Q: What do you do at Element and how long have you been here?
A: I’m a licensed Acupuncturist at Element, and I came on board in April 2013.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your background… and how you came to do what you do at Element.
A: I spent years in the arts before becoming an acupuncturist. I studied painting, taught art classes, worked in a graphic design firm, and then a photo archive for several years. I was drawn to acupuncture after my own powerful healing experience as a patient. I had always been interested in health, wellness, and psychology, along with art. All of these fields seemed to coalesce as I delved deeper into the study of East Asian medicine. The practice of acupuncture became a passion of mine. Immediately after school I began working at a community acupuncture clinic in downtown Manhattan. While working at the clinic, I had the opportunity to treat thousands of people, and it was an incredible learning experience. I’m still there one day a week, but I also wanted to spend more time with patients privately. A chance to join the team at Element presented itself when a colleague and friend was going on maternity leave. I loved Element from the moment I started. Here I’m able to cultivate deep relationships with my patients and working along side a team of wonderful practitioners is such a pleasure.
Q: What makes your practice satisfying/fulfilling for you?
A: I feel humbled and grateful to help people move forward on their path to wellness. I love working one-on-one with my patients, connecting with them, and listening to them share their struggles and successes. As an acupuncturist, I have a specific set of tools to assist my patients in the pursuit of their goals. I love that acupuncture can operate on so many levels. It is very well known for pain relief, but many people don’t necessarily know that acupuncture can also initiate changes in a person’s mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. I love that I’m able to participate with my patients in their healing journeys.
Q: If you could tell a prospective/new client one or two things that are crucial to know about your practice, what would they be?
A: I tailor my treatments to work with the distinct individual before me. I integrate different styles of acupuncture in each treatment, evaluating blockages or deficiencies in the body, encouraging and assisting the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
I’m also very interested in educating my patients to take control of their own health, suggesting ways to incorporate whole foods, meditation practice, and specific exercises when appropriate.
Q: What do you like do when you’re not at Element?
A: This winter has been so brutal, I’ve been devouring as many novels as I can get my hands on to escape into a good story! As the weather improves, I love spending time outside walking, running, or sitting in one of the beautiful parks. My boyfriend and I take crazy long walks both to explore the city on foot and to give our Pekingese pup some quality exercise! Keeping up with a regular meditation practice and getting my own acupuncture treatments also helps to keep me feeling balanced and grounded.
About Laura
Laura Perry is a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist and is board certified by the NCCAOM. Laura earned a Master of Science degree in acupuncture from the Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York. Her clinical training included the study of Japanese acupuncture (Meridian and Kiiko Matsumoto styles), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and Acupuncture Physical Medicine (APM). APM is the fusion of Classical Chinese, French and Japanese meridian styles of acupuncture with the western approach of myofascial trigger point release which is effective in reducing pain and releasing held-tension in the body. Additionally, Laura studied at the Beijing Traditional Medicine Training Center and the Nanjing International Acupuncture Training Center in China. She studied Master Tung’s clinical method with Susan Johnson, and Esoteric Acupuncture with Mikio Sankey. Laura treats a wide variety of patients’ concerns, but especially enjoys working with mental/emotional issues, musculoskeletal conditions, and working with women to support fertility, through all stages of pregnancy, and labor induction. Prior to her work with acupuncture, Laura earned her MFA in painting from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston.