Hi everyone. My name is Jonathan Handel and I am the newest member of the team here at the Integrative Health Institute. Starting in April, I’ll be bringing my skills as a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R.TCMP) and Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac) to IHI. I hope to compliment the suite of holistic services already offered here by the talented, welcoming and wonderful staff.

My journey to becoming a TCM Practitioner started when I was quite young, when my parents would take acupuncture treatments for tennis elbow and other minor injuries. Having this early exposure normalized what for many people can seem like a very strange concept: that by inserting small needles into specific places on the body, one is able to improve their health and wellbeing!

In my 20’s, my sister started having severe chronic health issues, and while trying to find solutions through western medical interventions, dealt with her symptoms using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. She never did find a cure in Western medicine, but she was able to manage and greatly improve her condition with acupuncture and TCM. She went from wheelchair-bound to regaining a good deal of her life in the span of eighteen months.  Seeing this really affected me, and I wanted to learn how to help people in the same gentle, thoughtful way. I have always wanted to help people, and TCM and acupuncture has given me the tools to do that. I am grateful to have found this path.

As IHI’s first dedicated TCM practitioner and acupuncturist, I look forward to bringing a new kind of healing art to this clinic. What I love about my practice, and is central to how I treat people, is the way TCM and acupuncture allows clients take charge of their own wellbeing. A simple way to understand a lot of Traditional Chinese Medicine is to see it as a method for turning on your body’s own natural healing capacity. Over my years of practice, I have seen countless clients improve their health — regaining a sense of control and empowerment in even the most  difficult of medical circumstances. Illness and pain can be isolating and dispiriting. My view as a TCM practitioner is that, while I may know where to put the needles, it is the patient who heals themselves.

Acupuncture, which is my primary tool, is great for managing all sorts of health complaints.

What are some of the appropriate conditions where you should seek out my services?

• You have chronic or acute pain (including neck, back, repetitive strain injury, sports injury, TMJ, carpal tunnel, post surgical recovery, etc);
• You have anxiety, depression, or chronic stress;
• You have insomnia or poor sleep;
• Your have chronic or acute fatigue;
• You have digestive issues;
• You have reproductive health disorders (including painful periods, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, irregular menstruation, PMS, etc);
• You are in need fertility or IVF support;
• You get chronic headaches or migraines;
• You want help managing addiction

Dealing with any of these issues affects your life, preventing you from living comfortably and happily. In joining IHI, I am happy to be part of the team, and help you move forward with your health and happiness!

In Gratitude,

Jonathan Handel, R.Ac R.TCMP

Jonathan is a acupuncturist and practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. He values a holistic approach, and seeks to treat the root causes of illness and provide symptomatic relief for people seeking to better their health and quality of life. As a practitioner, Jonathan seeks to create a positive healing environment, where patients can step away from their daily stresses. Through creating a safe and comfortable space, patients can look forward to coming in for treatment as an opportunity to seek relief and get the support they need.

To learn more about Jonathan and how his sister’s illness led him to become an acupuncturist, read the story she wrote about it for the National Post: Mireille Silcoff: Why my brother is an acupuncturist