Jeremy Riesenfeld, M.Ac., L.Ac.
I have a passion for helping people transform their lives and health in ways that are safe, gentle, and sustainable. Since 2004, I've successfully helped my clients with a wide variety of complaints, ranging from depression and anxiety to chronic pain to PMS to low energy and fatigue.
For the past 15 years, I have immersed myself in the study and practice of eastern meditation, spirituality, and philosophy, qigong, tai chi, and yoga. I have studied and practiced a wide range of holistic healing disciplines such as acupuncture, acupressure, nutrition, herbal medicine, and essential oils. My interest in holistic medicine began in my early 20’s, when, as a result of some serious health challenges, I turned to Chinese medicine and eastern meditation practices in earnest, and experienced a remarkable healing process.
As a result, I was inspired to enroll in acupuncture school. I selected the Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts for its reputation as a school that emphasized mental and emotional healing in its curriculum, as well as a strong training in holistic wellness and lifestyle coaching. I have found that emotions, mental health, and lifestyle choices are keys to the healing process.
I graduated in 1999 with a undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in Ancient Greek Language and Philosophy. In 2007, I graduated from the Master’s in Acupuncture program at the Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts in Maryland, and received certification in Chinese Herbal Medicine (660 hours) in 2008. I am licensed to practice acupuncture in Washington, DC and Maryland.
My Personal Journey
Healing Crisis
I started my personal transformational journey in earnest soon after graduating from college. My health was pretty much in shambles – I had bad digestive problems, fairly bad depression, chronic fatigue, and anemia. Luckily, I had signed up for a work-study program at Heartwood Institute, a training center for the holistic healing arts in Northern California, and began my stay there immediately after school.
It was there that I was introduced to a wide variety of holistic healing practices – what I now call the 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine. As I received treatment, and practiced meditation, yoga and tai chi, ate a new diet, took herbal medicine, got acupuncture and bodywork, and began addressing my difficult thoughts and emotions, I began to heal.
A Spiritual Search
As the healing process unfolded, it became apparent to me that I was also interested in something much deeper – spiritual awakening at the deepest level. And so began a long search for… enlightenment, which I pursued through my studies of qigong, Taoist and Buddhist meditation, and non-dual spirituality.
Now, I would not consider myself a fully awakened person. However, what I have come to understand is that spiritual awakening involves a fairly radical shift in consciousness. As humans, we normally define who we are as the thoughts, emotions, and sensations that come up in our awareness. We tell ourselves stories about who we are, what other people are like, and what is happening in the world.
Deep Level Transformation
Deep level transformation occurs when we begin to question, and eventually liberate ourselves from those stories. As we become free from our stressful, anxiety and depression inducing stories, we begin to feel better – at a core level. This transformation is not just emotional or mental, it is a deeply felt physical experience of relaxation, gentle internal energy flow, warmth, peace, and openness.
At the deepest level, this process involves questioning the story that you exist as a separate person – the famous inquiry of “who am I?”. When combined with meditation, this question can become a potent force for awakening.
The Transformational Process
Lest I make this process sound like a cakewalk, for some people, including yours truly, this process of self-examination can be hell. For me, over the course of several years, many unresolved emotions and stressful thought patterns came to the surface. This in turn affected my physical health, creating low energy, fatigue, digestive problems, and other issues.
While not fun, those years of ill health transformed me for the better, at an essential level. I have achieved insights into how the body works and how the mind and emotions function together. I gained in-depth knowledge of how to take care of my own body, emotions and mind, and how to help others recover and maintain their own physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
My Commitment to You
Through holistic treatments for physical health and mental health, and sessions for transformational healing, I hope to pass on to you the benefits that I myself have received over the past 15 years. I look forward to working with you. Please contact me if you have any questions about how my services could help your particular situation.
For more on my personal journey, read my blog post Transformational Acupuncture - My Personal Journey
The 8 Keys to Healing –
The 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine
The 8 Keys to Healing are my adaptation of the classical 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine. Taken together, the 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine refer to a comprehensive approach to healing pain and illness, and an effective means for deeply transforming your body, emotions, and mind.
The 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine are
- Meditation
- Self-Inquiry
- Relationship Skills
- Physical Exercise
- Nutrition
- Feng Shui
- Daily Schedule
- Healthcare Treatments (Acupuncture, Herbs, etc.)
How The 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine Can Help You
Whether you are experiencing a physical injury or illness, mental or emotional distress, or a desire for deep awakening and inner change, it is when you engage and address all the areas of your life that you will see the most profound and long-lasting results.
From the way you react to your inmost thoughts and emotions, to what you eat, how you exercise, and how you organize and clean your home and work spaces, every life activity has an impact on your healing process.
Applying the 8 Branches of Chinese Medicine to Your Life
At our first meeting, I will help you evaluate how each of these 8 Branches are impacting your health, well-being, and transformational process. From there we will work together to identify and implement the action steps that are most suited to your particular goals and needs. Contact me to find out more about the 8 Branches and how they apply to your particular situation.
Office Tour
My Washington DC office is a peaceful haven in the busy and exciting Dupont Circle area of downtown Washington DC. Pictured below are my treatment room, office lobby, and street level views.
