A little about David
David has been drawn to Community Acupuncture (CA) as first a lover of (acu)naps then subsequently a member of the H&H front desk volunteer team and now, soon to be acupunk! Accessibility is a core value within the CA model, but also for all of the health services he offers both in his bodywork practice and now in acupuncture!
The CA model has been inspiring to him as a viable and sustainable model for allowing many people to access a lot of help. David is excited to step into a new role as part of the H&H team and meet the community as a facilitator of (acu)naps rather than just a fellow (acu)napper :)
Read below to get to know David or visit his bio !
What is your hometown?
I was grown locally and free-range in Lkwungen Territories, AKA Victoria, B.C.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
My original plan for life was to be a wilderness dwelling hermit à la my side of the mountain. I later mellowed this plan out considerably into being a farmer/market gardener with a side of holistic healthcare.
Favorite place you’ve traveled?
Trinity Bay in Newfoundland, the traditional territories of the the Inuit, Innu, and the Mi’kmaq peoples. My father and I went there to stay at a friend’s home for a writer’s retreat in April 2015. The view of the bay filled to the brim with icebergs was beautifully striking and contrasted sharply with the April weather in Victoria .
Favorite food?
Fresh berries! Also, sushi and various curries.
Cats or dogs?
Bunnies
Current book you’re reading?
DAO of Chinese Medicine: Understanding an Ancient Healing Art, by Donald Edward Kendall
Life Span Motor Development, by Kathleen M. Haywood, Nancy Getchell
No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam, by Reza Aslan
Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
What are you listening to nowadays?
In Constellation, by West My Friend
Beauty in the Silence, by SOJA
This is How We Get Better, by The Narcissist’s Cookbook
What are things you enjoy doing with your spare time?
I like to be in motion frequently. My favourite ways to move include qigong, cycling, martial arts and rock climbing. I enjoy singing, especially with other people though Covid-19 has made that difficult of late. I am a fan of videogames, especially historically focused strategy games. I garden and have aspirations towards moderate-scale urban food production for the future.
Non-profits you should be watching?
Partners in Health, their work in Sierra Leone in the past few years has been amazing and I can only hope the impact they are making continues to grow.
Also the Foundation to Decrease Worldsuck, which is really just a cool fundraiser for other nonprofits, but has objectively the best name of any English language charity.
What is your super power?
Laughing way too loudly. It works like a milder version of Black Canary’s power.
Why acupuncture?
Because I have found it profoundly helpful to my health and it let’s me share those benefits with other people without hurting my thumbs the way massage does.
Describe community acupuncture in a nutshell.
The basic premise is to heal as a group, a community. Specific strategies include pricing, needle techniques and accessibility pieces, but it really comes back to creating a space to heal together.
Heart & Hands is…
A place I have felt very safe and done some of my best napping.
