Category: Student, Faculty, Alumni Spotlights
April 21, 2023
An Earth Day Conversation with AIMC’s Dr. Nishanga Bliss, DAIM, DSc, LAc
In honor of Earth Day, we had the pleasure of speaking with one of AIMC’s long-time community members and professors, Dr. Nishanga Bliss, DAIM, DSc, LAc, about her work to educate practicing and aspiring acupuncture and East Asian Medicine practitioners, her call to action to support a healthy environment, and her hopes for the future.
Nishanga has been with AIMC since 2008, and has been practicing Chinese medicine since 1999. She has always been interested in the public health aspect of Chinese medicine and health, but felt more drawn to it, especially living in the times that we’re living in today.
Becoming an Environmental Activist
Nishanga watched her father, an environmentalist, work with the East Bay chapter of the Sierra Club in a time of …
November 14, 2022
Student Spotlight: A Visit to Oakland Chinatown
This term I am doing my Herb Room internship under the capable direction of the Herb Pharmacy Manager, Le Jiang. Spending time with the raw herbs and granules, mixing formulas has proven enriching to say the least. Le is a wealth of knowledge, and a terrific resource and an even better study mentor- especially where formulas are concerned.
Imagine my surprise and enthusiasm when she asked me if I’d like to go on a field trip to Oakland’s Chinatown! With no hesitation, we were off.
The Mission
Our mission was to secure more Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang for the school pharmacy. It’s proven an effective treatment for the symptoms of Covid-19, and having it in stock to support our community has been an important measure.
After parking and walking a …
July 14, 2022
Student Spotlight: Summer Self-Care with Sarah Siegel
Summer is in full swing, with warm and sunny weather, outdoor events, and lots of opportunities to be outside connecting with friends, family, and community. In the Bay Area, we are so lucky to have such beautiful weather, especially during summer, that you can’t help but smile! When we think about summer, our AIMC community and students think about Five Element Theory, and how summer is represented by fire.
We were lucky enough to connect with one of our current students, Sarah Siegel, whose work with her “With the Seasons” Instagram explores the art of seasonal living, narrative medicine, and inspiring people to connect with the Five Elements. Seasonal living for our health is rooted in indigenous values and East Asian medicine wisdom. Seasonal …
February 2, 2022
Alumni Spotlight: Erin Langley, LAc. of Ancestral Acupuncture
One of the gifts of becoming an Acupuncturist is the capacity to build your dream practice, and in Erin Langley’s case, she’s done that quite literally. Dreams, the spirits of the body and the lands, and ancestral connections are all fundamental pieces of how she practices and connects with East Asian medicine.
December 20, 2021
Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Kim Peirano, DACM, LAc.
Meet Dr. Kim Peirano, DACM, LAc., an Alumni of AIMC Berkeley. She has a thriving practice in Marin focused on Facial Acupuncture & spiritual development. She recently founded the Integrative Healing Institute, a non-profit focused on providing high-quality continuing education courses.
December 10, 2021
Community Care Zine, Winter 2021
This Zine serves as a bridge that connects East Asian Medicine traditions with your daily life practices – so that we may all find the way to health and happiness[…]May the offerings within these pages enrich and inspire you to align yourself with the nature and medicine that we hold so dear.
November 29, 2021
Acupuncture is Activism: Updated Zine by Maya Z.
Read this interactive zine to be more informed about discrimination & racism in healthcare. Learn how the Black Panther Party and other activists fought for public health initiatives in the 1960’s and 1970’s and what that has to do with the history of Acupuncture in the U.S.
October 5, 2021
Alumni Spotlight: Sapho
Are you wanting to learn more about acupuncture and Integrative medicine? Learn more about how our school changed Sapho’s life and what they’re doing now.
September 1, 2021
Alumni Spotlight: Erin Wilkins
Explore Erin’s journey as an Asian American herbalist and acupuncturist. We love learning about the personal and transformative journey her career has taken into showcasing her identity as an Asian American practicing traditional East Asian medicine. You can learn more about her herbal shop and her experiences with AIMC. Read more!
July 19, 2021
Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Karen Villanueva, DAIM, LAc.
“When people come to us for help, they may not necessarily be their best selves, so how do we meet them where they are and do something that’s really with them, and not for them or in spite of them… that relationship is really a sacred one. I’m not doing anything for you, I’m just with you– I’ve had my own journey, and I can share with you my experience and I can share with you my experience with other people, and then together we get to figure out what works best for you.”
The “Reluctant” Healer
Before starting Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine school, Karen Villanueva was a nurse for over 20 years; she worked in the ER, ICU, prison system, and even at the ballpark. …