Today we’d like to introduce you to Maryna Smolnikava.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dr. Smolnikava. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I, Dr. Maryna Smolnikava, a doctor of Chinese Medicine, a licensed acupuncturist, a certified herbalist, the owner of LightBody Holistic clinic in Encinitas, CA. I grew up in Belarus, my journey started with the memory of me running barefoot in the village and collecting herbs with my grandmother. Living simply in the village made me realize that nature provides with abundance and health when we are in tune with it. It created a solid foundation for my pursuit of natural medicine.
Living in Belarus I didn’t know what was possible in designing my life. I kept saying “yes” to any opportunities that were presented in front of me. Because of this, I changed careers numerous times, gained many skills along the way, lived in 4 different countries and five different states to become who I am today.
Becoming a Doctor of Chinese Medicine was an unexpected change of events. I had a strong calling to quit my stable job and go to India where I was exposed to the ancient herbal medicine, meditation practices and knowledge. It felt good in my heart and I dared to explore the calling of learning about the ancient healing practices.
I am passionate about what I do. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical system that has evolved over thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Acupuncture is a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body, usually by inserting thin needles through the skin.
Chinese Medicine practitioners, like myself, use the methods of pulse and tongue reading to diagnose and detect imbalances in the body. The vital energy, what we refer to as Qi, flows in the specific pattern through channels and meridians. Modern science relates the meridian system to the nervous system of the human body. The human body is like an electrical circuit that transmits the signals to the brain, when a blockage occurs it throws the whole system off and creates disease. Most of those blockages are created by unhealthy thought patterns and unprocessed emotions.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a challenging yet empowering road to get me where I am now. I immigrated to the US when I was 21 with $200 in my pocket. I had quit the university in Belarus where I was studying law. After coming to America, I completed a BA in Political Science in Portland, Maine while working full time. I was a different person 10 years ago. I was a working professional in the downtown of Boston and Portland, ME. I was a recruiter in a corporate world for many years before I followed my calling of becoming a holistic doctor.
In 2010 quit my stable job and went to live in the ashram in India. This experience changed my life and opened me up to the idea of dedicating myself to living a life of service and contribution. Then I attended Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego where I received a Doctor of Oriental Medicine degree.
While I was in Chinese Medical school, I knew that real knowledge was not in the books. I started seeking the true medicine that addresses the spirit. Meditation helped me to see how the mind affects the biochemistry of my own body and how health affected my spirit. At that point, I was committed to unlocking the secrets of how to tap into the unlimited human potential that can heal ourselves.
For the past ten years, I’ve been traveling around the world learning from different healers, shamans, priests and priestesses. I visited tribes in Sierra mountains of Colombia and sat with medicine people from the Amazon of Peru, assisted the high priestess of Bali with ceremonies, lived with a tribe in Laos collecting local herbs for different rituals, studied with healers in Russia and Hawaiian kahunas, explored Native American ceremonies of Lakota lineage, lived in ashrams in India and studied Ayurveda with local doctors along with five years of doctorate program in Chinese Medicine.
We’d love to hear more about your practice.
LightBody Holistic is the name of my private practice in Encinitas, California, where I see patients for one-on-one treatments. My treatments are unique as I have extensive experience and education in Western and Eastern medicine. I combined different modalities, such as acupuncture, deep tissue and muscle release therapy, and emotional release techniques to bring my patients back to a pain-free state. I also offer a personalized Chinese herbal formula and nutritional plan for specific health conditions. I provide transformation on body, mind, and spirit levels. I am passionate about inspiring people to lead a healthy lifestyle and to be on a path of a self-discovery of becoming your healer.
Intending to reach more people, I am now offering an online health coaching program where I focus on providing solutions for psycho-emotional energies that hold in the body and result in health issues that commonly manifest in a variety of ways. Some examples are weight gain or loss, headaches, insomnia, low back pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression or a feeling of disconnection from life.
In my six week program, I meet weekly with my clients via a one-on-one conference call, create a personalized Chinese herbal formula and a dietary plan suitable for a specific health issue, teach my clients how to bring the nervous system into balance with acupuncture pressure points, movement and meditation. In addition, I educate my online health coaching clients in specific ways they can naturally prevent diseases and sustain health.
The clients with which I work are high achievers and leaders who are passionate about their health and wellbeing. I offer unique personalized programs and products to increase vitality and energy levels while helping my clients reach their peak state of wellbeing.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I am committed to inspiring others to be on the path of a healthy lifestyle. It takes a lot of responsibility to stay strong on my path and always to be on the top of my game, emotionally, spiritually and physically. I have a strong personal practice to bring myself into balance so I can be at service.
Contact Info:
- Address: LightBody Holistic Clinic
609 Vulcan Ave Suite 101
Encitnias, CA 92026 - Website: lightbodyholistic.com
- Phone: 8088664720
- Email: Maryna@lightbodyholistic.com
Image Credit:
Troels Haahr Graugaard
Rachael McAllister
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