Sandra Lanshin Chiu, L.Ac., M.S.T.C.M. - Founder, Acupuncturist, Herbalist, TCM Practitioner
Oddly enough, my journey to Traditional Chinese Medicine started with my job in finance.
It was toxic, to say the least. The hours were cruel (9 to 5 am) and I was tired, overworked, and in constant pain. Fed up, I went to see a Chinese shaman who specialized in qi-gong massage. At first, I was skeptical but after just one session—I felt no pain. So I kept going and became obsessed with unlocking this new world of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
One day, a few of my colleagues called me over because they noticed something “off” about me. They asked why I seemed…happy. That was my wake-up call.
I didn’t know it at the time, but I was depressed and the chronic pain was my body’s way of sending me warning signals. So I left everything dependable and secure behind and committed to my own happiness—to something that I had unknowingly grown up with and was actually just returning to: Traditional Chinese Medicine.
I wanted to learn from the best. So after earning my Masters degree in TCM from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2005, I continued my post-graduate studies in Beijing with the late TCM doctor, acupuncturist and author of Applied Channel Theory, Dr. Wang Ju-Yi and later completed a course of specialized study with world recognized leader in TCM dermatology, Mazin Al-Khafaji.
Today, even after 20+ years of pioneering the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology, I still feel the same excitement I did after leaving that shaman’s office. The name of my practice, Lanshin, symbolizes a return to my roots. Not only is it a reclamation of my family name but also the Chinese heritage that I, like many Asian Americans of my generation, felt ashamed of, but have now learned to accept and feel proud of.
Through sharing what I’ve learned, my hope is that you’ll not only view beauty in a completely new light, but that much like my journey, you’ll also feel re-connected to something that feels natural.
Lanshin is about beauty for your whole self, unchained from weight, youth, or trendy products. It’s about feeling healthy, balanced, and alive from the inside out.