Meet Kari Watkins Harvey of Laughing Lotus Acupuncture

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kari Watkins Harvey

Hi Kari, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was in my early 20’s, I moved from central Illinois to Phoenix, Arizona, and then on to Tucson, Arizona. I had recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, and could not find work that paid a good salary in the social work field. For that reason, I ended up working at my friend’s massage therapy business, called Peaceful Spirit Therapeutic Massage Center, in Tucson. I worked at the front desk as the receptionist. At the center, we had a Five-Element acupuncturist, and I was amazed at her patients stories of how they were benefitting from her acupuncture services. Working at the center, I could receive one treatment a month of my choice, including massage and acupuncture. I started receiving monthly acupuncture treatments from Alice Adams, and my whole world opened up. I felt so much better, had more energy, improved body systems, such as better quality sleep, and I felt happier. Alice gave me a book to read about the Five-Element theory, and it resonated so deeply with me that I began to pursue acupuncture school. One of the only Five-Element schools in the United States was in Maryland. Once I was accepted into the Master’s of Acupuncture program at the Tai Sophia Institute, now called the Maryland University of Integrative Health, I made plans to move across the country, from Arizona to Maryland. In 2001, I started acupuncture school and graduated at the end of 2004. I have been a practicing, licensed acupuncturist since 2005. I have practiced in Maryland, Illinois, New York and now Arizona.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
First of all, I absolutely love my career, and would not change it for anything. There have been bumps along the way, but they are the expected ones that anyone starting their own business can expect, which are start-up costs and business building, to name a few. And, it would be wonderful if every state had awesome insurance coverage for acupuncture, but that is just not the case.

We’ve been impressed with Laughing Lotus Acupuncture, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
For the last 18 years, I have been practicing Five-Element Acupuncture, and I am currently one of only a few Five-Element practitioners in Phoenix. I am most proud of the work that I do with Five-Element acupuncture, and the work that I do to treat infertility. I do treat it all, including but not limited to acute or chronic pain, women’s health, emotional health. I offer Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping & Gua Sha services, along with dietary and lifestyle suggestions. I practice with a focus on emotional health, women’s health, including the birth cycle, from fertility through postpartum care, as well as menopausal symptoms and hormonal imbalance. I also provide mobile service to local Fertility Centers for pre & post IVF acupuncture treatment.

Five-Element acupuncture treats the whole person, and works with treating the cause of the condition, vs. a treatment strategy based on just symptoms. Five-Element Acupuncture has been around for more than 3,000 years. The elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element is represented in nature and the seasons, as well as in humans. As a practitioner of Five-Element acupuncture, I use diagnostic skills to determine which element is most predominant, coupled with pulse and tongue diagnosis, as well as other factually based information, and then carefully craft a treatment plan designed just for the patient, using points on the corresponding meridians. The ultimate goal is to treat the whole person, and bring the body and physical symptoms, the mind, including mental and emotional health, & the spirit back to balance within a short period of time.

The Five-Element theory was created thousands of years ago through observations that were made about the patterns that show up regularly in nature, most clearly seen during the change of seasons, for example, late summer into fall. Our qi, or vital energy, mimics the qi in nature, and follows the same cycles. Each of the Five Elements represent a distinct quality that is exemplified during the seasons, in nature. The qualities of each of the Five Elements exist in every living thing.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is of our family trips with my parents, brother and sister, and grandparents. We would go from our home in central Illinois to Door County, WI, for a week and rent a cabin on Lake Michigan. We spent a lot of time swimming, playing in the water and at the beach, as well as salmon fishing. It was so much fun!

Pricing:

• Initial Consultation for Acupuncture $130
• Acupuncture Follow-Up Visits $90/each or package of 5 treatments for $400
• Cupping and Gua Sha Services are $50 for stand alone, and $25 when added to acupuncture visit
• Mobile Services to IVF transfer at your fertility clinic are $350

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laughinglotusacupuncture.com
• Instagram: @acu_kari
• Facebook: Laughing Lotus Acupuncture

Image Credits
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