How Traditional Chinese Medicine Helped Me Reclaim My Life
In 2013, my life changed in an instant. A serious accident left me in a coma for nearly two weeks. Thanks to extraordinary medical intervention, I survived—but the hardest part came after I left the hospital.
Recovery was painful, disorienting, and emotionally overwhelming. I couldn’t live on my own. I felt anxious, depressed, and disconnected from myself. I didn’t feel like me.
I was prescribed multiple medications, but instead of helping, they left me numb and detached—functioning, but not living. I felt broken and isolated, desperate for something that actually supported healing rather than masking symptoms.
That’s when my aunt, one of my biggest supporters called and said something that changed everything:
“They don’t have the medicine you need. I want you to see my acupuncturist.”
At the time, as a former EMT deeply rooted in the western medical mindset, this suggestion felt foreign. I understood the body only from a materialist viewpoint, chemicals, pathways, fixes. But I was exhausted and out of options. So I went.
Seth Ebel, LAc at Lawrence Acupuncture.
What I Learned From My First Appointment
That first acupuncture session cracked something open. I felt, maybe for the first time since the accident, a shift that was subtle but undeniable.
Over the next two years, I worked closely with my acupuncturist, making lifestyle changes and allowing myself to believe in healing again. Slowly but surely, I became healthier, more grounded, and more whole.
I got my life back.
That experience eventually led me to become an acupuncturist myself, hoping to offer others the same chance at real healing that I was given.
Common Struggles After Traumatic Injury
(And How TCM Helps Address Them)
Many people recovering from severe trauma or medical events experience:
Chronic pain and discomfort
Anxiety or depression
Insomnia or restlessness
Emotional numbness or disconnection
Difficulty feeling grounded or “like yourself”
Loss of independence or identity
Dependency on medications that don’t support true healing
These symptoms often have both physical and energetic roots. TCM acknowledges the full picture—how trauma disrupts the flow of Qi, weakens organ systems, and impacts the Shen (mind/spirit).
“When the Qi flows freely, harmony returns.”
Integrative Healing at Lawrence Acupuncture
At Lawrence Acupuncture, Seth Ebel and I approach brain health holistically:
Acupuncture: Qi building and spirit-level points calm the Shen (mind/spirit) and clear heat or stagnation to address the root imbalance in the body.
Herbal medicine & supplements: Support brain chemistry, neural repatterning, and encourage new, healthy patterns.
Lifestyle integration: Therapy, meditation, nutrition, and spiritual practices.
Holistic care helps create lasting balance, connection, and wholeness.
