OUR FOUNDER

Imagine…
Imagine what would happen if a pharmaceutical company announced that it had invented a drug that:

  • Relieves pain
  • Enhances immune function
  • Regulates and balances hormones
  • Elevates mood
  • Relaxes muscles
  • Eases stress
  • Enhances mental clarity
  • And does all this without any unpleasant or dangerous side effects and without the potential for addiction

Imagine the market for such a drug! Imagine the line out the door of the pharmacy to buy such a drug! Imagine how it could change YOUR life!

Here’s the thing – acupuncture does all of these things. Scientific research has proven it. But acupuncture has been in use for thousands of years and doesn’t “belong” to anyone. It cannot be patented and no company stands to profit billions of dollars by selling it. This is the reason why most Americans are not aware of the far-reaching benefits of this simple, gentle, and safe treatment.

My goal is to change this. With my training in both Western science and Eastern medicine, my mission is to take 3500 years of ancient wisdom and focus its life-changing benefits on the needs of modern Americans.

Photo of Kirsten Horner Warren

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE

I developed an interest in complementary medicine when I was twelve years old and a little old Chinese man who didn’t speak a word of English used acupuncture and herbs to cure me of an ailment that two surgeries and physicians at the Mayo Clinic were not able to diagnose or treat.

Throughout grade school and high school, science was my favorite subject and I particularly loved classes like anatomy and physiology. Both my parents are health care providers and I knew from an early age that I would choose a healthcare or science-related career for myself.

I went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition and a master’s degree in applied physiology. As a graduate student I directed a university laboratory where we collected data on the effect of diet and physical fitness on cardiovascular disease risk factors and taught undergraduate students. I am proud to say that my lab published research that paved the way to our current understanding of the benefits of fish and coconut oil. Eventually, data from my master’s thesis was published in The Journal of Applied Physiology.

By the time I completed my first master’s degree I was a scientist by training and a skeptic by nature, but to the chagrin of my graduate advisor I had maintained my interest in natural medicine. I knew from personal experience that acupuncture, essential oils, and herbal medicine work, sometimes even when conventional means have failed.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a pre-scientific method that operates according to logic that is foreign to the Western mind. In many cases it defies analysis under the scientific method. But I began to wonder – with my training, might I serve as a bridge between these two very different worlds?

I spent the years of 1999 – 2003 studying at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where I completed over 3000 hours of training and earned my second master’s degree (Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine). Many of my professors were doctors from China; some of them the eighth or tenth generation acupuncturist in their families.

Over the twenty years I have been in full-time practice, my confidence in and fascination with TCM has grown. I have used the principles of Chinese medicine to recover from fibromyalgia. I have seen patients relieved of chronic pain that had plagued them for years. I have seen couples who were told that they were infertile conceive naturally and give birth to healthy babies.  I have seen people recover their ability to sleep restfully after years of crushing insomnia. I have seen scores of Central Texans give up their allergy medication and make it through cedar season without their annual Christmas-season sinus infection. I have seen my own kids and others recover in days instead of weeks from colds, ear infections, and bronchitis.

I know first hand the challenge of chronic pain, but my own experience and that of many of my patients has convinced me that acupuncture, essential oils, and herbal medicine can make a life-changing difference. I feel so privileged to get to know each one of my patients and be a part of their health care team. I love the work that I do!

People who are new to “complementary medicine” are comfortable as patients in my practice for a few reasons. Given my background, I am scientifically-minded and am thankful for advancements in modern medicine. I have a high regard for physicians and whole-heartedly encourage my patients to remain under the care of their primary care and specialist doctors. I maintain excellent relationships with many physicians in the central Texas area and am happy to discuss your treatment and work in cooperation with your physician (if you wish). I am open to questions – even skeptical and challenging ones.

I have been told by many patients that they appreciate my ability to explain their diagnosis and treatment plan in simple, common sense language. I go out of my way to make sure that all your questions are thoroughly answered during your office visits and am available via telephone or email for questions between appointments. I will carefully listen to you and will give you plenty of time to explain your concerns. I look forward to getting to know you and your family and becoming your friend!

Please feel free to contact me via email or telephone if I can answer any questions or help you determine if acupuncture, essential oils, and/or Chinese herbal medicine is right for you.

MY CREDENTIALS AND DEGREES

Texas State Board of Medical Examiners

  • Licensed Acupuncturist  (#AC00703).

National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)

  • Diplomate of Oriental Medicine.
  • Diplomate of Acupuncture.
  • Diplomate of Chinese Herbology.

Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM)

  • Clean Needle Technique Certification.

Five Branches University

  • Doctorate of Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine.

Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine

  • Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (program included 1080 hours of supervised clinical practice).

University of Missouri-Columbia

  • Master of Arts in Applied Physiology (thesis research co-published in the Journal of Applied Physiology).
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition (graduated Summa Cum Laude).

EXPERIENCE

Private Practice (2003 – present)

  • Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, and Nutritionist.
  • Specialist in family medicine.

Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic (1999 – 2003)

  • Intern.

American Health Science University

  • Academic Director (1999-2001) & Consultant (2001-2007) – Developed curriculum for two accredited distance education programs in human nutrition (certificate and M.S. degree program).  Taught and mentored students enrolled in the Certified Nutritionist program.

University of Missouri-Columbia Applied Physiology Laboratory (1997 – 1999)

  • Senior Research & Teaching Assistant – Coordinated data collection and analysis for two major research projects and taught undergraduate students.
  • Responsibilities included: literature review; subject recruitment; subject interviews; body composition estimation by underwater weighing (residual volume measured by helium dilution spirometry); maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) testing; venapuncture; laboratory analysis of plasma triglycerides, total HDL-cholesterol and HDL-C subfractions, total LDL-cholesterol, and Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) concentration; and coordination of statistical analysis (4-way ANOVA with repeated measures).

PUBLICATIONS