Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Huber.
Hi Angela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I first became interested in learning acupuncture shortly after I had finished my undergrad, during a time in my life when I was not yet sure of my career path and had no clear career goals yet. I had a passion for health and wellness, but I did not see health through an allopathic lens and, therefore, couldn’t envision a fulfilling career in that space. At the time, I did not have experience with acupuncture or Eastern medicine. Once I was introduced to this beautiful medicine by a friend who was studying acupuncture, I became fascinated and felt a desire to learn more. I loved the philosophies and theories that it is based on- achieving balance of yin and yang energies, getting to the root cause versus masking symptoms, that it is a holistic approach that treats the mind, the physical body, and the spirit and seeks to achieve all body systems working in harmony together both within our bodies and with the energy of the universe as a whole. Shortly after being introduced to Eastern medicine, I felt inspired to start my Master’s program because I finally felt a certainty about my life’s path that had previously eluded me. I opened my first practice in Santa Monica in 2012, and while it took time to build clientele and grow, I gradually built a busy practice and was proud of my career and business. I went back for more schooling to get my Doctorate in Eastern Asian Medicine with an emphasis on reproductive health, orthopedics, and internal medicine because when you love what you do, the desire to learn more and refine your skills is constant. In 2020, I gave birth to my first child, a daughter, and shortly after, the world came to a halt when Covid-19 hit and businesses closed while the world tried to prevent the spread of this novel disease. Later that year, I returned to practice part-time and adapted to the evolving challenges of life with a newborn and running a business during a pandemic. It was tough navigating changing Covid safety protocols and providing care to a population who had mixed levels of concern and fear about Covid and trying to be as safe as possible for the most vulnerable, including my newborn at home!
A few years later, we moved our family to the Valley and welcomed my second child, a son. As I began contemplating a return to practice after maternity leave, I felt a strong desire to be near my kids because, while they would be in daycare while I worked, I wanted to be close in case anything happened, and I did not want to have a long daily commute to west LA. I also wanted a fresh start where I could design a new healing space from the ground up. My first offices were spaces that I sublet from another practitioner and had very little control over the environment and amenities offered. I also yarned to be in a space where I could collaborate and work with other practitioners and healers rather than just share space. So, with a 7-month-old and 2-and-a-half-year-old, I found a location and signed a lease, began planning, purchasing equipment and furniture, and opened up my new location. Throughout it all, I continued to run my West LA office part-time and am currently building the practice of my dreams in Woodland Hills, turning it into a safe haven and healing oasis in the heart of the Valley. In this new space, I am consciously creating partnerships with like-minded professionals to build a sense of community that is often lacking, especially in the post-covid era.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Getting to where I am now has not been easy, and I have faced many challenges along the way. Early on, I struggled to make ends meet and worked in the hospitality industry at night as I grew my business. Then, as my business began to do well financially, I still struggled to make headway paying off the enormous amount of student loan debt that had increased in interest in the first couple years of practice. It was very freeing to finally pay off my student loans. Navigating through the challenge of running a small business during the pandemic was tough, as was navigating running a small business while raising young children. Having children taught me a new business skill that I am forever grateful for: setting firm boundaries. Prior to having children, I was so used to having to “hustle” to build a business and pay off my loans and, therefore, had gotten quite comfortable saying yes to accommodating other people’s schedules over my own. After my children were born, I had to put in place a firm schedule of when I was available.
On this journey, one of the biggest challenges of being an acupuncturist is learning to wear all the “hats.” It requires business skills, marketing, time management, people skills, bedside manner, and of course, acupuncture techniques that are honed over time. Maintaining and improving my technique, medical knowledge, and skills is a constant to be successful, but because I have such a passion and fascination for this medicine, it is the part I enjoy the most. It never gets tedious.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
One of the techniques I am known for is my cupping and gua sha. It is one my favorite techniques to receive which motivated me early on to learn how to provide it well. Living in Los Angeles where people must work long hours at desk jobs and commute long hours means most my patients need this service just to maintain themselves. It can provide immense relief by keeping myofascial tension from growing into worsening pain and other health issues.
An additional passion of mine within this medicine is Herbal medicine. It so important to me to offer effective herbal alternatives to help patients get off the pharmaceutical road and embrace natural healing and root cause medicine. Once I began to use herbal medicine on myself, I experienced profound healing of ailments that I had only previously found temporary relief of symptoms with using Western medicine.
Another service I love being able to provide that is recently quite popular is cosmetic acupuncture and facial gua sha as an alternative to injectables and toxins for anti-aging. These treatments are so effective at improving circulation, lymphatic drainage, anti-inflammatory, and stimulation of collagen, and reducing scarring and discoloration.
Finally, In the last several years, I have found an increased joy in treating women’s health and reproductive health, including hormone balance, dysmenorrhea, fertility, and preconception, as well as post-partum care. I love providing natural health support to this patient population as an alternative or as an adjunct to the synthetic and invasive procedures often suggested by the allopathic care model. It is rewarding to be able to provide women natural ways to manage and balance their hormones to repair their period problems rather than mask them with hormonal birth control as is so often prescribed by MDs. As a woman and also a new mom, I can relate to many of the struggles that often accompany women no matter where they are on their journey to motherhood. Currently, I’ve seen a huge increase in patients using ART, IVF, and egg freezing to enhance their fertility, and there is a huge need for support on their journey to provide relief of symptoms and side effects and to enhance the results of the treatments themselves.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Throughout my life, I have had moments where I have felt lucky, and somewhere I was unlucky, but when it comes to my life’s path and business path, I feel that it would be more accurate to say that I have encountered many challenges along the way but have been quite fortunate overall. The struggles I have faced have ultimately encouraged me to learn an important lesson or grow as a person, even if I may not recognize it in the moment. For the most part, I count my blessings daily that I have a supportive family as a foundation and a husband who cheers me on in my business and encourages me to grow personally and professionally. Additionally, I am so blessed to be surrounded by a community of women entrepreneurs and business owners who provide collaboration, support, and inspiration. Lastly, I would not be where I am if it weren’t for the amazing mentors and teachers that have generously shared their knowledge, wisdom, and skills with me and guided my journey.
Pricing:
- $50 for 20-minute cupping session
- $150 for acupuncture plus consultation
- $100 follow up acupuncture
- $175 facial/cosmetic acupuncture
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ecolibriumwellness.com
- Instagram: @ecolibriumwellness
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ecolibrium-wellness-woodland-hills
- Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/angela-huber-l-ac-santa-monica
Acupuncture and moxa for low back pain and injury:
Cupping:
Myofacsial pain relief by Gua sha right neck and shoulder :
Gua sha on shoulder and scapula for shoulder injury:
Volunteer work in Indonesian clinic- Bumi Sahat birthing center and drop in acupuncture clinic
Facial rejuvenation acupuncture sessions:
Below close up of auricular acupuncture points and yin tang point(third eye)
Me holding my youngest son at the grand opening of Ecolibrium Wellness, with friend Ashly Smith.
Image Credits
Heather Leven
