Hi, I’m April!
Quick Overview
Location: Nashua, NH
Education: B.S Biology, University of New Hampshire,1992; MAOM Masters of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, New England School of Acupuncture, 2002, Diplomate of National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
Years in practice: 20
My Story
I started out my professional career as a biology major trying to decide between medical school and marine biology. Being a lover of research, I spoke to several doctors about their careers, all of whom described their days as harried and frustrating. I set aside the doctor idea and opted for Marine Biology instead. If you’ve ever gone to the New England Aquarium and watched people feeding the penguins, you may have seen me.
However, I never quite gave up wanting to work with people to directly improve their lives. I started looking at alternative options from a traditional MD, and found the field of acupuncture and herbal medicine.
After being in practice for a while I began to notice a pattern where many people would get to a certain point in healing and then get kind of “stuck” and not move past it. In each of these cases there was a similar theme where the person had an issue that they didn’t know how to resolve; such as a job they hated, a goal they wanted to achieve or simply a whole lot of negative self-talk going on.
In acupuncture theory being “stuck” (or stagnation as it’s called clinically), can cause physical as well as emotional issues which is why some of the people just weren’t getting better. To help with this I started to provide coaching as part of my acupuncture sessions and the shift was dramatic. It turns out that most people know what they need to do to get better, but they aren’t sure how to enact their plan. By actively listening to my patients' concerns I’m able to help them overcome their specific roadblocks.
Frequently people come to me after visiting a long list of other providers (including Dr. Google), and still haven’t gotten any relief from their pain. They’re frustrated and sometimes short on hope. I partner with these people to come up with a plan to get them back on their feet so they can return to doing the things they love.
Apart from my work, I’m a Mom of two teens, have lots of pets - though no hedgehogs yet, and I am passionate about helping people.
In my downtime, I love spending time in the garden, hanging out with my chickens and attempting to teach myself to sew pants.
I hope to make you feel welcome and loved at The Healing Hedgehog and look forward to starting your healing journey together.
My Approach
Comprehensive
Often problems are connected, we’ll uncover these links during our initial consultation by doing a thorough evaluation of what is causing your health issues. This includes the impact on both your body and peace of mind.
Partnered
Having been in this profession for nearly 20 years the best outcomes are when people want a partner in their health care. I see myself as a teammate, helping to relieve pain whether it be physical or emotional.
Care BAsed
Building a relationship that provides a space for patients to be heard is a primary tenant of my practice. I listen closely and build a relationship with you to develop a plan that fits your life.