Provider Spotlight: Jeff Pufnock, MSOM Ph.D LAc
Jeff Pufnock, MSOM Ph.D LAc
Jeff is an awesome guy that brings a ton of wisdom to the ICC. I particularly enjoy his tea practice, and the energetic teas that he has shared with this community and others! He has a background as a scientist. He is also a trained Chinese Medicine practitioner, so it all makes for a very cool blend of offerings!
Cole: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jeff: Jeff is a practitioner based at Embodied Wholeness in Fort Collins, CO. I realized that while our therapies were helping to treat cancer for some, success was limited and we were only treating the disease at the very end stage. I desired to approach the paradigm of healing in a different way and focus more on treating the very beginning of the disease process. This approach led me to look into Eastern Medicine and its holistic view of the body and the disease process. Coupled with my personal experience of Chinese Medicine and energetic modalities for treating conditions which Western medical interventions offered no relief, I chose to step away from my scientific studies and embark on a second life journey to study Chinese Medicine
Cole: Tell us a little bit about how you practice. What are your specialities, if any? What clients do you love to work with?
Jeff: I intuitively blend acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, custom herbal medicine, breathwork, hands-on energy work and tea meditations to gently access the physical, mental and subtle energetic levels of the body. I regard my work as sacred and approach the space of healing and working with others on their path with the utmost respect, care and integrity. My work is informed by both my extensive training in the holistic modalities above as well as my own ongoing journey with ceremonial plant medicine over the last 12+ years. My unique life experience and background allows me to offer a truly unique and safely held container to support my client's healing process. I provide somatic therapy and bodywork for those going through psychedelic therapy and traumatic experiences to allow for a deeper release, healing and integration of these experiences in the physical body. I also work with clients looking to make lasting health shifts with conditions they may have been dealing with for some time, including digestive and sleep difficulties, anxiety, depression, autoimmunity, complex health conditions and cancer. By working to restore the energetic imbalances underlying these symptoms, I help to reorient my clients along a path of better future health in their lives.
Cole: Why did you decide to get into the work that you do now?
Jeff: Since the time I was very young I desired to help others dealing with health issues, particularly cancer. I combined this with my love for science and dedicated my life to an advanced career as a cancer researcher. I realized that while our experimental therapies were helping to treat cancer for some, success was limited and we were only treating the disease at the very end stage. I desired to approach the paradigm of healing in a different way and focus more on treating the very beginning of disease and illness. This approach led me to look into Eastern Medicine and its holistic view of the body and the disease process. Coupled with my personal healing experience with Chinese Medicine and energetic modalities for treating conditions which Western medical interventions offered me no relief, I chose to step away from my scientific studies and embark on a second life journey to study Chinese Medicine. My own ongoing life journey and experiences with ceremonial plant medicine has also continued to offer me powerful insights and expanded intuition that I apply to my practice with my patients.
Cole: What are some of the biggest challenges facing mental health providers today, in your opinion?
Jeff: Our society in general is not set up in a way to foster good mental and nervous system health. The amount of nervous system overwhelm that the average individual is exposed to on a daily basis challenges even the most emotionally stable individual to experience some degree of nervous system disregulation.
Cole: Where do you see the future of mental health care going?
Jeff: I have a very optimistic view that the ongoing incorporation of psychedelic therapy will provide some real awakening for some people suffering with mental health issues. I also unfortunately see the possibility for larger mental health companies and online platforms to degrade the personal therapy experience and offer more and more competition individual to practitioners.
Cole: What’s one thing you recommend that all your clients do to see lasting impact in their lives?
Jeff: Get back in touch with nature.
You can learn more about Jeff, contact him, and book appointments on his website or check out his Instagram: @embodied.wholeness
