I’m Dr. Gretchen Rivas, owner of Infinity Acupuncture. I first received acupuncture 10 years ago for front hip pain that just wouldn’t go away and seemed to have no source. That healed and I went on living my life as a massage therapist, business owner of Relax! Massage Therapy and a part-time instructor at Miller Motte College. One of the classes I was asked to teach was Energetics. This included the basics of Chinese Medicine and other energy-based modalities. Of course, I had to learn the basics of Chinese Medicine in order to teach it and that was what really tweaked my interest in becoming an acupuncturist! The more massages I did, the more I realized, “If I knew how to do acupuncture, I could help people heal at an even deeper level.” With over 6 years as a massage therapist, and a BS in Business from the University of South Carolina I enrolled in the Masters of Acupuncture Program at Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine in Sugar Grove, NC. The program at Jung Tao is different from traditional acupuncture schools in that we learned the concepts of Chinese Medicine on a deeper level, studying in the lineage of one of the world’s great masters of acupuncture, Nguyen Van Nghi. Whereas the majority of schools of Chinese Medicine devote more time to herbal medicine we spent the entire four years going deeper and deeper into the science and art of Chinese Medicine; what does health look like from a Chinese Medicine perspective, how does a lack of health manifest and how do we use acupuncture to help the person return to health? Also at Jung Tao, we spent three years learning Yang style Tai Ji Chuan, according to Zheng Man Ching. After three years of intensive study, we spent a year in clinic, practicing on patients that drove from miles around to come to the clinic. The beauty of it all is people got well! They would come in as train wrecks; physically, mentally and emotionally at the end of their ropes and they would return to health! People in pain could walk again, move again, have a life again! People that were depressed and anxious walked out feeling better and happier. Over and over I treated people who thought there was no hope for their situation and they left with hope in their soul and more spring in their step. I practice acupuncture because I love seeing people get well and return to the health that has eluded them for years. It is one of the safest ways to heal; no drugs, no surgery, just a few needles, some moxa or cupping and amazing things begin to happen! So, come see me soon, the sooner the treatment the faster the healing! Can’t wait to help you be your best!