Andrea Thorpe is a doctor and teacher in the fields of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Over the course of her 25 year career, Andrea has gained extensive education and clinical experience in England, China, and the United States. Her educational achievements include a diploma in Chinese Medicine from the London school of Acupuncture (LSATCM), a master’s degree in Chinese Medicine from Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the completion of a 3 year fellowship at Tao of Wellness (sister clinic of Yo San University), and a doctoral degree in Chinese medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM).  In addition, Andrea has further complemented her formal education in Chinese medicine with certification courses at the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) and The American University of Complementary medicine. Andrea teaches medical professionals internationally, is a Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM) and a Member of the American Society for Reproductive medicine (ASRM). Andrea spends her free time gardening, cooking, practicing yoga and horseback riding. She is a yoga teacher certified with the International Yoga Alliance.

Symptoms and remedies. Cause and effect. Correlation and causation. In my experience, this is how my patients perceive the relationship between their health and disease. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, one’s symptoms do not occur in a vacuum. How we feel physically is linked inextricably to our emotional experiences and overall life history. Chinese medicine sees our symptoms in the context of both our daily lives and as part of our whole, life-long existence.

In my daily practice, I see patients overwhelmed by the cacophony of information – much of it streaming from the internet, some good, some dubious. Chinese medicine has provided a consistent observation-based medical framework for over 5,000 years. During that time, its core philosophy has remained virtually unchanged and in the current climate of almost limitless and often conflicting information, Chinese medicine cuts through this chaos.

I am passionate about the practice of this medicine – where we focus on the individual and the nuances of their own unique story instead of generic care based on depersonalized medical algorithms. Whether a patient seeks care for fertility, to help manage menopausal symptoms, PMS or migraines, my goal is to form a partnership with them. Together, we tease out all the factors that constitute “their health” and map out a plan of action to help them realize and maximize all of their health goals. As a doctor, this work inspires me deeply because it empowers the individual, cultivates greater awareness, calms confusion, and ultimately, forges a deeper connection with self.