Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Keller.
Hi Christine , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up on the west coast where traditional medicines such as acupuncture, herbs, homeopathic remedies, and natural healing were “normal”. I always thought it was cool, but I never thought it would be something that I would pursue as a career. When I moved to Minnesota, I began studying Kwong Sai Jook Lum Gee Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu with Sifu Mark in St Paul. He had all sorts of posters and diagrams on the walls of qigong, meridian charts, and acupuncture points. The school also made their own dit da jiao, a natural Chinese herbal liniment for injuries, had qigong classes, and Chinese calligraphy classes. It was so fascinating. At the time, my kung fu partner told me that I should check out this school’s herbal pharmacy, so I did. It was a beautiful traditional herbal apothecary and I found myself signing up for school at that point, and I’ve never looked back. Some people have a really profound healing story about how they got into Chinese medicine and acupuncture, but truly, I have to credit kung fu. It brought everything together that I loved and it made sense to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The beginning of my practice was like many others’. It had its challenges, especially in the first year where I was trying to find my footing. I did work at a couple of places that just weren’t the right fit, so I ventured off on my own and opened up my own practice. I started down in the south metro, and at that time, there weren’t too many other practitioners in the area. I was fortunate to build a solid practice within the first couple of years. I owned my own practice for about 10 years, but life got a little complicated and I found myself wanting to help women as a Chinese medicine practitioner and not necessarily be a business owner. I closed my practice in 2020 and have since joined Upright Health in Lakeville, MN.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When I started acupuncture school I knew right away that I wanted to work with women, and that is the path I followed. I specialize in women’s health and fertility, I am a board certified herbalist, and a Fellow of the Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine (FABORM).
Women going through health challenges and or fertility struggles often find themselves discouraged and confused.
Women are often treated with a dismissive attitude from the medical community and this is just not good enough. I strive to provide the best support to all of my patients, and that includes empowering women with education and answering questions about their health or fertility challenges that are not always available to them.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you find yourself with health struggles, or infertility challenges, you are not alone. Chinese medicine can help support and compliment treatments and care that you are already receiving. You are worth being heard, and you are worth the extra care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://christinekellerlac.com
- Instagram: christinekellerlac
- Facebook: christinekellerlac
