Meet Sondrina Bullitt of The Healing Sp-ce: Acupuncture & Traditional Asian Medicine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sondrina Bullitt.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My journey is unique and in many ways unconventional. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, the only child of a single mother. I developed a strong interest in science and learning at a young age which led to a never-ending fascination of nature and also human physiology. I always excelled in science classes and also had a knack for language arts and humanities. It’s interesting because you hear that a person is either left-brained dominant or right-brained dominant, but I’m a solid mix of both. I grew up helping my mom take care of my great-grandmother, which in hindsight fostered my skill of caretaking and compassion for those who aren’t in the best health. It was clear that being of service to others was my calling and eventually, I accepted that I’d have a career in healthcare.

A diagnosis of eczema ultimately led me down the path of studying traditional medicine. The summer going into high school, the skin on my face broke out into dry itchy patches and I had no clue why. I was taken to the doctor and told that I had eczema, and was given a recurring prescription for hydrocortisone cream. For nearly nine years, I was using steroid cream all over my face twice a day, not knowing that it was causing long-term damage to my immune system and endocrine system. So while in my last year of college, a Nurse Practitioner alerted me to the fact that I wasn’t supposed to be using the steroid cream for so long, and she advised me to get off of it. Being the researcher that I am, I immediately started reading about the long-term effects of steroid use, and I decided to find a way to “naturally” heal my body.

The following year while in graduate school studying Public health, I chose to stop using the steroid cream and as a result, my immune system went crazy. My skin broke out everywhere. I became allergic to half of the foods I ate, had constant diarrhea and constipation, and gained a lot of weight. I sought support and treatment from a Naturopathic doctor who was also an Acupuncturist, and I started to experience dramatic shifts in my body. Not only was my skin healing, but my sense of well-being and emotions were improving. My natural healing journey continued, and several years later, I decided it was time to start medical school and I chose Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). So here I am, a Black woman from LA practicing medicine as an Acupuncturist and Herbalist!

Has it been a smooth road?
The road that I’ve traveled to get to this point has had its challenges. For one, there are very very few Black folks studying traditional medicine, so going through school and training can feel isolating. Mentors and having support from others who share similar backgrounds and experiences are few and far between, so pushing through and keeping my eyes on the prize has been a must. Other challenges have been just managing the ups and downs of family, relationships, and self-care while going through graduate school and working at the same time. Life continues to happen whether we like it or not.

We’d love to hear more about your practice.
My private practice is called The Healing Sp-ce: Acupuncture & Traditional Asian Medicine. My vision and intention is to have a medical practice that is inviting and a safe place to allow a person to let go and enable their body, mind, and spirit to heal. Based on patient feedback and treatment outcomes, I think the vision is being fulfilled. In my practice, I utilize several methods of treatment within the Asian medicine tradition such as: Acupuncture, Cupping, Moxibustion, Herbal medicine, and Gua Sha. I also provide lifestyle and nutrition support and supplement prescriptions. I currently do not specialize in treating a specific ailment because the philosophies and approaches to treatment within the medicine are broad and truly holistic that I can support a variety of conditions. I do, however, specialize in using Sa’am Korean style Acupuncture where I focus on balancing the Yin and Yang pulses and then treat to balance the specific organ systems that are imbalanced.

I spend a good amount of time talking with my patients, getting to know them, understanding their various perspectives on their health and how life events affect them. I enjoy listening and actively engaging and building a connection with each patient because it’s a way to break down barriers to healing. Additionally, I explain things to my patients in a way that empowers them to understand what’s going on in their bodies, know how their treatment plan works, and then be able to make informed decisions about their health. I find too often that as a Western culture, we allow outside forces to dictate what we do and how we care for our bodies, and we don’t exercise enough autonomy to make the best informed choices for ourselves.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the diversity of LA. There are mini-cities within the city. For example, I can go east of the 110 freeway and see completely different people, hear different music, and see very different restaurants compared to being in South LA. Of course, the weather is a plus too. I don’t enjoy the traffic and the smog at times, but that’s what happens when so many people want to live here and pursue their dreams!

Contact Info:

• Address: 349 Richmond Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
• Website: www.thehealingsp-ce.com
• Phone: 323-452-5266
• Email: info@thehealingsp-ce.com
• Instagram: thehealingsp_ce
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-healing-sp-ce-acupuncture-and-traditional-asian-medicine-el-segundo?osq=acupuncture

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