We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jo Huntsman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Right out of school I did what many in my field do; we open our private practice. I plodded along trying to educate and stir up interest for acupuncture in my small town that lives in the shadows of one of the largest western medical hospitals in the world. (Mayo Clinic). My enthusiasm was great, but my patient numbers were small. In my 5th year, i heard it rumored that a residential mental health & substance use recovery was opening and they were looking for a wellness coordinator. I’d never worked specifically with SUD, but I had been a social worker before my switch to acupuncture. I was stoked to think i could combine my love for mental health with acupuncture. I was hired and charged with creating a full wellness program. This changed the trajectory of my practice and inspired my love of healing. I saw that taking purposeful, joyful effort to nourish the body could influence the chemistry of the mind. Days were filled with laughter, life stories,fears & resistance all rolled up into the process of being human. Acupuncture is a powerful tool to connect the body and the mind. It’s possible to live peacefully in your own presence.

Jo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Jo Huntsman and I went back to school for my Masters in Oriental medicine at 37 years old. I chose acupuncture because of my conviction that there is wisdom in nourishing the body to initiate its own healing mechanisms. I’ve admired Chinese philosophy since I was an ESL teacher to Taiwan in undergrad. (Plus, I’m a tea fanatic and it seemed dreamy to imagine I could sip tea all day and be considered totally normal in the clinic! Haha). I wanted to fill the gaps between western pharmaceutical medicine and the helpless sense that many folks seem to have that we just roll the dice and hope for the best in our health until an emergency occurs.

I use acupuncture, tui na (chinese massage style), cupping, and food energies in my daily practice. I”m also trained as a yoga teacher and have participated in multiple silent retreats in MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction meditation). I have a special affinity for treating patients who get overlooked, by that I mean addiction medicine, the elderly, those who have been told they’re “fine” but don’t feel fine and those choosing nature before medication. My biggest desire is to be someone who listens, supports and also allows humor into the healing spaces. Being human is pretty funny and sometimes a light heart is the first step to healing!

I’m proud to offer a safe, gentle time tested medicine that provides a place of rest both during treatments and as the entire approach to feeling better. We live in a rushed, chaotic world and I want my clinic to be known as a place of respite.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Multiple times in my career I’ve attempted to grow my business by aligning with other health care providers or presenting at vendor events. Sometimes at their request, other times I “thought” it was a good idea. It may have been that i thought “bigger is better”. Unfortunately I discovered that because acupuncture is still at times considered unique in our culture it can be misunderstood as mystical, or a bit of a circus act. Let me explain. Often in public spaces people might request i show examples of needling. Taken out of context it can become a bit of a show with requests of “hey, stick me, I can handle it”. Integrity is lost and education becomes secondary.

I rarely present needling in public or join providers who approach acupuncture as a trendy, cool or strange medicine. I protect this medicine and now only join others who retain respect and curiosity for learning.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I am extremely grateful I made the bold move to go into this profession. I followed my heart and not the voice of common culture to pursue a healing modality that seemed right to me. There’s an endless wealth of wisdom and depth in Chinese medicine, so the possibility of getting bored or running out of things to do seems impossible!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Redbirdacu.net
• Facebook: Redbird Acupuncture Clinic

Image Credits

Bethany Wissbroecker