Acupuncturist and Healer Extraordinaire, Donna Briggs!

Posted: November 1st, 2011 | 3 Comments »

You want to know what foods to eat to maximize the flow of energy in your body? You need acupuncture? Want some facial rejuvenation? Or a colonic? Enter Donna Briggs! Acupuncturist, colon hydrotherapist, nutritional coach, massage therapist and teacher at the Swedish Institute Acupuncture School. She always has a solution! At VIB, we think Donna is genius, and comprehensive approach has helped us both (majorly!) in times of imbalance. Her loving, nurturing and highly informed touch allows her to address all kinds of issues, putting us at ease and back in balance! After years of working with others, Donna opened up her own shop with a super-turbo water filtration system fit for kings!

Age: Age means very little… what matters is how well you feel. There’s an eastern concept that states that we are born with a finite number of breaths. So I make sure to breathe deeply and slowly!

How do you make sure you feel good everyday? It’s all about perspective. There are definitely times when life gets difficult, but these are the times when we have the greatest opportunities for growth. I have been blessed to have a great teacher who is a Taoist Priest, with whom I’ve been studying for about 15 years. When I was going through a difficult time, he once said to me, “It’s not what you have that is important, but it’s what you do with what you have that is important.” I remind myself of this every morning, and spend time in meditation and welcome all the unexpected and incredible experiences I have yet to create.

What inspires you to do the work that you do? Learning and practicing Classical Chinese Medicine has been so much more than a career choice. It’s a science and philosophy that has been around for thousands of years. The work that I do is just an extension of what I believe to be the essence of life. Change is inevitable, and how well we adapt to and flow with these changes determines the way we go through life. Whether I am doing acupuncture, nutrition counseling, massage or colonics, I always look at what the person needs through the lens of Chinese Medicine. Just as I have been helped getting through challenges by changing my perspective, I get great joy out of helping and teaching others.

How did you muster up the confidence/courage to create the life that you have? I have been blessed to have great parents who encouraged me to follow my heart. I became interested in health and nutrition in high school when it wasn’t so hip to eat healthy and take supplements and juice vegetables! I studied nutrition in undergraduate and graduate school, and later became a massage therapist and colon therapist which I saw as an extension of what I already practiced. When I met my teacher, Jeffrey Yuen, who is a Taoist Priest and practioner and teacher of Classical Chinese Medicine, no courage was needed to go back to school in my thirties. I felt that this is what I have been searching for my entire life.

What’s your approach to nutrition? There is no one right way to eat. I’ve studied both eastern and western concepts of nutrition and health. I believe that whole foods and supplements are much healthier and easier to digest and assimilate than fragmented products. The less a food is tampered with, the greater the nutrients. I think a comprehensive approach that recognizes individual differences and goals allows for greater healing of body, mind and soul.

Important to remember is that one’s nutritional status has to do with food AND digestion. We can be eating all the right things, but if we don’t have strong digestive integrity, we are are not getting the nutrients into our cells. The type of food, the breath, digestive enzymes, toxic load, stress, physical activity, are just some of the factors that will have a profound effect on how well the nutrients get to where they need to go. All of these factors need to be assessed and corrected for for optimum health and success of any eating plan. This process is what allows the body to make the necessary Qi (energy) and blood we need to live a healthy, vital life.

How do you stay inspired when difficult challenges arise? I have a very strong knowing of what is important in life, and I remind myself of this every morning before getting out of bed. Inherent in life is conflict. Life, with its ups and downs, is easier when we are well equipped. Difficulties are created to guide us, to help us grow and move forward. Having this understanding alone helps me stay motivated and get through the rough patches.

What do you do to stay in balance? I think it’s about staying focused on priorties and giving as much attention to building a life as we do to building a career. I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I am as comfortable saying yes as I am saying no. Heed the signs of imbalance early on and make the necessary changes.

What’s your ultimate indulgence – just for you? MASSAGE & STRETCHING! When the body is flowing & not holding…it’s bliss!

What advice do you have for women aiming to have it all? I think we should all shoot for the stars, with our feet fimly on the ground. What that star represents for each one of us is not important. What has helped me lead a fulfilling life is focusing on what I want and enjoy, being proactive, sometimes with disciplined behavior, and being adaptable. I have learned that sometimes the way we receive what we want is totally a surprise, so expect the unexpected and experience the impossible! Be yourself and follow your heart…

Any other thoughts?

…take time for stillness and keep moving
…always do your best and lighten up
…be sincere and be kind
…have boundaries and be flexible
…make yourself your first priority and be generous
…and always remember gratitude.

To get in touch with Donna, call 917-804-0553 or email yinyangdb@aol.com