Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Mobley.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nicole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
All I started with was a love of other cultures and of listening to people. My college focus was on learning as many languages as I could. There were no aspirations to work in the medical field, and I had no idea what acupuncture was like.
As soon as I heard the word “acupuncture”, while pondering my career path, I decided to dive in! I knew it had to be fascinating culturally and medically. As an added bonus, I would get to listen closely to patients’ health concerns and get them relief.
I signed up for the Master’s program in Atlanta within 3 weeks of that first thought, and have loved every day of my career since.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Going to medical school is always a challenge. Acupuncture plus herbs plus western science classes are difficult for everyone, especially us students who don’t speak Chinese, but I had all Chinese doctors as teachers.
Over 4 years we learned acupuncture points & hundreds of Chinese herbs and formulas by their Chinese name. I was very lucky to have my linguistics background.
Besides all of the Chinese medical classes and board exams, balancing work/study/family is a challenge for acupuncture students. Many of us were changing careers mid-life. Not everyone has the time to take on classes full-time, so the 4 years can become 8!
Finally, entering a field no one has heard about in the South is difficult. Staying afloat through marketing, educating the public, and word-of-mouth is our final hurdle. I’m both proud and lucky to be thriving on this path.
Please tell us about East Wing Acupuncture.
At East Wing, I accept insurance. That brings me a nice variety of patients. I work on back pain, migraines, allergies, digestive issues, insomnia, etc.
I’m know for my specialty: infertility. At least half of my patients are referred to me for these treatments. I love treating women who have been given the diagnosis “unexplained infertility”, because it CAN be explained in my field. I will correct the hormone imbalances even if they just get out of line a few days per month.
This makes my treatment plan individualized for everyone. No one gets a “fertility protocol” set of points. I make sure you get just what you need, and my patients are amazed to see the results. (Take home babies!)
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
The only thing I wish I had done was take my mom’s advice when I went off to college. This was in the 1980’s, 15 years before I went to acupuncture school.
I majored in Spanish, and she suggested I major in Russian or Chinese. I laughed it off, but she said it would be a great idea for any business path I chose down the line. I sure wish I had studied Chinese, now!
Speaking fluently is not necessary, but I would love to engage more fully in the culture and with the teachers and fellow students I had.
Contact Info:
- Address: 772 Edgewood Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30307 - Website: eastwingacupuncture.net
- Phone: 404-695-0842
- Facebook: East Wing Acupuncture
Image Credit:
Billy Howard
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