Dana DePaul Ellis

Dana DePaul Ellis, MSTOM, L.Ac

Dana’s first exposure to Eastern medicine came in 1999 as a patient when she was experiencing some of her own unexpected health issues. After extending all available conventional Western treatments without much improvement and lots of unwanted side effects, a friend suggested she see a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine for acupuncture and herbs. With regular and consistent treatment, not only did Dana see her symptoms disappear, but she also saw a marked improvement in her overall health and wellness with improved sleep, digestion, and energy.

While she had an established and successful 15-year career traveling the world as a theatrical stage manager and celebrity tour producer, she became such a believer in the healing power of this medicine that she dropped everything to move across the country to California to pursue a master’s of science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine at the renowned Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego. There, she completed a rigorous 4-year program consisting of nearly 4000 hours of classroom and clinical training in Chinese herbology, acupuncture, and Western medicine.

In San Diego, Dana treated patients with a wide range of conditions and also completed several rotations at UC San Diego Hospital’s Owen Clinic, as well as Rady Children’s Hospital. During her training Dana gravitated toward a specific type of Japanese meridian acupuncture therapy, which promotes the body’s ability to heal itself, focusing on the “root” of the problem rather than just the symptoms. This gentle yet powerful style of treatment utilizes a lighter needling technique with extremely thin needles and is effective at treating numerous conditions. Dana is also trained in a non-insertive, needle-less acupuncture technique, which is particularly suited for pediatric patients or for those who may be sensitive to needles.

Dana continues her education in this style, traveling to Japan to study, as well as attending courses in Shakuju Core Therapy with a Japanese master, Sensei Shoji Kobayashi, in Hawaii and San Francisco. Dana has used this style to effectively treat numerous chronic health conditions, as well as acute issues and pain relief, and to maintain overall wellness. Most importantly, Dana just wants to aid patients in bringing their body, mind, and spirit back into balance so that true healing can begin to take place.