Born and raised in her hometown of Pittsfield, MA, Kacey was first introduced to natural healing modalities in her late teens. She had been struggling with chronic infections and digestive issues due to a suppressed immune system, and mainstream medical interventions provided her with little to no relief. Then a friend recommended herbal medicine. At first she was skeptical, but after giving it a shot and experimenting with several different herbal formulas and supplements, she began feeling much better. Kacey felt inspired to start leading a healthier lifestyle, and decided to change her diet to include more organic, natural, nutrient-dense foods. She also started doing yoga and other mind-body exercises. To this very day, Kacey's chronic infections are entirely gone and her digestive issues are much more manageable. Now, her immune system is thriving and she rarely even catches a cold.

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Blown away by the power of natural healing, Kacey was motivated to pursue a career in the healthcare field so she could help others along their journey to better health. She attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she received her bachelor's degree in nutrition. There, she learned a great deal about the anatomy and physiology of the human body, as well as the very important role that nutrition plays in it's health and vitality. After graduation, however, Kacey felt like something was missing. Although UMass had provided her with an invaluable education, the nutrition program was almost purely rooted in Western biomedical-based philosophy. Left feeling like her knowledge base was lacking in diversity, she developed a strong desire to explore other nutritional and medical philosophies.

 

Kacey's past experience with herbal medicine sparked her interest in exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) even further. She made the decision to move halfway across the country to Austin, TX, to attend one of the most well-recognized TCM schools in the country, AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine. There, she completed an intensive four-year program, including a 972 hour internship. The stressors of going to school full-time while simultaneously working to support herself financially weighed heavily on her mental and emotional health, and she developed a lot of anxiety and severe bouts of insomnia that not even prescription drugs could alleviate. Fortunately, she was in the right place. Kacey began a series of in-depth acupuncture treatments and rounds of various herbal formulas, provided by several professional acupuncturists at her school. When her symptoms began to lift and she started  to feel like herself again, Kacey was once again reminded of the power of natural healing. She felt immense gratitude for the medical system she had been dedicating all of her time and efforts to, and knew she had made the right decision for her career path.

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During Kacey's time at AOMA, she treated hundreds of patients for a variety of physical, mental and emotional ailments with acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion heat therapy and other adjunctive therapies. She also did extensive training in Asian bodywork therapy and the treatment of addiction recovery working with patients at a rehabilitation facility in Buda, TX. Kacey received her master's degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine (MAcOM) in September 2018. She is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and herbalist, and is a certified diplomate of oriental medicine (Dipl. OM) with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She is also certified by the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) as a level one kundalini yoga instructor.

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Eager to get back to her hometown, Kacey decided to move back to the Berkshires after graduation. Her dream is to take her experiences from her own healing journey, coupled with her formal education in mainstream and alternative medicine, and pay it forward to help her fellow community members. Her dream has now come into fruition with the start of Shire Acupuncture. It is perfectly placed in the heart of downtown Pittsfield, as Kacey has put her whole heart and soul into this new endeavor. She is excited to help the people of the Berkshires and surrounding areas feel better so they too can follow their dreams and live their life to its fullest potential.

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