About Marian

I’ve been passionate about health and healing since I was a teenager. In the early 1990’s, I was on staff as a bodyworker at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California (lucky me). There, I immersed myself in studying a broad range of healing arts. Through the practice of Qigong, I discovered Chinese medicine and felt instantly aligned with its holistic approach. I earned a master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University and then became a diplomate of the National Board of Acupuncture Orthopedics in 1999. I have been an acupuncturist in private practice serving the Monterey Peninsula since 1999.

Since good nutrition is essential to well-being, I’ve always tried to eat well, too. In 2007, I came upon research showing the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Soon I was connecting the dots between 3 of my core values: human well-being, environmental sustainability and compassion for animals. I enthusiastically shifted to a whole foods plant-based way of eating. I wanted to share trustworthy information about the health benefits of eating plant-based with my acupuncture clients so I earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell in 2015.

I quickly learned that knowing what to eat for health is just one part of actually getting there. Choosing which changes to make and sustaining them is the hard part. To further support clients, I became a Certified Health and Wellness Coach in 2013. First with Wellcoaches and then with Wellstart Health. In 2021, I became nationally board certified as a health and wellness coach with NBHWC. I taught in coach trainings for Wellstart Health Coaching Academy and also the Food Revolution Network. Guiding folks to make enduring positive lifestyle changes is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done!

I’m a lifelong learner, committed to growing, both as an acupuncturist and as a wellness coach. When I’m not with my acupuncture or coaching clients, I enjoy exploring the outdoors, reading about health and well-being, experimenting in the kitchen or practicing Tai Chi. I live with my partner in Watsonville, California.