clear energy blockages and encourage the normal flow of Chi through the individual. The practitioner may also stimulate the acupuncture points using other methods, including moxibustion, cupping, laser therapy, electro-stimulation and massage, in order to re-establish the flow of Chi.

Different acupuncture points on the body are connected to each organ in the body. Addressing massage to specific acupuncture points, releases blocked Chi and helps your body's immune system to finish the job. Some acupuncture points are very easy to identify. They are points of pain (back pain, neck pain, etc.).

Benefits

Today, acupuncture, is an affective, natural, and increasingly popular form of healthcare that is being used by people from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds. The balance of Chi, or Qi in some publications (a term used to describe vital energy in the body) is the vey foundation of being alive and functioning in Traditional Chinese Medicine technologies.

As a natural form of healing, acupuncture can provide the following benefits:

1. provides drug-free pain relief

2. effectively treats a wide range of acute and chronic ailments

3. treats the underlying cause of disease and illness and symptoms

4. provide holistic approach to the treatment of disease and illness, linking body, mind, and emotions