Kathlene is a licensed Acupuncturist in both CT and NY, a Board Certified Herbalist, and a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine as granted by the NCCAOM. She received her Master’s of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (now known as Pacific College of Health & Science) in New York, NY. This was a 4 year course of study including 940 supervised clinical internship hours at the largest acupuncture clinic on the East Coast. She is also currently a faculty member at PCHS teaching Needle Technique to first year students. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston University, and  completed a semester of graduate level counseling coursework at Southern Connecticut State University. She later pursued a certification offered by the state of New York for Mental Health First Aid Training which included an emphasis on trauma informed care. 

Her main training was in Traditional Chinese Medicine/TCM style acupuncture, however she has training in both Classical style (including 8 extraordinary vessels) and Electro-acupuncture. In addition to the required MSTOM program hours, she sought supervision from two acupuncturists in her home state where she was exposed to Five Element style acupuncture,  orthopedic and sports medicine, and post-surgical rehabilitation/scar therapy. She currently also treats patients for: women’s issues, fertility, neck & back pain, sciatica, digestive disorders, dermatology, insomnia, anxiety/depression, fatigue, headaches, migraines, sports injuries/ orthopedics, and stress. She specializes in internal herbal medicine and has extensive  knowledge of autoimmunity, chronic and mystery illnesses, latent/viral pathogenic infections and the impact of environmental toxins on the immune & endocrine systems.  

Kathlene originally started down a traditional Western pre-med path, but when she got diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at the age of 21, she started exploring “alternative” healing. She was drawn to more holistic styles of medicine. The mind/body/spirit connection became more  and more evident. When she discovered the powerful combination of acupuncture and internal  herbal medicine, she immediately decided to become a practitioner. The theory and  foundations of the medicine became a way of understanding and interpreting the messages that the body was attempting to communicate with symptoms. The tradition also had a wealth  of knowledge about how to recalibrate and rebalance the system. It was the first time she felt hopeful and empowered since her diagnosis. 

Through her own healing journey, she has accumulated extensive knowledge about the  treatment of autoimmune conditions and digestive health from both Eastern and Western  perspectives, and has been able to manage her condition without Western medication. She had the good fortune to both learn from and receive treatment from Dr. Heidi Lovie, DACM, a nationally respected authority on the treatment of Hashimoto’s. 

While Western medication is sometimes necessary, and referrals are made to Western when appropriate, Kathlene believes it is important to explore all possible avenues of treatment starting with the most conservative methods first. Chinese medicine offers one of the safest first lines of intervention when dealing with any illness, and can address issues on all levels of function - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. She is passionate and committed to helping her patients regain hope, and she encourages and equips them with the resources they need to become the foremost experts in their own health management. True healing is not  going back to how things were; it is fully accepting the present moment as it is, integrating the information, and creating a new path forward from the place we are now standing.

We truly heal when we are seen and heard, which requires a safe and compassionate presence that allows us to be fully seen as we are. I strive to emulate the care that meant the most to me  in my own practice, and I hope to offer that to each of you, as it brings my story full circle. I invite you to follow me on my Youtube channel @SincerelyYourAcupuncturist for more information about Chinese medicine and wellness. I look forward to working with you!