We recently connected with Jessica Parker and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
When I started Root & Stem, I had just graduated with a ton of student loan debt. I wasn’t about to go back to being a barista, so I was determined to make acupuncture my career. Getting paid acupuncture jobs can be hard when you have no reputation or experience outside of school, so I decided to go for it and start my own clinic. I was lucky to have a great mentor who taught me a lot about the business side of things.
I had just moved to Oakland and wanted to be taken seriously in the medical field, so I focused a lot of energy on connecting with other medical professionals like doctors and other Western medical providers.
I started by personally hand-delivering introduction letters that included an abstract of relevant (to their specific practice) acupuncture benefits study. I visited literally hundreds of Bay Area doctors (and I included chocolates). Still get referrals from some of those doctors today, many of whom I still haven’t even met personally!
Jessica, 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?
On my first visit to China, I was playing punk rock in a band called Second Skin and studying there for my undergrad (unrelated to acupuncture). I was there for a year and was fascinated with the culture and the medical philosophy of blending Western medicine with the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
I loved how neither is seen as better than the other. So, for example, you’d go to a pharmacy and could get any Western medical prescription, but there was also a huge apothecary of Chinese loose herbs and liquids. Another example is that in China, if you’re a cancer patient and getting chemo (or have any other serious health issue), you’re also being treated by an acupuncturist or herbalist.
I see a need for more balance in our Western medical system to get better outcomes for patients, which is why in my practice, I use both functional medicine and Eastern medicine to support my patients.
That means that in addition to Eastern medicine and acupuncture, I also help people understand their labwork through a functional medicine lens (looking at and helping them achieve optimal ranges rather than just normal vs. abnormal like Western medicine).
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
In 2016 I had the opportunity to work at Highland Hospital in Oakland alongside Western medical residents (in addition to my private practice). The program put acupuncture doctoral students alongside Western postgraduate residents. I was excited to bring acupuncture into a hospital setting and create something similar to what I’d seen in China, but I found it challenging to work in an environment that still didn’t take acupuncture and herbalism seriously (although they were accepting of us being there).
There was lots of red tape and severe limits on what we could treat. At the time, I’d already had 7 years of experience working in my private practice, and I’d seen acupuncture benefit all kinds of ailments. It was frustrating seeing people suffering, feeling like I could help, but not being allowed to treat them in the way I felt would best serve them. It was also challenging to see how well-meaning doctors and department heads were oblivious to things that I felt were so crucial to health and healing, like food, nutrition, and lifestyle support. It seemed like they were basically; just trained in monitoring vitals and administering pharmaceuticals and weren’t really open to utilizing our knowledge and training for synergistic healing.
It was a tough decision, but ultimately I realized I could do the most good by focusing 100% of my efforts on my non-profit and private practices.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
I’m eternally grateful for my team and proud to provide space for them to practice and do what they do best. As for morale, I like to be pretty hands-off (while offering support and guidance) to empower my team to hone in on their skills and specialties as they see fit.
I also believe in delegating tasks to empower everyone to take ownership of their roles and responsibilities.
Lastly, my advice to any business owner is to pay your staff and workers as much as you can afford to. They are worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootandstemclinic.com/
- Instagram: @rootandstem
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100048065094489
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/root-and-stem-integrative-chinese-medicine-oakland-4, https://www.yelp.com/biz/root-and-stem-integrative-chinese-medicine-nevada-city
Image Credits
Alyssa Keys Photography https://alyssakeys.com/