Dr. Michelle Hughes is the founder of Comox Valley Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, which opened in 2004 in Courtenay, B.C. Michelle has a special interest in treating infertility and women’s health. Now, she is expanding and has welcomed a new practitioner Steven Thomas to the practice. Michelle was raised in the Comox Valley and returned with her family in 2004 to open her clinic and enjoy the wonderful lifestyle that the Comox Valley has to offer. Michelle attended the University of British Columbia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology. Michelle then chose to study Chinese medicine and graduated in 2000 from the acclaimed International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia as a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After graduation Michelle interned at the Anhui Acupuncture hospital in Hefei, China where she gained valuable experience in acupuncture and herbal medicine from the hundreds of patients that she treated. Michelle is a Registered Acupuncturist and Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine of British Columbia. She is also a Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. After completing a business degree Steven began his travels around the world. After teaching snowboarding in New Zealand and Canada, Steven found himself back in the UK, living between the city of Bath and London studying registered massage therapy. Later Traditional Chinese Medicine in Victoria, and recently just qualified as an end of life doula, and is embarking on studies in the Hakomi method (a body centred psychotherapy.) Michelle has trained with some of North America’s foremost women’s health experts in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine. Michelle has traveled to Houston, Texas to train with Dr. Randine Lewis author of the” Infertility Cure”, Vancouver to train with Bob Flaws author of” Fulfilling the Essence Chinese Treatments for Female Infertility”, and New York City to train with Mike Berkley founder of the Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness and Women’s Health. She has taken birth coaching and was a doula. For the past two years Steven has been working in Northern BC, at a busy physiotherapy clinic, and continuing his other profession as a part time paramedic for BC ambulance. Now back on the island he is chopping wood, feeding chickens and getting down to a more self sustainable life, cultivating the land and living with nature. Michelle believes in a complimentary approach to health care combining the many benefits of western medicine with Traditional Chinese medicine. Michelle has a large referral base of practitioners in modalities such as clinical counseling, massage therapy, hypnotherapy and hypnobirthing, chiropractic care, and physiotherapy to complement Traditional Chinese medicine and help you to reach your goals.
