We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathy Duffy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathy below.
Kathy, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
Perhaps not surprisingly, one of my main forms of self-care is acupuncture. Receiving regular acupuncture, of course, helps keep me healthy and balanced. But importantly, it also helps me stay connected to what my patients experience during their sessions with me. Being in the role of patient—and I’m very needle sensitive!—is a reminder of the trepidation with which some people approach acupuncture. I think receiving acupuncture makes me a more present and gentle practitioner.
Recently, I’ve added receiving facials to my self-care routine. I was surprised by how relaxing I find it. I often walk out feeling like I’ve had a full body massage! This has reignited my interest in offering facial services at Rosewood Acupuncture. I’d stepped back from doing so during the pandemic, but I’m super excited to reintroduce these services.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
I’m committed to providing affordable acupuncture, but it’s often a challenge in Austin as it becomes more and more expensive to maintain a small business and to pay myself a wage that allows me to stay in town.
My plan to add in facial services will help to subsidize some of the patients I see on a sliding scales.
I’m excited to introduce acupuncture facial rejuvenation, some great sheet masks and serums formulated by acupuncturists & herbalists, facial gua sha and cupping.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think different people have different approaches to life changes. I was working full-time in academic publishing when I decided that I wanted to make a career change. I did it slowly over a course of several years, going to massage school part-time while still working full-time. Then I started practicing massage part-time in addition to my publishing job. During this time, I also volunteered at an acupuncture clinic for several years before finally taking the jump, leaving my full-time job and starting acupuncture school full-time. I guess I don’t have 3 things to recommend–just know yourself and go at your own pace!
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
I love having diversity in my patient base. I love meeting all kinds of people and treating all kinds of issues. But I’d say my ideal patient is one who sees acupuncture as part of an ongoing process of improving and maintaining health.
I’m always happy to work with somebody who has a crick in their neck, wants it resolved asap, and doesn’t necessarily intend to return for more treatments. Acupuncture and cupping is definitely great for that and the person will likely leave feeling better. But that crick didn’t come out of nowhere. It likely reflects a history of tension that has just finally become too acute to ignore. My preference is to help people get to the root of their issues, rather than just treating the symptom. It’s great to have patients on board for that approach.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rosewoodacupuncture.com/
- Instagram: @rosewoodacupuncture
