There is something about military service, that conquers many divides. When I first met Lesley Johnsen, we immediately bonded. She was an Air Force veteran, and I was a Navy veteran. We started talking about our military job occupations, where we were stationed, and how our service led us to our present-day careers.
Johnsen served in the Air Force from 1996-2002. She had a challenging job, a Cryptologic Linguist, which would require two years of training.
“When I learned I was going to be a linguist; I had hoped to study Chinese because even then, I knew that I wanted to do something in the field of holistic health. When I transitioned out of the Air Force, I joined a massage therapy certification program, which helped me see the importance of bringing the body into any conversation about mental health and overall wellness. After learning about Acupuncture, I found myself in a Five-Element Acupuncture school. For me, this completed the picture of being able to work with someone on the holistic level of the mind, body, and spirit. I have been nationally certified and licensed since 2009,” said Johnsen.
Johnsen began working part-time in the Mayo Clinic Department of Integrative Health in 2018, and after being furloughed due to COVID-19, she opened her practice in Phoenix. She hopes to return there when the program resumes full service.
Studies show Acupuncture can help boost the immune system – especially lung function – and it can help with sleep, digestion, headaches, and any number of other ailments people may experience as symptoms of feeling “under the weather.” But perhaps most important is the benefits acupuncture offers in helping people cope with the anxiety and fear they are feeling in these uncertain times.
“Acupuncture helps to balance all systems of the body, so that a person may experience improved energy and an overall improved sense of well-being. We work together to strengthen a person’s own innate physical and emotional resilience so that their system can better cope with whatever may come up. The most important thing for me is for my clients to feel empowered and know that they truly are the experts in their lives and are in charge of their wellness journey,” she added.
You can learn more about Lesley Johnsen and her acupuncture services online at https://www.mindfullifeacupuncture.com/.
