Acupuncturist & Chinese Herbalist
(she/her)
As an acupuncture and East Asian Medicine practitioner, Tessa strives to bring awareness to spiritual health and its connection to the mental and physical form. Tessa delights in treating a wide variety of health conditions, however her special interests include symptoms related to psycho-emotional conditions, reproductive health, and upper body tension.
TESSA’S STORYTessa’s journey into Eastern medicine began with a love for the great outdoors and gardening. She began her path with a degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on botany, art, and psychology and later graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2015. Throughout her undergrad and post-graduation, she worked for North Carolina State University as a botanical research assistant. Tessa relished the days spent outside in the fields so when a job opportunity presented itself to study fire ecology with the Forest Service she jumped coasts and headed to Sequoia National Forest in California. Amidst her travels out West, Tessa crossed paths with key figures that introduced her to stone medicine and energy healing. This transformed her way of understanding. Inspired, she sought a certification in Reiki healing. In 2017, she moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a permaculture apprenticeship. This profound experience deepened her relationship with the plants and land, which would inevitably motivate her to go back to school to pursue a career that would encompass both energy work and plant medicine. In 2022 Tessa graduated with a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts.
Tessa’s unique approach to Eastern medicine derives from her extensive training as a Classical Chinese medicine practitioner. Her exposure to the philosophy of the Jade Purity lineage, facilitated by 88th generation Taoist priest Jeffrey Yuen, has informed her practice and emanates in the treatment room. Beyond the 12 primary meridians (energy pathways) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tessa utilizes 62 meridians in her practice.
Tessa is a licensed practitioner of East Asian medicine Washington, Colorado, and North Carolina. Tessa is a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and board certified in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Tessa graduated from a four-year Master’s program at Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts with a dual degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Tessa’s training is extensive, comprising over 2000 hours of didactic learning and 890 hours of clinical rounds. Throughout her Master’s program Tessa compiled multiple texts including a comprehensive Chinese herbal medicine book and an acupuncture clinic manual, which remain as useful resources for Chinese medicine students at Daoist Traditions College. Post graduation, Tessa formed an acupuncture clinic within a collective of massage therapists in North Carolina before launching her own practice in Denver Colorado. She now practices in Washington where she is excited to grow into the specialty of fertility and gynecological disorders.
Acupuncture activates the body’s inherent healing potential by restoring balancing, promoting longevity, and strengthening overall wellbeing mentally and physically, making acupuncture a great choice for both disease management and as a preventative medicine. On your journey to wellness, Tessa will offer your body support while providing you with the knowledge, skills, and resources to make healthy life decisions through the lens of Chinese medicine.