Winding your way through the transitional neighborhood that houses the Center for the Healing Arts is interesting; beautiful Victorians mixed with run-down factories. However, when you step into the house-turned-office, you know you are in a healing space.
Upon entering the Center, I found the staff preparing for a party. A 27-week birth kept a patient from her baby shower. This caring group of professionals was banding together to remedy the situation.
The practice consists of Kim McLaughlin, Barbara Borchardt and Emily Kuentz, each an acupuncturist with a different specialty, along with Mona Perez, massage therapist, reflexologist and Reiki practitioner.
Q: The Center for the Healing Arts has the attention and respect of the Western medical community, which isn’t always the case with alternative health care. Why?
I think there is a tendency for both Western and Eastern practitioners to believe that their way is the only way. Because of my background as a Pharmacist, I have knowledge and respect for Western medicine.
I worked as an acupuncturist in Dr. Joseph McWherter’s office for six years. Although he has a traditional gynecological practice, he is open to and uses natural remedies and Eastern medicine. My partnership with him solidified my belief that Eastern and Western medicine can work in concert, achieving the best result for the patient.
Many of our patients come to us after they’ve run the gamut of Western medicine. When they get results it is a testament to acupuncture and energy healing.
Q: What do people ask first when considering acupuncture?
Usually they ask if acupuncture can help their particular issue. They’re rightfully skeptical, since they’ve been from doctor to doctor with no relief. We explain that the body is an energetic entity and that correcting energetic imbalances allows the body to heal on its own.
Often they have heard about using acupuncture for the treatment of pain. There is a Chinese saying, “Where there is no stagnation, there is no pain.” We locate the area of pain, thereby locating the area of stagnation, and then release the pent up energy. Sometimes we do that directly, treating the area of pain, and sometimes we do it indirectly, drawing the pain away. Sometimes we use needles and sometimes we use massage or cupping or infrared heat to loosen the area. The stagnation then releases.
The next thing they ask is if it hurts. Most of the time there is no pain sensation. Occasionally someone will feel a little sting with penetration. Often you’ll feel a dull ache or a tickling or warmth as the energy begins moving and opening up.
Q: What treatments are available at the Center for the Healing Arts?
We use a wide variety of treatments. Mona offers both Swedish and deep tissue massage, Reiki, lymphatic draining, reflexology and guided imagery. Barbara treats pain, infertility, allergies, emotional release and ear stapling for weight loss. Emily is our resident infertility specialist. I like to work with challenging cases and with people who are interested in working on their whole selves: body, mind and spirit. But each of us is trained to treat everything. The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it treats the body as a whole. We make use of acupuncture, detoxification and infrared saunas, Chinese herbs, homeopathy, essential oils and flower essences.
This isn’t an exhaustive list. We can treat just about anything for which you’d go to a physician: allergies, hormonal issues, depression, anxiety, nervous system issues, chronic illnesses; really anything except for emergency room type issues.
Q: With all these treatments available, how do you diagnose what’s needed?
I start with talking with the patient and asking about their symptoms. With that information, I start to get a picture. After that, I check the tongue and pulses, which carry a wealth of information. Usually, my intuition kicks in during this process and I start to narrow the search for the underlying issue. I make use of kinesiology, or muscle testing, to get to the bottom of the problem. Most of the time we can help the person overcome their issues. However, there are times when our vast resources aren’t what the person needs and I refer them to another practitioner. For instance, to a chiropractor for an adjustment or a physician for a prescription. The most important thing is to get the patient the right kind of help.
Kim McLaughlin has over 25 years in the medical field, first as a Pharmacist, and now as an Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist. Kim blends her knowledge of Western Science and practice of Eastern Medicine to diagnose and treat patients as holistically and comprehensively as possible. She practices not only Traditional Chinese Medicine, but also allergy elimination techniques such as NAET, NMT and Bioset as well as the Kauffman technique.
Kim will speak about “Energy Healing” on Saturday, August 8, at 4:30 p.m. at the Fort Worth Wellness Expo. See details in the Expo Program Guide. The Center for the Healing Arts will be exhibiting at the Fort Worth Wellness Expo. Please stop by and meet the staff.
The Center for the Healing Arts is located at 312 West Leuda Street in Fort Worth 76104. The phone number is 817-882-9750 Visit www.centerforthehealingarts.net
