Vanessa Stretton
Pronouns
she/her
Location
900 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA
Education / certification
Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
Master of Science in Oriental Medicine
Certificate in Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique
Certificate in Somatic Attachment Therapy
Certificate in Holistic Health
Chinese Medicine, Reiki, Functional Medicine, Somatic Attachment Therapy, NAET
Words I live by:
Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished. -Lao Zi
Areas of expertise:
Sleep, Pain, Hormonal challenges, Migraines, Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause, Menopause, Trauma
How did you decide to become a Chinese medicine practitioner?
I’ve always been interested in health. As a child, I often took care of my mother who suffered from migraines and fibromyalgia. As a natural caregiver and empath, I needed an outlet for that. When I faced my own health issues I found that allopathic (conventional) medicine really only offers surgery or pharmaceutical drugs and I felt there had to be another way to support health versus just treat disease. I asked myself how did we even survive a UTI or strep throat before “modern medicine?” There are healing traditions from around the world that pre-date our current medical system by thousands of years. One of them, that has stood the test of time, is Chinese Medicine. It is quite a sophisticated and complete holistic medicine that is also a world view. It acknowledges the effects of emotions, seasons, flavors and so much more on our bodies. It acknowledges health on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. There are so many things Chinese Medicine can explain and treat that conventional medicine has no way of testing or treating. The more I learned, the more I fell in love. A master’s, board exams, and a doctorate later, that is how I came to practice Chinese Medicine.
What is something that you love to help your patients with?
I love to help my patients make shifts in the paradigm of their own lives. The way they move through the world is often detracting from their joy, energy, or health goals, and helping to guide them on a journey toward health with tools and lifestyle adjustments that work specifically with their needs is so rewarding when they experience a transformation.
What is your self-care ritual?
I meditate, do reiki, use crystals and smudging for energetic hygiene, and I have a team of chiropractors, massage therapists, and more to keep me together. And yes! I do acupuncture on myself.
