About the Practitioner
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Lisa Megumi Boyle,
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Lisa grew up in Japan as the daughter of missionaries. Her father is American and her mother is Japanese, and she is fully bilingual in English and Japanese. Her initial interest in medicine developed at an early age, when her mother was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition. She watched her mother endure rigorous treatments and various medications, which admittedly helped to control her condition, but did not improve it much. Lisa attended Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI) and majored in Biology with the intent to go to medical school. However, while volunteering at medical facilities during her final year, she decided to take a year off to contemplate what had been eating away at her for the entire four years of college.
The Western medical system she experienced was not what she had expected or anticipated. There was a decisively low amount of personal interaction between the practitioner and patient, and mental health issues seemed to be segregated from those of the physical realm, as if the two were completely unrelated. It was quite clear to Lisa that the two are mutually interconnected at a very deep level. Western medicine is extremely effective in diagnosing and treating most diseases, and surgery and drug therapy have provided many solutions to medical problems. That said, it is deficient in its capacity to fine-tune and provide balance, perhaps because this is considered more of an Eastern concept. These discrepancies were marked enough to cast serious doubt in Lisa’s mind regarding whether or not she should pursue a medical degree. Her Christian upbringing also led her to believe that human beings are complex creatures and exist as both body and mind. As she perceived it, the soul/mind was not trapped in the body, nor did the body house a soul/mind. Rather, the two are inextricably linked, much like thread used to make cloth and the method used to weave it. Depending on the weave, the cloth may become more textured or smooth, just as one's life experiences shape us into unique individuals. For there to be true healing, both physical and emotional issues must be addressed, which requires a holistic approach to healthcare.
Her exposure to herbal remedies and acupuncture while growing up in Japan was quite common, and Lisa had many books on Chinese herbs at home. Even so, Lisa’s first encounter with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) occurred during her college years, while taking a martial arts class. The master of this class became her mentor, impressing upon her the importance of healing and strengthening the body as a whole, which included both physical and mental aspects. Lisa had contemplated pursuing Chinese philosophy and history, another passion of hers, but decided instead to pursue a career in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She was not disappointed. She found her calling when she attended Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, CA. TCM was designed as a way of life, to treat not only symptoms but the entire body and lifestyle. A bridge of sorts connected the chasm between the physical and the emotional, the hard-science based Western approach and the esoteric approach of the ancients. Lisa graduated in December, 2006. She immediately passed the California board exam as well as the national exam. She moved to Minnesota to practice acupuncture with a massage therapist there for about 5 years, treating anything from chronic pain to menopausal symptoms. Lisa moved back to the West Coast, partly to be closer to Japan, but also because she had fallen in love with the beautiful Northwestern landscape. She hopes to serve the people of Seattle and surrounding areas for years to come.
Grace Acupuncture and Herbs came about its name in several different ways. First, Lisa’s middle name (Megumi, 恵) means 'grace' in Japanese. Second, Chinese medicine has proven to be a graceful way to bring about optimal health in her patients. It supports and promotes their well-being while improving their condition in a safe and natural, almost artistic way. Third, and most importantly for Lisa, she believes it was by God's grace and guidance that she has arrived where she is, and that it will be God’s grace which will sustain and guide her as she provides treatment and works to provide balance and holistic health to all of her patients.
The Western medical system she experienced was not what she had expected or anticipated. There was a decisively low amount of personal interaction between the practitioner and patient, and mental health issues seemed to be segregated from those of the physical realm, as if the two were completely unrelated. It was quite clear to Lisa that the two are mutually interconnected at a very deep level. Western medicine is extremely effective in diagnosing and treating most diseases, and surgery and drug therapy have provided many solutions to medical problems. That said, it is deficient in its capacity to fine-tune and provide balance, perhaps because this is considered more of an Eastern concept. These discrepancies were marked enough to cast serious doubt in Lisa’s mind regarding whether or not she should pursue a medical degree. Her Christian upbringing also led her to believe that human beings are complex creatures and exist as both body and mind. As she perceived it, the soul/mind was not trapped in the body, nor did the body house a soul/mind. Rather, the two are inextricably linked, much like thread used to make cloth and the method used to weave it. Depending on the weave, the cloth may become more textured or smooth, just as one's life experiences shape us into unique individuals. For there to be true healing, both physical and emotional issues must be addressed, which requires a holistic approach to healthcare.
Her exposure to herbal remedies and acupuncture while growing up in Japan was quite common, and Lisa had many books on Chinese herbs at home. Even so, Lisa’s first encounter with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) occurred during her college years, while taking a martial arts class. The master of this class became her mentor, impressing upon her the importance of healing and strengthening the body as a whole, which included both physical and mental aspects. Lisa had contemplated pursuing Chinese philosophy and history, another passion of hers, but decided instead to pursue a career in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She was not disappointed. She found her calling when she attended Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, CA. TCM was designed as a way of life, to treat not only symptoms but the entire body and lifestyle. A bridge of sorts connected the chasm between the physical and the emotional, the hard-science based Western approach and the esoteric approach of the ancients. Lisa graduated in December, 2006. She immediately passed the California board exam as well as the national exam. She moved to Minnesota to practice acupuncture with a massage therapist there for about 5 years, treating anything from chronic pain to menopausal symptoms. Lisa moved back to the West Coast, partly to be closer to Japan, but also because she had fallen in love with the beautiful Northwestern landscape. She hopes to serve the people of Seattle and surrounding areas for years to come.
Grace Acupuncture and Herbs came about its name in several different ways. First, Lisa’s middle name (Megumi, 恵) means 'grace' in Japanese. Second, Chinese medicine has proven to be a graceful way to bring about optimal health in her patients. It supports and promotes their well-being while improving their condition in a safe and natural, almost artistic way. Third, and most importantly for Lisa, she believes it was by God's grace and guidance that she has arrived where she is, and that it will be God’s grace which will sustain and guide her as she provides treatment and works to provide balance and holistic health to all of her patients.