Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Audrey Powell L.Ac, DACM.
Hi Dr. Audrey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
my story begins with a keen interest in eastern philosophy and culture. As a young adult I traveled India and was exposed to traditional forms of medicine. I learned and experienced different methods of medicine that included herbs, food therapy, massage, breathwork, yoga and later acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I became very interested in the body and how it is all interwoven; the emotional body giving rise to different symptoms and ailments, and the physical body’s capacity to both hold and release trauma and pain. The eastern philosophical framework addresses the insufficiencies of the Western concept of a body, which details the body as a machine, fixating on the symptom or ailment, rather than seeking to understand where it came from, and why it persists. The Eastern philosophical framework details the body as a garden, describing the ecosystem, the temperature, the health of the soil, that generate strong roots and bring forth fruit. I studied integrative medicine in my undergraduate studies, learning various models of healthcare, both conventional and traditional. Later I completed a 4 year college for TCM Traditional Chinese Medicine, receiving my masters, followed by a doctoral program in integrative medicine, and now have continued learning within the functional medicine framework.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As far as building a business, the saying, if you build it, they will come very much applies. People will always need help, guidance and insight as it relates to the human conditions. Overall people are exhausted by the healthcare model in America and are now seeking help and guidance from a holistic framework. The challenges I face now are more so related to scaling my business for its next phase of growth, and adding a team that can help people navigate the complexities of chronic disease, illness and pain. I believe that a true health care model is one based on patient education. There are so many gaps and misinterpretations on food, right ways of eating, right ways of exercising, right supplement, right herbs etc, and when it comes to individualized medicine, we all need to realize that what might work for your friend, might not work for you. People are so fixated on a cure, or a miracle, when the actual healing is achieved through awareness of choices, discipline and discernment to implement those better choices. for example, lifestyle factors account for more than 70% of the risk for stroke or colon cancer, over 80% for coronary heart disease, and more than 90% for type 2 diabetes. And of course people will say, I don’t have that disease–but do you have gastrointestinal issues (irregular bowel movement, food intolerances, bloating) vascular issues (elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol) or do you have elevated blood sugar, (metabolic issues, weight gain, fatty liver etc.) Convention medicine tests for ranges that express disease after it has taken residence, functional medicine and eastern medicine are more concerned with the conditions that foster disease, and seek to correct that ecosystem before disease takes root. When it comes to the physical and emotional body, choices are like compound interest. and the question becomes, Which do you feed? the good wolf or the bad wolf (an old Cherokee adage)
As you know, we’re big fans of Inner Gardener Acupuncture. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Inner Gardener Acupuncture is an acupuncture practice rooted in TCM principles. TCM evaluates the body’s constitution, and the internal climactic factors that are contributing to disease pathogenesis. Many people first come to acupuncture because they have back pain, sciatic pain, shoulder pain etc, but TCM is a framework that dives much deeper into restoring homeostasis. In my practice I see and treat alot of gut health related conditions, chronic pain syndromes and mental health related concerns. What sets me apart is that I expect my patients to be active participants, to make adjustments to their lifestyle, mainly through nutrition, movement and supplement/herbal based products. The expectation that I set for my patients is, there is no quick fix. If you are coming to me for help, we are in for a minimum of 6-12 sessions. The framework of TCM is very useful for modern lifestyles. We are a culture of overconsumption, overworked, stressed, poor sleep, poor nutrition–which affects mood, clarity, hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and energy. Acupuncture is a powerful tool for regulating the body and turning on homeostasis–the internal checks and balancing system. People start noticing, I slept really good for 3 nights after my last session, my digestion is more regular, my blood pressure is better, my immune system is more resilient or I didn’t get sick around my grandkids like I usually do, my mood has improved, and im immensely less irritable, and for women, my menstrual cycle is regular for the first time in a year, the cramping was minimal and I didn’t have to call out of work, my hot flashes aren’t as severe….all these things matter in the big picture.
How do you define success?
While I do feel successful in many areas of my life, I don’t feel completely satisfied. Yes, I feel successful when people say, you helped me, my pain is gone, my health is improved. But I actually feel unsatisfied most of the time because we are a culture that outsources our health to someone else. We live in a culture that taught us to hand over our health, our intuition, and our inner authority to someone outside of us. From a young age, we’re conditioned to look to authorities for the answers to our own bodies. the truth is, the body is not a machine that needs to be fixed; it is a living ecosystem that needs to be understood, nurtured, and partnered with. The thing I love most about traditional forms of medicine is that they teach, right ways of living: how to eat to self correct, how to regulate our nervous systems and listen to the early warning signs and symptoms, methods for boosting immune system at the change of the seasons to prevent seasonal illness, how to fuel our metabolism for energy and health weight how to support hormones at certain phases of life, recover after illness, recover after childbirth etc. Until I am able to reach people on these levels, I am not sure I will feel the full joy of “success”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.innergardeneracupuncture.com
- Instagram: @innergardener_acupuncture
Image Credits
@caroleshepardsonphoto
Carole Shepardson, photo 2 (me +legs)
