Meet Trailblazer Jennifer Wyler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Wyler. 

Jennifer, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I had an amazing career as a senior audio engineer with a top record company, living and working in New York City. After ten years of working 100+ hour weeks, 30-hour shifts, and endless days of not getting to see the sunlight, I decided I needed a change. Towards the end of that time, 9/11 happened. The trauma experienced that day, and the days following changed me forever. Volunteering at ground zero, trying to help in any way I could, I kept having this feeling that I wished I could do more. While loving my audio career, I knew I wanted to help people. I was drawn to the mountains of the west with the incredible outdoorsy lifestyle it offered, so I headed for Boulder, Colorado with a vague idea of what my next path might look like. I knew I wanted to do something in the health field that involved helping people. After countless hours in the library researching possible options, I had narrowed it down to a career in Western medicine. I shadowed in a hospital for a few weeks, following doctors, nurses, surgeons, anesthetists, and technicians. While each field provided a glimpse of what I was searching for, it just wasn’t quite right. At the time, I was taking biology as a prep course for a possible career in medicine and got to talking with a classmate about the reasons she was taking this class. She said she would be starting acupuncture school that Fall. Knowing nothing about this field, I asked her to tell me about acupuncture –and eureka, a spark went off inside me! I’d discovered a medicine that looks at the whole person – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – and finds the imbalances. It was incredible finding something that I was truly excited about. 

I enrolled at Southwest Acupuncture College and surprisingly found myself in the most challenging four years of my life. I was pushed to my limit on all levels. I had never worked so hard at anything, and in the end it paid off with providing me a career where I get to help people every day -they feel better and I get to feel good as well! I love knowing that in a small way, I am helping to make a difference in people’s lives. 

While in school, I interned at Boulder Community Acupuncture and found that the community model of practice deeply resonated with me. The clinic is set up in a way where multiple people are receiving treatments within the same room, which allows the practitioner to see more clients and be able to charge a lower rate, yet still make a good living. I had seen this method of practice first hand in China, and I knew that was the direction I wanted to pursue. I have also seen the power in group healing. There is something magical that happens when several people are receiving acupuncture (or any healing modality for that matter) at the same time, in the same space. 

Has it been a smooth road?
The road to figuring out my next career path was not an easy one. I didn’t anticipate just how much patience and trust I would need in the years ahead. I watched as the signs from the universe began to appear, and every intuitive hit I received I followed, no matter how far fetched it sounded. Some leads appeared to be dead-ends, yet each one seemed to lead me to my next step. 

I found that one of the biggest challenges of starting out in acupuncture is to build a practice, which takes some time to establish. I took a part-time job as a nanny and piano teacher in order to ease the financial stress. Still, I trusted that as I gained experience and confidence, I would become busier. Eventually, my practice grew, and I was given the opportunity to purchase the clinic. This was a leap of faith that proved to be more fulfilling than I could ever have imagined. 

My advice for women just starting out, or for those searching for a new career, is to follow your heart. Listen to the messages you are receiving, do your homework, and then be willing to jump straight into the unknown, full of trust that it will all work out. Follow your dream, but remember to stay true to your values along the way. And if you are thinking of a career in health, then do your own personal growth work, as well as making self-care a top priority. 

We’d love to hear more about Boulder Community Acupuncture.
I am the owner of Boulder Community Acupuncture. I love treating stress, anxiety, trauma, pregnancy, and women’s health. I work with two amazing women whom I cannot imagine running this clinic without. Stephanie Wilson is a hard-core runner and incredible practitioner who is passionate about treating sports injuries and pain. She loves seeing how acupuncture can get athletes back doing what they enjoy, in often a remarkably short amount of time. Katie Kelly is a wonderful acupuncturist who has many areas of interest – pain, sports injuries, digestive issues, women’s health, and stress. She is an avid climber who is passionate about keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle and 

loves sharing these self-care practices with her clients to empower them to take charge of their own health. I love that we work as a team – we share clients, knowledge, and give encouragement when needed. 

Here at BCA, we are known for providing high-quality, affordable acupuncture, with each client receiving personalized care and attention. We are proud of the fact that we offer sliding scale rates so that clients from all walks of life, who might not otherwise be able to afford private acupuncture, can come in for frequent treatments and begin seeing positive improvements. 

Which women have inspired you in your life?
There have been so many countless women who have inspired me throughout my life. In the world of acupuncture, Mary Saunders, the founder of Boulder Community Acupuncture, inspired me by introducing me to community-style acupuncture, allowing me to shadow her while in school, hiring me, and then believing in me enough to take over the clinic once she retired. I am also inspired by Stephanie Wilson and Katie Kelly, the other members of BCA. I see them interact with clients, know they are passionate about what they do and believe in the community-style form of acupuncture as much as I do. I am truly grateful. 

Pricing:

• Sliding scale rates of $30-$60

Contact Info:

• Address: Place Suite 202 Boulder, CO.
  80301
• Website: www.bouldercommunityacupuncture.com
• Phone: 303-443-3034
• Email: Bouldercommunityacupuncture@gmail.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bouldercommunityacupuncture/

Image Credit:
Christopher Smith, Kerry Stokes

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