We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Tamara Rettino, DACM, LAc. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Tamara below.
Dr. Tamara , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
Patients often come to me when they have been failed by Western Medicine and feel let down by the system. The most important advice I can give a client is to empower them to advocate for themselves, freely ask questions, and remind them that they are the experts about their own bodies. Many years ago I had a patient who had been told by their GP that they had Bell’s Palsy. They came to me because acupuncture is the #1 recommended treatment for that affliction, but my patient had a nagging feeling that there was something more serious going on, but their doctor had dismissed their concerns as anxiety. Having treated countless Bell’s Palsy patients, I instantly agreed that their presentation warranted further investigation by a neurologist. I encouraged this sweet, soft-spoken person to follow their hunch and advocate for further testing and to be seen by a specialist. Good thing, too….they actually had a brain tumor! I’m fortunate that the way I have constructed my clinic model is to assure that I review all body systems with my patients and give them ample time at each visit to express themselves and make inquiries. While I am absolutely grateful for Western medicine and think it can be stellar at things like emergency and cancer care, it is often rushed and disjointed and can fail to pay attention to the connection between systems or the intuition of patients themselves. When I take the time to deeply listen to my patients, we can often discover issues and answers that have long eluded traditional systems and help them find a way back to wholeness and healing.
Dr. Tamara , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Around 15 or so years ago, about a year after the birth of my fourth child, the muscles in my body began to become incredibly weak, leading me to become mostly bed bound and have difficulties doing tasks as simple as brushing my teeth. At one point, I lost consciousness and while I was in the hospital a friend suggested I consult an acupuncturist. I was flabbergasted. Western Medicine didn’t have any answers for me, and its treatments like antibiotics and steroids only seemed to make me more ill, so I couldn’t understand how acupuncture would be able to help. Yet, I decided it was worth a try. My family had to carry me into the acupuncturist’s office. My hands and feet were cold and white, and yet as I lay on the table, I could feel the energy in my body shift and actually watch the color come back into my limbs. By the end of the session, I could sit up by myself, and within three days I was taking steps and walking more comfortably. I was absolutely thrilled and instantly knew that this magical work was calling to me. Eventually, it was discovered that I had a mitochondrial disease, and the Western medical treatments were further damaging my mitochondria and making me worse. I continued to receive acupuncture and take herbal medicine, becoming ever stronger. I was inspired to apply for acupuncture medical school, where I spent 5 years, excelled in my work and internship, and passed the prestigious California state boards on the first pass. I immediately began private practice as an acupuncturist, herbalist, and sound healer in Los Angeles. I had already been a birth doula and educator since 1998, and trained to add death midwife to my repertoire. One thing I’m incredibly proud of is creating a free acupuncture clinic during the Occupy LA protests that helped give loving care to many unhoused and hurting people. In 2019, I was named Best Placed to Get Pinned (best acupuncture) by The LA WEEKLY. However, I wasn’t able to bask in that glow, as I immediately moved way across the country to Buffalo, New York, where I currently own and operate the latest incarnation of Acupunktrix: Acupuncture and Apothecary. I specialize in women’s, children’s, and LGBTQ care, especially mental health and OBGYN concerns. I am also certified by Memorial Sloan Kettering as an oncology acupuncturist and help to treat the side effects of cancer treatment or easing pain, nausea, and anxiety for those at the end of life. A few years back, I attended Pacific College for advanced study, and received my Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM). Currently, I’m working through the Thanatology (Death Studies) Program at One Spirit Seminary, to deepen my ability to do end-of-life care. Additionally, I grew up as the daughter of musicians, so the healing effects of sound have always been fascinating to me. In addition to acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, and moxibustion, I also offer sound vibration using tuning forks, drumming, and crystal singing bowls to further enhance acupuncture treatments or ease the transition of both childbirth and the final breaths of life. My clinic now offers all organic custom teas and herbal formulas, that can be created while you wait, and I am honored to be referred to as “the village witch”! In 2002, I was a volunteer medic in the Middle East, where I discovered that I love working in crisis settings, so I became certified with Acupuncturists Without Borders, and am currently setting up a pop-up clinic to treat those affected by the deadly Christmas Blizzard in Buffalo. I also have a book (working title Handbook for The Eventually Deceased: A Guide for the Living) due to be published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2024. I adore my work, and feel incredibly privileged to help my patients rediscover their healthiest, calmest, and most robust selves.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Aside from formal training, I find self-development to be crucial for succeeding as an acupuncturist, doula, or healer of any sort. You can have all the technical knowledge in the world, but if you aren’t growing and changing as a person, your work will fail to connect with others or be sustainable in any way. I enjoy taking enrichment classes, further learning about the body, like the effects of the incredible vagus nerve, developing my peaceful communication skills, listening to a wide variety of podcasts, engaging in daily meditation, taking part in women’s circles, spending my Sundays moving my body and spirit at our local Ecstatic Dance, singing with others, and in May, I will be completing a year-long journey of self-discovery offered by Heartstone Herbal School, called Journey of the Heart. We spend five weekends over the course of the year camping in nature, learning and deepening our inner work through shamanic mediation, sacred tool crafting, and classes to expand our self-knowledge and resilience. I also find it critical to regularly receive my own acupuncture treatments and to have my own qi gong practice, as well as giving back to the community through free and sliding scale acupuncture nights. You’ve got to walk the talk!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.acupunktrix.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_acupunktrix/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acupunktrix
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4OmsFu-3t6ToZ27vyZeCg
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/acupunktrix-buffalo-2