JOHANNA’S FOUNDATIONS FOR WORKING WITH CLIENTS
- Ample time allowed during appointments for conversation and treatment.
- Time to focus on you and your needs.
- Clear and individualized treatment plan maps out what you need to do to take care of yourself and your health.
- Systemically oriented treatments that address root causes and support transformational change.
- Honest clinical advice.
- Warm and compassionate bedside manner.
- Acupuncture techniques that are very gentle (some of Johanna’s patients have been unable to tolerate acupuncture till working with her).
- Relaxing treatments that rejuvenate and are deeply relaxing.
- Quiet treatment rooms in a quiet residential neighborhood.
- Successful clinical results.
- 15 years of study and practice of Chinese medicine.
- Experience working with men, women, children, young adults, adults, fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, menopause, aging, elders.
- Good referral relationships with western and complementary medical providers.
- Integrity – Johanna always considers and recommends what is best for her clients, and she lives her principles.
JOHANNA’S EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Study of Chinese Medicine
The art of Chinese medicine is best learned from clinical, hands on life experience, thus Johanna chose an apprenticeship based training. She studied with Michael McCulloch LAc MPH PHD, whose very intelligent and also very kind way of practicing Chinese medicine has been a tremendous inspiration and influence for Johanna. As Michael specializes in oncology, Johanna naturally gathered experience in that field. Her study was within the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo CA, one of the few clinics that offers classical Chinese medicine training. The program is formally known as the California Acupuncture Tutorial and allows a student to study in the hands on environment of a clinic, complimented by classes in schools as a path to obtaining an acupuncture license. While studying at Pine Street Clinic, Johanna was involved in research projects with the Pine Street Foundation. Projects included training dogs to detect cancer by smell, and writing a series of articles on the use of antioxidants with Chemotherapy. To learn more about Pine Street Clinic and all the interesting research happening at Pine Street foundation click on the links to the right.
Pine Street Clinic, San Anselmo CA
Chinese medicine has always gone through changes and integrated new ideas and different perspectives on health. In the 20th century, Chinese medicine changed again – this time it was simplified and many health perspectives were eliminated from the textbooks and the medicine became more formulaic. This is what is commonly taught in schools both in China and the US. Johanna was more interested in the classical approaches to medicine with all the rich and various viewpoints. Johanna is very grateful to be part of a lineage of practitioners that goes back to a doctor from Taiwan and is connected with the texts of the Nan Jing – the classic of difficult questions.
Study of Chinese Art
Johanna attended Waldorf schools since kindergarten, where the education is very artistically inspired and aesthetically oriented, giving her a good foundation to work from. At Colorado College Johanna studied Chinese Calligraphy with Harrison Tu, and put on an art show of her work in 2004. In 2005 while living in China she undertook a year-long study of Chinese painting with internationally and nationally recognized artists Zheng Bai Zhong and Lin Zi Ben, in their home studios.
Study in China
Johanna went to live in China for one year to deepen her studies in Chinese medicine, art and language. She lived with the Zheng family who took care of her like a daughter and connected her with other teachers. The family helped build language skills which she would need because all classes were in Chinese. She advanced her studies in Chinese medicine by observing acupuncture as practiced in the city hospitals with Dr Chen, as well as observing how the president of FuJian university of Chinese Medicine saw patients and wrote out herbal prescriptions. She learned about Chinese herbology in the local herb shops. She had private lessons with professor Lin on Chinese literature and poetry. In the early mornings she learned Tai Chi in the park. As mentioned above Johanna studied Chinese painting as well. She also traveled extensively through China with her sister, visiting sacred mountains and monasteries, important historical cities, and the amazing and diverse landscapes of China. Johanna wrote a blog during her year in China and you can visit it here: http://johannatravels.blogspot.com/
Temple in Fuzhou China
Mist and incense at New Years at the temple of Mount Gu Shan outside Fuzhou
College Education
Johanna graduated from Colorado College in Colorado springs in 2004 with a BA and a double major in Biology and Asian Studies. She graduated magna cum laude with honors in Asian Studies. In preparation to study Chinese medicine Johanna majored in biology to be able to understand the basis of Western medicine and be able to analyze research. She majored in Asian Studies to become proficient in Chinese language and understand Chinese culture and art.
Personal experience
Johanna has loving parents; a most wonderful mother who teaches in the Waldorf School and a talented father who is a landscape architect. She has two very dear sisters. She is a Shining Mountain Waldorf School graduate and is grateful for her education there. She was born in Germany, and grew up in rural New Hampshire, again in Germany, then in Boulder Colorado. She spent half a year in Argentina during high school learning Spanish, went to college in Colorado Springs at Colorado College, studied Chinese medicine in California at Pine Street Clinic and in China. She opened her own practice in California in 2009 and moved it to Colorado in 2013. Johanna is married to Bob Granger and has an amazing three year old son Canyon and a very dear labradoodle name Scout. She loves being married to her coffee roasting, nutritionist, adventure therapist, Mighty Warrior Husband. Being a mother is a truly fulfilling, awesome experience, and Johanna just loves that boy.
Johanna, Bob and their labradoodle Scout
Johanna, Bob and Canyon
Johanna and Canyon
Johanna backpacking Colorado
Johanna is dedicated to living a healthy, balanced and joyful life. She believes how we live is really the essence of Chinese medicine, with less emphasis on the techniques of acupuncture or herbology. Being an example is important to her. She enjoys her Chinese medicine practice tremendously, prioritizes time with her family, enjoys hiking, backpacking, yoga, cooking yummy healthy meals, getting good sleep and rest, painting, growing veggies and tending flowers, playing some music (cello), taking a vacation, and her dedicated spiritual practice.
Gratitude
I am tremendously grateful to my many teachers, patients, friends and family members who have touched my life, helped me learn and grow, and supported me with an extraordinary spirit of generosity! Huge gratitude to my husband Bob and son Canyon – you are very loved. Special thanks to my family for always being there, to Mark Hochwender for inspiration and persistent support of my work in Chinese medicine, to the Zheng family for all the opportunities of learning in China, to Michael McCulloch for his generosity, kindness and wisdom in guiding my study of Chinese medicine, to Michael Broffman for sharing his insight and vision in creating an amazing clinic true to the spirit of Classical Chinese medicine, to all the Pine Street family for their care and working together to creating a place of healing, and to Sri Gary for his spiritual guidance.
Certifications and Degrees
- California and Colorado state licensure
- L.Ac., Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist certified by the California Acupuncture Board
- Dipl. Ac&CH, Diplomate of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology certified by the National Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
- CCNT, Certified Clean Needle Technique by the Council and Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- BA, Bachelor Degree in Biology and Asian Studies, Colorado College
Meet the Practitioner
Hi, I’m Johanna with Johanna’s Acupuncture. I’m a licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist practicing in Boulder Colorado.
