Juanita McLaughlin MS L.Ac Dipl OM – Acupuncturist Boulder, Nederland Colorado

Juanita-McLaughlinEducation and Certification

  • Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine
  • National Certification in Oriental Medicine (includes Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Biomedicine) being granted a diplomat for Oriental Medicine
  • State Licensed to practice Acupuncture in Colorado (no license available in Colorado for herbal medicine)
  • Masters of Business Administration
  • Bachelor of Science, Honors in Biochemistry

My Journey

I live in the beautiful mountains outside of Nederland, Colorado, and own and operate the Oriental Healing Clinic which offers acupuncture and other Chinese traditional medicine in both Boulder and Nederland. Now with 18 years of experience as a practitioner of Chinese Medicine I am fully embracing my life’s calling, bringing together my varied experiences, skills and wisdom into the holistic care of people. I have worked hard to create a clinic that supports equity of access, the equality of all people and honors the wonder of the human spirit.

In life there are often key turning points that guide the directions we take. At the age of 5, I questioned how blood appeared in a cut on my knee. This fascination eventually led me to study the functioning of the human body in the Western medical paradigm of biochemistry, endocrinology and physiology. Years later I also studied Chinese Medicine. I feel fortunate to be in a position to combine the wonders of the human body from a Western science perceptive with the incredible healing capacity of Chinese Medicine.

After receiving my bachelor of science in biochemistry, I worked in a medical research lab delving into the microscopic world of cancer markers. Following this I entered the world of an EMT. Here I witnessed the many factors affecting a person’s health, bringing me in contact with the human spirit and how it endeavors to experience this world. The experience touched my heart.

After earning my MBA, I moved into the business world focusing on the delivery of EMT care. Here I become passionate that the systems in our world need to support equity of access and recognize the equality of all people, thus individuals and their communities can be healthy and vibrant.

Another key turning point for me was becoming a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, receiving my Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine here in the U.S. and my license to practice in Colorado. I then traveled to China for an internship.

Training in China

Following graduation from the Southwest Acupuncture College in Colorado, I went to China to further my knowledge in Chinese Medicine. I was fortunate to participate in a training program at the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, a top-level hospital that features the very best teachers and Doctors of Chinese Medicine. As the flagship hospital for Chinese Medicine in all of China, the Beijing Hospital of Chinese Medicine sees over 4,000 outpatients a day (some patients traveling a great distance) and prescribes over 3 tons of herbs daily.

My training program included acupuncture, bodywork and herbal medicine in both the clinic setting and lecture format. I had the privilege of interning in a number of specialties with very experienced doctors:

  • Internal Medicine with Dr. Lui
  • Skin Disease with Dr. Zheng
  • OBGYN with Dr. Wu
  • Muscle Injuries with Professor Lu Ding
  • Acupuncture outpatient clinic with Dr. Ma

Training in China and across the globe

After more than 15 years in clinical practice, I weighed the benefits of undertaking a PHD program or accessing specialized clinical training from experts across the globe. Staying focused on what would offer the greatest assistance to patients coming for care at the Oriental Healing Clinic, I decided to travel the globe and train with these experts.

In July 2016, I had the good fortune to return to China for advanced training in Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine. It was a true privilege to undertake a hospital internship with Dr Feng Shi Lun, a Doctor dedicated to assisting his patients and insuring a next generation of practitioners could use Classical Chinese Herbs to the level needed to assist their patients. Seeing volumes of patients on a daily basis  this internship truly enhanced my clinical experience and demonstrated the effectiveness of this system of herbal medicine. Lectures were also attended to deepen my understanding of the herbal formulas being used each day in the hospital. Classical Chinese Herbs refers to a system of prescribing herbs using 6 syndrome differentiation and the 8 guiding principles. This is very specialized training that most practitioners of Chinese Medicine do not have the opportunity to receive, not even in China. Most practitioners receive training in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) only receive minimal training in Classical medicine. The classical texts that guide this medicine are the Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue both written in the 3rd century. For centuries this amazing system of diagnosis and prescribing herbs has proven to be effective in assisting patients, often when other methods had failed.   

In November 2016, I traveled to Australia to undertake advanced studies in Classical Yuan Qi Acupuncture (lineage of Sun Pei tong), Scalp acupuncture (As developed by Dr Jiao Shun Fa, a neurosurgeon and Dr Lin Xue Jian, a Chief Physician) and Moxibustion (Heat Therapy from the teachings of Dr Tao Kun). These courses were presented by Dr Suzanne Robidoux, a clinician living in China for over 17years who is dedicated to bringing these remarkable techniques to Western Practitioners. These techniques are powerful methods to treat pain, numbness, range of motion, movement challenges, stroke, neurological concerns, and frozen shoulder, to mention a few.

In February 2017, I returned to China for further studies, this time expanding on the herbal training and combining the use of Classical Acupuncture, Advanced Scalp Acupuncture and Advanced Moxibustion into a comprehensive treatment plan for patients.

Specialized Training in Skin Condition

Skin conditions and Skin diseases are conditions that can be difficult to treat, requiring advanced training to be able to give these patients relief from an often socially and physically debilitating situation. I undertook a four module series of training across a year from Mazin Al-Khafaji, a world renowned expert in using Chinese Herbs for the treatment of Skin conditions. He has spent thirty years in this specialty assisting many patients for whom other treatments  gave limited or no relief. I feel privileged to have received this training and now embrace bringing this option of care to patient’s with skin conditions.

Bodywork Training

I received training in Yin Style Bagua, a style of bodywork that draws from the foundations of Chinese Medicine. I practice a specific form of Qi Gong known as the Eight Storing Qi and Sensitivity Exercises which were developed by the founders of Yin Style Bagua to directly enhance the practitioners’ bodywork and acupuncture skills.

Reiki Training

I am certified in Reiki level 1 and 2, and Karuna Reiki level 1.