Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Zepeda Villegas.
Hi Jessie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From day one, holistic health and herbal remedies have been integrated in my life because of my rich-Mexican heritage. As a child I was intrigued by dance and learned to appreciate the aesthetics of kinesiology, however, it was not until I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16 that I started to wonder more about what was actually happening inside of my body. In trying to understand what exactly “cancer” was, I conducted many self-studies on everything from cancer prevention to healthier living. The journey to becoming a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been an interesting one and if you look at my work and educational history, the dots do not seem to connect.
However, all the seemingly “random” things I did actually contributed to my ability to properly diagnose patients. For example, my undergraduate degree is in Media Arts. I spent most of undergrad years watching all types of cinematic films and television shows and picking them apart contextually and visually. Visually, that training assists me in picking up visual signals on the patient’s body; a red freckle here, a brown spot there, heat emitting from a specific body part, variations in skin colors and so on. Contextually, I pick up on certain speech patterns, repeated phrases, and the meaning behind what the patient is truly saying versus the words that are audible. Another significant part of my work history involves working in retail. If you can work retail, you can work anywhere! Customer service is an integral part of healing for patients. If they do not feel welcomed and cared for the minute they make contact with you, it is going to negatively impact outcomes.
Enrolling in acupuncture school was a serendipitous event. When I was in my 20s, I saw an advertisement for an acupuncture school and was intrigued by the woman in the lab coat standing in front of dozens of jars filled with herbs and the tagline read “become a doctor of Chinese medicine.” A tiny spark in me was ignited but quickly dampened by self-doubt and low self-esteem. “Me, a doctor, I am not smart enough” is what I thought to myself. Fast forward 13 years later, and I am having a conversation with my husband about the only regret I had, which was not allowing myself to even try to see if I could become a doctor of Chinese medicine. It was a few months after I said these words aloud that Texas Health and Science University opened up a campus in San Antonio within walking distance from my house! I enrolled shortly after. What was the difference between 23-year-old Jessie and 36-year-old Jessie? I was now a mother of 2 kids running a household. Having children showed me just how strong and capable I was. Additionally, at this time in my life failure was not a shameful thing, instead, not attempting to try something new and out of my comfort zone was a regrettable thing.
Many people are not aware of the education and testing involved in becoming a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Texas (each state sets its own requirements). In addition to having a master’s degree from an accredited institution, a candidate must pass four licensure exams administered by the Texas Medical Board on Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Herbology, and Biomedicine. After becoming licensed, I pursued my doctorate at Pacific College of Health and Science to further enhance my knowledge. An acupuncturist is capable of doing more than inserting needles. Traditional Chinese encompasses other modalities such as gua sha (scraping), tuina (Chinese medical massage), cupping (as seen on Michael Phleps), moxibustion (heat therapy using Artemisia Vulgaris/mugwort), exercise, and dietary therapy. This is a medicine you could study for a life time and still not cover everything.
Currently, I am practicing in the medical center area and teaching at the acupuncture school I graduated from. The connections I made in school made it possible for me to start practicing the minute I received my license. I am very grateful to Dr. Roberto Guerrero, DAOM, Dr. Maria Gomez de Medina, Ph.D., and Dr. Lance Leone, DACM for inviting me to join them at their practices. The way I practice now is different from when I first started. Initially, I saw patients in a one-to-one setting in private sessions lasting about an hour. I now treat in a group setting where I have up to three patients in the treatment room. All consultations are done privately. This type of acupuncture is known as “community acupuncture.” There are many benefits to this model for both practitioner and patient. For the practitioner, it prevents burnout and allows for more flexibility in scheduling. I also spend more time treating patients than filing paperwork. For patients, it offers a non-intimidating space to receive acupuncture.
I treat using points on the lower arms and legs, ears, head, and face. There is no need to undress. The treatment is administered as the patient relaxes on a recliner so I am always visible to them. As far as pricing goes, I charge on a sliding scale basis. Currently, my scale is set to $17-35. The patient decides what they want to pay. Using this model allows patients to come back for treatment more frequently. In addition to the non-intimidating treatment set-up and affordable pricing, there is no pressure regarding treatment plans. Typically, a treatment plan consists of 4-6 treatments. With community acupuncture, the patient decides when they want to be treated. The concept is to make it affordable, accessible, and self-empowering for the patient.
It is my hope that more people will get acupuncture and see that it is possible to heal from within if you give your body the opportunity to reset. This requires more than just the needles. The needles ignite the process and healing continues through making adjustments in lifestyle and food choices. Each patient is unique and treatments are customized to work with their presentation. One size does not fit all in the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine; in school we were taught the following phrase “one disease a hundred treatments, one treatment a hundred diseases.” There are no gimmicks in my treatment clinic; but there is the desire to create a relaxing environment where the body can relax and turn off the fight/flight/freeze nervous system response and incite the rest and digest response.
Studying and practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine encompasses my quest for healthier living for my patients and myself. I have the perspective of a patient and a practitioner that gives me a unique approach to diagnosing and treatment. My goal as a practitioner is to not only treat the patient’s ailment but to educate them on prevention and to help them fine-tune their mind, body, and spirit connection that allows them to sense imbalances before they become problematic. This enables their health to synergistically flow through all aspects of their life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was not easy taking on a full load of classes, raising elementary school-aged kids, and paying the bills. As tough as it got, I always looked at the big picture; what I was learning was going to change my family’s life forever in a good way. What I was learning was putting health into my hands. My husband and I had a few talks about what the “goal” was. And we both agreed that if I was able to help just 1 person, this would all be worth it.
Higher education is not cheap and neither is after school child care. Juggling the bills during the time I was in school was very hard but we got through it. The challenge now is getting more patients in the door. Folks are scared of needles or have misconceptions about what acupuncture is.. The needles are about the thickness of a horse hair, and I have a very gently approach. Acupuncture is medicine, plain and simple. And there are plenty of studies that prove so. If you are not one to look up research articles on PubMed, watch the BBC documentary entitled “The Science of Acupuncture” available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D53UwyJWa3w
I still struggle with wondering if I made the right decision and it mainly comes down to the enormous amount of student loan debt I am now in. But those moments of doubt and insecurity, I know that’s the devil talking. I just have to keep one foot and front of the other and remind myself of my calling, my vocation. There’s a reason why everything feel into place the way it did and I know that because every time a door closes for me, about three different new ones open.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
It is not a particular one but the moments I felt the most joy is when we would have family get-togethers and everyone was crowded around a table, laughing, reminiscing, letting go of all the negativity and hardships of life and enjoying the company of others.
Pricing:
- Sliding scale $17-35
Contact Info:
- Email: communityacupuncturejzv@gmail.com
- Instagram: community_acupuncture_jzv
- Other: https://squareup.com/appointments/book/9npxgknf10ibwt/LE2E060PDPJZ7/services
