Kinwell Integrative Healing
Bio: Hello, and welcome.
I am an acupuncturist and qigong & yoga practitioner offering short- and long-term treatment plans, courses, and healing retreats to a diverse socio-cultural range of individuals. I am a Registered Acupuncturist (#101677) with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners & Acupuncturists of British Columbia and an E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance. I hold a Diploma of Acupuncture (Magna Cum Laude) from Pacific Rim College, a bachelor of performing arts from Saint Mary’s College of California, and certifications in the Shi Ba Shi Taiji Qigong System as well as Advanced Tui Na (Chinese medical massage).
My interest and fascination with the functions of the body and spirit come from a wide range of studies and lived experience. During my first career as a ballet and contemporary dancer for 12 years, I continually returned to acupuncture and yoga as effective tools to heal from various injuries and illnesses.
In a second career as a teacher of yoga, qigong and dance, I have been able to learn about traditional systems of embodied health and expression while translating them into a diverse range of modern lives. I have had the opportunity to study from teachers like Janet Stone, Scott Blossom, Jozen Tamori Gibson, Arinna Weisman, Christopher (Hareesh) Wallis, Manoj Dubey, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Denise Payne, Les Leventhal. I’ve also had the privilege of time living/practicing in monasteries and ashrams such as the Root Institute (Bodhgaya, India), Tergar Monastery (Bodhgaya, India), the Mahasi Center (Yangon, Myanmar), Brahma Deva Ashram (Varanasi, India), and Spirit Rock Meditation Centre (California, USA).
In Asia, I was a co-founder and director of Embodied Arts Bali (EAB)- a school of performing arts. Through EAB, we created a range of movement classes for folks from 4 years-old to 60+ years-old with scholarship opportunities for indigenous youth and residencies for international dance and choreographic artists. Simultaneously, I was offered the opportunity to teach at studios and events like Radiantly Alive, Desa Seni, Yoga Barn, Korea Yoga Conference, Thailand Yoga Art & Dance Festival, Chiangmai International Yoga Festival, Arabesque Ballet Studio Indonesia, among others.
My next chapter in lək̓ʷəŋən (Lewkungen) Territories / Victoria was most influenced by roles as a senior teacher, program manager, and eventually program director for Fernwood Yoga Den and Maya Health Clinic. There, community building and actively inclusive spaces became a focused pillar to my work as a teacher and clinician. I assisted the facilitation of programs like community acupuncture, kids yoga, fundraising kirtans, and yoga in the park.
I currently live on the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Tsleil-waututh Nations / Vancouver where I am grateful to continue the work of learning about healthful relationships with the self as it/I/you engage with land, water, nature, and community.