As a practitioner with many years of personal and professional experience in the field of mental health, I feel called to bring to light and address more effectively some of the problems I'm seeing on a regular basis. These are:
-Patients are having a hard time getting in to see psychiatrists, therapists, and primary care doctors due to a shortage in the area not meeting increasing demand.
-Oftentimes when patients are given medicines to address anxiety and depression, they are either ineffective, not effective enough, or can cause a range of side-effects that outweigh the benefits of the medicine. Very few practitioners are available to actively support patients in transitions with their psychiatric medications, especially through the use of acupuncture, botanical medicine, and nutritional supplements.
-Not enough attention is being given to treating trauma as an underlying cause of anxiety and depression, in part because Western medicine doesn't yet have enough tools to effectively treat it. With my skillset, I can address some of the deeper causes of these imbalances in a safe and effective way.
In order to meet the need I see in the my communities (Brattleboro and Northampton), I am raising funds to help increase my efficacy in treating mental/emotional health problems in particular. I have had great success over the years with many patients in this arena!
I am only one person, and I can only do so much, but one person can do a whole lot of good when supported by their community.
And so, dear friends, it is in this spirit that I ask you to believe in me. Here is where your dollars will go:
$1,500: Establishing a small medicinary at my Northampton location, specializing in harder to find herbs and supplements specifically for treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, and nervous system imbalances. This capital will allow me to not only start the medicinary but keep it stocked, and the ability to sell these products where I work increases patient compliance as well as giving me a small amount of added income.
$1,800: Covers 3 months of office rent expenses for both my Brattleboro and Northampton locations. Having this covered will allow me to use some of my income to pay for childcare, which will allow me to be more available for my patients mentally and physically. With a little more time, I can do more patient advocacy work, more education about my role, and increase my networking with local psychiatrists, therapists, and PCP's.
Anything on top of this gets put into a "scholarship fund" to help those who can't afford treatment get the help they deserve!
I have served my community as an acupuncturist and herbalist for thirteen years and in turn I have received many gifts from all of you! I am honored by the trust you have put in my work and how you show up for yourselves. I look forward to deepening these relationships and developing many new ones as I evolve and entwine ever deeper with my true gifts and life purpose. Thank you.
