Meet the authors
Christina Velderman, DACM
Editor
Author: Introduction, Case Studies, The Ethics of Treating Trauma with Chinese Medicine, The Ethics of Healing as a Business
Christina Velderman is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and licensed acupuncturist. Prior to founding Soulfire Medicine in 2021, she worked as a creative and strategic consultant in the leadership, higher education, personal development, and health industries. Dr. Velderman started her career as a news producer for NBC before going on to help build the largest leadership honor society in the United States, and has designed and edited numerous online educational programs and informational products.
Kathy Robinson, MD
Editor
Author: Ethics of Informed Consent and Confidentiality, Ethics of Medical Communication
Kathy Robinson is a Doctor of Medicine, and Chair of the Biomedicine Department at
Mary Caldwell, M.Div, M.A
Author: Ethical Foundations
Mary Caldwell was a chaplain and clinical ethicist for thirty years at Mission Health in Asheville, North Carolina.
Mary earned her Bachelor of Arts in religion from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and her Master of Arts in philosophy with a concentration in medical ethics from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Clare Pyers
Dr. Clare Pyers has worked in the health field since 2001, and is a leader in the Chinese Medicine industry, having written the first comprehensive textbook teaching practitioners how to translate between the paradigms of Conventional, Functional, and Chinese medicine. Her book, TCM Guide to Pathology: Interpreting Blood Tests into a Chinese Medicine Framework, broke new ground in the field and is used extensively by practitioners around the world. Dr. Pyers maintains a private practice in Victoria, Australia, specializing in women’s health and untangling complex problems.
Dolph Todd, MA, DACM, L.Ac.
Dolph trained in psychology as a mental health counselor at the University of West Florida and earned a doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts. He has worked in private practice, an inpatient holistic recovery center, and providing mobile crisis response services. His areas of focus include education and empowerment to support autonomy, supporting emotional health to enhance overall wellness, and authenticity to promote diversity and community improvement.
Nathalie Basile, MAOM, L.AC.
Nathalie Basile, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Chinese Medicine. She is a birth and postpartum doula, natural foods chef, and the former Executive Director of Traditions Acupuncture Foundation. Nathalie utilizes knowledge of whole foods, herbs, Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda to develop pathology-specific menus for her patients in the mountains of Western North Carolina. She is married and has a 2 year old son and 4 year old Great Pyrenees.
Catherine Lumenello, DAIM, PLLC
Dr. Catherine Lumenello is both a Qigong and Feng Shui Master, nationally certified and licensed by the state of Vermont to practice acupuncture. Dr. Lumenello specializes in working with chronic emotional stress / PTSD recovery and the LGBTQ+ community, and is the author-illustrator of Gender and Sexuality in Chinese Medicine. Dr. Lumenello works with clients nationwide through distance healing, mentorships, Qigong instruction, and private practice.
Jenny DeDecker, PhD, LMT, CLC
Dr. Jenny DeDecker completed her research doctorate in Mindful Leadership in Healthcare. Her research focuses on the embodiment of compassion in healthcare and the potential for compassion to mitigate burnout. Jenny is owner of Full Moon Rising, a wellness studio offering bodywork, yoga and mindfulness instruction, and maternal health services. She resides in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with her husband and two children.
Randine Lewis, Ph.D., L.Ac.
After studying Western medicine, Chinese Medicine (MSOM), and Alternative Medicine (Ph.D., IN), Randine spent her career integrating Western medical understanding into a Chinese medical paradigm, especially pertaining to infertility and reproductive health. She has been on faculty at Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts since 2016. Published works include The Infertility Cure, The Way of the Fertile Soul, The Spirit of The Blood, and Birthing the Tao.
Rebecca Avern, BA (Hons), Lic.Ac., Dip.Paed.Ac., FBAcC
Author: Clinically Tricky Conditions – The Ethics of Treating Children with Acupuncture
Rebecca Avern has treated children with acupuncture for over 22 years. She founded and runs two children’s acupuncture clinics in Oxford, UK. A senior faculty member at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine for the past 15 years, she also teaches a year-long diploma in acupuncture paediatrics and a complete paediatrics online course through TCM Academy. Rebecca is the author of the textbook Acupuncture for Babies, Children and Teenagers, and Chinese Medicine for Childhood Anxiety and Depression: a practical guide for practitioners and parents. Rebecca founded the Hub of Paediatric Acupuncture, an online community providing information for parents and support to practitioners who treat children.
Janette Engelbrecht, DACM, LA.c., Dipl.OM.
Dr. Janette Engelbrecht founded Bitterroot Wellness Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine in 2019 after graduating from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts with dual Masters and Doctorate degrees. Her practice is a full-service Chinese Medicine clinic dedicated to healing sickness and promoting healthy lifestyles. Dr. Engelbrecht has a background in Western cancer care and specializes in Oncology.
Lisa Abernathy, DACM, L.Ac.
Dr. Lisa Abernathy is founder, acupuncturist and herbalist at Blue Heron Acupuncture and Apothecary in Charleston, SC. She is honored to practice a medicine that instills inspiration and healing while being rooted in integrity and compassion. She is grateful to learn valuable lessons daily from her family, patients and teachers that enrich her work supporting patients through physical, emotional and mental transformation.