Fostering Wellness Through Traditional Healing Arts
Creating a healthier, balanced life for everyone
Lisa Cardinal
Dr. Ac.
Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine, Free Consultation & FAQ, Reiki
My name is Lisa Cardinal Dr. Ac. and I am a practitioner of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reflexology, and Reiki. I am the wife of an elementary assistant principal, mother of three ranging from 10 to 28 years old, and grandmother to a 7-year-old. I have strong ties to the community and through my past career, culture, husband, and kids I am involved in many school, extracurricular, community, and cultural activities.
For many years I prioritized myself last, experiencing cycle after cycle of working myself into the ground until I burned out - completely exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. My plate was constantly overflowing, so, naturally I would add more plates – juggling plates, adding more on the plates, and then adding more plates to juggle until they all came crashing down. I never learned that rest and restorative health were things that people needed in order to manage their family, career, and recreation. I was under the impression that only the weak required down time - that success meant sacrificing everything. So the cycle continued, over and over – until one day, I didn’t recover. For over 10 years I struggled with severe autoimmune symptoms, chronic pain and inflammation, severe fatigue, psychoemotional disorders, and complete disability. I aged very rapidly. I aged 25 years in only 10. My physician was at a loss. I no longer recognised the person I saw in the mirror.
After little success with our health system I found recovery in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. Once I started my healing journey I made leaps and bounds in my recovery. As I recover physically and mentally, I’ve noticed significant differences in my mind, body and spirit - I’m returning to who I was, only this time stronger and wiser. This led me to return to university to study Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine and upon graduation focus on helping people start the journey to regain their lives - understanding that balance between the mind and body are critical to healing. One can’t heal without the other.
I studied Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at MacEwan University, Reflexology at Universal College of Reflexology and Banyan Thai Massage Academy, and Reiki & Energy Healing at Sacred Wellness School of Healing Arts. I continue to spend a few hours weekly observing and deepening my knowledge of Chinese Medicine at Bethune Oriental Medicine Centre in Edmonton.
Outside of our busy work and school schedules, we unplug and cherish quality time with our family and friends and enjoy creating new memories and experiencing new things together. We also enjoy playing board games - some of our recent favourites are Throw, Throw Burrito, Happy Little Dinosaurs, and Poetry for Neanderthals.
I look forward to meeting you and working together towards health, abundance, and happiness! <3
”The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system.” Robert C. Peale
“Healing yourself is connected with healing others.” Yoko Ono
“药 补 不 如 食 补”
“yào bǔ bù rú shí bǔ”
“Cure by food is better than cure by medicine.”
How We Got Started
Alternative Acupuncture was born out of a passion to help people when western medicine seemed to have reached its limit. We recognized the need for a holistic and patient-centered approach to wellness and established a place where comprehensive care and compassion converge.
