DR. TERESA WLASIUK
Doctor of Acupuncture & East Asian Medicine
California Licensed Acupuncturist
Diplomat of Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
EDUCATION
University of California – Davis
Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science, emphasis in Biochemistry
Swedish Institute
Associate in Occupational Studies – Massage Therapy
Emperor’s College
Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine
EXPERIENCE
Dr. T is in her 11th year of practicing East Asian medicine.
Undergrad/ Post-grad
Dr. T studied Nutritional Science, Biochemistry, & Cancer Biology at UC Davis.
Dr. T interned for the USDA Western Human Nutritional Research Center and studied Conjugated Linoleic Acid's (CLA) involvement in hepatocyte tumorigenesis.
Teresa was awarded a fellowship by the U.S. Department of Energy as an undergraduate and was published in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2003 Journal of Undergraduate Research. She was a undergraduate fellow and brought on postgraduate as a Research Assistant, at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source (particle accelerator) and conducted protein crystallography trials to discover the 3D structure of proteins involved in tumorigenesis.
Dr. T then worked as a Senior Research Associate at Columbia University's Institute for Cancer Genetics helping elucidate the pathways of pediatric brain tumors (neuroblastoma) and breast cancer.
After completing a 10-day silent Vipassana mediation retreat, Teresa switch career paths and started her East Asian medicine journey.
Taichung, Taiwan
Dr. T completed a clinical internship at the College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University (中國醫藥大學) and Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan. The notable treatments she observed included scalp acupuncture for children with intellectual disabilities and growth delays, orthopedic acupuncture with insertion of self-dissolving surgical wire into acupuncture points, stroke rehabilitation acupuncture, and ocular acupuncture for degenerative eye disorders.
Kyoto, Japan
Dr T studied Japanese acupuncture at Meiji University of Integrative Medicine (明治国際医療大学) in Kyoto, Japan. The curriculum included classes in gentle needling technique, facial acupuncture, da-shin hammer technique, shone-shin pediatric acupuncture, and clinical rounds.
Guatemala
Since 2014, Teresa has volunteered as a Chinese Medical Practitioner with The Global Healthworks Foundation in Quiche and Chichicastenango, Guatemala. In 6 days, the team treats around 1500 indigenous people who have limited to no access to modern healthcare. Treating over a hundred and fifty patients herself each jornada has given her a unique prospective on many pathologies both common and rare in the United States.
Native American
While pregnant with her son, Teresa volunteered her acupuncture and Chinese Medicine services to the Native American tribes protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in North Dakota during the harsh subzero winter for Christmas to New Years 2016.
Veterans
Dr. T interned as an acupuncturist at the Veteran’s Administration (VA) Hospital - Pain Management Center in New York City. She treated phantom limb pain, neurological disorders from Agent Orange exposure, insomnia, and pain management. She continues to volunteer for Veteran's events, including the LA Veteran & Family Stand Down.
Dr. T was part of the team that helped prepare retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charlie Linville to climb Mt. Everest. Teresa provided both acupuncture and massage therapy during the eight weeks prior to leaving for Everest base camp. On 19 May 2016, Charlie made history as the first combat wounded amputee to summit Mt. Everest. The results from the treatments gave Charlie an, at least, 89% decrease in his phantom limb pain and became the topic of Teresa's doctoral capstone project at Emperor's College.
Ferility | Motherhood
Dr T served as a labor assistant/ doula for two separate births in 2011 and has taken courses for acupuncture for fertility, pregnancy, & labor. She used acupuncture and Chinese herbs during her own pregnancy, labor and postpartum. She incorporates acupuncture and East Asian herbal formulas to help many female patients prepare their bodies for pregnancy, increase their fertility, support their system through pregnancy and help prepare them for labor. She has treated many women regularly throughout their pregnancies & postpartum.
Pediatrics
Dr. T has worked on many children and has treated children for respiratory problems, eczema, digestive issues, mental and physical developmental disorders, cerebral palsy, muscles tension, & boosting immunity pre and post vaccination.
Purpose
Dr. T believes in whole body care, helping her patients to unblock what is preventing them from healing and reaching their optimal state of health. She worked for more than a decade in sports massage therapy and helped many athletes quicken their recovery time from strenuous workouts and/ or sports injuries. She has had significant success in treating Ménière's disease, Phantom Limb Pain, Radial Mononeuropathy, Scleroderma, Somnambulism/ Sleepwalking, and severe dry eyes.
Dr. T has facilitated healing experiences for Summit & WITMA.
Dr. T is a Scientific Advisory Board member for Beekeeper's Naturals.
Hobbies
Teresa also studies Wing Tsun kung fu, Vipassana meditation, and is an avid reader, rock climber, skier, ocean swimmer, runner (3 marathons & 6 half marathons), triathlete (Ironman70.3 & 2 sprint triathlons), modern quilter, & oil painter.