Un Jeung’s Story
In my adolescence, my body and mind were at war with one another. I was prone to overthinking (a tendency that continues to this day), and fell into deep bouts of depression alternating with anxiety. I had severe acne which affected my self-confidence and ability to connect with others, and menstrual cycles that had me at times crying on the floor in pain. I craved sugary, processed foods and stimulants that seemed desirable until I was left feeling nauseous and fatigued. I didn’t value myself enough to seek help for these issues, and my depressive cycles grew worse as I contemplated more seriously if life was a worthwhile pursuit.
Entering adulthood, I struggled with questions of identity and purpose as I navigated who I was outside of my insular religious upbringing, while entering a society whose culture seemed to embrace values of war, competition, and profit over people.
My healing has involved both mind and body rebalancing. Undergraduate studies in Sociology helped me to view myself and others with more compassion, and a growing interest in food as the basis of both societal and individual health led me towards a reimagined lifestyle. I began working on farms, cooking delicious, wholesome meals, living closely with the seasons, and rediscovering the power of herbal medicines. As I began to grow and forage medicinal plants and make herbal medicines to share with my community, I knew I had found a lifelong path.
Later I would learn that my grandfather was an herbalist in his own right, having learned much from his mother who grew up in a mountainside village in Japan. Now, as a practitioner of East Asian medicine, I am strengthened to feel that I am connecting to a field of knowledge that is in my blood.
This calling has awoken over decades of walking the path of my own healing, with many side trails but always a common theme: restoring an awareness of the natural balance within and around us. While I am still prone to anxious overthinking, with the clarification of my path of service, my mind more easily falls into the role of “helpful servant” to the true ruler of my body: my heart. While I may occasionally have GI upset and skin flare-ups, thanks to herbal medicines, acupuncture and a supportive lifestyle, these are rare occasions that are effectively addressed, and mostly prevented.
The key ingredient of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an emphasis on balance. As both art and science, balance requires your ongoing attention to your inner landscape and your outer environment. I will be happy to walk alongside you on this journey and provide you with all the powerful tools I have learned along the way.
Un Jeung’s Training and Experience
Un Jeung Jones, L.Ac. (Licensed Acupuncturist), graduated from Virginia University of Integrative Medicine where she received her Masters of Science in Acupuncture. Her clinical training has primarily focused on musculoskeletal pain, stress, sleep, menstrual issues, fertility, GI issues and headaches. The primary modalities she utilizes are acupuncture, Chinese herbal formulas, cupping, moxibustion, gua sha and mind/body practices. She would love to see more people accessing this powerful medicine and has offered community-style acupuncture to underserved populations in inner-city DC. She is currently enrolled in the Masters of Chinese Herbal Medicine program at VUIM and is becoming certified as a Qigong and Tai Chi instructor.
Previous to her graduate studies, Un Jeung received her BA in Sociology from Goucher College where she focused on the sociology of health and wellness as well as race, class, and gender studies. She earned an 800 hour certificate in Holistic Herbalism at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville, NC where she also apprenticed with herbalist CoreyPine Shane. Her previous work has included growing herbs and vegetables, conducting plant surveys, and serving as an environmental educator, all which she sees as seamlessly connecting with her current role as TCM practitioner.