Meet Chris M. Volesky
My journey in seeking health and wellness is very similar to that of a lot of people who end up finding Chinese medicine. I dealt with chronic pain for many years, and experienced, even as a child, headaches and migraines to the point of debilitation. When I was 15, I was involved in an unfortunate car accident, which left me with a bad neck injury and subsequent pain for years afterward.
These pains led me to various doctors, and I was told to take over-the-counter painkillers, use ice, and physical therapy. None of these ever gave me long-term relief, however. At one point, I was taking an entire bottle of acetaminophen every month. Depression and fatigue occurred in the wake of bad pain days. In my early 20s, I discovered that my liver was enlarged (presumably from the excessive use of acetaminophen) and experienced my first bout of pancreatitis.
I found all of this terrifying. Oddly enough, I still thought I was relatively healthy! I saw my elderly family members often and was afraid of how much worse things could get. What would life be like to live like this for another 50 years? How bad would the pain, fatigue, and depression get?
At one point, I started seeing a chiropractor, who turned out to be the only person who was actually able to help me at that point. I got some relief, but after about two years of regular visits, I became concerned that I would need the treatment for the rest of my life. Thus, I asked my chiropractor about alternatives, and he recommended trying acupuncture.
I wish I could say that all my pain was gone with my first acupuncture treatment, but that wouldn’t be true. I did notice relief, though, even after the first couple of treatments. More than that, I noticed how my body was reacting to the treatments. I had an increase in body awareness. I observed the changes in hot and cold, and the pulsing of blood flow through different areas of my body. It really felt like something different was happening to my body as a whole! I became hopeful of what the future could hold for me.
I decided to go to the local library to research acupuncture. There I discovered that acupuncture is just a small part of a whole medical system in Chinese medicine. I learned about herbs and other healing modalities like gasotransmitter therapy (specialized breath work), cupping, herbal medicine, and tuina (therapeutic massage). At that point, I became so enthralled that I quickly found myself going to school for Chinese medicine because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!
It didn’t take long for the debilitating headaches to be all but gone (I’m “lucky” to get one every six months now). I had increased energy, freedom from depression, and a massive elimination of chronic pain. What was even more incredible was that I had an increased lust for life. I felt (and continue to feel) more driven, happier, and with more friendship and love in my life.
My journey into Chinese medicine has been extremely beautiful and rewarding. I received my Masters of Oriental Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota. While there, I had the privilege of doing acupuncture for multiple clinics, the Salvation Army and the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, where I treated primarily people suffering from brain and spinal cord injuries. I was also fortunate enough to be one of only a few practitioners who had the chance to work in-patient at Woodwinds Hospital, specializing in post-surgical pain management.
Following my practice in Minnesota, I was hired by CMC-NorthEast hospital in Concord, North Carolina. There I had the privilege of working both out-patient and in-patient and was able to see patients in all areas of the hospital (neurology, post-surgical, oncology, etc.). I also created a treatment program designed to help those suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome and autoimmune disease. As my career progressed, I accepted a position at one of the busiest Chinese medicine clinics in the country in Poulsbo, Washington, where I was able to treat in excess of 40 patients per day.
Throughout my career, I have been blessed to study with a number of remarkable teachers: Dr. Wei-Yen Chang, a master diagnostician from Taipei City, Taiwan; Dr. Teh-Fu Tan, an internationally recognized acupuncturist; and, more recently, Dr. Jin Zhao, one of the most famous herbalists in Chengdu, China. In 2018, I was asked to start teaching pulse diagnosis and herbal medicine to Chinese medicine practitioners. The classes have been such a success that I now have the opportunity to teach them internationally.
I have been humbled and overwhelmed by the incredible opportunities I have had since the beginning. I have seen first-hand the incredible healing power that this medicine has. It is often life-changing and, in some cases, life-saving.
It has always been my goal to help as many people as possible, whether that means properly delivering medical care, intelligently referring patients out, educating others on how to practice medicine, or simply offering a listening ear and a warm smile.
Now, I bring these experiences to help my clients who deal with autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and chronic illness to get their lives back. It would be an honor to help you on your journey.
