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Life and Work with Heather Wen

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Wen.

Heather, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was a Nurse & Nationally Certified, Nurse Practitioner for over 22 years and very content in my chosen profession. While practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in 1995, I started having medical conditions that would not resolve with the same treatment I provided to my clients every day. I ended up in an acupuncturist’s office who also performed Applied Kinesiology/Muscle Testing in a technique called Total Body Modification (TBM). I was very skeptical of any alternative treatments but when they worked, it proved to me that the results could not be the result of a placebo effect.

My acupuncturist taught a layperson’s version of TBM, and I started practicing on friends. I was so surprised with the results but was still too skeptical to get officially trained until I practiced on friends for approximately 10 years. I was fortunate to be officially trained by the inventor of the technique (Victor Frank, DC, NMD, DO) in 2002 and continued my training to include using Applied Kinesiology for Emotional Reprogramming and Clinical Hypnosis to help with physical and emotional conditions.

I originally started my alternative practice in San Diego in 2003. In 2005, I moved to Arizona and put my alternative practice on hold to start a family. After the amazing (and in some cases miraculous) results I had witnessed in San Diego, I found myself missing my alternative medicine practice and decided to retire from western medicine so I could devote my entire time to alternative medicine. I opened Arizona Healing Alternatives, LLC in 2014.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think the biggest challenge has been getting the word out about this amazing technique. Most people have heard of chiropractic care, acupuncture, physical therapy, and other healing modalities; however, not a lot of people have heard of Applied Kinesiology. When I started giving talks about my journey (a talk entitled, “Energy Medicine or “Woo Woo”: A Nurse Practitioner’s Story”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B559pov19I8), hardly anyone had heard of Applied Kinesiology. Fortunately, that has changed a bit. Trying to market a technique that is not well known and takes time to explain (and in some cases demonstrate) is a challenge which is why I always provide a free, no obligation, consultation (up to 1 hour).

As far as advice to other women, I would say to look at challenges as opportunities instead of obstacles. For example, when I started my career as a Nurse Practitioner, I was frustrated with watching patients wait hours to see me and only get a few minutes of my time owing to the clinic booking 3 patients in the same time slot (triple booking) to get a single booking show up rate. It made sure the clinic made money, but the patients and practitioners paid the price. That frustration/challenge drove me to interview for a hospital looking to build a clinic and use a Nurse Practitioner (for the first time in that hospital’s history) to run it. I got the job and the chance of a lifetime as they let me build it the way I envisioned. This allowed me to take time with each patient which led to the healthier outcomes the insurance companies wanted to save them money. To this day, I run my alternative practice the same way allowing enough time for each person.

Please tell us about Arizona Healing Alternatives.
Applied Kinesiology/Muscle Testing in the framework called Total Body Modification (TBM) can be used for conditions such as: pain (both physical and emotional), allergies, chronic auto-immune diseases, stress, anxiety, fatigue, and multiple other conditions. The hallmark of my practice involves utilizing physical/emotional reprogramming and hypnosis techniques coupled with my strong intuitive sense to provide a truly individualized healing experience.

I only see one person at a time and run on time to respect my client’s schedules. With my background in western medicine, I am in the unique position to attempt to bridge the gap for clients between alternative and western healing methods. I have had training and exposure to a wide variety of healing techniques which allows me to guide a client to try a healing technique that they may not have considered, even if that technique is one that I do not provide. I am so passionate about client advocacy that in some sessions, I merely guide the client to educate themselves and ask questions about their care in both western and alternative medicines. Armed with information, they can get the most out of any healing modality they choose to use.

I am continually amazed by what these techniques can do. As Victor Frank states, “If the right thing is done to the right body at the right time in the right way, miracles happen.” I have had the pleasure of watching clients achieve their goals of health and happiness through the techniques and their hard work, and it is truly an honor to be a part of their process.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
The last bit of advice I could give is to always follow your passion and dreams and make sure to adjust your perceptions along the way. Everything that happens in life is not about what happens but about how you perceive it. Even today, if I were to give a talk and only one person were to show up, I would look at that as a success as that is one more person that knows about alternative medicine, even if they never end up seeking alternative care. One person is a success versus perceiving defeat by not filling the room. Passion for what you do is the key to making it through any challenge. When someone tells me (as they did in the 1990’s with my vision for that clinic) that it can’t be done, it just motivates me to try to make it happen.

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Image Credit:
Arizona Healing Alternatives, LLC & Michele Celentano Portrait Photographer

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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