Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Sheftall.
Hi Becky, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Ever since I was little I always had a deep curiosity for “why” and “how” things worked. I was sick with colds and viruses often as a child, and I was given antibiotics almost monthly without resolution, and I wanted to know why I wasn’t getting better. By middle school, I had taken a deep interest in my health. I changed my diet, started running with my dad, I joined the track team, and I started feeling better. No more sicknesses or antibiotics. Later, in college, I did an Internship at an Acupuncture clinic in Athens, GA, and wrote a paper on my experiences there. I had somehow ended up with a little book called “The Layman’s Guide to Acupuncture” as one of my reference guides, and my interest in this medicine was sparked. I had found something that made sense to me, a medical modality that explains “why” and “how” things happen in the body, and that provides a guide for how to live in harmony and as your highest self- both physically and emotionally. I went to India in 1999 for another Internship to complete my Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Georgia, and I received Acupuncture for the first time by a Tibetan doctor there. We could not speak to each other but the treatment he gave me totally cured an issue I was having at that time, and I became even more hooked. I knew I wanted to go to Acupuncture school and practice this medical art that had me fascinated. I attended Daoist Traditions College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medical Arts, and I have been seeing patients since 2013. I absolutely love this medicine and what I do. It feels natural to me to work closely with people. I feel that I was called to do this. I believe that the body, mind, and spirit are all equally important players in our healing process. And I believe we can change our destiny through healing in all of these aspect of ourselves.
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?
I have definitely experienced some rocky times, some heartbreaks, and many high and low points in life over the last several decades. I spent time living in different places, learning new skills, chasing dreams, having lots of fun and experiencing the beauty in the world…sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I fell down. But I view all of my experiences as cultivations of myself, of my own self-awareness, wisdom, and my “medicine” that I can now bring into my practice and use to help those who walk through my doors.
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?
In addition to being a licensed Acupuncturist and Medical Herbalist, am also a licensed massage therapist, and I believe in the healing power of therapeutic touch to soothe the nervous system before acupuncture. In the early days of my practice I coined the phrase “Acussage” because I combined massage with Acupuncture. I still do this, but I also use cupping, gua sha, and hot stones, and my treatments are really relaxing. I also practice energy healing with Esoteric Acupuncture, and I use Lomi Lomi breathwork and energy techniques. I often take people on guided visualizations with treatments, if we are doing energy work. But I customize treatments to what each individual’s body, mind and spirit is asking for. I want my patients to be able to go deep and really sink in and have a transformative healing experience. But I also have plenty of folks who prefer a more traditional and straightforward acupuncture session, without energy work or bodywork. I have a lot of tools in my kit that set me a little bit apart from other practitioners, and I use what is needed and wanted depending on the patient.
What’s next?
I am very excited about my recent office move! After spending 3 years in Mount Pleasant, and then 3 years in Hampton Park, I decided to relocate my practice into a wonderful Functional Medicine clinic on James Island, where they share my belief in the benefits of combining eastern and western modalities to optimize patient care. I am excited to be able to offer my patients convenient access to things like lab work for fertility, autoimmune, or metabolic issues. I plan to be with this amazing clinic for years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mtsacupuncture.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckysheftallacupuncture
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BQdVhBz3F/
