I grew up with a passion for learning, teaching and traveling. My mother, born and raised in Brazil, could speak seven languages. She was my inspiration for studying foreign languages. My goal was to become an interpreter in the United Nations. As it turns out, I became an enterpreter of body language, mapping and interpreting energy fields, and conduit for supporting the bodies innate ability to heal itself.

I did my undergraduate studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. One day, sitting behind a student taking notes with his feet, I was transfixed. He was a paraplegic, sans arms: and my second inspiration. I learned to draw with my hands, feet and whole body creating mandalas on the floor.

In the 80's, I visited China, Japan and Hong Kong, studying Shiatsu and Hara Diagnosis in Japan. The Japanese call the "Hara", or gut, the second brain- I actually believe that through gut reactions we receive our deepest information; and why I love animals. They are totally gut driven, intuitive beings.

In 1993, before the thousand year old tradition of Acupuncture was popular in the United States, I graduated from a three year post- graduate training in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at Tri-State College of Acupuncture. I had studied the body with pioneers in the field like Moshe Feldenkrais, (Awareness Through Movement), Milton Trager. (Psychophysical Education), Jon Zahourek (Anatomy in Clay) and Frank Bender, a forensic artist .

The lessons learned from this amazing young man and his dog were life changing. While, in California, I spent much time by the sea. Exposure to the environment and elements, deepened, not only my appreciation for nature, but my understanding of the Five Element paradigm used for diagnosis in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. This two thousand year old system examines the relationship between nature, humans, animals, and the five elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. Acudog Wellness goes "hand-and-paw" with the elements. I currently teach "Shiatsu"and "Tui-Na," non-invasive branches of Chinese Medicine

In December of 2019, I came back East for a visit and Covid hit. I remained on the East coast, and In 2020, decided to get licensed in Maryland to practice acupuncture. I had practiced acupuncture and bodywork in Pennsylvania for over 30 years.