Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Morgan.
Charlotte, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Philosophy, ready to pursue a career in law. This is what I always thought that I wanted, but found myself unable to commit to a law school and feeling “stuck” and confused.
At the age of 23, my mental and physical health began to decline. I was told that I had ADHD, depression, and anxiety, and was prescribed a multitude of pharmaceuticals to combat these issues, in addition to the birth control pills I had been on essentially my entire life. I became more and more sick, fatigued, foggy-headed, and defeated.
There are so many things that I know now that I wish I had known then. My health was declining because of undiagnosed and untreated severe food sensitivities, in addition to mental health issues arising from the daily hormones I was ingesting in the form of birth control pills. At 23, I was seeing multiple doctors (gynecologist, psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, etc.) who did not have any communication with one another. Each doctor only saw and treated one part of my body, gave me a medication for that part of my body, and consequently a different side effect of that particular medication.
Out of desperation, I sought out an acupuncturist where I was living at the time. I knew nothing about Chinese Medicine, but the philosopher in me was intrigued. He explained the values and theory behind Traditional Chinese Medicine, being that the mind and body (and all of its different parts) are one whole. If one part is out of balance, the rest of the parts will be out of balance as well. This resonated with me because I felt as though I was being diagnosed and treated as parts of a machine, rather than as one whole person. When one issue got better, another got worse and vice versa.
My acupuncturist was kind, compassionate, and easy to talk to. He was non-judgmental of the treatments and medications that I had been using and insisted that we work together toward a goal of improving my health and wellness. We were a team, and I finally felt heard. I began regular acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs. I chose to responsibly and slowly taper off of my prescription medications (with the supervision of my prescribing doctors- this is crucial) and began to trust that my body would heal with the right care and commitment from myself.
At that point, I was completely in love with Traditional Chinese Medicine and knew that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I enrolled in school the following year. The next three years were some of the most intellectually demanding and intense years of my life, but there was never a moment that I wasn’t in awe of this brilliant and immensely vast ancient medicine. I emerged tired, passionate, without regrets, and most importantly with a Masters Degree in Acupuncture. This medicine still amazes me, and I truly learn something new every day. It is my goal to make acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine more accessible to all people, be the voice of reason and source of knowledge that I wish I’d had at 23, and provide my patients with a safe and effective way to achieve their best health and happiest form of self.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The program for Acupuncture is vigorous, time-consuming, and just generally hard. You learn Eastern medicine, which is not only the anatomical acupuncture points and what they do, but also Chinese theory which is completely opposite to how we are taught to view life, creation, and our bodies in the West.
Then you learn Western medicine, which includes chemistry, physiology, anatomy, western pharmacology, terminology, and the list goes on. Most people don’t realize that in order to be licensed in Eastern medicine, you have to know Western medicine as well.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Vedana Acupuncture & Wellness – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I opened my business in May 2019. I do acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities like cupping, Gua Sha, Tui Na, and moxibustion to name a few. I also offer IgG food sensitivity testing, environmental toxin testing, organic acid testing, and blood lab reviews and analysis in conjunction with treatment.
I combine acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern testing to best diagnose and treat each specific issue that a patient may have. Being able to back up a diagnosis with multiple different diagnostic tools ensures that the patient will receive the best and most effective treatment suited toward their particular needs. I treat a wide variety of issues from digestion to fertility and migraines, as well as sports injuries and chronic pain. I also love treating children!
The treatment that you receive in my practice differs from how most practitioners see and treat patients. Each follow up treatment is typically 1.5 hours long, and I am in the room with you for a full hour of that time doing acupuncture, Tui Na, and other hands-on modalities. You are the only patient that I see during your scheduled time and have my full and undivided attention.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I plan to continue growing my practice and bring awareness and education to our community about the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I also plan to work with Veterans to provide relief from chronic pain, PTSD, and other issues.
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