It all started with a pendant from a street festival: a glass sea turtle had caught my eye with its beautiful colors that changed playfully with the light. I wear it around my neck all the time and get so many compliments on it that it's amazing how long it took me to realize that it was the perfect spirit animal for my clinical practice.

The turtle has always offered great symbolism for the practice of Chinese Medicine. It is patient, wise, and enjoys great longevity under the right circumstances. Chinese medicine is the same in that it plays the long game. It's about balancing the body and returning it to its natural state of health. You can't rush if you want to do it right, and once health issues resolve, they tend to stay stable for quite a long time.

As to why the turtle is flying, I picture the giant sea turtles in the ocean and how fast they can swim. We have this impression that turtles are slow, but that’s because they are walking on land. In water, they move with a grace and speed that makes them look like they are flying.

I also found my “ocean” when I found a career in Chinese medicine. It feels like this was what I was always meant to do. Here, I met my tribe. I had worked in consulting, travel, journalism, finance, and education, but none of those roles ever quite felt right until I worked as an acupuncturist.

Coming to the clinic is like coming home - I find my center, I find peace, and I find joy! No matter what else is going on in my life, I can come back to the clinic, start seeing patients, and I will find myself. I imagine flying feels like this - natural, easy, as if I was born to do this.