Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Schafer.
Hi Jamie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 2012, and my journey began on the beautiful island of Maui. After graduate school, I relocated to Hawaii for a few years and worked at a community acupuncture clinic in Wailuku Heights, primarily serving local residents. It was such a lovely chapter, and so needed after years of hard work, burnout and stress finishing school. Fast-forward to my most recent chapter- for the past (almost) eight years, I had been working at Hennepin Healthcare, a level one trauma center in Minneapolis. Hennepin was the first hospital system in the U.S. to offer Acupuncture, and our department there had a history of over 30 years. Earlier this year, our team found out that Hennepin was essentially bankrupt, and our whole department was laid off suddenly. I had been half-joking for years that I wanted to start my own non-profit Acupuncture clinic- and so I did! I was certainly not planning on becoming a business owner this year, much less a non-profit director. While it wasn’t a path I had planned, there are relatively few opportunities in my field, and I felt called to create something of my own. I was also feeling SO ready to start my own chapter in my own space, and finally create the vibe that felt more like me and how I practice and live my life.
Throughout my career, I have always loved working with moms- from preconception and pregnancy through postpartum. This time in a woman’s life is filled with so many changes, hormonally, physically and emotionally. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can be such a wonderful way to support women through all of these stages. I found that to be true myself as I became a mom in 2020. I had a very difficult labor and delivery with my beautiful daughter, Emmylou. I actually gave birth at Hennepin. Emmylou was “sunny side up”, and got stuck making her entrance into this world. I was prepped for a C section, but was able to push her out, she came out not breathing and purple. I remain deeply grateful that we had immediate access to a highly skilled NICU team. If we wouldn’t have had access to that right away, Emmylou might not have made it. After her birth and spending the ten longest days of my life in the NICU with her, I struggled with postpartum depression and low milk supply. It was also such a stressful time in our community, we were in the first few months of Covid, and my family and I were living just blocks away from the George Floyd incident when it happened. I turned to a good friend and colleague for help with postpartum depression and support for low milk supply. I can remember in the evenings feeling so alone and depressed, wondering how long this all would last. After just a few treatments, I noticed a dramatic improvement in both my mood and milk supply. I remember thinking- more medical providers and struggling moms should know how effective and amazing this treatment can be. That’s why I started True North Acupuncture- to bring awareness to our community that this traditional medicine with a history of over 3,000 years can help support moms in so many ways. I think it should be part of standard prenatal care honestly, and that’s my goal. When you see a midwife or an OBGyn for prenatal care, you can also see an acupuncturist for pregnancy symptoms like nausea, pelvic pain or low back pain. When you see a lactation consultant for low milk production, or a mental health therapist for postpartum depression or anxiety, you can also see an acupuncturist to help increase milk supply, boost your mood and balance hormones. One of my favorite things to work with is labor prep, starting at 36-37 weeks. Acupuncture may help support cervical ripening and prepare the body for labor, potentially reducing the need for certain interventions like inductions, epidurals and C sections. As a non-profit, I plan to offer classes and workshops in my community to raise awareness around how acupuncture can be useful during pregnancy and postpartum. I also offer sliding scale options for underserved populations, or patients without insurance coverage. Acupuncture can be a wonderful alternative to anyone seeking more natural pain-relief. Many people are hoping to avoid pain medication, surgery and opioids. We have the research to support the use of acupuncture for acute and chronic pain, and it’s safe and gentle. I want to increase access to this care for people in my community, there are so many struggling with pain.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not! Starting my own clinic with no business experience, and on very short-notice has been challenging. I’ve also had to really dig deep to make my practice a non-profit on top of that, with no experience. Making time for this while also raising my 5 year old daughter has been quite the balancing act. There have been so many sleepless nights, and days starting at 4:30 a.m. with a lot of coffee.
Also, working at Hennepin was meaningful, but intense and often very challenging. During the beginning of the pandemic, I was pregnant and furloughed over the summer of 2020. I picked up odd jobs at the hospital, cleaning or even organizing the mail room, we all pulled together and kept going. Then there was the George Floyd incident, and the Annunciation school shooting, all of these events felt significant and heavy. Though our department was not on the front lines for these traumatic events, we cared for so many of our colleagues who were- the ER, surgeons, pediatric intensive care, we saw so much in those years. I think all of us really started to see how everything was impacting our patients and staff. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD were all on the rise, and everyone was just exhausted. We had to do our best to take care of ourselves too so we could really be there for everyone else. But it really felt like we’d get through one traumatic community event, and another would come.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about True North Acupuncture?
When I decided to start my own business, I wanted a name that represented my journey. To me, true north is the compass always guiding us in the right direction when we feel a bit lost. I definitely felt that way after getting laid off, but I always knew the direction I wanted to go and the mission I wanted to keep alive and create. I also feel like a true northerner at heart myself. I grew up in Minnesota, and have spent so much time in the northern parts of our beautiful state- Grand Marais and the Gunflint trail, BWCA and Lake Superior. I’ve traveled all over the world, but the north woods feels like home.
I’ve created a beautiful treatment room that backs up to a wetland in White Bear Lake. I wanted a space that doesn’t feel too clinical and sterile, with a more warm, relaxed feeling and low lighting. During your treatment, you can hear the red winged blackbirds out the window behind you, and you can see deer passing by. I want people to have an experience when they come in for a treatment, and most importantly I want to really connect. I truly love getting to know my patients and meeting them where they are. I want them to feel seen and heard, not rushed through their visit. Many of my patients I’ve seen through multiple pregnancies, or through the loss of a family member. I want them to feel like I’m there with them on their journey.
I am also incredibly passionate about ancestral nutrition, and I incorporate that into my practice whenever I can! A lot of that I have learned through the Weston A. Price organization, I’ve been a member for years. I believe we have so much wisdom to learn from indigenous cultures around the world who have thrived on traditional diets, without processed food and seed oils. I have seen first hand how this way of eating and living has impacted myself and my family. We’ve experienced so many positive benefits from these practices, and we’re rarely sick. I use only traditional animal fats and butter for cooking, purchase local, pasture-raised meat whenever possible, and incorporate organ meats and cod liver oil into my regimen regularly. These are all old fashioned methods our grandparents practiced, and many of them lived to be in their 90’s! They were doing something right. Implementing this into my practice is hugely important to me, it sets the foundation for optimal health and longevity for generations to come.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the easy access to our beautiful lakes and parks. In the summer, you can spend a day on the lake and see the city in the background, but feel like you’re up north, it’s quiet and peaceful. As I’ve gotten older, I connect more and more with nature, and less with the feeling of a bustling city, which is why I moved out to Grant. My mind can relax when I hear the sand hill cranes, coyotes and loons out my window in the warmer months, instead of sirens and traffic. Minneapolis will always hold a special place in my heart, and one of the things I appreciate most is how quickly you can reach lakes, forests, and open spaces just beyond the city limits.
Pricing:
- I am one of the few Acupuncturists in the eat metro who is an in-network with several insurance companies. I also offer sliding-scale options for underserved populations or people without insurance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.truenorthacumn.com/
- Instagram: Truenorthacu
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570663355441
