The Early Years: Soulworks Acupuncture Clinic

Disclaimer: I am not an English major nor am I a medical doctor. You will find grammatical and spelling errors and a better way of writing these ideas. Any medical information I may share in any blogs now or in the future is for your entertainment only.

I want to welcome you to what I hope will be a unique way to share information that is not always available in an office visit.  This is also for those who have never been to Soulworks Acupuncture Clinic but are drawn to discover more fully who they are. I hope to give you a place to reflect, heal, and connect to your heart, your passions, your joy through writing that is meant to allow you to explore more fully who you are and what you want to be when you “grow up”. Aren’t we always “growing up” no matter how old we are?

 

I know this is something I too had to “practice” in the beginning and continue to want to remember. I grew up on the East Coast in a relatively conservative community and family. I was very fortunate to have everything I needed on many levels. I lived in a beautiful area and went to one of the top high schools in the country at the time. It was assumed you went to college and I did. I enjoyed college very much especially the social aspect although at the time, I didn’t apply myself as much as I could have until I discovered classes I liked such as psychology. I found when I liked a subject I could do really well in it. This surprised me.

 

After college, the only thing I knew I liked to do was work with people.  The jobs I had liked the most during summer breaks was a camp counselor for children and during college while acquiring my B.A. in Psychology I taught a reading class for the “mentally disabled.” At the time, I really didn’t know what I was doing, but I found I loved the whole aspect of sharing information so that individuals could have a better life. So, what did I end up doing after college? I became a “sales assistant” at a stock brokerage firm. The bottom line was I needed to make money to live and pay back college loans. Interestingly enough, I found myself enjoying it. I went on to take the various stockbroker exams and became a stockbroker. I learned and took every exam I could to make myself more valuable as an employee. I became an equity trader on Wall Street and believe it or not, enjoyed that job very much. I worked in the stock market for about 9 years.

 

Then I went on my first two week vacation ever.  I went to the Colorado Rockies with an outfit called Outward Bound. I hiked from sun-up to sun-down with about 8 other individuals in what felt like the middle of no where.  The mountains were ragged and absolutely beautiful. I was out in nature without any caffeine, sugar or alcohol for 14 days. We were given a blank book to write in and I did. I began to question everything. What was I doing living in New York City? What was I giving back by working on Wall Street? What were my beliefs? What did I want to do with the rest of my life? I didn’t have any of the answers but I knew I had awakened something within myself that I couldn’t stop.

 

Within 3 months of that trip, I quit my job as an equity trader and moved to Seattle, Washington. Little did I know the inner reflection was just beginning! I had to practice to “sit still” and calm my mind so that I could understand myself better and begin to create the life I really wanted. I had no idea what that was. I took a waitress job while “figuring it out.”  I met new friends, unlike any I had met before. They didn’t know the one who worked on Wall Street. I was free to do and be anything I wanted. It was a time of trying different ideas on. When I FINALLY gave in to those around me telling me to go to massage school my life seemed to feel “on track.” I LOVED learning all about the physical body. It took over 3 years from leaving NYC to starting my new career path but it was all worth it. I have not looked back since. A spark within me had ignited and there was no turning back. I’ve been moving forward and inward ever since and that was 20 years ago.

 

I have since completed many educational programs all to benefit the body, mind, emotions and soul of a person. I now have a practice that can assist an individual on all of these levels with a variety of treatments. All of these treatments are non-invasive and holistic. Soulworks is a practice where intellectual intelligence meets innate intelligence or knowing. I utilize a technique called muscle testing which allows me to ask each person’s body what is THEIR best treatment that day. Soulworks is a unique practice where many have come and have been successful in not only getting their physical lives back but transforming their lives in such a way as to live a life that they had only previously dreamed about.

 

It is an honor each day to go to work and assist others in creating their optimum health and well-being. I hope that this is something YOU want in your life and that you will allow yourself to have it.

 

I know in my own life, I often stop and wonder how did I go from such a conservative background into holistic healthcare/ energy medicine?  I followed my own heart in the end and that is what has allowed me to create a life that I LOVE. I love that I now live in Bellingham, WA where the mountains, islands and water surround us every day. I love my husband who has supported me every step of the way.  I love my black and white tuxedo cat even though he talks way too much! There were times when I didn’t have the money or wondered if I would be able to pay the rent or pay for another school program. I found out that if I followed my heart that somehow it did always work out. It wasn’t always easy but the end result always exceeded my own expectations.

 

I can’t wait to see where I go from here! Life is always evolving and an adventure- may it be joyful, healthy and fun!

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

Peace be with you.

 

Alicia Kochan L.Ac.