Vanessa's New Acupuncture Business

I'm Vanessa Font.  As most of you know, I moved to LA in 2009 and within 6 weeks of arriving, I was in school full time to pursue a Master's degree in Chinese Medicine.  After five and a half years of intense studying for my degree, with another year and a half of preparations to pass my boards, I can now confidently say that I am a licensed practitioner of Chinese Medicine in the state of California!!  

For those of you unfamiliar with acupuncture school, my degree consisted of two years of Western medical classes that included Internal Medicine, Western Nutrition, Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Physics, Biochem, Anatomy and Physiology, as well as classes that taught me how to give Physical, Neurological and Orthopedic Exams.  

In the state of California, acupuncturists are considered primary care physicians due to the vast Western knowledge that is required of our degree.  

My Eastern medical studies included Chinese Medical Theory and Diagnosis, learning the meridian pathways of the body, Acupunture point location and needling, Chinese Herb and Formula studies (this is the Eastern form of medication), Auricular (ear) and Scalp Acupuncture, Eastern Nutrition, Massage and Taoism, to name a few.  

I had no idea the intensity of the challenges that would lay before me when I started school.  I didn't know what kinds of ailments acupuncture treated (other than pain) and I had a huge fear of needles (not that uncommon I later discovered :)).  My mind expanded in every way possible.  I became proud of my dedication to the study of medicine.  I never thought about quitting, even though the class I graduated with was about 1/3 of the size of the class I actually started with.  

For the entire duration of my time in school, I was also battling with serious chronic health issues surrounding my allergies. Little did I realize that I was actually SUPER allergic to my school.  I quickly learned that I couldn't participate in herb lab or making formulas for my patients due to my allergies; I had no idea that even breathing in the herbs when I wasn't in the clinic (the allergens were airborne in the school) and being surrounded by classmates that were constantly eating nuts and seeds (to which I am anaphylactic), created a near impossible atmosphere for me to succeed in.  I was constantly battling with my immune system while I was in school.  It was common for me to be in Urgent Care before finals, or on an asthma machine while working my clinic shifts.  

I believe that all of life's challenges have a much deeper meaning and far-reaching importance in my future; for me, my health issues were also a gift - I have learned an ENORMOUS amount about the body and how to treat patients from being a constant patient of both Eastern and Western medicine.  It has taught me patience and compassion in a way that few other lessons could.  It has brought me yoga, meditation, homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, lessons around boundaries and surrendering, facing pain, the grace of Western medicine, nutrition, how to speak up for myself, how to cook and bake from scratch, and most importantly, how to be prepared for EVERY situation at ALL times.

It also taught me that there's no one "right way" to go about treating the body.  Everyone's body and life experience is different - therefore what works for some can't work for others and vice versa.   I have affirmed the position in medicine of supporting my patients if something works for them, as long as they are also "doing no harm" or as little harm as possible.  As a practitioner, it is NOT my place to judge my patients; I hope instead to empower them towards cultivation of the physical, emotional and spiritual self, and aid in the prevention of disease.  

I currently carry an undergraduate degree in English, a Master's degree in Creation Spirituality and another in Chinese Medicine.  I can proudly say that I have obtained collegiate degrees in mind, body and spirit.  I'm ready to go out into the world and use my education to help others live a more peaceful, balanced, healthy life.  Author Mark Nepo said, "In deep and lasting ways, when we heal ourselves, we heal the world."   

I've always believed that if we all do a little, together we can change the world.  That is why I am asking you, my community, to help support me as I begin my journey and establish a practice as an acupuncturist.  I am facing a substantial finanial aid debt; if I am able to get my practice on it's feet without incruing more debt, it will help me to be start paying back my loans more quickly.  I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity I was given to go to school - by supporting this venture you are also helping a community of people that are seeking healing through Chinese Medicine.

I'm asking for financial donations to help with things like:
- a computer for my business
- a printer and fax machine
- office supplies
- medical software
- website building and support
- hiring an accountant
- acupuncture supplies (needles, patient gowns, heat lamps, sheets, cups, cleaning supplies, disposable gloves, etc..)
- business cards/letterhead
- marketing
- paying for expenses such as a business license, practitioner insurance, retail license, seller's permits
- helping to set up & properly dispose of medical waste
- medical books
- travel kit for treating patients outside of my home office 
- first aid supplies
- CPR recertification
- homeopathic training 
- to help with my first year of CEU's (continuing education units)
- helping to finance the final round of national testing I need, in order to become a licensed practitioner outside the state of California 
- to help with any other unforseen business expenses 

Anything you can give would mean the world to me. May you be healthy and happy, your heart filled with everlasting peace and an abundance of love.

Namaste,
Vanessa Font

"I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy.  I woke and I saw that life is all service.  I served and saw that service is joy"            ~ Kahlil Gibran



www.ganeshacupuncture.com